Reply #94: another source: Scotland Sunday Herald [View All]

[dweller]

US Backs Down on Islamic law in Iraq
by Luke Baker and Michael Georgy In Baghdad

THE careful negotiations over the Iraqi constitution appeared last night to be leaning further towards making Islamic
law the main source of law for the country rather than a source after US diplomats apparently gave way to the
concerns of Iraqi officials.

Sunni Arab negotiator Saleh al-Mutlak said a deal was struck which would mean
parliament could pass no legislation that "contradicted Islamic principles".

Yesterday Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish negotiators, meeting with Iraqi president Jalal
Talabani and US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, all said there was accord on a bigger role
for Islamic law than Iraq had before.

One secular Kurdish politician said: "We understand the Americans have sided with the
Shi'ites. It's shocking. It doesn't fit American values. They have spent so much blood and
money here, only to back the creation of an Islamist state. I can't believe that's what the
Americans really want or what the American people want."

http://www.sundayherald.com/51378
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0821-04.htm

dp