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U.S. GOVERNMENT 1: U.S. Approves of Iraq's Constitution

On Friday, leading Iraqi politicians and U.S. administration officials will sign an interim constitution on Friday, according to President Mohammed Bahr al-Ulloum of the Iraqi Governing Council.

After two months of debate concerning the final draft of the interim constitution, Iraqis agreed upon the draft on Monday. U.S. officials believe this document is a breakthrough for the country. They hope that this constitution will help prepare Iraq for governing their own country, so that U.S. forces will be able to eventually leave. However, even after the Iraqi government takes over power, many U.S. troops will continue to remain in the country for a while.

This interim constitution will become law for at least one year, until a replacement draft is written by an elected national assembly. The draft contains a 13-article bill of rights including protections for free speech and religious expression. Although it embraces Islam as the state religion, the law is not solely based upon it. Kurdish, in addition to Arabic, is deemed as an official language. “For the next 100 years this day will be mentioned as one of the most important in Iraq’s history,” said council member Samir Shaker Mahmoud.

Iraq's constitution gives considerable authority to individual regions but no specific entity has absolute power. The country will be governed by a national assembly, which is directly elected by citizens. The national assembly members must then choose a president, a prime minister, and a pair of deputy presidents. The president will share power with the prime minister and Cabinet, and will make decisions in accordance with the advice of the two vice presidents. In addition, the prime minister holds executive power while the president commands the armed forces and veto power over national assembly decision.

--Written by Renee Clara

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