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The BBC carries a full version of the latest version of the Iraqi constitution.

Article One The Republic of Iraq is an independent state. Article Two The political system is republican, parliamentary, democratic and federal. 1. Islam is a main source for legislation. a. No law may contradict Islamic standards. b. No law may contradict democratic standards. c. No law may contradict the essential rights and freedoms mentioned in this constitution. 2. This constitution guarantees the Islamic identity of the Iraqi people and guarantees all religious rights; all persons are free within their ideology and ideological practices. 3. Iraq is part of the Islamic world and the Arabs are part of the Arab nation. … Continue reading Extracts from the draft constitution for Iraq

The Iraqi Communist Party newspaper reports a recent gathering in Baghdad.

Amir Taheri in the Times wonders if the current constitution-making in Iraq could become a litmus test of democratic success in the Middle East.

The IFTU here outlines its views on the new Iraqi constitution

The full report of the TUC Conference on solidarity with Iraqi workers is here.

Many commentators regard the London terror attacks as Tony Blair’s payback for Britain’s role in Iraq. Sami Zubaida assesses the evidence.

James Hider in the Times reports on the Iraqi women who fear that democracy will crush freedom and that oppression and inequality may be enshrined in the new constitution.

Initial Call for Papers A multidisciplinary conference in applied social science and history 6-7 January 2006 at Kingston University, London, UK Kingston University’s Helen Bamber Centre, the Labour Friends of Iraq and the UK Iraqi Community Association This conference in London aims to marry theory, history, and practice in the service of contributing to the consolidation of democracy in Iraq. It is intended to produce practical conclusions and recommendations that might help build the capacity for consolidation in Iraq, including by enabling the Iraqi diaspora community to contribute to the democratization process. The conference proposes to do this not by … Continue reading The Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Iraq:What do Other Cases Tell Us?

Gerard Baker, in the Times examines the arguments about the links between the London bombings and Iraq and concludes that . Invading Iraq has undoubtedly created in the minds of many millions of Muslims the idea that their people, their faith is under attack. The right way to tackle that view is not to indulge it, sympathise with it or nurse it, but to correct it. The right way to deal with anti-American and anti-British sentiment in the Muslim world is not to pull out our troops from Iraq and beg forgiveness, but to continue to fight there on behalf … Continue reading Baghdad and bombs in London