via kirk i read this copy of the iraqi interim constitution that was signed today. it's pretty interesting. what jumped out at me are these provisions:
article 13(H): an express constitutional right to privacy
article 14: a constitutional right to "education" and "health care"
article 15(G): "Every person deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall have the right of recourse to a court to determine the legality of his arrest or detention without delay and to order his release if this occurred in an illegal manner."
article 15(I): "Civilians may not be tried before a military tribunal. Special or exceptional courts may not be established."
article 17: no constitutional right to bear arms.
article 23(E): "The Iraqi Armed Forces may not be dispatched outside Iraq even for the purpose of defending against foreign aggression except with the approval of the National Assembly and upon the request of the Presidency Council."
what do the above provisions i cited have in common?
all of the them are things president bush opposes having right here in the u.s.
(one more thing: as quoted above, article 15(I) forbids the establishment of "special or exceptional courts." but then this is directly contradicted by article 48, which endorses the establishment of a "special tribunal" beyond the jurisdiction of the regular judiciary. did anyone bother to proofread this thing?)
