View Feedback | Send this Article | Published 4/04/03

Graphic By: Baudi Ratcliffe-Hollins

Also, there will be the issue of the three major ethnicities inhabiting the state of Iraq: Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Kurds. Despite their differences, there has been very little history of inter-ethnic fighting. For these three groups to be adequately represented, yet kept in check, I believe there needs to be a parliamentary system installed in Iraq. In that case, the Chief Executive would be chosen directly out of a legislature elected by the people. He would be forced to work with the legislature, instead of exercising his broad powers through a separate branch, as our Presidential system allows. This can be done by following the traditional parliamentary model: if the legislature does not agree with the actions of the government, they can have a vote of confidence. If the government loses, new elections will be held and the people will decide how they feel.

Since there are at least three major enthnicities that will most likely be functioning in the government, I believe Iraq will need to follow the French Parliament and elect the legislature proportionally. While this might mean that the Shia would comprise a majority of the parliament, this would be a shift in the balance of power where the Sunni have traditionally held the power. There might also be a need for a bi-cameral house. We've discussed a proportionally elected legislature, which could be the lower house of Parliament. The upper house could be designed so each ethnicity would receive an equal number of seats. This house would have a suspensive veto on laws established in the lower house.

As for the Iraqi legal system, their legal codes can still be used. In theory, they are well-established and documented codes which were simply not upheld under the regime of Saddam Hussein. Iraqi judges would have to be removed, however, for it can be certain that these judges would implement the law only to the degree that the Ba'ath party would find acceptable. Until new Iraqi judges can be trained, the United Nations should recruit world judges to serve in Iraq. This was something that they neglected to expediently establish following Slobadon Milosevich's removal in Serbia, which still plagues the country to this day.

These changes in Iraq will take time. More time, I am afraid, than CNN and FoxNews will be satisfied with, which will generate speculation and dissatisfaction in the American people. The peacenicks and anti-war protesters will change their statements to reflect their disgruntled views regarding how the Bush administration and British government are handling the rebuilding of Iraq. However, I am certain that the news of the rebuilding will only fill in a five minute timespan a day on the major cable news networks, while they turn their ever-critical eye to issues long forgotten during 24-hour war coverage, including Osama bin Laden and the North Korean issue. Hopefully, the American public will see behind the subterfuge of sensational journalism and keep up with the news of the rebuilding of Iraq. Despite the cost, if the rebuilding fails, the west will have lost the war, and the Middle East will continue its unabiding hatred of the west and all its values, and it will be a long time before democracy can ever be cultivated.
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Andrew Lent is Whim's resident Political Columnist