Iraqi constitution re-writing by US
Of course, I'm totally surprised this happened.
``Now, Docena's article demonstrates step by step, in documented detail, how the strong-arming by Ambassador Khalilzad and his helpmates from Washington turned the original Scandinavian-style Constitution the Iraqis wanted on its head, producing a Constitution that Khalilzad's neo-con patrons could gloat over. "Gone was the article proclaiming adherence to social justice as the basis of the economy. In its place was a provision binding the state to 'reforming the Iraqi economy according to modern economic bases, in a way that ensures complete investment of its resources, diversifying its sources and encouraging and developing the private sector.'''
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``"Also gone was the provision affirming the Iraqi peoples collective ownership of IraqOil_puimp s oil and other natural resources and obliging the state to protect and safeguard them. Instead, a new article lays the legal ground for selling off Iraq s oil and putting it under the control of the big multinational oil companies. Article 110 goes so far as to spell out that 'the federal government and the governments of the producing regions and provinces together will draw up the necessary strategic policies to develop oil and gas wealth to bring the greatest benefit for the Iraqi people, relying on the most modern techniques of market principles and encouraging investment.'''