Remember the smiling Iraqi woman, Bush's flesh-and-blood applause line in his State of the Union? The one who hugged the mother of the fallen soldier?

Reuters AlertNet - Iraq secularists denounce "Islamist" constitution:

"Human rights should not be linked to Islamic Sharia law at all. It should be listed separately in the constitution," said Safia Souhail, Iraq's ambassador to Egypt.

The prominent women's rights campaigner denounced wording that grants each religious sect the right to run its own family courts -- apparently doing away with previous civil codes -- as an open door to further Islamicise the legal system.

Although in practice, many Iraqis end up having recourse to religious authorities or informal tribal law, the idea of a united civil code is central to the modern state, Souhail said.

"This will lead to creating religious courts. But we should be giving priority to the law," she said.

"When we came back from exile, we thought we were going to improve rights and the position of women. But look what has happened -- we have lost all the gains we made over the last 30 years. It's a big disappointment."

I wonder whom Bush will find to stand up for an applause line next year. No doubt three men -- a Kurd, a Shia and a Sunni -- who can be relied upon to put the best interests of the Republican Party above the human rights of Iraqi women.

[via flicknut]

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