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Values to "impose"
on Iraq
By Curtiss Wikstrom
Before relinquishing power to a new authority in
Iraq, a commitment to the following principals should be required of those who
would take control. This commitment should be in the form of an adopted
constitution and an oath to support the constitution. Those who will not
pledge to support the new constitution should not be permitted to participate in
the new government.
1. Freedom of Religion, thought, and expression. This means
people of different religions have the right to debate their beliefs and try to
convince others to believe as they do. The state should not favor one religion
over another, and religious groups should be permitted to own their own
property. People should be permitted to start Newspapers, TV and Radio
stations which are not controlled by the government.
2. The rule of law, and due process of law. People may not be
punished or controlled except to the extent that they violate written laws which
are adequately defined. The police and judicial system must be separate
institutions. Trial by jury of ones peers should be required before any
serious penalties can be meted out, such as incarceration or death. Cruel
and unusual punishment such as torture should be prohibited.
3. Limiting government to its proper purposes by a constitution.
The duty of government should be defined as providing for order and the defense
of people. All other peaceful activity should be open to the voluntary
efforts and cooperation between free people. A system of checks and
balances should be included in the constitution to prevent the accumulation of
excessive power by any group of people. And a bill of rights like the US bill of
rights should be included to protect the rights of minorities from abuse by the
majority .
4. Active protection of minority rights. The new authorities
should be required to pledge to actively defend the freedom of minority groups
to express their ideas and chose their own religious beliefs from thugs, mobs,
and gangs. Terrorist activity should be outlawed, and the advocacy of
violence against others with different religious beliefs should be punished.
Schools which incite violence against others should be closed down. Schools and
organizations which lie about the beliefs of others should be punished for
defamation, libel, and slander. Punishing this behavior is not inconsistent with
the right of freedom of expression. Freedom of expression does not mean
one can deprive others of their freedom of expression.
5. Assure than Women have equal opportunity to vote and participate in
the political process.
There are those who would thoughtlessly claim that
we have no right to impose our values on other countries. That is a
foolish misconception and mis-statement of what the real issues are.
Those of us who believe in liberty have a right to join together with anyone
else anywhere in the universe who also believes in liberty to defend that
liberty against those who would take it away from us. In reality we are
not imposing our views on others. We are simply willing to use force to prevail
over those who would use force to impose themselves, their systems, or their
beliefs on us. None of the values listed above are impositions on others, they
are defenses against the impositions of others, whether they be thugs, gangs,
majorities, minorities, or governments.
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