When Iraq drafted its constitution a few years ago, the Bush Administration allowed it to pass without a clause for religious freedom. Big mistake. Many Christians have been forced to flee the country.
Not a mistake by Bush at all. Bush or the United States (or any other country) should not dictate the terms and rights of Iraq's constitution. If we want to promote democratic republics in the region, we have to let them create their constitutions.
A colleague of mine was a colonel in the Reserves, serving in Afghanistan and at the request of the Afghan government he assisteds their legal community in the writing of their constitution. He was careful not to impose his beliefs, but limited his participation as an advisor, rather than framer.
By the way, today is the 225th birthday of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. This document, radical in its time, has served as the blueprint for freedom and equality for blossoming democracies around the world, and will continue to do so.
