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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (15113)	11/4/2003 6:46:56 AM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 793619

Afghanistan drafts a constitution Islamic republic would be ruled by strong president THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Hamid Karzai KABUL, Afghanistan - Two years after the fall of the Taliban, the Afghan government unveiled a historic draft constitution Monday, aiming to cast aside a quarter-century of conflict with a unified Islamic state under a powerful presidency. The draft makes Afghanistan an Islamic republic but stops short of imposing the harsh brand of Islamic law favored by the Taliban, and for the first time enshrines a permanent role for women in governing the country. Still, turning the document's guarantees of equality, liberty, dignity and free speech into reality in a country lacking all of them will be a singular challenge for President Hamid Karzai and future Afghan leaders. The draft, containing 160 articles in 12 chapters, is to be presented next month for approval at a constitutional loya jirga, or grand council, of about 500 delegates from across the country. Nationwide elections would then be scheduled in June. The document was the result of a year's work - and months of delay - reflecting deep divisions and fierce backroom struggles inside the 35-member Constitutional Review Commission. The most dramatic change from earlier drafts was the elimination of the post of prime minister and concentration of power in the president - who will be commander in chief of the military, have the power to appoint one-third of the Parliament's upper house and to name judges, military officers, police and national security officials. Extending that centralized power to Afghanistan's provinces and patchwork of regional allegiances and ethnic groups - where warlords rule like feudal princes in areas that seem frozen in time - will be the constitution's true test. "The degree of centralizing that you see here is for the time being simply wishful thinking, unless there's going to be a change of the balance of power between the center and the provinces," said Vikram Parekh, senior analyst on Afghanistan for the International Crisis Group think tank. "Frankly, I don't see in the near term how that's going to be implementable." The draft's first article declares "Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic," indicating the government's desire to bring the country together under Islam, practiced by almost all Afghans. "The religion of Afghanistan is the sacred religion of Islam. Followers of other religions are free to perform their religious ceremonies within the limits of the provisions of law," the draft states, according to an English translation provided by the government. At a ceremony at the Presidential Palace, red-bound copies of the draft constitution were handed to former King Mohammad Zaher Shah, President Karzai and Lakhdar Brahimi, special envoy of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "I hope this will be acceptable for the people and will direct people toward peace, security and democracy," said the 88-year-old Zaher Shah. The constitution accords for the ex-king the ceremonial title of "Father of the Nation," but it has no provisions for the monarchy to continue after his death

To: Lane3 who wrote (15113)	11/4/2003 7:11:57 AM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793619

Justices will rule on HMOs This is a real "toughy." The legal issue is which law applies. But if Connor or Kennedy want to "make law," you could get a split decision to put this to state courts. That is what the Liability Lawyers are salivating for. They haven't been able to get at the HMOs. If they do, my Kaiser coverage will cost at least 50% more to cover the cost of the legal battles. OTOH, am I being denied benefits so that the HMO can make a bigger buck?