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Arabia
Qatar to Adopt First Constitution Today
2005-06-09
Posted by:Fred

#12  Dictators have done this type of thing thoughout history (eg. czarist russia create a state duma without little power) and look how that ended up. This is just done to releve pressure on his regime and wont have any real power.
Posted by: Spoluck Snineck8032   2005-06-09 15:42  

#11  Saying the words won't disturb the rulers at all if they're thinking in terms of taqqiyah (dissembling to fool the infidel enemy). I agree with .com on this one. The giveaways, to me, are the timing and the 10 year "No change" clause.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-06-09 10:22  

#10  At least they're saying the words.. which is something.. must be breaking their hearts balls..
Posted by: Howard UK   2005-06-09 09:51  

#9  Sure, okay.

The Great Arab Leap Forward. I expect that those Dictatorships, Thugocracies, Mullahcracies, etc, who aren't run by total congential idiots and haven't yet made their plans for new window treatments (in response to the pressure they feel from Bush) will take a good hard look at this hoax bold step - and likely emulate it. It's a masterstroke, even approaching genius, for Arab Dictators, anyway.

Please ignore me, I'm just being incorrigibly unforgiving of the Arab Vision Thingy. Silly me.
Posted by: .com   2005-06-09 09:07  

#8  Some of these people still think the sky can fall on their heads so this has to be a start.. no matter how miniscule and ultimately disguised it may actually be.

Posted by: Howard UK   2005-06-09 08:39  

#7  "...no changes can be made to the document for the first 10 years..."
How handy for the Emir!
Posted by: Tom   2005-06-09 08:36  

#6  Lessee...

Free Speech / Free Press

Gosharoonies, that will let them continue to cover for Al Jizz, something they were taking some serious heat over. How convenient.

Freedom of Assembly, but "according to the law".

Hmmm. Since Shari'a is the basis of law (next item) this this doesn't mean dick, now does it?

Article One - “Its religion is Islam and Shariah is the main source of legislation. Its regime is democratic and its official language is Arabic.”

and

"no changes can be made to the document for the first 10 years"

Think about this. Just because they said a few magic words, "constitution" "democratic" "free speech" "free press", you folks are getting all wobbly and gushy.

Bullshit. They have successfully played the sucker bet and enshrined the same old Arab Islamic Shari'a SHIT, carved it into stone for 10 years, and made all legal-looking and spiffy for public consumption. For what? For so-called "free speech" and "free press" and "free assembly" and an occasional vote on what color the wheels of Shari'a "justice" will be? These are all as stipulated under Shari'a Law, folks. In other words, it's the same old shit.

Shari'a is the key to oppression - and they've got you looking at the shiny wrapper, instead of the shit sandwich inside.

Sorry, but this is a clever PR snowjob - a massive pig in a poke Islamic joke. Swallowed the sucker hook, line, and sinker, too. Need some more metaphors? How about "Same old wine in a brand new bottle"? You can add, now New and Improved with a Constitution and Democracy! Sorta. Active Ingredient: Shari'a.

I've got some swampland and bridges fine real estate I'll grudgingly part with...
Posted by: .com   2005-06-09 08:20  

#5  (hopefully) Its about the rule of law applied uniformily with fear or favo(u)r.
Posted by: phil_b   2005-06-09 06:56  

#4  I'm with Jen, I'll suppress my cynicism for now and wish them good luck.. from small streams come mighty rivers or sumptin'
Posted by: Howard UK   2005-06-09 06:13  

#3  Come on, guys...it may be symbolic and/or window dressing, but it's a start on democratic reforms, isn't it?
As the Chinese say, "A journey begins with a single step..."
Good for Qatar!
And they've been wonderful allies with us, too.
Posted by: Jennie Taliaferro   2005-06-09 02:18  

#2  Wow, that window's looking pretty spiffy now, eh?

Okay, we're done. We're all democratic and everything. Nothing to see here, now. Move along.
Posted by: .com   2005-06-09 01:46  

#1  "We the Emirs..."
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-06-09 01:35  

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