Over a year for US Constitution to be ratified, Iraq got approx. 7 months

[G_j]

From the moment when Iraq's government took power after the January elections to the mid-August deadline isn't much time.

Even while the writers of the US Constitution shared basic understanding in the writings of John Locke, the Enlightenment etc., it took more than a year for the Constitution to be formally ratified.

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http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/constitution/htimeline.html

time line highlights:


May 25, 1787: First meeting of the Constitutional Convention - Delegates from all states except Rhode Island meet in Philadelphia for the purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation.

<snip>
July 2, 1788: U.S. Constitution formally ratified - With New Hampshire's ratification, the U.S. Constitution becomes formally accepted and a committee is appointed to plan the transition to the new government.

<snip>
March 4, 1789: Effective Date of the U.S. Constitution - The new U.S. Government under the U.S. Constitution formally goes into effect.

<snip>

September 25, 1789: Congress proposes amendments to the U.S. Constitution - Congress proposes 12 amendments to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, for ratification by state legislatures.

<snip>
March 1, 1792: Ratification of Bill of Rights - Thomas Jefferson announces the ratification of the Bill of Rights, and they go into effect.

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[FightingIrish]

1. And we didn't have an occupying power..

looking over our shoulder and telling us how to do it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. They know the Iraqi one is bogus, so they don't want to waste

a lot of time on it. It's all for talking about it on the news.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Took a year to be ratified and it STILL wasn't finished

[enigma000]

4. I hear what you are saying

But the more important completion date would be (from the link):

September 15, 1787: Convention adopts U.S. Constitution - Although Edmund Randolph continued to clamor for revisions, the convention adopts the U.S. Constitution.

So it took from May 25 to September 15, 1787, just under 4 months. Still, the American officials were not working under near-civil conditions and an occupation.

[G_j]

5. actually you are correct

which kind of makes my point moot.

The real difference is obviously the conditions under which these things happened.

thanks for pointing this out

[enigma000]

7. no problem G_j

but certainly you are correct in pointing out the real difference is the conditions in Iraq.

Still, it's quite the accomplishment in just a few months - negotiations between people who were once bitter enemies. Who knows what will happen when the Iraqis are back on their own. Maybe full scale civil war. Maybe they will make this constitution and society work.

After all, if the writers had no commitment to the concept of democracy, do you think it would be this hard? And have taken them this long? I think it's only because they are passionate about getting a good document.

[MichiganVote]

6. Well you know what? I just don't give a damn. Its all going to be BS

anyway when the US pulls away any of its support. With our troops dying like flies, I just don't think I care to give a damn anymore what they do or don't do.

[soliddemocrat]

8. And even worse they won't have the same rights that we have

I honestly don't think that these stupid republicans know how to even create a democratic constitution that would help a country and its people live a better life. So as i've seen on various petition websites and heard on the Randi Rhodes show on the radio. Women in Iraq aren't going to have the right for marriage,religion,politics,divorce, or deciding whether they want to wear one of those shawls over their head or not. This new constitution in Iraq is going to give the people in Iraq less rights than they would have had before President Bush started being an inferior bastard about the whole thing and started poking his nose into other peoples business. So anyways that's all for now. I hope to hear from you soon,good luck in all you do.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Our Constitution Guaranteed Everybody Equal Rights...

Are they leaving the Sharia law in it?