Iraqi Constitution and Women's Rights

There seems to be a new Talking Point on the Iraqi Constitution, part of the "Lowered Expectations" meme, that the Constitution is somehow a disappointment on "women's rights."

The always excellent Chrenkoff writes of the latest Iraqi poll in which 84% "support giving women full rights and benefits as men."

But it's also worth looking at the actual document, and seeing what it actually says.

Here is the AP's translation (via the New York Times).

Note Article 14 -- the first clause of the section on "Civil and Political Rights". It reads: "Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination because of sex, ethnicity, nationality, origin, color, religion, sect, belief, opinion or social or economic status."

That seems quite clear.

It's worth noting that this is a far stronger protection for women's equal rights than appears explicitly anywhere in our own Constitution (Check it out here, if you don't believe me.) Sure, our 19th amendement guarantees women the vote, but the only other protection is implicit in the 14th amendment.