The Geneva Conventions (IV) of 1949 - also signed by the United States - prohibit the modification of the domestic laws or legal institutions of the occupied power.

by Henk Ruyssenaars

FPF - August 23d - 2005 - 'Illegal' - that's what Iraqi opposition leaders now call the three more days the 'parliamentarians' gave themselves to further concoct Iraq's first post-Saddam 'constitution'.

According to US occupation information sources: "the charter's authors, under heavy US pressure, beat a midnight Monday deadline by just minutes to turn over their draft to parliament." Whatever they draft or call it: it's illegal.

In what way ever the US 'Lie Factory' - http://tinyurl.com/8ncal - and the collaborators in occupied Iraq via the mainstream media may try to 'cook' the books: according to the also by the US signed Geneva Convention*, the Hague Convention (Art. 43) and all earlier valid international laws, it's mandatory c.q. compulsory, that "An occupant" must ensure public order "while respecting, unless absolutely prevented, the laws in force in the country."

THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS (IV) OF 1949, PROHIBIT THE MODIFICATION OF THE DOMESTIC LAWS OR LEGAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE OCCUPIED POWER.

Whether it's an election, a referendum, courts or a 'new' constitution; doing this in an occupied country is illegal.

Even if the genocidal neocons in the White House have their propaganda machine and 'front man' George Bush praise the not at all successful negotiations: "as the essence of democracy: the establishment of a democratic constitution will be a landmark event in the history of Iraq and the history of the Middle East," US President George W. Bush again and knowingly lied in a speech in Salt Lake City. This 'charter' is legal nor democratic.

SOME PUBLIC OFFICIALS START TELLING THE TRUTH

Where he met resistance from an unexpected side: the mayor of the town himself. Bush critic and Cindy Sheehan's action supporting Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, had called for demonstrations against President Bush, and told the more than 2,000 activists: "Our nation was lied into war. You are true patriots for being here today."

Apparently more and more public officials in the US finally dare - or have become desperate by what they also see happening - and start telling the truth.

That can never be expected from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - who like the rest of the neocon's administration praises Iraqi politicians for showing: "determination and resolve in the face of extremism and violence." -

However: the main$tream propaganda sewers are activated, saying that 'once approved by the Iraqi 'legislature', the so called 'Charter' will be presented to the victims of occupied Iraq in a referendum.

The US's 'Lie Factory" - [http://tinyurl.com/2rg5o] - and Newspeak divisions will stage the same 'Potemkin cover' as last time, at those so called 'free elections'; with most people knowing that whatever is done with this piece of paper: the illegal 'constitution' will be worth less than the paper it's written upon.

But it will be valid and important as evidence of also this breach of the Geneva Conventions - in the court cases which in the nearby future must and will take place, concerning the war crimes of the PNAC neocons and their ilk.

It's all illegal, whatever the occupying ''Coalition of the Killing'- forces plans to do, like trying to change the Iraqi constitution in this ravaged country.

The Geneva Convention, Article 54 reads: “The Occupying Power may not alter the status of public officials or judges in the occupied territories, or in any way apply sanctions to or take any measures of coercion or discrimination against them, should they abstain from fulfilling their functions for reasons of conscience.