Gun rights in the new Iraq

[Stand_Watie]

I think I'm probably with a majority here in that I'd like to see a 2nd amendment added to the new Iraq constitution. That said, I also recognize that there are realities of protecting troops in a martial law situation.

So, just as a general sort of question, do any forum members have any suggestions regarding gun limitations in particular parts of Iraq for particular time periods that would both allow "Joe six-pack" Iraqi to defend his home and person from ordinary (non-military) thieves, robbers and murderers and still provide some protection to US, Coalition government, and other coalition troops?

Would allowing posession of only shotguns and pistols in "martial law" neighborhoods allow for reasonable self-defense or would the bad guys just wear body armor?

I'm not proposing gun laws as a permanent proposition, just a question if there is any reasonable temporary restriction that might have a positive effect regarding loss of friendly lives, without an overall cost in life.

p.s. I know that laws won't prevent the 'bad guys' from possessing weapons that can be used against friendly forces, just a hypothetical if there is a weapon that we could leave in the hands of someone of whom we have broken down their door in the search of IED's which as we leave, would be reasonable to think it unlikely to be effective against friendly forces and would still be effective against your run of the mill criminals.

 

[Ukraine Train]

Seems like everyone and their grandmother already has an AK over there. I think you'd have a horrible time trying to confiscate their fully automatic weapons and restrict it to semi auto.

 

[Mulliga]

What gun rights?

 

[Foreign Devil]

This is just a guess but I bet the Kurds are not giving up their AK47's.

 

[Russ]

As far as I'm concerned, you have me confused with someone who cares. We have enough to worry about keeping our own 2A halfway intact. If the Iraqi Constitution is theirs, which I assume it is or will be, then I would care if I had to live under it.

 

[LASur5r]

Home defense in Iraq

Nephew in Iraq said that they were Ordered to let the Iraqi's keep weapons for home defense.....but RPG's? Mortars? AK's right after the war?
Of course, now, our troops are busy finding all the caches where they have hidden all this gear for a lot of years.

 

[Zundfolge]

Same thing here as there. No amount of laws, restrictions or regulations is going to keep the bad guys from arming themselves, so what's the point in disarming the law abiding?

An Iraqi who wants to kill American soldiers is going to find a way ... an Iraqi who doesn't want to kill American soldiers isn't going to do it anyway just because he has guns.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I believe every nation needs a statement in its constitution like our Second Amendment. If we're supposedly exporting representative government to Iraq, we should insist that it include full civil rights for all Iraqi citizens as long as we're there.

 

[Ironbarr]

First -

there has to be a "new" Iraq. Right now it seems that the only thing new is that the reins that Saddam held are off and others are making efforts to pick them up. It may be a long time before the parties come together; they may produce Iraq a, Iraq b, Iraq c, et al.

But - why do you want to regulate another nation's liberty, freedom, rights? If they are to be "free" then they should chose their "rights" etc.

And if they truly want to be free then they, the majority, must act to remove the threat(s) to their freedom. Remember, most Iraqis have never lived "free"... they need to learn how - and - what it costs.

[pinkglasseson]
Of course, it would be nice if they'd all come together, adopt (most of) our constitution, establish our system(s), grow together vice apart, become our best friend in the Arab/Islamic world, allow us some operating bases, provide us oil at reasonable (1950) prices (which would help pay us for "our trouble), and generally be the upstanding world citizen-nation we'd like it to be.
[/pinkglassesoff]

Is there anyone on this board who didn't know - in their heart - that this was going to be a l o n g and difficult process?

[blackcloudon]
It isn't so much as if the "new" Iraq should have a 2nd Amendment right, it is very much whether we will succeed there and have a (viable) 2nd Amendment right... here. If the liberals and antis have their way they'll give up on Iraq and take our guns. Just about the time when there'll be a need to muster every possible gun to defend our streets, schools, shopping centers... our life as we now know it.

It is coming - just a matter of when.
[/blackcloudoff]

-IB

 

[chevrofreak]

Most of the recent deaths of American soldiers have been from explosives. Explosives can be made from damned near anything. I say let em keep whatever guns they want. RPG's might be a bit extreme, but I have no place saying what a person should or shouldnt have since I'd like to have one myself.

 

[Flak 88]

I'd just like to see the Second Amendment reinstituted here!:banghead:

 

[RealGun]

No RKBA, just "licensing"

Article 17.

It shall not be permitted to possess, bear, buy, or sell arms except on licensure issued in accordance with the law.

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[RealGun]

While this is a provision of an interim Constitution and during a period of virtual martial law, I would guess that this provision will be retained in a permanent version. It is the subject of controversy because it is endorsed by, suggested by, or written by The United States authorities, possibly its new model for democracy or even a harbinger of its own Constitutional revision attempts. I take it as a reflection on the US State Department. I am unaware of any source of the facts of this matter. It just looks bad.

See Iraqi Interim Constitution