A positive view of the negotiations over the Iraqi constitution

a couple good points from the article:

Sharia or Islamic family law, probably the most resilient aspect of the
Holy Law since it culturally underpins the highly stable Muslim home, may make
some comeback in Iraqi law and in the new constitution. In all probability, this
process will not be a Trojan horse, allowing for the subversion of democracy
itself. As long as women have the right to vote and the Iraqi Parliament remains
the supreme chamber for political debate--and neither is seriously in
question--then the inclusion of some aspects of Islamic family law into Iraq's
civil code may well reinforce democracy's chances.

...equal rights between the sexes is not a precondition for the growth of
democracy. If this were so, Western democracy never would have developed.