American Will Advise Iraqis On Writing New Constitution
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As the news of Iraq’s new constitutional adviser trickled out, some specialists in Islamic studies were scratching their heads. E-mail queries bounced back and forth. Who is Noah Feldman? Had anyone heard of him? Legal experts were also somewhat taken aback. Professor Feldman is widely considered a promising constitutional law scholar, but by no means an established one. On its face, it is surprising that the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance set up for Iraq would put a 32-year-old assistant law professor in the critical role of advising the Iraqis in writing their Constitution. For one, Professor Feldman is finishing up his second year of teaching — at New York University Law School, where he is immensely popular with the students. His politics seem somewhat liberal in an administration known to vet scientists to sit on advisory committees. But as people blink and begin to focus their eyes, a consensus is emerging that liberal or conservative, fresh-faced or gray-haired, Professor Feldman was the obvious choice. ”A lot of appointments to very sensitive jobs leave you amused or intrigued or indifferent,” said Akbar Ahmed, a leading Islamic scholar from American University in Washington. ”But here we had, for once, the right man for the job.” Some contend that the United States’ effort to build a democracy in Iraq is overwhelming, if not naïve. But those who know of Professor Feldman’s background say he may be able to build a bridge between American notions of democracy and Islamic traditions. After all, how many American constitutional law scholars have a Ph.D. in Islamic studies and can speak and read Arabic fluently? More : query.nytimes.com |