Human Rights Watch: Iraqi Constitution Referendum

Maggie says:
In news that's all too easy to not pay attention to, Iraq votes on their new constitution this week. What's key about this vote is that all Iraqi prisoners are eligible to take part in the election (the U.S. could learn a thing or two from Iraq), including one Saddam Hussein. But even more interesting than Saddam voting on a question aimed at banning the "Saddamist Baath party" is the fact that this election will force the United States to account for the thousands of Iraqi detainees it has in prisons around the world.

Think about it: The United States, notoriously secretive, is thought to be holding 10,000 prisoners, although no one's exactly sure of the real number. Many, many of these prisoners are being held without any formal charges and even their families have no idea where they are, or if they're even alive. For the first time, the U.S. will now be forced to account for exactly how many prisoners they're holding, why they're holding them, and then comply with Iraqi voting procedures.

Human rights groups are watching - the U.S. is under fire, and we should all make sure they own up to the truth.