Just got off of a bloggers' round table conference call with Colonel Mark Martins, Staff Judge Advocate, Multinational Force—Iraq.
The point that Martin wanted to emphasize today was how the Rule of Law took a step forward in Baghdad yesterday.
For the first time, criminal proceedings were brought by Iraqis against alleged Iraqi criminals -- one an alleged Sunni Al Qaeda operative, the other a Shiia national police officer alleged to have abused Sunnis in his charge.
One of the the main things that made this possible is a refurbished facility the Iraqi government is calling The Rule of Law Complex, a secure location where Iraqi police, courts, and prisons can work together in comparative safety.
The structure was built in about two months utilizing prior infrastructure through refurbishment and new construction.
Col Martins pointed out that the name of the current security operation in Baghdad, Fardh Al-Qanoon, can be translated 'impose the law'.
It's easy to dismiss the importance of 'bricks and mortar'. But some times facilities really do facilitate potential breakthroughs. In this case, with security at a premium, a safe facility can potentially make a big difference.
Further reading by Martins:
- Letter from Baghdad, Harvard Law Bulletin
- Deadly Force Is Authorized, but Also Trained (pdf), The Army Lawyer
--Sean Meade
(Photo credit: Daniel Berehulak, Getty Images)
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