Section[ Appendix - The 8 Strategic Pillars
Title[ Pillar 6 - Help Iraq Strengthen the Rule of Law and Promote Civil Rights
Strategic Pillar Six
Help Iraq Strengthen the Rule of Law and Promote Civil Rights
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE: Iraq reforms its legal system and develops institutions capable of
addressing threats to public order. Iraq's government operates consistent with internationally recognized
standards for civil rights and the rule of law.
Status: The "rule of law" as a concept denotes a government of laws, and not men. It is a concept that
was born in Iraq, thousands of years ago, and also eviscerated there, over the past three decades, by
Saddam Hussein. Iraq is now trying to reclaim its proud history. It is working to overcome the effects of
tyranny by building a legal system that instills confidence in a new government, ensures that every
person accused of a crime receives due process - including fair, public, and transparent trials - and a
prison system that complies fully with international standards. The steps taken thus far include
establishment of an independent judiciary, creation of the Central Criminal Court of Iraq and the Iraq
Higher Tribunal, renovation and reconstruction of courthouses throughout Iraq, establishment of a
reformed Iraq Correctional Service, and construction of modern civilian prison facilities.
The United States is helping Iraq achieve this objective by pursuing the following lines of action:
- Promoting an independent, unbiased, and ethical court system through technical assistance and
training of prosecutors, attorneys, and judges
- Assisting in the enhancement of security for judges trying insurgent and terrorist cases
- Providing support to the Iraqi Special Tribunal as it investigates and prosecutes crimes committed
by the former regime
- Advising the Ministry of Justice in the development of a centralized organization for the
management and oversight of a fair and efficient national correctional system
- Assisting in the establishment of safe and secure correctional facilities for the care, custody, and
treatment of persons incarcerated in the Iraqi correctional system
- Establishing an anti-major crimes task force, with FBI agents and other U.S. officials aiding their
Iraqi counterparts during investigations of terrorist attacks and assassinations
- Promoting a climate for national reconciliation through fair, effective, and independent judicial
institutions
"One of the most important ways to fight terrorism is to promote democracy, and one of the most
important ways to promote democracy is the rule of law."
-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, July 2005
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