"a main source of legislation"

A compromise has been reached on the position of Islam in the Iraqi constitution, one of the major sticking points that has split sunnis, shiites and kurds. While the "a main source" language is certainly better than the variant "the source" which was proposed by some, I can certainly appreciate the apprehension that secular or even non-mainline islamic Iraqis have in response to this agreement.

Think of where the United States would be now if the framers of our constitution had included such language, naming Christianity as "a main source" of our laws. We'd be hard pressed to keep creationism out of schools, make abortion and perhaps contraception legal, and provide for same-sex marriage. None of these goals are explicitly non-christian, but the largest denominations of Christianity are opposed to them, and could probably shout down smaller churches and theological arguments. It wouldn't be Christian ideas that would run the country, but the dogmatic bigots who hold the most sway. Think Pat Robertson and Pope Benedict.

Things in Iraq may be headed in that direction. There are plenty of Muslims with great, compassionate beliefs. I just worry that, in a country wedged between Iran and Saudi Arabia, those Muslims aren't going to be the ones who define what Islam is in respect to the law.