Regarding the Coalition Provisional Authority’s plan to form a council to draft a new Iraqi constitution, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani wrote, on June 26, 2003: ” ‘Those forces have no jurisdiction whatsoever to appoint members of the Constitution preparation assembly. Also there is no guarantee either that this assembly will prepare a constitution that serves the best interests of the Iraqi people or that it expresses their national identity whose backbone is sound Islamic religion and noble social values. The said plan is unacceptable from the outset. First of all there must be a general election so that every Iraqi citizen who is eligible to vote can choose someone to represent him in a foundational Constitution preparation assembly. Then the drafted Constitution can be put to a referendum. All believers must insist on the accomplishment of this crucial matter and contribute to achieving it in the best way possible.’ ”
– Ali A. Allawi, The Occupation of Iraq, Page 204