] The law gives Allawi "extraordinary authorities" to
] declare curfews, restrict communications, seize assets,
] restrict civic associations and assume direct command of
] security forces in areas deemed to be emergency zones. In
] those places, police and military units would have the
] freedom to search and detain people without judicial
] orders.
]
] The country's human rights minister, Baktiar Amin,
] compared the new Iraqi law to the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the
] U.S. law enacted after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks that
] gives broader powers to law enforcement authorities in
] pursuit of suspected terrorists. "Similar laws have been
] enacted in a number of countries," Amin said.

Brilliant. No, the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act had nothing to do with these kinds of powers. Nor do I think that martial law is entirely out of place in some of these cities. But this comment is interesting on many levels. Isn't it the Human Rights Minister's job to question laws like this? Is he just a rubber stamp? Was our loosening of the rules a carte blache to other nations to loosen them even more. What kind of messages are we sending?

Iraq Approves Security Law Allowing Martial Rule (washingtonpost.com)