Nor, for that matter, does tightening social controls that have forced many of your more progressive voices on issues like personal rights and minority protections to flee the country. Honestly, any constitution that emerged from such conditions would already be born on life support.
It's important to remember, that drawing up a constitution isn't an end unto itself. It's supposed to serve the aim of establishing stable ground rules for a functioning polity. But you can't just charm that into existence if the conditions aren't right. How are you going to draft a viable constitution while there are still armed gangs running the place?
After all, the Spanish transition from Franco-era dictatorship to democracy, a model that you've looked to for inspiration, took several years to reach the point where establishing a new constitution seemed appropriate. The drafters didn't force themselves into onerous timetables. Here's a thought: Why not just extend the provisional constitution for two or three years at a stroke (rather than a few months at a time) to allow you some space to get back on track? Like Tunisia, you've still got some of the institutional structures from the old regime to keep you going in the interim. Think about the fact that you're following a thirty-year period in which you essentially had no constitution at all. (It was replaced by Qaddafi's Green Book.) So why not give yourself the chance to get it right?
Or, to phrase it differently: Why put the catharsis before the horse? (Ahem.)
Same goes for you, Yemen. It's hard to know precisely what's going on with you, but it's clear enough that you're going through a phase of violence and instability comparable to Libya's -- but without the benefit of those inherited institutions. But your situation is even more complicated because of all the outside powers that are now involved. I know that you actually asked the French to come in and advise you on your constitutional transition. But both Russia and Iran simply invited themselves to the party -- as has the United States. You need to get some of these guys out of your house.
I know. None of this is easy. It's one of the sad ironies of the business that the very countries most desperate to write new constitutions are usually in the worst positions to do so. Revolutions or changes in regime are almost invariably followed by periods rife with chaos, economic turbulence, power struggles -- not exactly the right environment for cool heads and brokered compromise. But it is what it is.
Which reminds me: It's getting late. How about I spring for the check?
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