[Dark_crow]

The Iraqi Parliament Today passed a bill allowing former officials of Hussein's Baath party to seek reinstatement in the military and civil service.

New Iraqi law to reinstate Baathists - UPI.com


I believe the Party is the only hope for a united Iraq…Your thoughts?

[tomder55]

I don't think so. They will never again attain the power they had during Hussien's reign of terror. This is an important step towards reconciliation.

According to AP :

The law will allow low-ranking Baathists not involved in past crimes against Iraqis to go back to their jobs. High-ranking Baathists will be sent to compulsory retirement and those involved in crimes will stand trial, though their families will still have the right to pension.

The Baathists who were members in Saddam's security agencies must retire — except for members of Fidayeen Saddam, a feared militia formed by Saddam's eldest son, Oday. They will be entitled to nothing

The radical aggressive de-Baathification policy that was adopted under Viceroy Bremer was a big part of the problem that created the insurgency. There were many government functionaries ,teachers, beaurocrats ,technicians etc who did not deserve to lose their jobs just because they had to sign onto the Baath party as a prerequisite to obtaining their job. Yes they needed to be vetted but not necessarily disqualified. They should however be required to disavow their allegiance to Saddam .

[George_1950]

"The radical agressive de-Baathification policy that was adopted under Viceroy Bremer was a big part of the problem that created the insurgency." The US pursued the same policy at the end of WWII with de-Nazification of Germany. It results from the Puritan influence in our culture, rather than a balance perspective as to why someone became a Nazi or Baathist.

[Dark_crow]

The Kurds already have their own area, and the US Senate has approved a Bosnia-style plan to divide Iraq on ethnic and religious lines.
US Senate votes to divide Iraq | The Australian
The plan is to separate Iraq into Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni entities. With a federal government in Baghdad in charge of border security and oil revenues.

This is what The Baath Party is selling socially:

1. Each individual has the right to a job, to social insurance, and to a fair income that can meet his/her basic requirement for a suitable standard of living.
2. To implement the motto "Medical Treatment for All," by expanding health services, raising the level of medical supervision to protect citizens, enhancing control on imported medicines, and fighting pollution.
3. To implement the principal of "Education for All" by spreading educational services all over the country and fighting illiteracy.
4. To give great attention to the teachers. Working hard to educate our people in various fields, giving more opportunities for higher studies.
5. To provide adequate residences for each individual.
6. To pay attention to women giving them a chance to work in various fields according to their qualifications and liberate them from old traditions.
7. To focus on child needs such as nurseries and orphanages.
8. To provide total support for the handicapped and old-age persons.
9. To facilitate the establishment of professional unions without interfering in their affairs, and enabling such unions to function within their rules.
10. To found scientific institutes and technical schools to produce skilled staff who can achieve improvements.

[George_1950]

Chicken for every pot, medicine for every illness, etc. more socialism; but if it has at least a semblance of the rule of law and property ownership, there is hope for Iraq and the sacrifices will not be in vain.

[tomder55]

If they are going to split along ethnic lines then it will not be because of a US Senate decree. That comes from the fantasies of Joe Biden. I think that they should reconsider the unintended consequences of such a division . True the Kurds have a semi-autonomous region but once independence is declared then they would be swifty set upon by Iran and Turkey. No one except the radical minority party PKK wants separation from a united Iraq.

[Dark_crow]

I agree, it won't be decided by us. Iraq's constitution states, "Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation" and mandates that "No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam." And, also requires that Iraq's Supreme Federal Court "be made up of a number of judges and experts in Sharia (Islamic Law)." This amounts to an Islamic government and to no separation between church and state. The Baath however want a separation and that appears to me the only way to peace. I don't see how there can be reconciliation between two different faiths without a separation between church and state.

[ETWolverine]

As Tom said, I think this is a necessary step toward reconciliation.

Having the 30% minority of Sunnis be second-class citizens to the Shia as the Shia majority was to the Sunnis under Sadam is no improvement. Saying that Sunnis will forever be paying for the sins of Saddam is no improvement. The Shia and the Sunni need to take positive actions toward individual equality. That means the Shia government acknowledging that Sunnis can hold positions in the government as well. Anything less is continuation of the sectarian strife and an invitation to that civil war that so many people have been talking about. This was the correct move to make toward reconciliation.

The question is whether it was the right move AT THE RIGHT TIME. I think it was, but time will tell. The only other question I have is whether the Sunnis will take this in the manner it was intended... an invitation to equality... or will they take it as a sign of weakness by the Shia? I think that they will take it as it was intended, but again, time will tell.

[Dark_crow]

I agree Elliot, rectifying the mistake made by Bush a few years back is a good change by the Iraqi.