Related developments
February 4, 2008 at 2:32AM
DEVELOPMENTS
Iraq's presidency council issued a law Sunday that will allow thousands of Saddam Hussein-era officials who were members of his Baath Party to return to government jobs, legislation viewed by the Bush administration as central to mending fissures between Sunni Arabs and Kurds and the majority Shiites who now wield power.
"This law allows thousands of Iraqis purged by the de-Baathfication law to return to their jobs, with the exclusion of the bad elements and those whose crimes were proven," the council said.
The measure, passed by parliament on Jan. 12, was the first of 18 U.S.-set benchmarks to become law after months of bitter debate. But it was issued without the signature of Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, who objected to provisions that would pension off 7,000 low-level members of Saddam's former secret police and intelligence agents now holding government jobs. In addition, 3,500 former high-ranking Baathists would be offered retirement.
The U.S. military reported on Sunday two more deaths. A soldier was killed Thursday in a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Baghdad, and the noncombat death of another soldier occurred Saturday in Ninevah Province.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
about the writer
In interviews with the Star Tribune, Ryan described life before and after the Russian invasion in the country, where she’s worked to secure the border and help refugees flee war-torn areas.
