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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Iraq lifts curbs on Saddam allies | Iraq lifts curbs on Saddam allies |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Iraqi parliament has passed legislation allowing former officials from Saddam Hussein's Baath party Hussein to return to public life. | The Iraqi parliament has passed legislation allowing former officials from Saddam Hussein's Baath party Hussein to return to public life. |
| The US had been urging Iraq's Shia-led government to approve the move in a bid to reach out to minority Sunni Arabs. | The US had been urging Iraq's Shia-led government to approve the move in a bid to reach out to minority Sunni Arabs. |
| It will allow thousands of former party members to apply for reinstatement in the civil service and military. | It will allow thousands of former party members to apply for reinstatement in the civil service and military. |
| The new law was passed as US President George W Bush, who is in the Gulf, said hope was returning to Iraq. | The new law was passed as US President George W Bush, who is in the Gulf, said hope was returning to Iraq. |
| Saddam Hussein was executed on 30 December 2006 after a special tribunal found him guilty of crimes against humanity. | Saddam Hussein was executed on 30 December 2006 after a special tribunal found him guilty of crimes against humanity. |
| WHO ARE THE BAATHISTS? The party was the political instrument of Saddam Hussein's ruleAn estimated 2.5 million Iraqis were party membersBanned and broken up by US administrator in May 2003Baathism was a pan-Arab secular nationalist movement | WHO ARE THE BAATHISTS? The party was the political instrument of Saddam Hussein's ruleAn estimated 2.5 million Iraqis were party membersBanned and broken up by US administrator in May 2003Baathism was a pan-Arab secular nationalist movement |
| His regime was predominantly Sunni and many figures were removed from government after his fall in 2003, under an edict from ex-US administrator Paul Bremer. | His regime was predominantly Sunni and many figures were removed from government after his fall in 2003, under an edict from ex-US administrator Paul Bremer. |
| The army was disbanded, thousands of teachers, university lecturers and civil servants were sacked and anyone who had been a member of the higher tiers of the party was banned from government employment. | The army was disbanded, thousands of teachers, university lecturers and civil servants were sacked and anyone who had been a member of the higher tiers of the party was banned from government employment. |
| However, many were reinstated after the US found that it had cleared out key ministries and the military without having any replacements. | However, many were reinstated after the US found that it had cleared out key ministries and the military without having any replacements. |
| 'Heavy blow' | 'Heavy blow' |
| The new law creates a three-month period for the ex-members to be challenged, after which they will be immune from prosecution over the Saddam era. | The new law creates a three-month period for the ex-members to be challenged, after which they will be immune from prosecution over the Saddam era. |
| It excludes former Baath members charged with crimes or still sought for them. | It excludes former Baath members charged with crimes or still sought for them. |
| Iraq is now a different place from one year ago George W Bush class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7178422.stm">Bush tour diary However, it will grant state pensions to many former Baathist employees even if they are not given new posts. | |
| The legislation was presented to parliament last year by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd. | The legislation was presented to parliament last year by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd. |
| Much of the Sunni insurgency is thought to be centred on dismissed military men from the Baathist regime. | Much of the Sunni insurgency is thought to be centred on dismissed military men from the Baathist regime. |
| Meanwhile Mr Bush said there had been a dramatic improvement in Iraq since the US troop "surge" last year - when 30,000 extra soldiers were sent to the Baghdad area. | Meanwhile Mr Bush said there had been a dramatic improvement in Iraq since the US troop "surge" last year - when 30,000 extra soldiers were sent to the Baghdad area. |
| "Hope is returning to Baghdad, and hope is returning to towns and villages throughout the country," he said during a visit to a US base in Kuwait - the latest stage of the president's Middle East tour. | "Hope is returning to Baghdad, and hope is returning to towns and villages throughout the country," he said during a visit to a US base in Kuwait - the latest stage of the president's Middle East tour. |
| He added that US and Iraqi soldiers had dealt "heavy blows" to al-Qaeda, and that the country was "now a different place from one year ago". | He added that US and Iraqi soldiers had dealt "heavy blows" to al-Qaeda, and that the country was "now a different place from one year ago". |
| He said the withdrawal of 20,000 troops by July was on track, but no decision had been taken to bring home more. | He said the withdrawal of 20,000 troops by July was on track, but no decision had been taken to bring home more. |