Reuters: Iraqi PM invites Saddam officers to return to army

[Eugene]

Iraqi PM invites Saddam officers to return to army
16 Dec 2006 10:52:27 GMT
Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Saturday
Iraqi army officers of all ranks sacked after the U.S. invasion in 2003 would be
allowed to reapply for their posts in the new army.

The Shi'ite premier issued the invitation, a gesture towards disgruntled minority
Sunnis, at a national reconciliation conference in Baghdad aimed at easing
sectarian violence that U.N. officials estimate causes more than 100 deaths a day.

Shortly after the U.S. invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, U.S. administrator
Paul Bremer quickly dissolved the Iraqi army, a decision experts consider a
miscalculation. Many of its members then joined the ranks of the Sunni insurgency.

The Defence Ministry has recruited former officers of Saddam's army in the past
but limited the invitation to junior ranks. Maliki's invitation was the first
extended to all ranks.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL637127.htm

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. Maybe they should invite Saddam

to take back his old job too? He certainly did a lot better job running the country then Bush has and he probably killed fewer people in the process.

[sweetheart]

2. now it's come full circle

given the circumstances, rearming the republican guard would certainly spice the stew.

[Poll_Blind]

3. So the cards are going back in the deck, eh? Well, little surprises...

...me anymore.

PB

[maddezmom]

4. Iraq's al-Maliki presses reconciliation

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's army has "opened its doors" to all former members of Saddam Hussein's army, the prime minister said Saturday at a national reconciliation conference boycotted by one of his main Shiite allies, a major Sunni group and Iraq's exiled opposition.

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Despite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's effort to reach out to Iraq's Sunni Arabs and some former members of Saddam's outlawed Baath Party, the gathering was overshadowed by rising sectarian tensions and political divisions.

The radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, one of al-Maliki's key political backers — refused to attend the meeting, as did a major Sunni group and former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite.

The U.S. military raided the Shiite slum of Sadr City — a stronghold for the Mahdi Army militia that is blamed for some of the worst violence against Iraq's Sunnis — and detained six suspects. The raid and airstrike left one fighter dead and another wounded.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061216/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[ckramer]

5. There is one solution they just don't want to try - put Saddam back to power

Face saving is more important than anything else.

[reprobate]

7. If they put him back in power it probably should be BEFORE excecution.

[annabanana]

9. lol!.. .. . . . . . .eom

[pfitz59]

6. Come out come out wherever you are!

So the Siite Militia can whack you! I think not......

[lovuian]

8. This is like asking for Saddam back

a totally disaster of a war