25 Iraqis Arrested In Baath Party Raids

Official Says 25 People Working At Interior Ministry Suspected Of Plot To Revive Saddam's Party

(AP)  At least 25 people working in Iraq's Ministry of the Interior have been arrested on accusations of participating in a plot to restore Saddam Hussein's outlawed party, a government investigator said Thursday.

The 25 people include a brigadier general but are mostly low-level ministry employees who were taken into custody over the last three days, said the official, who has access to the investigative file.

He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the matter to media.

Those arrested are accused of trying to recruit people to restore the party, the official said. The investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible, he said.

The U.S. military said it had no comment, and referred all inquiries to the Iraqi government.

The Baath Party ruled Iraq for 35 years until the regime was ousted by a U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The decision to outlaw the Baath party was the first official act of L. Paul Bremer's Coalition Provisional Authority, and along with his order to disband the Iraqi army has been widely blamed for setting in motion the Sunni insurgency in the fall of 2003.

The strict implementation of so-called de-Baathification rules meant that many senior bureaucrats who knew how to run ministries, university departments and state companies were fired.

But in February, Iraq's presidency council issued a controversial law that allowed lower-ranking former Baath party members to reclaim government jobs.

The measure was thought to effect about 38,000 members of Saddam's political apparatus, giving them a chance to go back to government jobs. It was also meant to allow those who have reached retirement age to claim government pensions.

[thegoodtexan]

So much for a free and democratic Iraq.

[cbs_tom]

"So, Bush''''s idea of "freedom" doesn''''t include the right to participate in the political party of their choice?"
Posted by brianbwb at 08:21 AM : Dec 18, 2008
The Baath party was outlawed much like the nazi party of Germany.

[notblue]

hotpaulie, the surge worked because the Sunni''s turned against the extremists. Al Sadre''s group is the minority in government causing all the recent unrest. He hates America and will never recognize any form of true democracy, he is a puppet of Iran. Iran has also been a mjor supporter of the bad guys. Truly the twelve million Iraqis that at personal risk voted for democracy and freedom represent the majority. Winning would be to provide the support necessary for those twelve million to rule themselves and maintain security against the evil of Al Sadre, Iran and Al Qaeda. Osama, Al Zawahri, Achmadinijahd, Al Sadre do not want DEMOCRACY in the heart of the middle east, not only would it make their dictatoships and theocracies obsolete but it would make them irrelevant.

[hotpaulie]

Sorry for my delay...Winning would be a strong central democratic government in Iraq with little or no sectarian violence and suicide bombings. The citizens of this country are annoyed and tired of our presence there. You can''t blame the with all the civilian deaths. The Sunni and Shiites use religion to hide their true goals of power. These people do not think like us. They want us out, but if we left right now the place would be in chaos in a matter of days.

[notblue]

hotpaulie, I never stated we were winning or losing I simply asked what you would consider losing and what you would consider winning. you people state we are losing but what does that mean? Have you ever considered what the result of losing would be? or what winning would be?

[hotpaulie]

The lives of our American troops have been unnecessarily put in harm''s way. They are not to blame. They were given an impossible mission.

[hotpaulie]

notblue - so we are winning this war? Please explain.

[merlgrey]

bath party raids... sounds kinky.

[inketolstoy]

"So, Bush''''s idea of "freedom" doesn''''t include the right to participate in the political party of their choice?" -brianbwb

Give me a break. Just look at Russia to see what happens when you let an authoritarian government that ground a country into the snow for decades stay a player in politics. Just because the rats promise to behave when they are kicked down the food chain, so it is with politicians. Before you know it, they''re all over the place again. The Baath political party was a terrorist organization that relied on terror, murder and fear to "lead". It will take time for that to change. You don''t have to be a "Bushbot" to know that a Baath party is not healthy for the Iraqi nation. Or is common sense now cause for war crimes trials on the CBS board. Many of you can relax, your safe.

[notblue]

hotpaulie, what from your pewrspective is "winning" or "losing" you libs always speak in soundbites and generalities, try entering the adult world and back up your opinion with some facts, see how that works for you.