Dishonest broker

 

 

George Bush is losing Iraq, and that too in an ungracious manner. It is trying to work out a deal with the same elements it claimed to fight ferociously. In what would seriously dent the already diminishing credibility of Bush and his administration, the US and Iraq have reversed a controversial policy and will now allow Saddam's Baath Party officials in Iraq to serve in the government. The agreement, signed by some of the top leaders, endorses a draft bill that will help relax rules preventing most Baath Party members from holding government posts and elected offices.

According to American officials, the law is aimed at encouraging disenchanted Sunni Arabs to support what is being called the “Shiite-led government.” Reacting to the deal, noted Iraq expert from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Marina S. Ottaway, told TSI: “Lifting the ban on former Baathists is not going to ensure Sunni cooperation by itself. Though a positive step, under the circumstances, it will not make a significant difference.” Easing the ban on Baath members was among the benchmarks which the US has demanded in lieu of continued support.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Baath Party dismissed the draft legislation as a “trap”. Moreover, there is no indication that the Sunni bloc is planning to end the boycott. Omar Abdul Sattar, a leader of Hashemi’s Iraqi Islamic Party, dismissed the agreement as stage-managed. “It was an irrelevant media production,” he concluded.

“The de-Baathification order, along with the elimination of the army, were two errors committed by Paul Bremer that led to the insurgency. The real problem for the US is not politics in America. It's politics in Iraq, which we can no longer influence” claimed Philip J. Crowley, Director of Homeland Security at Centre for American Progress. As elections in US gets closer, Republicans are searching for a glimmer of hope in Iraq. What they came up with has only strengthened their image as manipulators.