This would seem to be a start:
Iraq’s parliament adopted legislation Saturday on the reinstatement of thousands of former supporters of Saddam Hussein’s Baath party to government jobs, a key benchmark sought by the United States as a step toward easing sectarian tensions.
The bill, approved by a unanimous show of hands on each of its 30 clauses, is the first piece of major U.S.-backed legislation approved by the 275-seat parliament. Other benchmarks languish, including legislation to divide the country’s vast oil wealth, constitutional amendments demanded by minority Sunni Arabs and a bill spelling out rules for local elections.
The bill approved Saturday, titled the Accountability and Justice law, seeks to relax restrictions on the rights of members of the now-dissolved Baath party to fill government posts.
It is also designed to reinstate thousands of Baathists dismissed from government jobs after the 2003 U.S. invasion — a decision that deepened sectarian tensions between Iraq’s majority Shiites and the once-dominant Sunni Arabs, who believed the firings targeted their community.
To date, all of the mindless cheerleading from the usual suspects about the success of the surge has been utterly meaningless, as there have been no acts of political reconciliation, the stated goal of the surge. This might be the start of that reconciliation, and may start everyone down the path towards long-term sustainable peace. We can hope.
That is how I am reading this, at any rate.
ThymeZone
It’s a rational reading, but I am not optimistic about the future of Iraq.
The Arab world has not yet produced stable, liberal democracies, and the prospects aren’t that good.
That means years of turmoil and upset for Iraq. What Americans don’t seem to understand very well is that Iraq had a dictatorship not because it is a bad, stupid country, or because a bad family got really mean and took over. It’s because that government, Saddam’s government, as hideous as it was behind the curtains, produced some stability in which an economy could operate. It was a tradeoff. Hussein got to steal the cream off the top of the economy for himself, and the country sort of functioned.
Here we are several years after our “liberation” and they still can’t keep the electricity on all day in the major cities.
That “dangerous peace” you suggest is likely to come with another sectarian, illiberal government whose friendliness to US interests cannot be predicted.
Surge or no surge, improvement or no, Iraq has a long way to go. Meanwhile our “war on terror” looks to me to still be primarily a marketing slogan, and the United States hasn’t really made itself much safer in a dangerous world.
Joshua
Well, you’re right. It’s a start. The more pessimistic side of me notes that there are only about three months until we start drawing down the “surge” forces and presumably the real CF begins as the various warring factions feel comfortable enough to come out of hiding, so this start might be too little, too late.
But, it’s still the best news out of Iraq in a long time. Let’s hope they can get somewhere with it.
ThymeZone
Sorry, I just read that phrase somewhere and for some reason associated it with your post. Please ignore the “you suggest” part.
JR
But…but…but Charlie Gibson seemed so happy that de-Baathification was happening and made the Surge seem like such a good thing! Now I don’t know what to think!
Eural Joiner
Aren’t we coming up on the expiration of Muqta al-Sadr’s “cease fire” commitment which he instituted last year? Seems most of the fireworks stopped after that which can’t be good when his brigades take to the streets again.
I’ve always thought that a lot of the “success” behind our surge was really taking propaganda credit for a lot of the local politics that are independent of our troop deployments. When those politics change then you will see a change in Iraq – irregardless of what our guys are doing.
myiq2xu
If you believe that John, I got this friend who is a Nigerian prince and he needs a favor . . .
Eural Joiner
Just answered my own question – the Sadr truce was declared toward the end of August and was set for six months which means things may look very different come March. Which is about when the “surge” draw down is suppossed to get rolling? Happy coincidence – the radical Shi’ite militias are told to lay low for a crucial six month period that just happens to end when the Surge officially starts to wind down.
Perhaps our guys are dealing with Sadr a lot more than we know about. Which would make sense since his people dominate the Iraqi government (as witnessed by the Saddam execution chanting).
KCinDC
If undoing de-Baathification is such a wonderful thing, does that perhaps suggest that de-Baathifying in the first place and producing a large population of newly unemployed government opponents might not have been a great idea? But I guess we’re just supposed to forget about the past.
TheFountainHead
Serious question: Does any law passed by this Iraqi parliament mean jack to the average Iraqi? Shorter: Are they stroking themselves while the country falls apart?
bob
Clusterfuck, chapter whatthefuckever.
Voice of Reason
Sure it’s progress, but at this rate the reconstruction of Iraq should be finished in 2045, or whatever.
Brachiator
Note that the law was approved on Saturday “by all 143 lawmakers present in the 275-member house.” A number of legislators, including some Sunni lawmakers, protested the “unanimous” vote by not showing up. I’m not sure why some news sources left out this detail.
I agree with you here, and add that a “sustainable peace” also should include a functioning, effective and citizen-supported government.
myiq2xu
Unless Johnny Mac wins next November, in which case the target date is March 2103.
ThymeZone
Reporter: Mr. President, when will all troops leave Iraq?
Bush: Well, heh, that’s for the next president to decide.
—–/
Reporter: Mr. President, when will all troops leave Iraq?
McCain: Well, heh, that’s for the next dozen presidents to decide.
Hey, that’s a 1200 percent improvement! When a lie doesn’t work, just tell a bigger lie.
sparky
I’d like to think so too. But Bush saying “No troop withdrawal” today makes me think this is a bogus feel good notion. Why would he refuse to reduce troop strength if things are going so well? Oh, and when you think optimism in Iraq remember all those purple fingers.
ThymeZone
Hey, democracy fans!
How does One China appeal to you?
Don’t worry, the crack policy shop in the White House will know how to handle this.
{ sound of forehead pounding on desk }
wobbly
Obama quote from NH ABC debate:
“And that’s why I will send a clear signal to the Iraqi government. They will have ample time to get their act together, to actually pass an oil law, which has been — they’ve been talking about now for years.
They will actually be able to conduct de-Ba’athification.”
That’s a whopping mistake isn’t it? That, and his talk about airstrikes in Pakistan made him sound much less informed and prudent than Ms. Clinton.
Made a much stronger impression on me than tears or body language, even though I am a female.
Sinister eyebrow
Looks pretty meaningless to me. The Iraqi government is brutal and unsalvageably corrupt and this barely-passed (143 out of 275 is not much of a majority) piece of legislation ends government disenfranchisement of Sunni civil servants only on paper. I doubt it will have any real effect because I doubt a) it will be put into practice b) Shiites in potisions to allow hiring of Sunnis will actually do so c) Sunnis will be crazy enough to go to, from, or through the militia-controlled and ethnically cleasned neighborhoods in Baghdad to take advantage of the wonderful new job opportunities now open to them.
It is lipstick on a pig. The only real piece of legislation that would signal some sort of resolution happening is the sharing of oil revenues among the 3 regions. And I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one happening in my lifetime.
Jake
Would it be out of place to note that this puts Iraq where it would have been a long ass time ago if it weren’t for some genius’ idea that we had to get rid of everyone who had ever been in the same building with Hussein?
Oh, sorry.
See? They’re adopting American principles as displayed by Bush. Progress!
bob
Things sure are better in Iraq now that Saddam is gone, huh?
Scotty
So it takes 4+ years just to fix the mistakes of Bremer. At this rate I understand why McCain said we’d be there 100 years.
Ted
It truly is a depressing clusterfuck Bush has created for us. And I’m not any more optimistic about the outcome than others here.
The Other Steve
Well I certainly hope this is progress.
If true, this would mean our soldiers can leave that wasteland by this summer.
The Other Steve
You guys have the wrong attitude. This is a sign our soldiers can start leaving soon. We should start preparing transport.
myiq2xu
From Rising Hegemon:
Yep, things are getting better and better. The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.
Ted
I’m sure Bush will get right on that. Right after he gets the pattern-buffers back online.
Cain
On the home front though, maybe we’re finally fixing our crap too:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/005060.php
The civil rights division in the DOJ are getting credible people taking over. Mukasey seems to be going in the right direction.
cain
myiq2xu
Maybe they’re finally running out of brain-eating zombies
Bubblegum Tate
“….wait a second…that’s not the future, those are bombs exploding!”
This is a nice step, absolutely, but man, did we take the long route to get to it.
Peter Johnson
This is only one of many examples of the progress made in Iraq since the surge began. And to think that if we’d listened to MoveOn, these people, who are now embracing each other, would likely be massacring each other.
BSD has dangerous side effects.
Scotty
Que?
Robert Johnston
Well, this certainly isn’t bad news. It’s a little too early, however, to call it good news. Application of the law will matter. Who knows how many low-to-mid level Baathists, still alive, not refugees, and willing to work for what’s essentially a Shiite government? The compulsory retirement of high-ranking Baathists, rather than considering them on a case-by-case basis for suitability for current government service isn’t encouraging, although how discouraging depends pretty strongly on how high a level is meant.
This definitely falls in the “we’ll have to wait to see how it turns out before judging it” category of improvements in the political situation in Iraq. I’d say a very cautious optimism may be appropriate for now, but if nothing more happens this isn’t going to amount to much. It might be a first step, but it might be just a way to stave off the withdrawal of U.S. support for the Iraqi government with no real intent of significant reform to follow.
gypsy howell
If we’d listened to MoveOn, we would never have invaded in the first place. So de-de-Baathification wouldn’t have even been an issue, let alone would it have taken 4 years, 4000 american lives, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives, millions of Iraqi refugees and hundreds of billlions of dollars.
With ‘progress’ like this… [oh why fuckin’ bother saying it.]
myiq2xu
Let’s win this thing for
the GipperKing Pyrrhus.After WWII’s Operation Market Garden (A Bridge Too Far) which Field Marshal Montgomery called a success, Dutch Prince Bernhard stated:
My country can never again afford the luxury of another Montgomery success.
The same thing goes for “Surgin’ General” Petraeus.
J sub D
So the troops will be home any day now, Peter? Darn, I have to get the caterer and the decorations for the welcome home bash ready. D’ya thin I’ve got enough time? Who’s in charge of the entertainment committee fot the “Mission Accomplished” bash? DJ or live band?
Darkness
You know, you THINK that managing zombies would be easy, but they are always stepping mindlessly into traffic on the way in to work and I won’t even mention how they get stuck for hours at lunchtime in front of the pudding section at the Old Country Buffet, believing it to be brains…
Honestly, I think the intentionally useless career people they hired into these agencies assumed they were not going to have to do any work. (That being a reasonable assumption, given their purpose of proving government does nothing.) When they found out (as the excrement hit the air flow device) that some positive action was actually expected of them, they have been more willing to leave and they’ve warned others that the boondoggle is over so if they want a free ride, they’ll have to move back in with Mommy.
Prospero
So, getting Saddam’s henchmen back into power is new goal? Am I reading this right?
Peter Johnson
So de-de-Baathification wouldn’t have even been an issue,
And Saddam would still be a threat to the world. And Al Qaeda would still have safe haven in a country with one of the world’s largest oil reserves.
And we might well have been attacked again. Not saying we would for sure, but we haven’t, have we? Are you so sure that the White House didn’t know something that we don’t?
gypsy howell
Bullshit. And you know it.
4tehlulz
Yes, it’s good step, only possible after Baghdad was mostly cleansed of Sunnis.
ThymeZone
Yeah, I’m pretty sure of two things. One, what the lying cocksucker Bush says to the Saudis when he is kissing their hands, and two, that they knew the whole WMD thing was bullshit long before the war started, and lied their asses off about it.
See, even if there’s a favorable result over there, which I seriously doubt will be the case, lying to me to gin up a war is a no-no. To coin a phrase, this shall not stand.
Incertus (Brian)
Except that he wasn’t, and they didn’t. But other than that, you know, yeah.
Scotty
First of all, wrong. Second of all, wrong. Al Qaeda did not have a safe haven in Iraq. They were not operating out of Iraq. And, of course, Iraq never attacked us. We were not attacked by a country or foreign force, but by a small group of extremists. But its not like everyone can be a foreign affairs genius.
J sub D
Peter Johnson, do you even read the news?
Just wondering.
Scotty
No. Back when Saddam was in power you pretty much had to be a member of the Baath party to get a meaningful job. So a lot of people were members, but only in name. I’m sure we were well aware of that when we had the original decree made that Baath members couldn’t do much of anything in the “new” Iraq.
caustics
From NPR yesterday:
Not sure how Re-Baathifyng affects this mess, but I’d be interested in hearing some theories. Without the talent of its former middle class sorting things out, Iraq is pretty much fucked.
srv
So all these de-Baath’d jobs are still unfilled (how did they make all that progress?) or which Shia are going to get thrown out on the streets now?
Jake
Peter Hugh Johnson is back and contrary to the instructions he received during his last effort, he has made no attempt to improve his shtick.
FAIL.
myiq2xu
Lex Luthor and the Joker, don’t forget about them.
That’s why I wear a silver necklace – to protect me from werewolves. I haven’t been attacked by one since I started wearing it.
Davebo
It was ignorance of Islam, much like Peter Johnson displays here, that caused much of the post war problems in Iraq.
But hey, you’ve got a lot of ignorant people out there.
Who knows, perhaps you could sell them on the idea of Iran and Saudi Arabia teaming up with their oil wealth to confront America.
Now obviously that’s like claiming India and Pakistan would team up, but remember, lot’s o stupid out there.
myiq2xu
Buh . .buh . . but, they’re all scary brown people! And all scary brown people hate us for our freedom.
Arab, Persian, Pashtun, Hindu . . . what’s the difference?
Chuck Butcher
Keeeeripes, the de-facto end of de-Baathification was 3-4 months ago. Simple lack of qualified workers as incentive.
TenguPhule
Yes, we have progressed *BACK* to 2004….how wonderful.
STEVEinSC
Well there are two conflicting components here. First if the fighting and killing is dying off for the Iraqis that is good and all rational people welcome it. The hideous tragedy of last year’s murders and reprisals just couldn’t last or there wouldn’t have been anyone left in the country. As long as there is mayhem, the Bush government is not going to quit storming around the country. Maybe it would be worth letting shrub and gang crow a bit, give Petaeus his marshall’s baton and leave the fucking place. The relative quiet does not mean the 1200 years of squabbling is over. The “Concerned Citizens” are now armed to the teeth for round two hundred and thirty-seven of the Sunni-Shiite war. Maybe the current relative quiet comes from believing that if things appear stable, we will leave or reduce forces to very low levels and then the Dems will get us out. For the Iraqi sects its worth a gamble to watch and wait and rearm. If thereafter, we don’t leave, then Katy bar the door. This may be even something that coud be (has been?) worked out with the Iranians, who have shown they can pretty much unloose mayhem if and when they want.
grumpy realist
Just gearing up for the Sunnis and the Shiites ganging up on the Kurds.
The next time the US politicians want the military to go stick their pricks in a blender, you-all tell them no, ok?
grandpa john
So does willful ignorance
F. Frederson
That would be Bush Derangement Syndrome, not Berkeley Software Distribution, you moron.
Better trolls, please.
myiq2xu
Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS)is when a person intensely dislikes George W. Bush for no rational reason. The term is derived from Clinton Derangement Syndrome, a condition suffered by Chris Matthews, most of the lapdog media and nearly all members of the GOP.
BDS is a mythical condition because there are numerous rational reasons to dislike, detest, abhor, and/or hate G-Dub.
myiq2xu
Actually, you’re right. There is no such person as John Cole. He is a computer construct created by an advanced race of space aliens who place wagers on how many wingnut heads will explode with each JC post.
Robert Johnston
You’ll have to excuse Peter; his Bull Shit Detector is broken, which mostly manifests itself in his failure to detect and correct his own droppings.
F. Frederson
Yes, yes, but I do like the trolls to get their talking points right – though if they are paid trolls they are probably working from China, knowing the RNC. I’ll forgive Peng Jiang if that is the case.
scarshapedstar
Un-de-Baathification. Makin’ progress! Now if only we can un-hang Saddam, we’ll be turnin’ tha corner.
rachel
And he’s licensed under the BSD!
Voice of Reason
We haven’t been invaded by space aliens, either. Who knew that invading Iraq would keep them at bay?
Jim
The odd thing is that Bush also announced today that he is rethinking the reduction in troop levels. The more success we have the more troops stay?
Patisan
As noted at Informed Comment, the Baathification Law, passed with the support of the Shite parties and resisted by the Sunni Parties is the equivalent of the Clean Air Act.
It actually does not allow for the re-Baathification of the Iraqi Government, it forces all former Baathists to retire, after which they can re-apply for their old jobs, as long as they are not in the Defence, Security, Internal Security, Justice or Foreign Affairs departments of the Iraqi Government.
Once they re-apply, if they are cleared of any allegations of wrongdoing by a Shia dominated de-Baathification commitee, then they can get back the jobs they were forced to retire from by this law, maybe.
Ryan
Wasn’t de-Baathification of the government a major issue for the pro-war people? Or did I have that wrong?
Mike
More like one of the less practical plans to address illegal immigration: anyone currently in the U.S. can leave and apply for readmission, with the promise that their previous illegal stay won’t be held against them, much. Probably.
joeyess
I’m afraid this isn’t a step towards reconcilliation.
I believe this is merely a step towards identifiying Sunnis so they can be abducted and killed. Just ask Juan Cole. He’ll tell ya what’s going on. A large majority of the Sunnis in the parliment have rejected this law.
They know exactly what awaits them when they come out of the shadows to claim their “jobs”.
Not good.
Patisan
joeyness,
it is not just the former Bathists no longer in the Government that this law affects.
It affects all currently employed former Bathists in all aspects of the Irai Government.
If you were a former Bathist under Saddam, were cleared by a Bremer era de-Bathification commitee and are now a Police Commander in Mosul, you now have to resign, accept a retirement package, and because it was an Internal Security job, remain retired.
If you were a former Bathist under Saddam, were brought in by the so called Anbar Awakening” in Diliah as a Military recruit, you now have to resign, accept a retirement package, and because it was a Military position, remain retired.
If you were a former Bathist under Saddam, were cleared by a Bremer era de-Bathification commitee and are now a Oil Ministry Official in Basra, you now have to resign, accept a retirement package, and re-apply for your job, pending a re-clearance by a Shia de-Bathification Commitee.
If you were a Bathist at one time, and do not retire and admit it, under this new law, if you are found out, you are hosed.