Ba’ath Party members barred from new government
The new American appointed administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer, has announced that thousands of members of Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party are going to be banned from joining the future Iraqi government.
Speaking to reporters in Iraq, Mr Bremer declared that the decision would ‘put a stake in the heart’ of the party and would affect between 15,000 and 30,000 people.
The civilian administrator from the US Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance explained that the Bush administration is committed to ending the Ba’ath Party, adding: ‘Iraq must remain free and independent, a stable and representative country.’
He also announced that the main priority for the reconstruction of Iraq at the moment was the restoration of law and order, admitting that it was still a problem.
Patrols in Baghdad have been increased and large numbers of looters arrested. However, the international community has been very critical of the coalition’s failure to restore order and civilian services to the country quickly enough.
Elsewhere today, hundreds of servicemen and women arrived back in the UK in 11 helicopters flown from the deck of the HMS Ark Royal.
Around 300 Royal Navy aircrew from the three helicopter squadrons arrived at RNAS Culdrose, their base at Helston, Cornwall, where they were reunited with family and friends.
The Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier is on its way back to Portsmouth naval base accompanied by the Type 42 destroyer HMS York and the supply ship the RFA Fort Victoria, and is due to dock tomorrow. It is currently moored off Mount’s Bay.
The three vessels carrying 850 crew are the first to return to the UK from the Gulf.
849 A Flight, Airborne Surveillance and Control lost six aircrew when two Sea King helicopters collided in mid-air in the Gulf.
814 squadron were employed transporting people and equipment between coalition units during the conflict and 820 squadron, which operates the ASW Sea King Helicopter, also returned from the Gulf today.
The Ark Royal sailed from Portsmouth on January 11th and lead Britain’s largest maritime deployment since the Falklands War.
The government is starting to pull troops out of Iraq as the conflict draws to an end.
