Saddam’s infrastructure dismantled
The US administration in Iraq has started to dismantle institutions previously controlled by Saddam Hussein.
The abolition of the former dictators power structures comes fewer than 24 hours after the UN Security Council voted 14-0 to hand control of the country and its oil reserves to the coalition.
The American civilian administrator Paul Bremer has disbanded the Iraqi army, which will now be replaced with a new defence forces, and dissolved the defence and information ministries, the Olympic Committee, the military and security courts.
The new Iraqi army will be a professional, non-political body and all recruits will be carefully vetted before they join.
The resolution passed yesterday in New York lifts economic sanctions on Iraq and gives the US power in Iraq until ‘an internationally recognised, representative government is establish in Iraq’, which could take years.
Last week Mr Bremer announced the abolition of the Ba’ath Party and ruled that former members of the party were banned from working in the public sector.
About 400,000 people will be made redundant under the US orders. The administration is calling on them to hand themselves in. Their assets will be seized and handed to the occupiers.
Hundreds of companies are meeting in London today to try and win lucrative contracts for the rebuilding of Iraq.
Thousands of British troops could be sent to Iraq to relieve US colleagues who are reportedly exhausted, homesick and lacking the necessary peacekeeping skills.
