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Iraq's Baathist Legacy Refuses to Fade Away

Iraq’s attempt to rid itself of the legacy of the former ruling Baath Party must account for the fact that many former party employees will be worse off as a result, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi.
Protesters hold up a banner which reads "No No to the Baathists" during a rally against the former Baath Party return in Baghdad, February 7, 2010. Iraq's Shi'ite parties held emotional demonstrations on Sunday and vowed to purge loyalists of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party as tensions over a list of candidates banned from a March election soared.     REUTERS/Saad Shalash (IRAQ - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) - RTR29X73
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The Iraqi government's recent decision to amend paragraphs in the Justice and Accountability Law related to de-Baathification and show flexibility in dealing with Baathists has induced a storm of conflicting reactions. The most heated reactions have come from Shiite political and cultural circles, which have insisted that Baathists cannot be dealt with before achieving justice for their victims.

The Baath Party, which ruled Iraq for more than three decades, is deserving of the measures contained in the Iraqi constitution. The constitution criminalizes the party and prevents it from participating in Iraqi political life,  against the backdrop of the crimes it committed and the disasters it caused throughout its reign.

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