Iraq to reinstate 20,000 Saddam-era army officers

— The Iraqi military will reinstate 20,000 Saddam Hussein-era army officers who were dismissed from their posts after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion for serving under the former dictator, an Iraqi defense spokesman said Friday.

Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said the move was not related to the March 7 parliamentary elections, but was simply a matter of timing because funding for the jobs became available.

“This measure has nothing to do with elections, rather it is related to budget allocations,” he said.

But that explanation held little sway with Sunni lawmakers who called it a blatant ploy by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to win more votes.

“No doubt, this move is related to the elections and it aims at gaining votes,” said Maysoun al-Damlouji, a Sunni candidate from a secular block headed by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, a fierce critic of al-Maliki.

A defense ministry statement said the rehired officers would be reinstated as of Sunday.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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