tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718858.post-86912296101342496892007-07-16T22:04:00.000-04:002007-07-16T22:14:06.377-04:00A new<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070315-1.html"> "Debaathification Bill"</a> Bush has been working on has recently been all over Bush and Snow's speeches: "We are working on a deBaathification bill and it will be presented later." But the actual purpose of the bill is to reverse the old deBaathification policy set in place under former Iraq Czar Paul Bremer in 2003:<br /><br />"On May 16, the top U.S. civilian administrator, L. Paul Bremer (search), issued a decree barring top-ranking Baath Party members from any public position, a process now referred to as deBaathification -- whether in universities, hospitals or minor government posts." (<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,98661,00.html">link</a>)<br /><br /><br />The new Debaathification Bill, if passed, would allow them back in government. This doesn't seem like a bad idea considering these are the only people with experience governing over a pre-civil war Iraq. Just don't call it debaathification. More credible sources are calling it "<a href="http://politicalmavens.com/index.php/2007/04/30/congress-iraq-declaring-defeat/">reversal of debaathification</a>", or "an amendment to the debaathification bill". Personally, I like "rebaathification". It really captures the zen-like circularity of GW's approach to governing.Justin Sarmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04876607567041005834noreply@blogger.com