Maliki orders pensions paid to Saddam's officers, invites them to apply to rejoin army

Above: Senior Iraqi military officers at a press conference on March 23, 2003.

BAGHDAD — Iraq's prime minister on Friday ordered pension payments for senior officers of Saddam Hussein's military and offered a return to service for lower-ranking soldiers, a major step aimed at defusing the Sunni insurgency and meeting U.S. benchmarks for his government.

The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting late last month, according to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office. It was not clear why the information was only released Friday.

Many former top intelligence, security and military officials are believed to have joined the Sunni insurgency after former U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer disbanded Iraq's 350,000-member military on May 23, 2003, a month after Saddam's regime was ousted.

The al-Maliki statement said any former officer above the rank of major would be given a pension equal to that of officers now retiring. Former officers above major who wanted to rejoin the army were encouraged to check with the military command to learn if they were acceptable in the Iraqi army that is being rebuilt by U.S. forces.

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