Iraq Invites Ex-Officers to Join New Army

"BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq's defense minister Wednesday invited some officers in Saddam Hussein's disbanded army to enlist in the new force as the country tries to quell an insurgency fueled by disaffected former soldiers.

The U.S. decision to disband Saddam's 400,000-strong army soon after he was ousted in April 2003 has been widely seen as a major contributor to the growth of the insurgency.

The decision to invite former officers up to the rank of major back into the army was made by Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi, a Sunni Arab."
MyWay