BAGHDAD — Officers who served in Saddam Hussein's military forces
have been flocking to join the Iraq Army.
U.S. officials said that over the last month, thousands of Saddam
officers have applied to join the Iraq Army. They said after a screening
most of the applicants were accepted.
The Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq reported that as of
Nov. 20, 3,769
Saddam officers applied to join the Iraq Army, Middle East Newsline reported. MSTC-I said the Defense
Ministry accepted 2,662 officers.
In October, the Defense Ministry called for junior and mid-level
officers of Saddam's army to apply for jobs in the new military force.
Officials said the campaign was meant to overcome a serious shortage in
experienced junior and mid-level officers in the Iraq Army, which now
numbers about 100,000.
The ministry has established six recruiting centers throughout Iraq.
Officials said the recruiting drive would continue into December.
"The expectation is that the goals will be exceeded," a U.S. Defense
Department statement said.
Officials said the recruitment effort has sought officers ranking from
lieutenant to major. They said members of the Special Republican Guards or
Baath Party members from Level 4 and above would not be accepted.
"Experience and professional competence, not ethnicity, are the focus of
the recruitment effort," the Pentagon statement said.
