[andyfox]

"A senior official from the U.S. Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance said between 15,000 and 30,000 Baath party officials will be banned entirely from participating in any future Iraqi government."

Tom: You equate this with official US Policy regarding Iraqi efforts to form a new government?

Andy: Yes. The meaing of the words are plain enough. We claim that we will not make decisions for the new Iraqi democracy, the Iraqi people will run their own institutions. But we have banned up to 30,000 people from being considered by the Iraqi people. How is this democracy?