The Iraqi government's recent decision to amend paragraphs in the Justice and Accountability Law related to de-Baathification and show flexibility in dealing with Baathists has induced a storm of conflicting reactions. The most heated reactions have come from Shiite political and cultural circles, which have insisted that Baathists cannot be dealt with before achieving justice for their victims.
The Baath Party, which ruled Iraq for more than three decades, is deserving of the measures contained in the Iraqi constitution. The constitution criminalizes the party and prevents it from participating in Iraqi political life, against the backdrop of the crimes it committed and the disasters it caused throughout its reign.