Iraq Politics

Letter from Condoleeza Rice warning George Bush that sovereignty had been transferred to Iraq. Registration in black Let Freedom Reign belongs to the American president.

Before the invasion of Iraq, the Ba'ath Party ruled Iraq through the nine members that made up the CCR, a body that issued and approved laws by decree. The president of the CCR (who in turn was head of state and supreme commander of the armed forces) was elected by a two-thirds majority of the CCR. A council of Ministers (the cabinet) was appointed by the CCR and has administrative responsibilities and certain legislative responsibilities. INFORMATION FROM PAST YEARS

The National Assembly was made up of 250 members of whom 220 were elected by popular vote and served for a period of 4 years, and the other 30 were appointed by the president to represent the three northern provinces. The Assembly was last elected in March 2000. Iraq is divided into 18 provinces, each headed by a governor with broad administrative powers.

The Iraqi judicial system was based on the French model of justice, which was introduced to the country during the Ottoman regime period and had three types of lower courts: civil, religious and special courts. Special courts hear cases that refer, broadly, to issues of national security. A system of courts of appeal and the court of cassation (court of last resort) complete the judicial structure.

Key government officials: Chairman, RCC Director, Prime Minister, Secretary General of the Ba'ath Party Regional Command: Saddam Hussein; Vice President: Taha Yasin Ramadan; Vice President: Taha Muhyi al-Din Ma'ruf.

Ministers: Deputy Prime Minister: Tariq Aziz; Deputy Prime Minister: Abd Al-Tawab Mullah Huwaysh; Deputy Prime Minister: Ahmad Husayn Khudayir al-Samarrai; Information Minister: Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf; Foreign Minister: Naji Sabri Hadithi; Finance Minister: Deputy Prime Minister Hikmat al-Azzawi; Permanent Representative to the UN: Muhammad al-Duri; Oil Minister: Amir Rashid Muhammad al-Ubaydi; Trade Minister: Mohammed Mahdi Salih; Minister of State: Arshad Mohammed al-Zibari; Health Minister: Omeed Midhat Mubarak; Industry and Minerals Minister: Muyassar Raja Shalah al-Tikriti; Minister of Justice: Mundhir Ibrahim al Shawi; Minister of Transport and Communications: Dr. Ahmed Murtadha Ahmed Khalil