Group Captain Laith Hamid Al-Saadun, like so many other officers, has not come to terms with the sudden disappearance of the old regime and the US decision to scrap the army.

A new small force, purged of politics and the Baath Party, is set to be built by the US-British coalition.

"Everything collapsed so quickly," said the air force pilot, admitting he was still "in shock at the defeat" he described as "an unprecedented debacle".

Baghdad fell to invading US troops on April 9 after a campaign that lasted just three weeks and saw little in the way of major fighting.

"As soldiers, we carry out orders, we are not to blame," for the regime's policies, he said.

Saadun has three children aged three to 13 but sees litle hope for the future.

"I registered with an Iraqi body that is cooperating with the American administration in Iraq in the hope of learning my fate, but I've had no answer," he said.

US overseer Paul Bremer said Monday that recruiting for a new Iraqi army would begin by the end of the month after hundreds of demobilised soldiers mounted a fresh protest outside his Baghdad headquarters against the dissolution of the army and vast security apparatus, announced May 23, when the defence and information ministries were also abolished.

Bremer stressed that a return to the army would only be offered to "demobilised enlisted men."

Officers above the rank of lieutenant colonel are not due to receive a penny in severance pay unless they can prove that they have no link with the Baath party, which the coalition has moved decisively to eradicate from public life.

The ranks are to get a one-off payment.

"I hope to find a civilian job to keep my family," Saadun, whose rank is equivalent to colonel, said, noting that he no longer received his pre-war salary of 200,000 dinars, about 100 dollars a month.

"I am living off my parents," he admitted, complaining of "being reduced to such extremes after giving so much to my country."

"If necessary, I'll sell my car and a plot of land I inherited."

Saadun fought in the war with Iran from 1980-1988 and the Gulf war of 1991.

"I am still deeply attached to the air force," he said showing his pilot's uniform, headgear and mask, carefully kept at his house in Baghdad.

Many officers find themselves similarly in desperate straits.

"I've nothing to do and pass the time with my family or doing odd jobs around the house," said one officer, who has four children to feed.

"I don't want my uniform any more, I don't even want to see my uniform, it reminds me how important I was one day and how insignificant today" said the former major, who led an artillery unit around the southern town of Zubair.

"My military career is over," said Major Aqil Al-Rammahi, 41, swearing he would never serve under a US flag.

He said he opened an electronics shop five days ago, "to boost my income".

"During Saddam Hussein's reign, most officers had other income apart from their salaries," noted General Lassaad Abdul Baqi, 43, who trained as an engineer, runs an electronic equipment shop and is looking at opening an internet cafe.

"The Americains committed a mistake by dissolving the army and by not paying the salaries of soldiers so far," Baqi said.

"I will refuse to serve any army run by the United States.

He said he was just hoping to get a passport, "something all soldiers were deprived of under the ousted regime."

WAR.WIRE