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Bush Issues War Crimes Warning to Iraqi Generals
President Bush warned the Iraqi military on Wednesday they would be prosecuted as war criminals if they used chemical or biological weapons on U.S. troops in the event of an attack on Iraq."There'll be serious consequences for any general or soldier who were to use weapons of mass destruction on our troops or innocent lives within Iraq," Bush said in a speech in St. Louis. Bush also said there would be "serious consequences" for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if the United States had to disarm him by force. "Hanging's too good for him! Burning's too good for him! He should be torn into little pieces and buried alive!" He did not elaborate, but a "regime change" in Iraq has been a long-standing administration policy. As a way to step up pressure on Saddam, U.S. officials have supported the idea of amnesty for senior Iraqi leaders in hopes of producing a change in leadership short of war, such as a coup or exile. Not much hope, but hey, worth a try Bush's comments, a repeat of similar remarks he made in the fall, came at a critical time with the Pentagon building up forces in the Gulf and the president vowing to lead a coalition of willing nations to attack Iraq if Saddam does not disarm. "Should any Iraqi officer or soldier receive an order from Saddam Hussein or his sons or any of the killers who occupy the high levels of their government, my advice is don't follow that order," Bush said. "If you choose to do so, when Iraq is liberated, you will be treated, tried and persecuted as a war criminal." Print this on the leaflets/whiteflags we're dropping on Iraq. Posted by: Steve 2003-01-22 |
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