The Hindu : `Liberation' of Iraq soon: Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 06, 2003

International

International

`Liberation' of Iraq soon: Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington APRIL 5. With American and coalition forces said to be in "heart'' of Baghdad, the United States President, George W. Bush, has argued that full liberation is around the corner and the forces will press on until Iraq is totally free.

"Village by village, city by city, liberation is coming. The people of Iraq have my pledge: Our fighting forces will press on until their oppressors are gone and their whole country is free'', Mr. Bush said in his weekly radio address. "The United States and its allies pledged to act if the dictator did not disarm. The regime in Iraq is now learning that we keep our word'', the President said, making the point that by actions in this war, a great and just cause is being served. "Free nations will not wait and wait, leaving enemies free to plot another September the 11th — this time perhaps with chemical, biological or nuclear terror'', he argued. Mr. Bush also said that with the liberation of each village, the coalition forces are learning more about the "atrocities'' of the Saddam Hussein regime and the "deep fear'' that has been instilled in the Iraqi people.

"Yet, no crime of this dying regime will divert us from our mission. We will not stop until Iraq is free'', the President said. Aside from listing the movement and achievement of coalition forces, Mr. Bush took the opportunity to talk about some of the actions of the Iraqi regime. "As the vice tightens on the Iraqi regime, some of our enemies have chosen to fill their final days with acts of cowardice and murder'', the President said, going on to talk about troops using women and children as human shields, killing local citizens who have come forward to welcome coalition forces, executing prisoners of war, using hospitals and schools as combat zones and waging attacks using a white flag.

The Pentagon has announced that eight dead soldiers found during the rescue of a prisoner of war were American and were in the same unit as PFC Jessica Lynch — the 506 Maintenance Company. Special forces found a total of 11 bodies during the raid, and nine are believed to be those of Americans. The nine bodies are being returned to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for forensic examination. What is further being clarified is that the five soldiers who were shown on Iraqi Television after an ambush were not among the bodies found during the rescue raid of Ms Lynch.

To meet blair

Meanwhile, as coalition forces are believed to be moving at a speed not quite anticipated, Mr. Bush and the Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair, are getting ready for their third meeting in three weeks. This time, it is near Belfast in Northern Ireland with the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, also taking part in the talks. The meeting has been scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday. Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair, prior to the start of the war, met at the Azores along with the Prime Minister of Spain; last week, the British Prime Minister was at Camp David for private consultations with the American President with only top aides of the two present.

The two leaders this time will be talking about the ongoing military operations. That apart, a deep focus is also on the cards on humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts of Iraq along with a broad discussion on the kind of role envisaged for the U.N.

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