The Hindu : Hard fighting might still lie ahead, says Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 13, 2003

International

International

Hard fighting might still lie ahead, says Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington APRIL 12. The United States President, George W. Bush, has told Americans that "hard fighting'' might still lie ahead, as coalition forces try to wrap up the military conflict in Iraq by focussing on the hometown of the erstwhile leader, Saddam Hussein, even while trying to come to grips with the lawlessness that is seen to be getting out of hand.

In his weekly radio broadcast, the President repeated what one of the Iraqis said while pounding away on the pedestal of the giant Saddam Hussein statue in trying to bring it down. ``I'm 49, but I never lived a single day. Only now I will start living'', the Iraqi national had said. "Millions of Iraqis feel the same way'', Mr. Bush said in his address. "The nightmare of Saddam Hussein's rule in Iraq is ending. Soon, the good and gifted people of Iraq will be free to choose their leaders who respect their rights and reflect their character. As people throughout Iraq celebrate the arrival of freedom, America celebrates with them'', Mr. Bush said.

On a constant basis over the last three days the Iraqi "celebration'' comes by way of footages on television showing, among other things, mobs tearing down pictures of Mr. Hussein from walls of buildings and hotels as well as bringing down imposing statues in Baghdad and elsewhere. But Mr. Bush carefully avoided the issue of the looting and anarchy going on in parts of Iraq in the aftermath of the fall of the regime, with many Iraqi citizens openly questioning if this is what the country and its population bargained for in the name of "freedom".

The mayhem has reached such proportions that ambulances and medicines are being looted from major hospitals in Baghdad. Senior administration officials like the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Richard Myers, are saying that the brief interlude by way of looting and lawlessness will give way to law and order. And the impression is that the plans are being re-worked as to give room for American and coalition soldiers to take charge of the civil unrest. A large contingent of police and judicial officers from the United States is on its way to Iraq — Baghdad especially — it is said.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Mr. Bush and Laura Bush visited injured service personnel at the Army's Walter Reed Medical Facility in Washington D.C. and the Navy's Medical Centre at Bethesda, Maryland. Mr. Bush spent a lot of time individually and with groups of injured troops and promised that every effort will be made to find those Americans listed as prisoners of war.

"We pray they are alive, because if they are, we'll find them'', the President said. The President refused to declare "victory'' in the Iraqi conflict as well as saying that he did not know the fate of Mr. Hussein except remarking that "I do know he's no longer in power''.

Mr. Bush, who will be spending the weekend at Camp David, where he will be getting regular updates on the military goings-on in Iraq from his War Council, has basically left it to the Commander of the Forces, Tommy Franks, to decide when the war will be formally over. "The war will end when Tommy Franks says we have achieved our objectives'', the President said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

Anti-war league survives Iraq war

Saddam is gone, says Al-Douri

Saddam turned down last-minute Russian 'call to go'

Hard fighting might still lie ahead, says Bush

Three letters that could save lives

'Syria must not meddle in Iraq'

Delays, violence mar Nigerian elections

U.N. should have a role in shaping Iraq's future: Pak.

LTTE threatens to keep off Tokyo meet

Two Pak. planes crash