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| Many People dont want war with Iraq. They will go out on the streets and protest against the war. |  |
America and some of Iraq's Arab neighbors alike favor such a plan, as a
way to avoid
a bloody and costly war.
But the plan has several
disadvantages as well, and few
believe Saddam would take
such a deal.
Support for an amnesty deal for
Saddam has been voiced by
None other than the American
President himself.
Mr. George W. Bush said:
"Hopefully the pressure of the
free world will convince Mr.
Saddam Hussein to relinquish
power. And should he choose to
leave the country, along with a
lot of the other henchmen who
have tortured the Iraqi people, we would welcome that, of course. "
Welcome with open arms, such a scenario would avoid the need for a war
likely to cost
American lives, not to mention hundreds of billions of dollars
This comes at a time when the American public is highly skeptical about
going to war
with Iraq.
A relocation plan for Saddam has been actively sought by Saudi Arabia,
Jordan and
other Arab countries, eager to avoid a war in the region.
But while the Bush Administration supports such a deal, it would raise
a profound
ethical question.
There is a consensus in the international community that Saddam has committed
horrific war crimes and many people believe he should be called to answer
for them.
Mr. David Scheffer, United Nations Association, said: "Saddam Hussein is
one of the
worst atrocity lords of the twentieth century."
Mr. Scheffer was Ambassador at large for War Crimes Issues during the Clinton
Administration.
"It is attractive as a way of avoiding war, and I can understand those
who rush towards
It. But it would be a sheer abdication of the responsibility of the international
community
to bring this man to justice," he said.
Opponents of an amnesty deal point out that it would not negate the need
for some kind
of operation to find and destroy Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.
They also point out that while Saddam and his top aides would be out of
the picture,
They would leave behind many supporters who could complicate US plans to
create a
Democratic Iraq.
Top Iraqi officials insist Saddam would never take such a deal.
Senior Bush Administration officials and independent analysts agree it's unlikely.
Mr. John Alderman, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said:
"There's still I
Think a very remote possibility, but a possibility that Saddam Hussein
will decide to
Leave Iraq or some kind of other regime change short of war. But the likelihood
of those
Things are probably declining as time goes on. "
However, some analysts have not given up hope that Saddam may one day find
himself
In a courtroom.
They point to the case of Yugoslavia's former strongman Slobodan Milosevic.
Mr. Scheffer said: "He himself said that he would never leave Serbia alive,
and today he
Stands before the Hague tribunal. What goes through a man's mind when he
considers
The options between summary executive during battle if he tries to resist
capture.
"Or accepting the fate of capture and knowing that if he goes before an
internationally
Constituted tribunal the death penalty will not be applied because it's
not accepted at the
International level anymore and he will in fact be able to live his life
out and be able to
Defend him.
"He'll be able to articulate his views in the courtroom and frankly he'll
have a comfortable
Detention for the rest of his life. When you weigh those two possibilities,
you never quite
Know what a man or a woman’s decision will be."
An exile deal for Saddam would likely involve a UN Security Council resolution
protecting
Him from prosecution for war crimes.
But right now, the Bush Administration is putting more effort into getting
that body to
Authorize the use of military force against Iraq.
