UNITED BENETTON of COLORS

06 November, 2006 Campaigning Bush seizes on Saddam verdict

GRAND ISLAND (Nebraska) — US President George W Bush yesterday seized on Saddam Hussein's death sentence to defend the Iraq war as US elections shaped by the unpopular conflict headed to a hard-fought finish tomorrow.

"Today, we witnessed a landmark event in the history of Iraq: Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced to death by the Iraqi high tribunal," Mr Bush told cheering supporters at a rowdy Republican rally here.

"It's a major achievement for this young democracy," he said, urging the crowd to "give our thanks to the men and women of America's armed forces. Without their courage and skill, today's verdict never would have happened."

Before the vote tomorrow, dozens of congressional races were too close to call and two national public opinion surveys favoured Democrats overall but suggested a late burst of energy among Mr Bush's Republicans.

Mr Bush was in Nebraska and Kansas as part of an 11th-hour political rescue mission for struggling Republican candidates facing unexpectedly strong Democratic challenges in part because of anger at the war in Iraq.

"Saddam Hussein was a threat," he said, amid signs the conflict could cost his party control of the US Congress. "My decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision, and the world is better off for it."

White House spokesman Tony Snow dismissed as "preposterous" any sugges-tion that US and Iraqi officials manipulated the timing of the sentence to help the Republicans.

Democrats hailed the sentence against Saddam but warned it would not solve the challenges US forces face in Iraq, which was plagued by a raging insurgency and escalating sectarian strife that has fed a rising US death toll.

While expert forecasts of a Democratic victory in at least one and possibly both chambers have heartened the opposition party, two new national polls showed their once double-digit advantage sharply narrowed in recent weeks.

The Washington Post and ABC television poll showed likely voters favouring Democrats to Republicans by a 51 per cent to 45 per cent edge, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

In an Oct 22 survey, the Democrats had led 55-41.

And a poll by the non-partisan Pew Research Centre that specialises in public opinion found a 47-43 lead for Democrats among likely voters, down from 50-39 two weeks ago. The margin of error was three percentage points.

The Washington Post/ABC poll still had bleak news for Mr Bush, with his approval rating at a dismal 40 per cent and almost twice as many registered voters saying they would cast their ballot as an anti-Bush gesture rather than a show of support.

Posted by THE SAINT :: Monday, November 06, 2006 :: ---------------oOo---------------