The United States promised that captured ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will be accorded privileges stemming from the Geneva Conventions, even though he has so far reportedly refused to cooperate with his interrogators.
However, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stopped short of saying the former leader will be granted formal prisoner of war status.
Instead, Rumsfeld said the issue of Saddam Hussein's future will be determined in consultations with US coalition partners after legal analysis of the situation.
"Those are judgments that will be made by lawyers as we go along," Rumsfeld said as he appeared on CBS's 60 Minutes.
He assured that the former president's "treatment will be governed by the Geneva conventions," adding that "he will be accorded the privileges as if he were a prisoner of war."
The comments raised questions whether US intelligence agencies will be able to seriously mine Saddam Hussein for information because under the Geneva Conventions, he is obligated to give his captors only his name, rank, date of birth and military serial number.
Under the accords, every captured fighter is entitled to humane treatment, including shelter, clothing, food and medical attention.
It should be noted that actions that could be seen as "humiliating and degrading" to a prisoner are not allowed. Even those suspected of war crimes cannot be subjected to torture or corporal punishment.
Rumsfeld said so far Saddam has refused to give any intelligence information. "He has not been cooperative in terms of talking or anything like that," he said.
However, the Defense Secretary pointed out the former leader "clearly was compliant or resigned" when US soldiers took him into custody and moved him to a secure location. He also made clear he could not rule out that Saddam might decide to cooperate in the future. "I think it's a bit early to try to characterize his demeanor," he said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
