Bush tells Iraqis: “unity or chaos”

By Alastair Macdonald and Mussab Al-Khairalla

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Bombs killed more than 50 people in
Baghdad on Tuesday as Saddam Hussein returned to court after a
week of violence that has pushed Iraq to the brink of civil
war.

“The choice is chaos or unity,” President George W. Bush
told Iraqis as the ruling Shi’ite Muslims warned sectarian
bloodshed could mean months of delay in bringing Sunnis into
the national unity government Washington is pressing them to
form.

A least 16 people were killed in a blast near a Shi’ite
mosque after evening prayers; police said 40 were wounded.

Three bombs in succession, two in Shi’ite east Baghdad and
one in the center, killed 32 people just before Saddam, looking
subdued after ending a hunger strike, was brought into court to
hear prosecutors present evidence that included what they said
was a death warrant for 148 Shi’ite men signed by him in 1984.

The earlier attacks, including one that killed 23 people
lining up for fuel, looked like a familiar response by Sunni
rebels to the trial of their former leader.

But tit-for-tat violence involving Shi’ite militias that
has killed hundreds since the bombing of a major Shi’ite shrine
last Wednesday has heightened fears of an all-out war that have
seen people barricading neighborhoods or fleeing homes.

The prime minister’s office, in an unusual move, issued a
statement putting the total death toll over six days at 379
“martyrs” and denied reports that it was well over 1,000.

But Baghdad morgue alone said it received 309 bodies since
Wednesday, most victims of violence. Morgue data showed this
was double the average — it handled 10,080 bodies in 2005.

BUSH CALL

U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, closely engaged in efforts to
forge a unity government Washington hopes would bring stability
to let it start bringing home troops, said Iraq “came to the
brink of civil war.” He warned further flare-ups were possible.

Bush recalled his telephone calls to Iraqi leaders on
Saturday that led to an emergency meeting of all parties: “They
understood the seriousness of the moment,” he said. “They have
made their choice, which is to work toward a unity government.

The Sunni minority’s main political bloc, however, says it
was not ready to end the boycott of U.S.-backed talks which it
announced in protest against reprisals against Sunni mosques.

Admitting bloodshed had stalled efforts to forge a unity
government 11 weeks after Sunnis took part in their first U.S.-
sponsored election, National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-
Rubaie, a senior member of the ruling Shi’ite alliance, said:
“If we are lucky it will take us at least two months.”

Two British soldiers were killed in Shi’ite southern Iraq
and U.S. forces reported the death of an American soldier.

Activity on Baghdad’s streets was quieter than normal after
Monday’s lifting of a three-day curfew. Many people said they
were staying at home for fear of violence, though many also
said they were afraid of guerrillas attacking them at home.

Saddam-era, Soviet-made Iraqi tanks guarded some Sunni
mosques and Iraqi and U.S. military units were on patrol.

SADDAM TRIAL

Hours before the trial resumed after a two-week suspension,
bombs wrecked the tomb of Saddam’s father in Tikrit.

His two lead defense counsels walked out within minutes of
the trial restarting when requests for a further adjournment
and the removal of the chief judge were rejected.

Officials said court-appointed lawyers would defend Saddam,
as they had done since a previous walkout a month ago from a
trial they said has been rigged by the Shi’ite- and Kurdish-led
interim government and the United States.

Saddam spoke once, to question the authenticity of
documents presented by the prosecution, like the apparent order
for executions. The judge ruled some of the material
inadmissible, saying the provenance of some handwritten
documents was unclear. It was not clear which were ruled out.

The court will sit again on Wednesday. Court officials have
said previously they expect a long adjournment after that.

Saddam and seven others have been on trial since October 19
for crimes against humanity in the deaths of the 148 Shi’ites
after an assassination attempt on Saddam in the town of Dujail
in 1982. They face hanging if convicted.

(Additional reporting by Lutfi Abu Oun, Michael Georgy,
Mariam Karouny, Ibon Villelabeitia, and Nick Olivari in
Baghdad, Ghazwan al-Jibouri in Tikrit and Faris al-Mehdawi in
Baquba)