Reply #9: Pentagon: U.S. Forces on High Alert (AP) [View All]

Pentagon: U.S. Forces on High Alert

By LOLITA C. BALDOR
The Associated Press
Friday, December 29, 2006; 6:28 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon said Friday that U.S. fighting forces in Iraq are ready
for any escalation of violence there _ even as condemned former President Saddam
Hussein waged an 11th-hour appeal in American courts to spare his life.

"U.S. forces in Iraq are obviously at a high state of alert anytime because of the
environment that they operate in and because of the current security situation,"
said spokesman Bryan Whitman, in advance of an appeal filed here on Saddam's
behalf by his lawyers.

Whitman said U.S. forces will "obviously take into account social dimensions that
could potentially led to an increase in violence which certainly would include
carrying out the sentence of Saddam Hussein."

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