"I think that that would be a fair trade to avoid a war," said Rumsfeld.

WASHINGTON, January 20 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Following a two-day anti-war mass rallies around the world, including the United States, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has voiced his support to the idea of granting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, his family and his top aides a "haven" abroad if it could avert a war.  

Speaking on ABC TV, Rumsfeld said that exile for Saddam Hussein and other members of the Iraqi leadership would be a "fair trade" to avoid a military showdown, CNN reported Monday, January 20.

"I ... would recommend that some provision be made so that the senior leadership in that country and their families could be provided haven in some other country. I think that that would be a fair trade to avoid a war.

""He and his family may decide that they've run their string and that they'll leave. ... Certainly, either of those courses would be preferable to the use of force," he said.

However, he declined to say whether the U.S. administration would be willing to give the Iraqi leadership immunity from prosecution for war crimes.

"I'm not in the Justice Department or in the White House and those are questions for them," he said.

Trying to pitting Saddam and his people against one another, the outspoken hawk said that unseating the strong man of Iraq usher in a prosperous and democratic Iraq.

"I think that the people in his country know what a vicious regime [Saddam] runs. And they may decide to throw him out," he said.

For his part, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell indicated that any such offer of exile should include Hussein's family and other senior Iraqi officials.

"If he were to leave and take with him members of his family and the ruling regime, then we would have a different regime," Powell said on CBS's Face the Nation.

Amnesty

U.S. Park Police arrested 16 anti-war protesters against a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq

Rumsfeld, in addition, raised the prospect of granting the "senior leadership" in Iraq amnesty from war crimes prosecution if they were exiled to a third country.

The move could give new momentum to initiatives to convince Saddam Hussein to step down if war becomes imminent or to help encourage other senior members of the Iraqi regime to try to remove their leader, said the British Financial Times newspaper.

It would require a United Nations resolution declaring an amnesty for the Iraqi officials if they got rid of Saddam, BBC said.

Such an amnesty would extend to all but 100 or 120 of the most senior ruling Baath Party officials, including his sons, close relatives and others who have long formed part of the ruling circle.

Anti-war Protesters Arrested in Washington

Meanwhile, following a two-day anti-war mass rally on the huge Mall between the U.S. Congress and the White House, U.S. Park Police arrested 16 anti-war protesters against a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq.

Carrying a home-made posters and life-size dolls of George Bush and Dick Cheney and chanting anti-war slogans, the anti-war protesters made their way to the White House, paying no heed to the police, who had to make arrests after the demonstrators exceeded the 25-demonstrator limit for Lafayette Park, across Pennsylvania.

Some demonstrators wore costumes, and many carried signs with slogans such as "No blood for oil," "Act now, stop war and racism," and "What would Jesus do?"

"There are old women here, there are children, people who are willing to be arrested for the first time in their lives, because that's the only way they can get attention," said Kathleen Bartlett who came all the way from Orlando, Florida, to participate in the demonstration.

 "If you look at the crowd, you'll see it's Middle America, working people who all come here because we care about our country, we care about our kids," she added.  

In Washington and San Francisco, California, at the two largest of the peace rallies held around the country and around the world this weekend, crowds were urged on by international peace activists, religious leaders, members of Congress, actors and musicians.

Earlier in the week, thousands of protesters around the world took to the streets to demonstrate against a possible war in Iraq.

Some of the biggest demonstrations took place in Japan, Russia, Pakistan, Germany and London, all protesting the buildup of U.S. military hardware and personnel in the Gulf region indicating a close attack on Iraq.