Fed: Saddam irrelevant to war outcome: Howard

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Fed: Saddam irrelevant to war outcome: Howard

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says it's becoming increasingly irrelevant whether IraqiPresident SADDAM HUSSEIN is dead or alive.

Mr HOWARD's told the Seven Network it would be good to bring SADDAM to justice in whateverform might be appropriate.

But he says the goal is to get rid of SADDAM's regime and ensure that Iraq does notretain chemical and biological weapons, or a capacity to develop them in the future.

Mr HOWARD says the discovery by British forces of 200 coffins containing human remainsat a former army barracks in southern Iraq is proof of the brutality of SADDAM's regime.

He's denied the government's attempted to withhold information on the number of civiliandeaths in the Iraq war.

AAP RTV rft/jmt

KEYWORD: IRAQ HOWARD SADDAM (CANBERRA)