It won't affect polls: Cohen

The death penalty for Saddam Hussein has raised questions not just on the fairness of the former Iraqi president's trial but also the timing of it, comes as it does just a day before the US Congress and one-third of the Senate go in for polls.

Former secretary of defence in the Clinton administration and head of the Cohen Foundation William Cohen, however, dismisses any talk of the verdict affecting the polls.

"We (Democrats) are confident while going in for the polls, of taking the Congress and possibly even the Senate."

On a visit to India as part of his duties as head of the Cohen Foundation, William Cohen said that despite appearances, the perceived opposition of Democrats to the Indo-US nuclear deal was not true.

"I have long been a supporter of the deal and had called up undersecretary for political affairs Nicholas Burns to press for the passing of the bill dealing with the deal within the abbreviated lame duck session to commence soon," he said.

"The opposition of Democrats to the deal had more to do with the fact that it came without any preparation from either side. Principal political players were not consulted and the Democrats, having, as they do, a very pro-nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) stance had initial problems with the deal," he added.

"Now all these differences have been ironed out, and we hope to see the Bill either in the lame duck session or as soon as the new House convenes," he said.

On the US military's various engagements abroad and the continuing war against terror, Cohen appears more close to the Republicans than his won party.

Whereas former secretary of state Madeliene Albright had said in India a couple of months a go that the US needs to get out of Iraq and that other countries should help the US in getting out of Iraq, Cohen says that a rapid withdrawal is not the cards.

"As you know, after the elections, the Baker Report will be submitted and will have in effect a time table for US troops' withdrawal from Iraq. I don't see , however, a rapid withdrawal say within the next year. The important point is that we leave Iraq with a functioning civil society and rule of law instead of chaos," he said.

He was more optimistic on the chances of Senator Hillary Clinton nailing the Democrat nomination for the post of President in the next US presidential post.

"I feel that the nomination is Senator Clinton's if she wants it, I don't think she has made up her mind," he said.

His second favourite for the race is first time Illinois senator Barack Obama. "With the kind of attention he's getting, he should think of running," he added.