US President George W Bush says he is "pleased with the progress" in the war against Saddam Hussein, and warned that Iraqis who mistreat prisoners of war will face war crimes trials.

Bush told reporters on his return from Camp David to the White House on Sunday that the air campaign is achieving its objective and so are the ground troops. "We are slowly but surely taking control of the country so that we can free the people of Iraq and eventually clear that country of weapons of mass destruction. We are making good progress."
    

He said Saddam Hussein is losing control of his country and "we are slowly but surely achieving our objective."
    

On war prisoners, Bush said, "If there is somebody captured, and it looks like there may be, I expect those people to be treated humanely. If not, the people who mistreat the prisoners will be treated as war criminals."
    

The treatment of American and Iraqi prisoners, he said, is an interesting contrast. He said a lot of Iraqi soldiers welcome American troops. "They are surrendering gleefully, happily. And they will be treated well."
    

Bush also said, "It is important for the American people to realize that this war has just begun. It may seem like a
long time because of all the action on television but in terms of the overall strategy, we are just in the beginning phases. We are executing a plan which will make it easier to achieve our objective, and at the same time spare innocent life."

He said the southern oil fields are safe and that is positive news. "Obviously, there are pockets of resistance in Basra. In the west, the alliance forces are making great progress. The launch sites for the Scuds are certainly not a hundred per cent secure," but "we are making good progress," he added.
    

Asked what his degree of confidence is that the Iraqi regime will surrender or collapse before the allied forces need to be engaged in a fight for Baghdad, Bush said, "All I know is we have got a game plan, a strategy to free the Iraqi
people from Saddam Hussein and rid his country of weapons of mass destruction, and we are on plan."
    

Saddam Hussein, Bush said, had his "chance to go into exile. He chose not to do so."
    

Asked whether he is surprised that the enemy has not used any weapons of mass destruction, Bush replied: "I am thankful that the enemy has not used any. And we will continue employing a strategy to make it difficult for the enemy to
use wepons of mass destruction."
    

Bush said massive amounts of humanitarian aid should begin moving within the next 36 hours and "that is going to be very positive news for a lot of people who have suffered a long time under Saddam Hussein. "We have got a massive ground assault going on, and right behind it will be a massive movement of humanitarian aid to help the people of Iraq. We have made that promise to the people of this country that we will do everything we can to protect innocent life," he said.
    

"And we are doing that. And we will do everything we can to help the Iraqi people. First thing, of course, that will
help the Iraqi people is to rid them of a brutal dictator,  somebody who has stayed in power through mutilation and rape
and torture. Somebody who has starved hisown people so that he could build palaces. When free of that dictatorship, life will be a lot better."
    

"But we also understand we have an obligation -- and this not America, it is coalition forces -- to put food and medicine in places so the Iraqi people can live a normal life and have hope. And that is exactly what is going to happen shortly  when the area is safe enough to move the equipment forward."  Bush said.