Rumsfeld honoured for citizenship amid protests

PHILADELPHIA, Dec 2 (Reuters) Outgoing Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was honoured for citisenship by a patriotic organisation on Friday as peace protesters outside criticized his role as one of the architects of the US-led war in Iraq.

Mr Rumsfeld, whose departure was announced by President George W Bush the day after the Republican defeat in the November 7 midterm elections, was awarded a gold medal by the Union League, a Philadelphia organization founded in 1862 to support President Abraham Lincoln during the U.S. Civil War.

Mr Rumsfeld's award outraged some Philadelphians who said the Union League should not be honouring the man who headed the Pentagon during the Abu Ghraib scandal involving the abuse of Iraqi prisoners and who played a leading role in what they said was a misguided and poorly executed war.

''This man is responsible for my son's death, and this place of wealth and privilege has given him an award,'' said Celeste Zappala, whose son Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard, was killed in Baghdad in April 2004.

Patricia Tobin, a spokeswoman for the Union League, said only six out of 3,100 members objected to the award, and that the ceremony, with an expected attendance of some 700 people, was a sellout.

''That's very good for an event here,'' she said. The event was closed to the media.

Outside the ornate Union League building in central Philadelphia, about 25 protesters carrying placards saying: ''Rumsfeld War Criminal'' and ''Rumsfeld Award Demeans Union League,'' shouted, ''Shame'' and ''End the war'' at tuxedo-clad guests as they arrived for the event.

''It's a mistake to honor him,'' protester Tom Roberts said.

''I think he created a situation where Abu Ghraib could happen easily.'' The Pentagon made no official comment on the award.

REUTERS SB RAI1051