Bush not seen Saddam execution video - White House

WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) US President George W Bush has not seen the illicit video of Saddam Hussein's execution because he is focused on the ''way forward'' in Iraq, the White House said today.

Iraqi officials are facing criticism over a video of Saddam's hanging, apparently filmed on a mobile phone, that shows Shi'ite officials mocking the former Iraqi leader on the gallows.

It has angered Saddam's fellow Sunni Arabs and sparked international condemnation.

The White House said US concerns about the way Saddam's execution was carried out were expressed to the Iraqi government through the US Embassy and military officials in Baghdad.

Bush's focus was on the judicial process that was followed in Iraq and ''the way forward,'' White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

''The president has said that he was pleased that the Iraqi people carried forward a judicial process, tried someone who has murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens, and carried forward justice that was unimaginable during his reign. And that's where the president's focus was,'' he said.

Asked why Bush had not seen the video, Stanzel replied: ''Because that's not his focus.'' The controversy over the execution video erupted as Bush is preparing to unveil a new strategy on Iraq that could come as early as Tuesday.

''Certainly the president is narrowing the choices,'' Stanzel said. ''But this is an entire package of options, whether it's on the military front, the economic front, the political front. He wants to announce that as a whole.'' He said a date had not yet been set for Bush's announcement.

REUTERS PB BD2309