BAGHDAD, January 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
struck a defiant note in his annual Army Day address on Sunday whenhe
vowed to thwart any fresh military attacks by the United States.
"As your debased enemies failed in the past, so will any aggressor,
if he lets himself be seduced into committing an evil act against your
trust. He ... will be thwarted in his base aims," Saddam said in a speech
carried by the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
While admitting that the Iraqi army is standing "a glorious test,"
Saddam said "obstacles facing the march will be nothing but lessons that
deepen faith and determination, increase resolution, and enlarge horizons
for optimism and confidence in success."
Saddam praised the "proud, faithful and striving" army of Iraq, and
expressed confidence that the army "will remain loyal to the interests of
the people, jealous of the sovereignty and dignity of the homeland."
Saddam also blasted the "hateful" embargo imposed for Iraq's 1990
invasion of neighboring Kuwait.
The annual speech of the Iraqi strongman came amid widespread
speculation that the U.S. may expand its war on terrorism from Afghanistan
to Iraq.
U.S. President George W. Bush strongly hinted last November thatthe
U.S. might target Iraq after Afghanistan by demanding Saddam toallow the
United Nations arms inspectors back into the country or face the
consequences.
Some U.S. officials have been clamoring for attacking Iraq for its
suspected development of weapons of mass destruction in the absence of
U.N. arms inspectors.
U.N. weapons inspectors have been barred from re-entering Iraq
since they withdrew from the country before U.S.-British military strikes
against Iraq in December 1998.
Saddam has remained adamant in the face of the latest U.S. threats
and vowed to reject the resumption of international arms inspections.
In a telegram to Saddam on the eve of the Army Day, Iraqi Defense
Minister Sultan Hashem Ahmed vowed to defend Iraq from any possible
attacks. "We are confident in our capabilities to confrontwhoever dream to
harm our country," Ahmed said. Enditem
