Hussein Tells Iraqis: 'Strike Your Enemy'

[V-G]

Hussein Tells Iraqis: 'Strike Your Enemy'
(March 24, 2003)




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By Jesus Sanchez
Times Staff Writer
11:12 AM PST, March 24, 2003
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A confident and defiant Saddam Hussein was back on Iraqi television today, urging Iraqis to "strike your enemy strongly and accurately" and saying his troops were inflicting "serious damage" on enemy forces as U.S. ground units closed in on Baghdad.

The Iraqi president's most recent appearance--in which he appeared in full military uniform and made references to recent military actions--once again stirred up speculation as to whether or not he had either been killed or severely injured during an early attack on one of his compounds in the Iraqi capital.

Hussein appeared tired and unfocused last Thursday during a post-attack address that was scrutinized by military and media specialists to find out if it was authentic or not.

Today's 20-minute speech appeared to be recorded, according to U.S. and British officials. Hussein has traditionally taped his television speeches in advance, but analysts have not been able to determine if these appearances were made well ahead of last week's attacks. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said that analysts at the CIA would try to see if the voice on the tape-address was indeed Hussein's. The Iraqi leader has a number of doubles but they rarely speak when they stand in for him, according to diplomats.

"But that's only half of the problem because even if it's his voice it doesn't give you any indication about when it was taped," Fleischer said. "We don't know when it was recorded, how old it may be, whether it was new."

British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said he was not convinced that the address was current.

"The contemporary events referred to ... did not appear to me to be unambiguously contemporary," he said. "And had he have wanted to indicate that this was live, or was recent, there were many events that he could have referred to, which he clearly did not," he said. "So that is why we are continuing to analyze the situation."

Appearing in front a white sheet used as a backdrop, Saddam said American and British forces had "become entangled" in Iraq's desert, with "Iraqi residents surrounding them and aiming their fire at them."

"As time goes by, they will lose more and they will not be able to escape lightly from their predicament," he said. "We will make it as painful as we can."

Saddam said the ground battles were going well and Iraqi troops had been able to inflict great losses on the enemy. He praised his commanders, several of them by name, saying their units fought fiercely against coalition troops.

Among those he named were the commanders of the 51st, 11th and 18th divisions, which are posted in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city. One of those commanders, Lt. Gen. Khaled Saleh al-Hashimi of the 51st, was interviewed by the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera in Basra on Sunday. Earlier reports said he surrendered to U.S. troops.

He also made reference to the intense battles around the port city of Umm Qasr near Basra. "I make special mention of...the general who lifted high the banner of jihad (holy war) and the name of Iraq in the epic battle of Umm Qasr, him and his men," Hussein said.

Saddam said the allies were "trying to avoid engaging our forces" -- a clear reference to the U.S. strategy of avoiding having to enter provincial cities -- and noted that unlike the previous Gulf War the "enemy tried not using missiles and fighter jets as they did before. This time, they sent their infantry troops."

While the references in Hussein's speech seemed current, one intelligence analyst said there was praise for some Iraqi military units that had yet to be involved in any direct fighting.

Saddam said American and British forces had "become entangled" in Iraq's desert, with "Iraqi residents surrounding them and aiming their fire at them."

Times wire services contributed to this report



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[Euke]

I dont know why he is even trying to fight against the U.S. he has no chance. he should of excaped when he had the chance.

[V-G]

Originally posted by Euke
I dont know why he is even trying to fight against the U.S. he has no chance. he should of excaped when he had the chance.

Are you sure that he is till in Iraq?
He may be a tyrant but he is not a fool.

[millgirl]

I agree, he is a tyrant. A fool? Well, we'll see, but if he has left his country then he is a COWARD!
God Bless the USA

[V-G]

Originally posted by millgirl
I agree, he is a tyrant. A fool? Well, we'll see, but if he has left his country then he is a COWARD!
God Bless the USA

I don't get it Millgirl, why would you call him a coward? I don't know if he left the country or not, but let's assume he did, then how does that make him a coward? I would call it a smart move, since US has a very (very very!!) good chance of winning this war, in fact this chance is so great that I believe there is no way Itaq can withstand US attacks. So by leaving Iraq he preserves his own life! Do you call Bin Landen a cowart too? (because he hides now).

Back to the "god bless america" - pure bs, but whatever, everybody has the right to their own opinion.

[millgirl]

Yes I would call Bin Laden a coward too! I doubt if he would ever get in the cockpit of a jetliner and fly it into a skyscraper. Saddam also is a coward. When and that is WHEN his soldiers use the chemical weapons against our soldiers, where will he be? It would be okay for him to leave but what about his people? He doesn't give a rats ass about any of them. You bet we are going to win this war. American casualties? Yea, there will probably be more but the US military took an oath when they first joined to DEFEND this nation, knowing that it may cost them their own life. US military families are proud and patriotic people and will stay in the fight until the end.
And God Bless the USA is not BS! I do not know where you live but I would hope that God blesses your country also.
Sometimes you are a real jerk!

[V-G]

Again a lot of BS from you Millgirl, sorry to be a jerk. Defend the country by attacking another country? Hmmm... let me think, thats a brand new way of causing peace. To make sure that there is peace in the world LETS ATTACK SOMEBODY. You sound like BUSH, full of BS. It's my personal opinion.
If you were Bin Landen or Saddam, would you go and give yourself to the American hands? I doubt it, so stop calling them cowards, they are evil but not necessarily cowards. What changes can they make to their country by being dead??

Do you think that Bush (in a hypothetical situation of US loosing this war) would go to the front lines and defend US? He will be the very first man from the whole of US to give the rest of US a FINGER and hide in a safe place, because if Saddam gets him - he will die in pain. Is he a coward? I don't know, but this example is not sufficient to be able to tell if he is. Read this carefully, maybe you will understand that even a jerk can be right.

Again, Millgirl, whatever. You have the right to your opinion, thats all I got to say.