A defiant Saddam Hussein called on his people yesterday to rise up and defend the nation against a new US-led attack and promised that Iraq's enemies would face "suicide" at the gates of his capital.
The 40-minute televised address, delivered on the 12th anniversary of the Gulf War, revealed no sign that Saddam was prepared to step down or bow to demands of the UN, which has sent inspectors to determine if Iraq has given up its weapons of mass destruction.
On Thursday, the inspectors found 12 empty rocket warheads that could be used to carry chemical agents. Iraq claims the warheads are old and were listed in earlier disclosures of the country's weapons.
The US has threatened military action if Iraq fails to prove it has given up weapons of mass destruction. Yesterday, Saddam vowed to beat back any invasion.
"The people of Baghdad have resolved to compel the Mongols of this age to commit suicide on its walls," Saddam said, referring to the US. "Everyone who tries to climb over its walls ... will fail in his attempt."
He said the Iraqi nation was fully mobilized against the threat of a new conflict and told President Bush to "keep your evil away from the mother of civilization."
"The whole nation will rise in defense of its right to live," Saddam said. "Their [aggressors'] arrows will go astray or backfire, God willing."
In an appeal for Arab support, Saddam said "Western peoples and circles" had long interfered with the nations of the Middle East, "in particular Zionist Jews and Zionists who are not of the Jewish people."
"Long live Palestine, free and Arab, from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river," he said.
Saddam didn't refer to Bush by name but alluded to him as Hologu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, who destroyed Baghdad and killed its ruler in 1258.
Repeated references to Baghdad, rather than Iraq, appeared to be a sign that Saddam plans to rally his troops around the capital for a decisive battle aimed at inflicting as many casualties as possible on US forces, if Bush decides on an attack to force Iraqi disarmament.
On Jan. 17, 1991, a US-led coalition launched devastating air attacks against Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, opening Operation Desert Storm, which drove Iraqi invaders out of Kuwait.
Saddam has depicted the events of 1991 as a victory because Iraq stood up to a superpower and because his regime managed to survive invasion and subsequent uprisings.
"The scheming of attackers backfired in that aggression, which they are continuing until the present day, all backed by aggression and wishful thinking," Saddam said.
With the possibility of a new war looming, Saddam called on Iraqis to "hold your swords and guns up high to remind those who might be under illusions ... that your country will stand firm."
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