Saddam vows to defeat United States

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BAGHDAD, July 17 (UPI) -- Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on Wednesday vowed to defeat any U.S. attack on Iraq, urging his people to stand fast and fight for the independence and sovereignty of their country.

"Fight with eagerness and vitality and patience whenever you are forced to defend yourself. ... Your faith is the source of prosperity, freedom, independence, stability and justice to which you aspire," Saddam said in a speech broadcast on official television on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Baath Party's taking power in Iraq in a 1968 military coup.

"Your country will remain unbeatable by the enemy and will come out victorious despite the roaring and boisterousness of the foreigners," Saddam said in allusion to U.S. threats to attack Iraq and topple the Baghdad regime.

"Iraq will be victorious, victorious, victorious. ... All the foreign roaring you are hearing will be withered away by the wind, because the enemy is a greedy oppressor and enemy of God," Saddam said in the 40-minute speech.

Speaking about a possible military confrontation between Iraq and the United States, he said: "The revolution which brought the Baath party to power is back to tell the oppressors and tyrants in the world that you will not be capable of defeating Iraq this time, even if you mobilized troops from all over the world."

Saddam said he had the duty to warn his countrymen about the dangers posed by the United States and assured them that the rule of the Baath party will continue to fulfill their aspirations and principles and serve their interests.

The Iraqi leader than stressed that the Palestinian people will defeat Israel and fulfill its goal of establishing an independent state.

"The Palestinian people is victorious thanks to the stance of every Palestinian man and woman and their generous sacrifices and their readiness to give more," Saddam said.

"Let all know that principles, higher interests and national security can only be preserved by high sacrifices," he added.