Excerpts of the Iraqi president’s speech to his nation
From a statement read by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on state television, three hours after U.S. airstrikes began:
We pledge to you in our name and in the name of our leadership and in the name of the Iraqi people and its heroic army, in the name of Iraq, its civilization and history, that we will fight the invaders.
God willing, we will take them to the limit where they lose their patience and any hope to achieve what they have planned and what the Zionist criminals have pushed them to do....
They will face a bitter defeat, God willing. You will ... achieve glory, and your despicable infidel enemies will be defeated....
The criminal little Bush has committed a crime against humanity.Draw your sword and be not afraid. Allahu akbar [God is great]! Long live Iraq! Long live Palestine! Long live our glorious nation, and long live those who seek peace!
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