Iraq Capable of Defending Itself: Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 23, 2001

Iraq Capable of Defending Itself: Official

Iraq is capable of defending itself and resisting any possible military attacks launched by the U.S. under the pretext of war against terrorism, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said on Saturday.

"We are confident of our capability of resisting any kind of (U. S.) aggressions," Aziz told the state-run television.

Any U.S. attacks on Iraq would be rejected by "the whole world," he stressed.

There have been widespread speculations that the U.S. might launch military strikes against Iraq as part of its war against terrorism, although the U.S. has acknowledged that it found no link between Iraq and the September 11 terror attacks in New York and Washington.

U.S. President George W. Bush demanded Iraq in November to allow international arms inspectors back after an absence of three years, or it will face consequences.

The arms inspectors withdrew from Iraq on the eve of the U.S.- British air raids on Baghdad in December 1998.

Iraq has been adamant in the face of U.S. threats by vowing to reject the resumption of arms inspections and defend itself by all means.