Saddam: 100 Percent Vote Shows Defiance Against US Threats

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 17, 2002

Saddam: 100 Percent Vote Shows Defiance Against US Threats

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Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said the 100 percent vote in the referendum for his another seven-year term showed not only the loyalty of Iraqi people, but also their defiance against US threats, official media reported on Thursday.

The presidential referendum on Tuesday was "an opportunity for the Iraqis to express themselves in confronting the challenge as well as their loyalty for the leadership," Saddam told a meeting of the all-powerful Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), the Thawra daily, mouthpiece of the ruling Arab Baath Socialist Party, reported.

"Yes, the challenge had a role. The Iraqi people would naturally be alerted by the challenge after they wondered if it was their historical chance or an illusion," Saddam said.

"And they said yes to the their chance to show their noble origin," said the Iraqi leader, who had secured 100 percent of votes in the latest nationwide referendum, according to official results declared on Wednesday.

Saddam's re-election with a perfect record was widely seen as a defiance to US President George W. Bush's explicit determination to achieve a "regime change" in Iraq with all the tools at his disposal, including military actions.

Bush has accused the Iraqi strong man of posing a "grave threat" to the world by secretly pursuing weapons of mass destruction and supporting international terrorists.

The United States and its closest ally Britain have been engaged in a joint diplomatic offensive to push through a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq's disarmament.

The proposed UN resolution will reportedly set a seven-day deadline for Saddam to accept all its demands and then open all suspected sites, including his palaces, to international weapons inspectors.

The tough demands are coupled with a warning that "all necessary means", including the use of force, would be applied against Iraq if it fails to come into line.

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