Aziz Says Saddam in Full Control of Iraq

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 25, 2003

Aziz Says Saddam in Full Control of Iraq

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein isin full control of the country, people, army, party and natural resources, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz told reporters on Monday.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein isin full control of the country, people, army, party and natural resources, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz told reporters on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference, Aziz said all members of the Iraqi leadership are "in good shape" in spite of the US-led decapitation attack designed to kill Saddam and his key aids.

"All members of the Iraqi leadership, with the exception of onemartyr who died in a battle at Najaf, are alive and in good shape,and each and every one is working efficiently," he said.

He said the United States and Britain underestimated the Iraqi people's support for Saddam.

"Don't fool yourselves," he said, referring to the expectationsby the US and British leaders that Iraqi civilians could receive the coalition forces with the music and flowers.

"We do not have candies to offer. We are just offering them bullets," he added

He dismissed the reports that the US-led forces have captured Nasiriya, 375 km southeast of Baghdad.

Aziz also said the Republican Guard did not participate the fighting in the southern port of Umm Qasr, noting that it was regular Iraqi army that mounted the initial counter-attack.

Referring to the report that the US and British troops will soon get into Baghdad, the deputy prime minister said the US-led forces would receive the same kind of defense they had encounteredin southern Iraq.

"They will be welcomed (in Baghdad) in the same way they were welcomed in Umm Qasr, Faw and Nasiriya and by the Iraqi peasants who brought down the Apache (helicopter)," he said.

Iraqi TV on earlier Monday aired images of a US Apache attack helicopter gunned down in Kerbala, some 110 kilometers southeast of Baghdad.

An Iraqi military spokesman announced Monday night that Iraqi anti-aircraft guns have brought down two unmanned planes of the USand British forces.

He also said two US soldiers were killed, one US corporal captured and about 13 tanks destroyed since Sunday night during Iraqi resistance against US-British forces in Basra and Nasiriya in the southeast.

Releasing latest battle field information on Iraqi TV, the spokesman said several other tanks trying to attack Iraqi division11 in Nasiriya but were repelled.

He said the Iraqi forces launched 32 Garek missiles on the rearlines of the US-British forces near Nasiriya, "inflicting them heavy losses."

The Iraqi troops also foiled an attempt to land US paratroopersnear Saad town in the west of Iraq. Four US tanks and two armored vehicles were destroyed.

The spokesman said the para-military Saddam Commandos have succeeded in breaking through US-British concentrations near Basra,destroying a number of tanks and returning to safety.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Arabs Advocate Diplomatic Solution to Iraqi Crisis

Aziz Warns US of a Bloody War

The US Must Not Put Pressure On the UN ( 3 Messages)

Saddam Vows to Globalize War if Attacked ( 5 Messages)

China's Z11 Helicopters Get Green Light for Civilian Use ( 5 Messages)

New Premier Comes from Grass Roots ( 2 Messages)

China Hopes War can be Avoided: FM ( 3 Messages)