President Saddam Hussein claimed today after his 100 per cent referendum victory that Iraq is more confident and better prepared to fight the United States than ever before.
"Iraqis are more confident in the future, more ready to fight and more mobilised for the construction of the country after the referendum," he told a meeting of the ruling Revolution Command Council (RCC).
The vote expressed "a pact of allegiance" between the people and the president "in the current conditions of which everyone is aware," Saddam said.
But Saddam and his ministers have repeatedly stressed in recent days they want to avoid a new conflict and Iraq is battling to ensure UN weapons inspectors return to the country quickly.
Saddam, the sole candidate, was yesterday declared winner of the previous day's presidential referendum with 100 per cent of the vote on a 100 per cent turnout.
"The fact that the hostile campaign against Iraq has intensified in recent days proves that certain people [the Americans] tried to influence the result," he said.
That betrayed "their ignorance about the Iraqi people and the psychology of peoples in general, particularly those who trust their leadership and those who have chosen their path in total freedom," he said.
AFP