President Saddam Hussein demanded improvements in the battle-readiness of Iraqi troops today as he gathered top commanders, including his sons Uday and Qusay, amid a mounting US military buildup in the region.
Saddam hailed the efforts of commanders and soldiers alike to "improve Iraq's ability to face up to enemy plots", the official INA news agency reported.
But he stressed the importance of further steps to "raise the combat-readiness of Iraqi troops".
Participants in the meeting included Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Tawab Mulla Howeish and Defence Minister General Sultan Hashem Ahmad, as well as Uday, who heads the Saddam Fedayeen militia, and Qusay, who heads the elite Republican Guard.
Also present were the chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization, Fadhel Moslem al-Janabi, air defence commander General Mezahem Saab al-Hassan and air force commander General Hamed Raja Shlah.
AFP