In an unscheduled appearance on Iraqi television last night, the Iraqi president did not refer to the loss of Saddam Hussein International Airport earlier in the day, but criticised US tactics in the 24-hour battle for the strategic site on the western outskirts of Baghdad, writes Lara Marlowe, in Baghdad
US forces promptly renamed their prize Baghdad International Airport. By nightfall, US marines were shelling the east of the city, as well as the south and west.
In his third televised speech since the war started, Saddam wore a black beret and sat next to an Iraqi flag. The quality of the transmission was poor from repeated US bombing of Iraqi television transmitters.
Rumours about his health - or possible demise - had begun to circulate and the regime wanted to convince Iraqis that Saddam was still in charge.
"The enemy is trying in vain to undermine our heroic resistance by bypassing our armed forces' defences around Baghdad," Saddam said. "The enemy avoids fighting our forces when they find out that our troops are steadfast and strong."
The Iraqi leader mocked the air drop "probing raids" which the Americans have carried out in several regions, withdrawing troops by helicopter as soon as they encounter stiff resistance.
"The enemy avoids fighting our forces when they find out that our troops are steadfast . . . instead, the enemy drops some troops here and there in small numbers."
The Iraqi leader's ridicule of US tactics to some extent mirrored Washington's allegations that Baghdad was not playing by the rules of war, by stationing forces in civilian areas and sometimes dressing soldiers in civilian clothing.
"You can fight these soldiers with whatever weapons you have," Saddam told television viewers. "Remember that brave old farmer who shot that Apache helicopter with his rifle." On March 24th, an Arab tribesman brought down an Apache with an old Czech rifle.
A photograph of the grinning farmer, in Arab headdress and brandishing his gun in front of his prey, was published by every Iraqi newspaper.
Saddam's Information Minister, Mr Mohamed Said al-Sahaf - who on Thursday said it was impossible for the US to seize the airport - barely commented on its loss, calling the US attack "a showy operation, an exhibitionist attempt to show the world that the people of 'shock and horror' are successful".
Asked why Iraqi forces failed to defend the airport, he snapped: "I am not going to answer questions about our tactics."
Mr al-Sahaf threatened some unnamed horror against US forces. "Tonight," he said, "they are going to witness some military action which is non-conventional - I mean not ordinary - not necessarily by our military. I think it will be a pretty example for these mercenaries."
Asked whether the Iraqi action could be nuclear, chemical or biological, he insisted it was not. But he expressed disappointment that a suicide bomber who killed himself and a pregnant Iraqi woman killed "only" three US soldiers yesterday. "The next time, I hope they are 30."
The Information Minister also mocked the US Defence Secretary as "Ayatollah Rumsfeld" for claiming that the spiritual leader of Iraqi Shias, Ayatollah Ali Husseini Sistani, had urged Iraqis to support the invasion.