President Saddam Hussein vowed today to confront any attack on Iraq and warned the United States faced "suicide" if it were to invade his country.
"The people and rulers of Baghdad have resolved to compel the Mongols of this age to commit suicide on its walls," Saddam said in reference to the United States.
"And for this, we have prepared our plans and muster our strength at the level of the army, people and leadership, after placing our reliance on God," the Iraqi strongman said in a speech marking the 12th anniversary of the outbreak of the Gulf War.
Warning the Iraqi nation against surrendering to any eventual US-led war, he reminded them of the Mongol occupation and destruction of Baghdad for 40 days in 1258.
"How can a new Hulago [Mongol leader] destroy the city or the great Iraq, and how can the brutal, the perfidious and the greedy, after God has ordained this nation to rise again, defeat the will of determination of your brothers in Palestine?" he asked.
The speech comes as the US and Britain step up deployments of forces to the Gulf region in anticipation of a strike to topple Saddam's regime, which stands accused of possessing and developing weapons of mass destruction.
AFP