Saddam Hussein today used his Gulf war anniversary address to announce that his country was mobilised and ready for a second war with the US.
Twelve years to the day that the first air strikes were launched in Operation Desert Storm, the Iraqi president said he was ready to battle an ”enemy who is trying to annihilate us” and win.
”The new Iraq is even more ready and willing to repel the aggression,” he said.
”We are able to get up and get ready again for another round, and we still believe that we will win.”
President Saddam made the speech live on Iraqi TV, reading from a script, his eyes seldom making contact with the camera.
He made no mention of the discovery by UN arms inspectors last night of empty warheads designed to carry chemical weapons.
UN officials said it did not immediately appear that the munitions were accounted for in Iraq’s 12 000-page declaration of its arsenal last December 8, an omission that could represent a breach of security council resolutions.
But Iraq said the stocks were old weapons, and had been mentioned in its declaration last month.
Lt Gen Hossam Mohammed Amin, the main Iraqi dealing with the inspectors, said he was astonished by ”all the fuss made about the discovery”, adding that it was a storm in a teacup. – Guardian Unlimited Â