Iraq will be 'graveyard' for enemy

Iraq will be 'graveyard' for enemy

Iraqi Defence Minister Sultan Hashim Ahmad has acknowledged the massive firepower of the US-led forces in Iraq. But he suggested this could count for little when the battle reaches Baghdad. Here are extracts from a briefing he gave to journalists in Baghdad on 27 March:

Iraqi commandos 'ready for battle in Baghdad'

"In light of the capabilities and the technology that the enemy possess, they have the capacity to avoid resistance and move in the empty desert wherever they wish.

"There is nothing that can prevent the enemy from doing in Baghdad the same thing that was done in Basra.

"But in the end, where would they go? They will have to attack the city.

"The supply lines of the enemy are more than 500 km long. We are in our own cities and on our own territory.

The supply lines of the enemy are more than 500 km long. We are in our own cities and on our own territory.

"This is the general situation. The [enemy's] graveyard for us is that we will fight them everywhere.

"The supply lines of the enemy are more than 500 km long. We are in our own cities and on our own territory.

"If the battle cannot be decided in 10 days, it could be decided in one month or two. Every day, the enemy is paying the price.

"Now, they are making up excuses, saying that they have seen troops with chemical gear.

"Every Iraqi soldier wears chemical gear in order to protect himself from the enemy's expected weapons.

"All this talk which is being said is meant to pave the way for that day when they cannot achieve anything so that they could use these weapons.

We did not wish this but this is our fate.

"Hopefully, God will protect us from their evil. About recent history, we have the 1920 revolution in Iraq.

"The same Iraqis ejected the British with primitive weapons. Now, our weapons in comparison with what the enemy possess are well known.

"But we will throw the enemy out of Iraq with these weapons.

"We did not wish this but this is our fate."

"Our defences are set up to defend Baghdad, so we will not be surprised if the enemy avoids the resistance and encircles every position around Baghdad.

'Pay a heavy price'

"This is quite normal for us, because the enemy possess such a capacity, but they will have to reach the city.

"So if the enemy reaches Baghdad today or tomorrow, the important thing is that they reach it after having paid a very heavy price.

"The point that the enemy reached is the area to the east of Al-Diwaniyah on the main highway, that about 140-150 km (from Baghdad).

"A war with this ferocity against an enemy that possess a huge capacity, a technological advantage, and a large capability of means of destruction, we expect to sustain losses.

"However, it is not easy to target regular units that stay in good trenches. For this reason, their losses are always very minimal.

Anti-aircraft threat

"Imagine the foxhole where the soldier is and which size does not exceed two metres or one and a half metre by 60 cm wide.

"Even if a large shell falls at about 10 m, away, it will not do anything. However, it is possible that this hit may be a direct hit.

"God willing, our emplacements are good and we will as much as possible try to minimise our losses. This is our objective and at the same time to inflict the maximum losses on the enemy."

"The evidence is that the enemy aircraft cannot fly low over Baghdad or any other governorates.

"Does this not prove the effectiveness of the anti-air defence?"