Saddam Christmas message: Excerpts

Excerpts from the address follow.

To our great people and the people of our glorious Arab nation, especially the Christians amongst them, as well as to all honourable people, whenever they may be on this planet...

" The aggressors use flimsy pretexts and fabrications, totally alien to the truth, despite in fact that Iraq has cooperated, and continues to cooperate, with the UN "

These days we receive, together with mankind as a whole, the occasion of Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ, son of Mary, prayers and peace be upon him, upon our Prophet Mohammed, the son of Abdullah and upon all prophets.

It is also the occasion of the New Year which begins under special circumstances prevailing in the whole world - circumstances which, as you know, have been manufactured by the forces of evil and darkness to create a situation of instability and chaos, dissent and antagonism, and tension in many parts of the world.

This is done in order that these forces can hegemonise the countries of the world and control their fortunes and the wealth and future of their peoples.

To achieve these objectives, the forces of evil resort to various ways and means of lies and deception, fabrication and false accusation, threats and military aggression.

It is in this context that the American-Zionist campaign against Iraq is being launched, while the tone of a threatened, large-scale military aggression against our peace-loving people is growing louder, in addition to the aggression already inflicted and the unjust blockade still in place.

Inspections 'shock'

The aggressors use flimsy pretexts and fabrications, totally alien to the truth, despite the fact that Iraq has co-operated, and continues to co-operate, with the United Nations and the Security Council, and has expressed its firm desire to find common grounds of understanding and action, including our dealing with the bad Security Council Resolution 1441.

" The headquarters of evil have begun looking for a new means which may in any way break our people's steadfastness "

Iraq wants to prove the sincerity of its course and position, and that when it says it is not in possession of any such weapons, Iraq means what it says.

Hence, we are confident that the outcome of the inspection operations will be a big shock to the United States, and will expose all American lies, if things remain on a technical and professional course with no hidden agendas, and if only the inspection teams could rid themselves of the pressures put on them by the United States, Britain and Zionism.

Then the world will discover the falsehood of the US claims and will see the real intentions of wickedness and perfidy harboured by US officials.

The game currently played by the US administration, supported by the British government, with Zionist backing and incitement, has become well-known now. Its goals are clear to everyone.

'Followers of Satan'

Now that the great people of Iraq have, with reliance on Allah, frustrated the desperate hopes of aggressors to achieve their wicked goals, in spite of the harsh impact of the blockade and the continued aggression, the headquarters of evil have begun looking for a new means which may in any way break our people's steadfastness and capacity to maintain its Jihad for justice.

" The road towards this end and to deter the injustice, aggression and wickedness of the evil-minded is the road of Jihad and struggle "

However, our resilient people, in all their faiths, Muslims, Christians and others, take today a strong stand of dignity and pride, armed with faith and high self-confidence, relying on Allah the all-powerful, as they face up to those who have neither faith, nor shame, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, or even the most basic of human values.

The principles and teachings stressed in our Holy faith in Islam and called for by Jesus Christ, Peace be upon Him, require us to pause at them and derive from them the great meanings of confronting the enemies of Allah and humanity, in order to please Allah Almighty, satisfy our conscience, and achieve our noble objectives and honourable aspirations.

The road towards this end and to deter the injustice, aggression and wickedness of the evil-minded is the road of Jihad and struggle, through which we can achieve our aspirations.

He whom Allah protects cannot be defeated.

Those who follow Satan will go down the precipice of defeat.