Ranting Saddam: Bush is paranoid

Defiant Saddam Hussein today claimed a US-led attack on Iraq would "die in disgraceful failure" as he came out fighting against America and Britain.

Saddam used a live televised address to send out a characteristically tough message aimed at the West as well as at building up anti-American solidarity among Arab states.

"Any war against the Arabs is doomed to failure," the Iraqi president declared, accusing President George Bush of "greed" and " paranoid power".

In florid old-style Arabic, Saddam declared that US or British aggressors would "fall into the abyss" if they attacked Iraq.

He did not refer to either country by name but called them the "forces of evil," claiming rhetorically: "They will carry their coffins on their backs to die in disgraceful failure."

The speech was laced with quotations from the Koran, with Saddam claiming that an attack on Iraq was an attack on all Arabs and all Muslims.

Saddam said: "Greed and paranoid power could not only lead to the devastation of those who harbour it but it could also lead to the destruction of these awesome powers-when they take the road of aggression. Those who do it will fall into the abyss."

Saddam also specifically addressed the question of UN weapons inspections and sanctions which have been imposed on Iraq.

He attempted to throw the ball back into the UN's court, calling for guarantees of Iraq's "sovereignty" and "security" if inspections resumed. He also called for the lifting of economic sanctions.

He repeatedly courted Muslim opinion by claiming that the US and Britain would be attacking the entire Islamic world if they attacked Iraq.

Saddam also made an attempt to tap into anti-war feeling building up in Europe, claiming the "enemy" - Britain and the US - was refusing to listen to "any Arab voice" and had rejected all initiatives and calls for peace proposed by Iraq.

Meanwhile, clear divisions have opened between London and Washington as frustration grows in Britain over the lack of a clear strategy on Iraq by President Bush.

Senior British ministers claimed there was a lack of coherence from Mr Bush's administration over how it wants to topple Saddam.

The divisions could hurt the US if it makes any attempt to build up support from its allies for an attack on Iraq. Tony Blair was reported today to have told Cabinet ministers there was "no prospect of war" over the coming months.

The claims appeared to add substance to cautious-sounding comments yesterday from Foreign Office minister Mike O'Brien, who said on a visit to Libya that conflict was neither "inevitable" nor " imminent".

His comments were starkly different from those of US ministers, some of whom have claimed Saddam must be ousted whether or not he allows UN weapons inspectors back into his country. Mr O'Brien said: "Nobody wants war for the sake of it. We understand there are issues in relation to Iraq. In particular, we need to make sure the inspectors go in.

"The ball is now in Saddam Hussein's court. He must ensure that the inspectors go into Iraq and that international law is complied with.

"If international law is complied with, of course the position will then be very different."

Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri said his country was ready to see the return of inspectors after a fouryear absence, but only if they were controlled by the UN rather than the US.

He told the BBC: "We have no problem with the return of inspectors if it is done in accordance with a UN agenda based on Security Council resolutions." Mr Sabri - who last week wrote to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to offer talks on the return of inspectors - rejected Mr Blair's claims that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction.

He said: "If he is really sure of this claim, let him find a team of British experts, specialised in weapons of mass destruction accompanied by the British media, to come to us and let us know where the facilities for developing such weapons are.

"I challenge him once again to take up this offer, because he has no evidence whatsoever."

Mr Cheney, speaking yesterday in California, said Saddam had resumed his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons after the 1991 Gulf War.

"Left to his own devices, it's the judgment of many of us that in the not too distant future he will acquire nuclear weapons," he said. "And a nuclear-armed Saddam Hussein is not a pleasant prospect for anyone in the region or for anyone in the world, for that matter."

Mr Bush stressed that no decision on military action had been taken and said his administration would consult with Congress and allied nations before taking action.

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