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CNN Live At Daybreak

Iraqi Leader Defiant as Wolfowitz Tours Region

Aired July 17, 2002 - 05:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: And in other news this morning, the U.S. has been considering possible scenarios in a preemptive strike on Iraq. And today, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had a defiant reaction.

CNN's Rym Brahimi covered the Iraqi leader's speech.

She's joining us live from Baghdad.

What can you tell us?

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Catherine.

Well, the Iraqi president in his 40 minute speech broadcast on Iraqi TV actually called on the Iraqi people to fight in order, he said, to preserve the independence of Iraq. Now, this comes as U.S. officials, as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz is in the region. He has been holding talks in neighboring Turkey and there has been an increasing rhetoric in the U.S. about toppling the regime.

That's something the Iraqi president is very aware of, something he's been aware of from the very beginning. And in this, on this occasion, on the 34th anniversary of the revolution of the ruling Baath Party, he made it extremely clear that he had absolutely no intention of losing power.

Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SADDAM HUSSEIN, PRESIDENT, IRAQ (through translator): The most (ph) returns to say to all evil tyrants and oppressors of the world, you will never defeat me this time. Never. Even if you come together from all over the world and invite all the devils, as well who stand by you, support or incite you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRAHIMI: Now, that reference to the devil is a clear reference, of course, to the United States and Britain. Saddam Hussein took power 21 years ago. That was about 11 years after the revolution of the Baath Party. So, in effect, that revolution laid the grounds for Saddam Hussein's gradual access to power -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Rym, was Saddam Hussein's speech a planned speech or was this given in reaction to U.S. movement? What spurred the speech?

BRAHIMI: Well, clearly he's very aware of the increasing U.S. rhetoric. This is a sort of escalation in the rhetoric both between Washington and Baghdad. There wasn't anything unexpected in a way, except maybe the strength of the words. There was something a little bit different this time. The whole five last minutes of the speech were literally praise to God, Saddam Hussein asking God to support Iraq, asking God to protect Iraq and himself from the so-called devils.

That was the only maybe surprising thing. The rest was pretty much expected. But there's been very little reaction from Iraqi officials to Western media about these U.S. threats in past weeks and even months. So this was something that probably a lot of people will be wanting to hear about -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you.

That's CNN's Rym Brahimi.

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