IRAQ: Saddam Hussein said the Iraqi people were even more determined to resist any American attack after handing him a perfect 100 per cent score in a referendum.
In his first comments since Tuesday's vote on extending his rule, President Saddam was quoted yesterday as telling senior aides that US threats had boosted a result he believed showed the world Iraq's leadership and people were at one.
"After the referendum, the Iraqi has more confidence in the future and has more readiness to fight if God so wishes," state-controlled newspapers quoted President Saddam as telling the ruling Revolutionary Command Council late on Wednesday.
"Yes, the \ challenge played a role," he added.
"It was natural that Iraqis were mobilised by the challenge ... It was their chance to seize an historic opportunity to take a sincere stand."
Official results, dismissed by Washington, showed every one of the nearly 11.5 million Iraqis eligible to vote turned out to cast a Yes ballot, giving Mr Saddam another term in office in a referendum that offered no alternative candidate. He had been in power since 1979.
"100 per cent - Saddam Hussein is Iraq and Iraq is Saddam Hussein," ran the front-page headline in al-Iraq newspaper.
Authorities had urged voters to turn out in force to show massive support for President Saddam in response to US President Bush's threats of military action.
Mr Saddam said the people had "declared to the whole world that it is at one with its leadership".
Deputy Prime Minister Mr Tareq Aziz was quoted as telling the same meeting that Iraqis had been insulted by repeated US threats.
"The Iraqi does not accept insults," he said.
"This American insistence created an unusual reaction among Iraqis ... Every day they repeat 'We want to attack Iraq'. The Iraqis are wondering 'What do they want from us?'"
Al-Thawra newspaper said in an editorial: "The [Iraqi] people wanted through this absolute support, in these circumstances, to send a frank and clear message to the enemies of Iraq - Americans, Zionists and British - challenging them and warning them against any adventurous aggression."
President Bush accuses Mr Saddam of developing weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, chemical and biological - and wants to topple him. Iraq denies having such weapons. - (Reuters)