IRAQ CRISIS: President Saddam Hussein said yesterday that he felt "respect and kindness" toward the American people, whose government is threatening to invade his country.
"We have esteem, respect and kindness to all the peoples, whether they are American or not," he said in a meeting with senior aides at a reception for the annual Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice.
But President Saddam also criticised Arab armies for remaining idle at a time when Palestinian territories are occupied by Israel.
"Only a few talk about it (Palestine) and with shy sentences and words," he said. "What is the value of armies if they do not defend the nation.
This is a humiliation for our armies to say that we cannot protect Palestinian territories.
"The one who says we cannot has now to prepare to be able tomorrow to protect the honour of the nation and the honour of the people and its duties toward its sanctuaries. What is the value of saying I am a believer when Palestine and Jerusalem are being occupied?"
President Saddam was receiving members of the all-powerful Revolutionary Command Council and the ruling Baath party, including Vice-President Taha Yassine Ramadan and Deputy Prime Minister, Tareq Aziz.
Meanwhile, an Iraqi newspaper controlled by President Saddam's family hailed the decision by Belgium, France and Germany to block proposals to boost NATO defences in Turkey as a "slap in the face" for US war plans.
"This triple veto is a slap in the face for the US administration from NATO, which it considers as one of its most important military tools," said Babel, the newspaper owned by President Saddam Hussein's elder son, Uday.
"By its refusal, Europe has underlined its opposition to a war, which is aimed not only at Iraq, but also at undermining European efforts to build unity in the political, economic and security fields," the newspaper Babel said.
The administration of US President George Bush "wants to hit the blocs capable of becoming a new pole of power and re-establishing a world balance," the influential daily charged.
"This NATO veto could be a prelude to a veto at the UN Security Council if the US continues to ignore (the wishes) of the international community on questions of the highest importance for the world, such as the Iraq issue.