IRAQ: President Saddam Hussein yesterday branded President George W. Bush "the despot of the century" and said Iraq would defeat the US if it invaded.
On the ground, Iraq destroyed more al-Samoud 2 missiles in a move to head off Washington's threat of military action to disarm it by force.
"You, the Iraqi people, will be victorious, armed with faith, and the despots will be defeated and arrogance will not benefit them," President Saddam said in a message to mark the Islamic New Year, read by a presenter on Iraqi television.
His statement was laced with Koranic verses and religious sayings, referring to conflict with the US as righteousness versus evil.
"What does the despot of this century want? What is the right path to defeat him?" President Saddam asked, in an apparent reference to President Bush.
"The despot imagines that he is like God, capable of controlling the universe and doing whatever he wishes, but the devil has pushed him into the abyss of blasphemy."