Saddam vows to repel US invasion

A DEFIANT Saddam Hussein yesterday called on his people to rise up and defend the nation against a new US-led attack and promised that Iraq’s enemies would face “suicide” at the gates of his capital.

The 40-minute televised address, delivered on the 12th anniversary of the Gulf War, revealed no sign that Saddam was prepared to step down or bow to demands of the United Nations, which has sent inspectors to determine if Iraq has given up its weapons of mass destruction.

Meanwhile, the White House said the discovery by inspectors of 12 empty rocket warheads capable of carrying chemical weapons was “troubling and serious”.