Iraq gloats at wave of peace marches

Iraq gloated over the global outpouring of opposition to the US threat of attack today, saying anti-war demonstrations in dozens of countries signalled an Iraqi victory and “the defeat and isolation of America”.

Iraq’s tightly controlled news media gave prominent coverage to anti-war demonstrations staged around the world yesterday. Iraqi television showed footage of millions marching in the world’s cities under the logo ”International Day of Confronting the Aggression”.

“The world said with one voice: No to aggression on Iraq,” read a headline in the government daily Al-Jumhuriya.

“The world rises against American aggression and the arrogance of naked force,” read a front page headline in the army daily Al-Qadissiya.

“These demonstrations expressed in their spirit, meaning and slogans the decisive Iraqi victory and the defeat and isolation of America,” Al-Jumhuriya said in a commentary.

Iraq staged its own demonstrations yesterday, when tens of thousands, many carrying assault rifles and portraits of Saddam Hussein, took to the streets of several Iraqi cities to pledge their loyalty to the Iraqi leader in the face of US threats to attack.

Saddam reiterated that Iraq was free of weapons of mass destruction and said talk of deposing him was “impertinent.”

“They talk about changing the Iraqi regime at a time when they also speak about respecting the will of nations and falsely boast about their so-called democracy,” he told papal peace envoy Cardinal Roger Etchegaray yesterday, official news media said.

In contrast to the international peace protests, the mood of Iraq’s demonstrations was defiant, echoing the official Iraqi rhetoric of the past several months: Iraq wants peace but it is also ready for war, should one start.

“On our land, thank God, we have enough resolve, determination and faith, and enough men and supplies, to fight for 10 years,” Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said in Cairo on Saturday.