“Hit your enemy with force and precision. Cut their throats,” Saddam urged the Iraqis

BAGHDAD, March 24 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – As the United States acknowledges that its troops are facing stiff resistance from the Iraqi army, President Saddam Hussein pledged  Monday, March 24, a long and bitter war against the U.S.-led occupation forces in a second "victory" speech to the nation.

Dressed in olive green military garb, the Iraqi leader said the invaders were marching into a quagmire in their sweep toward Baghdad, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

"The more they advance into Iraqi territory, the more they head into a dead end," said the Iraqi leader, following reports that the occupation forces were 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the capital.

Saddam urged the Iraqi people to act in unison and do everything in their power to defend their dignity and motherland, warning that the Iraqi arm would exact a heavy toll on the invaders.

“The war on Iraq would be long and with heavy consequences for the invaders. Hit your enemy with force and precision. Cut their throats. The enemy is stuck in Iraqi territory. Hit it," he said.

The Iraqi leader offered clear evidence that he had survived at least the early stages of the U.S.-led war to oust his regime, in his second address since the war to topple him from power began Thursday, March 20.

Saddam made references to ongoing battles with invading U.S. and British forces in the southern Iraqi town of Umm Qasr, congratulating Iraqi troops on their stiff resistance, and to the advance of the invaders to Baghdad.

"I salute all our forces and all those who resist," he declared and singled out the troops of the 11th Iraqi army division and the 45th battalion who, he said, were still fending off U.S. and British troops at Umm Qasr.

"Victory is near," he assured listeners in the 20-minute address, reading slowly from a prepared text in a broadcast that began and ended with the stirring martial tune of the national anthem.

"Yes, the enemy has imposed himself on Iraq's sacred ground, defended by a great people," he said, adding that "even in the open desert, U.S. and British (occupation) troops are exposing themselves to civilians' weapons".

Saddam said he was satisfied by the "way Baath party officials, the men of the tribes from the popular masses and security agents have conducted themselves.

"The Americans and the Britons continue to avoid direct confrontation that would put them in range of our weapons, with their planes fighting in their place. The enemy is looking for a brief confrontation to exit the crisis and we will attempt, with God's help, to make it long with heavy consequences for them," he said.

He concluded his address by urging the inhabitants of the key southern port city of Basra to keep advancing U.S. and British occupation forces at bay, and encouraged the residents of Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul, saying that as "the enemy intensifies his bombardments, the Iraqis will intensify their resistance on the ground."