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| SADDAM HUSSEIN SWORN IN FOR ANOTHER SEVEN YEAR TERM OF OFFICE |
| Filed October 18, 2002 By Jeremy Scahill |
| BAGHDAD—President Saddam
Hussein was sworn in for another seven years on October 18th, following
Tuesday's nationwide referendum. He gave a speech following the ceremony
before Parliament, his ruling Ba'ath Party and Iraq's top Revolutionary
Command Council. The ceremony was broadcast live on Iraqi TV. For informational purposes, below is the official translation of the full text of the speech: "Nay, we hurl the truth against Falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, And behold, falsehood doth perish" (Allah's is the word of truth) Our great, loyal, and faithful People of Mujahideen, Our valiant men and women, Our heroes of the armed forces, Our Arab Brethren, Our friends, Assalamu alaykum, Seven years ago, on an occasion as this one, though under a different circumstances, we met also here on the sacred, proud and generous land of Iraq, the land of God, our land which the Almighty has graced with His blessing, and has made its people proud and healthy when it so wants and maintains its true path of faith, in order to build this land, protect it, and defend its holy places. We met on an occasion like this seven years ago, and we meet now to honour and celebrate a similar occasion seven years later. We met seven year ago to honour and celebrate the phenomenon and results of the Great March, and we meet today also to honour and celebrate this Great Pledge of Allegiance. So, here are the brothers and friends who have come to be present amongst us in Iraq and to see the festivities of the Iraqi people and the capacity of the Iraqi challenge in expressing itself and its position in a new field. This is the field in which many have been defeated, and many peoples have failed to express their true position and identity, having failed to find guidance to the right path at the right moment of time for the stand taken, especially when American tyranny, before it and its rear-lackeys were exposed, as they have been today, for what they really are, had projected themselves as if it were trying to help peoples to voice their positions in a democratic manner. Indeed, the American tyrant and its league of followers succeeded in misleading the peoples and the rulers whom they were able to deceive, so that they would neither find themselves, nor the right way in which to express their position in a proper and original manner. This happened when they were able to isolate the people from its leadership, or when the people's rulers failed to discharge their leadership effectively, honestly and responsibly. The tyrant then assumed full control over the people, and controlled their rulers or leaders, having first weakened, then isolated, them from their peoples. As for the people of Iraq, they have demonstrated before you, in a candid and transparent manner, twice over the past seven years, a new level of awareness, and presented mankind with a visual and tangible picture of two Great Marches on the road of free expression. The people have also shown the level of closeness reached in the relationship between them and their leadership. The people's awareness, resolve and potential are such that, with reliance on Allah and self-confidence, strengthened by divine guidance for them and their leadership, they have come to take the right road and have reached their destination, enjoying the fruitful outcome of their efforts and sacrifices, and their self-control, resilience and patience. But if anyone amongst you wishes to ask why the people of Iraq have achieved victory even in this field of the battle, which is a great victory over the enemies and an expression of both self and stance, then the answer will not only be found in the history of the Iraqi people and their relationship with their leadership since the July Revolution of 1968, but also in the bright and glorious history of the civilizations of Iraq and in seven thousand years of recorded history on this land since the first step in writing, in law, the arts, industry and agriculture, in the capacity to confront the enemies, and in the honour bestowed by Allah the Gracious upon this land by making it home for the inspiration and birth of the first prophesy which delivered the great meanings of guidance for the human race: "Never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of Allah." Brothers and friends, You too are facing, each in his or her field, the coercion and evil brought by the futile policies of the United States. I believe you wish to see the US officials reconsider their policies towards other nations and people, as we wished them to do so in open letters addressed to them after the bloody events of the eleventh September, 2001. These were probably the wishes of other rulers and leaders as well as of other nations and peoples through their scholars and analysts who seek to identify the causes and find successful solutions. But, as the Almighty says : "Thou canst not make the dead listen, nor canst thou cause the deaf to hear the call." And as the Arab poet said : "The living would have heard your call, But those you call on are lifeless." The Americans did not hear the call. They found it easier to take the road of blood and violence. Their means of destruction gave them arrogance. So they decided to pursue this road rather than search for the causes in order to know the connection between the phenomena and their outcome, and determine what remedy to prescribe, in order that security and peace may prevail, and justice and fairness be achieved. The road of blood can only lead to more blood. We have learnt this fact from our elders in the countryside. We used to hear them say it many years ago, despite their simple life of limited education, which means that this is a law of life, a law of human relationship not only in Iraq. The road of blood takes you to more blood; and he who tries to shed the blood of others must expect his blood to be spilled. The American administrations have for long been the product of the games of the Zionist lobby in the United States. They cannot see the facts as they are ; and even if they did see the facts as they were, they would not be able to act according to their own interpretation, but only according to the interests of the Zionist lobby and the Zionist entity which occupies Palestine. Therefore, savithe world from the evils of the American administration whose aggressionism is fueled by the Zionist alliance with big business and special influential interests, will spare the peoples of the United States the animosities, tragedies and scarifices created by their administrations, especially the current administration, thus affecting them and the world at large, including the region in which we live, the Middle east, and the Nation of which we are part, our glorious Arab Nation. This can only be averted when the American people takes up its role in accordance with a humane outlook based on a desire for peace, stability, cooperation and fairness, with the support of the European nations, each according to its own experience, presenting advice by tangible examples derived from their relations with other peoples of the world, including the peoples of the Middle East, in the forefront of which comes our glorious Arab Nation. In addition to this, there is the resilience of those aggressed against by the alliance between Zionism and those administrations. This resilience is supported by freedom lovers all over the world, representing its effective human depth, and causing the arrows of aggression to go astray, thus helping to achieve security and stability and to see the world at large governed by security, peace, fairness and cooperation. To the brothers and friends who have come to Iraq I say: I salute you and appreciate, in the name of the people of Iraq, the journey you have endured to come here and be with us on this occasion. I thank you for your appreciation of our people, your solidarity with it in defending its heritage, faith, existence, honour and sanctities in the face of those who hate humanity, and are therefore hated, isolated by humanity. Brothers and friends ö Thank you. Our Valiant People of Iraq.. Our magnificent women of Iraq.. Ladies and Gentlemen.. On the same date of 15 October in 1995, you took your outstanding stand in your Great March, and today you take the same stand. If the details of either stand are connected with its respective circumstance, your stand now, in this Great Pledge of Allegiance, corresponds to the essence of the stand which you took in 1995. But this time, your stand has come, in its ascention and the manner in which you have expressed and declared your Pledge, makes it as if that God Almighty wanted to choose you as His instrument on earth, a shining and magnificent example amidst mankind, so that change may be brought to souls, minds and positions, some of which remain captive to Satan, their Jailer , while others have moved by small or large degrees, towards distancing themselves from Satan to be closer to Allah. Great People of Iraq.. Our Men and Women.. Our youth and elderly.. Our dear children.. In two Great Marches.. the Great March of 1995, when matters became very serious with the frustrated forces of evil revealing their wicked intentions which they wanted to achieve by defeating Iraq, but failed to do so; and this is the Great Pledge of Allegiance, the results of which have now been concluded and announced to you on the 16th of October, 2002 by the Supreme Commission Supervising the Referendum which is chaired by a dear and honourable man, Mr. Izzet Ibrahim, the Vice-Chairman of the Revolution Command Council, and what happened prior to the announcement of the result, the national spirit connected with it and the indescribable love surrounding it, you have proven that the attachment to the homeland is neither a matter of politics nor a whim or inclination. It is rather a matter of belonging, and because your sense of belonging to the homeland, the nation and its great principles is genuine, then your stand is genuine, as well, a quality becoming of you, compatible with your solid convictions and of your dignity and honourable stand of faith in the eyes of Allah, in the records of history, and before the people's of the earth at present, as well as in the future, when this position and stand of yours will be an example to be emulated by posterity. May Allah grace you with long life strengthened by potential, dignity and health. It is He who listens and responds to the prayers of true believers. May He also reward you well for your stand, both here in this our life on earth, and in the next in heaven. Brothers and loyal sons, Although I am certain that you and I are on the same line and in one direction, I say to you that the evil of the wicked evil-doers will never end until they are defeated amongst all mankind completely and comprehensively; and their defeat is coming in the near future, God willing. Therefore, if Allah the Almighty, in his Great Wisdom and for reasons beyond our comprehension, decides to put you again to the test in a situation of fighting on a large scale, then the Almighty, the nation and history will expect you to deliver an effective stand and the kind of achievement that is as high and effective as is your spirit and this stand of yours in the defence of the homeland, the principles, the sanctities, and of your honour, your identity, the blood of your martyrs, our dear martyrs, in the defense of the present, the future and history, in the defence of Great Iraq, of our nation of the principles of humanity. It is from your position that we reap this result: a victory from Allah that brings the final victory closer and is good news for our patient people. Afterwards, the enemy will fall on his face, despised, condemned and defeated, while your banner, the banner of Allahu Akbar, will continue to fly high on its mast, dignified and honourable. stability, security and tranquility will continue to prevail over your country and the larger Arab homeland as well. Your reward in this world, and in the next, will be truly compatible with your genuine and faithful struggle and generous scarifices. May Allah spare you all evil and foil the schemes of the despicable. Allah is Great Allah is Great Long live Iraq and the Iraqis, the good sons of this good and healthy homeland, which is dignified by your sons and grandsons after you, God willing; now that you have paved the way for them with your determination and resolve, relying on Allah the Great and Ominpowerful. Brothers, The world around us has changed a great deal, since 1995, in terms of politics and of the view towards interests and security. But its ability to say " No", on the level of rulers and governments, remains as limited as you know. The world has not changed unfortunately at the level of the majority of rulers in their negative view of the principles and of their true upholders. A lot of rulers today still view principled people, who persist in defending their noble and just causes and who refuse to compromise at the expense of their peoples, their nations, the honour of their cause, their integrity and their principles, as a burden on them. The policy of the United States still finds in this kind of genuine, honest and loyal people an obstacle before their evil and futile ambitions towards the world and humanity at large, and not only towards your country and nation. Because we are part of great and gracious nation which possesses things that are most valuable to the human self, and here I am not referring to the factor of wealth and its raw material or its resources that are changeable in quality, place and kind. I am rather referring to our great history and glorious role in civilization and before all that, and along with it, I am referring to our eternal heritage and the great faith connected with it. The conflict, while confined to your confrontation with many governments, and we praise Allah for that, continues to be raging with the slaves of Zionism in the United States of America, in the same way as it is raging with them in the field of every valiant believer and every good national on the level of humanity. And because we are part of a large and generous nation, and this is its history, heritage and faith for all time, the rulers of America, being controlled like muppets by international Zionism and its abhorrent entity, do not only regardus only as an insurmountable obstacle in their way, but also as a danger whenever we constituted an example for the people of our nation and humanity showing that the road to good living in freedom and honour is achievable, and that it is possible to resist evil and falsehood, even if this road makes our feet bleed, and even if the sacrifices break our hearts. It is however a road that guarantees the preservation of our identity and the protection of our heritage and faith against any desecration and distortion. Honour can not be defeated, for souls will be lost with the loss of everything that is dear and valuable. Our dear people of Iraq, Our Magnificent women, Your cause is no longer than Iraqi cause as it was in 1995, in the eyes of the others, especially non- Arabs, even if it had and deserved what it had and deserved. And it is no longer an Arab cause only with all its principles, passion and faith, but has become a pivotal case in the conflict between truth and falsehood, and in the struggle of those who endeavour to ensure security for people and the world against those who threaten the security of people and the world, on the level of all peoples on the globe, whenever they realize and recognize the facts as they are, and not as painted by liars and falsifiers. People from different nations are carrying some of your banners against injustice and its perpetrators. Indeed they tend now to raise all that shouts be raised of the ideas and positions that are growing and developing against the aggressiveness of the United States and its leaders and the leaders of Zionism and their aggression against the Mujahid people of Palestine and the heroic people of Iraq. Now the greater number of the countries of the world, which used to refrain from establishing any kind of relationship with Iraq, are seeking those positions while we, on our part continue t work for them as well. In fact the rulers and government strategists of the realize now the evil represented by the alliance of the American administration with Zionism and danger it constitutes to the interest of their countries and the security of the orld now in the future, even though the positions of these rulers remain until now, not as strong, effective or clear as they should be, with specific exceptions. So we salute those who take distinguished stands, who are among the exceptions to any shaky picture of weak position, and by comparison to other rulers who adopt unfair or unjust positions. Greeting are especially and repeatedly addressed with love and appreciation to the people of the world, in their solidarity with our just national, pan-Arab and human cause, and in their solidarity with the Mujahid people of Palestine, including those amongst the peoples of America who can also be described as such. Brothers..our people of faith, of stand and enthusiasm, who carry the banner high, and raise the principles high .. people of the sword and pen. With infinite faith and with a capacity limited only by that of Allah the Almighty; with a conviction which does not obstruct your capacity to lead life with justice, as deepen its course with fairness, and increase its radiation and ascension with endless giving; with all this, I appeal to the Almighty to protect you against all adversity, except that which He, the Almighty, chooses and will be praised for it, for only He can be praised for adversity. I pray that He will be maintained by His satisfaction with a place in Heaven in the rank you deserve, which is your prize from Allah, paradise. I also pray for a relationship with you, of the kind that will ensure our self-satisfaction after the grace of Allah; a relationship that gratifies our eyes, pleases the friend and angers the foe. I pray that He will protect you against all unjust harm and any wicked act, grace you with content, satisfaction and happiness which will inspire your pure life and its flourishment, with loyal action of faith, and with security and peace. I also appeal to the Almighty to protect you with his everlasting attention which knows everything in the hearts, and to give the patience of the true faithful, the resilience of Mujahideen to guard you against sin and wrong-doing; the patience that guards self and flows with strength all round to solidify in faith, God willing, those for whom patience becomes the duty of their faith and the path of their resilience. Our people of Iraq, valiant men and women, some may ask: what do you promise us ? Although you know what I do and what I and entrusted with, together with my and your brothers in the leadership, and while I reaffirm what I promised you in 1995, and from the beginning, I say: I shall with Allah's grace, be , as I have been, and as you know, loyal to all the values we believe in, dedicated to interests and security, your present and your future, grateful to you to the meanings of your magnificent stand, your generous sacrifices, and your glorious history. I shall exert everything to which I dedicated myself, in accordance with what you know about your leadership, towards what will ensure dignity, elevate our stature in the eyes of Allah and of good people and history, make Iraq more prosperous, and expand prospects for every enterprise that you may desire without inviting Allah's wrath. I shall work and never forget that we are part of a glorious nation, and that believers and brothers, and that the roots of the human tree belong to Adam and Eve. We shall pursue the same road that we have taken in our tasks, with the same enthusiasm to provide good work for those who seek such and are able to do it. We shall not cause any of you to feel distress for not obtaining what they legitimate deserve to have and is within our capacity to provide. Your rights, your efforts and scarifies, your faith and loyalty are all great. I shall not close the door of forgiveness before any sincere penitence to Allah, and any willingness to renounce everything harmful, leaving it behind those concerned, so that the door will be open for a new road for them to take to join you in what Allah has graced you with, and we shall facilitate this road for them according to their intention and what they deserve. We shall help wrong-doers to overcome and correct their mistakes, if we found in them repentance and the urge to abandon their mistakes or sins; or if we found that they need to have clear and sweet water from the well, and we happen to hold, with Allah's Grace, the line to the bucket. I pray to Allah, the Almighty, to assist me and you, my brothers and sons, my dear compatriots in the people and comrades in the responsibility of leadership, the valiant people of Iraq, men and women, to have whatever will help us deliver what we pledged to do before Allah, the Almighty, and before you. And Allah is omnipowerful. Allah is Great.. Long live our glorious nation.. Greetings to all genuine and good people who have raised high the banner of faith, without hesitation or fear from evil and evil-doers, or from injustice and its perpetrators who are encouraged to exploit the weakness of the weak and the instincts of those who followed the devil, as their master, on the road of aggression and animosity towards our nation. Thus they forget the stature and potential of the faithful who rely on Allah, to the extant that they deluded themselves into believing that they could interfere in the affairs of our nation, and indeed, in our doctrine of humane religion, with a view to changing this doctrine after placing themselves as false interpreters of Islam and of Muslims, the Arabs and the faithful. Allah is Great.. Long live Palestine as a free Arab state from the river to the sea, and long live its valiant and heroic people of Mujahideen, men and women, old and young, youth and children. Allah is Great .. Long live Al-quds, our Third Sacred Sanctity, free and Arab, and completely cleansed of the desecration caused by the abhorrent Zionist occupation.. Allah is Great.. Greeting of love and appreciation to the valiant Arabs, the true sons of your nation, who have given a great deal of themselves on the road this nation's dignity, immunity, progress and glory. The same greetings go to every honourable, valiant believer.. and to all who have sought and continue to seek that is good to humanity and to its stability and security with justice and fairness. Greeting and appreciation to every friend in the human race who stood by justice against injustice. Allah is Great.. Long live Iraq, its people, its armed forces, its soil and its values.. Long live our glorious nation.. Dear Iraqis, men and women.. boys, girls and children: WELL DONE Allah is Great.. Allah is Great.. Allah is Great.. ----------- Jeremy Scahill is an independent journalist, who reports for the nationally syndicated Radio and TV show Democracy Now! He is currently based in Baghdad, Iraq, where he and filmmaker Jacquie Soohen are coordinating Iraqjournal.org, the only website providing regular independent reporting from the ground in Baghdad. |
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These reports are not edited or censored by any government.