Saddam: 'Victory will be ours'

President Saddam Hussein addressed the Iraqi people on television today, vowing that "victory will be ours soon."

"Victory will be ours soon," he said. "Iraqis will strike the necks as God has commanded you. Strike them, and strike evil so that evil will be defeated," he said.

In the UK, the Defence Scretary Geoff Hoon said the film was not live, adding: " We have to do a little more analysis of what was said to see whether or not that was Saddam Hussein."

Saddam appeared in full military uniform and seemed calmer than during his last national address on Thursday, which followed the first round of cruise missile attacks on his capital.

"These decisive days, oh you Iraqis are in line with what God has ordered you to do, to cut their throats," he said.

"Those who are believers will be victorious. In these decisive days, the enemy tried not using missiles and fighter jets as they did before. This time they sent their infantry troops. This time they have come to invade and occupy your land."

In words aimed at inspiring his troops, Saddam said Iraqi fighters were "causing the enemy to suffer and to lose every day."

"As time goes by, they will lose more and they will not be able to escape lightly from their predicament," he said. "We will make it as painful as we can."

Referring to US and British troops, Saddam said: "These forces entered our lands and where they penetrated they became entangled, desert behind them."

These troops were surrounded by Iraqi residents and "aiming their fire at them," he said.

Taunting the allies, he asked: "Have you found what the devil that besets your soul promised you in Iraq?"

To the people of Iraq's cities of Basra, Baghdad, Mosul and others, he warned that the enemy will intensify their raids as they suffer casualties on the ground.

"Be patient. God's victory is coming... Be tolerant," he added.

He mentioned several units and commanders, saluting them "for their heroic feats in the battlefield."

He told the people of Iraq's second largest city Basra, which has been isolated but not occupied by allied forces, to be patient because "victory is imminent."

Saddam said the allies were "trying to avoid engaging our forces" — a clear reference of the US strategy of avoiding entering provincial cities — adding that "in most cases they are using their warplanes to attack our troops without engaging them in fighting."

"Whenever they penetrated our territory, they were faced with fierce resistance from Iraqi people, tribes, party members, Saddam's Fedayeen and security forces," he said.