SPEECH
OF HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN
17-30
JULY 1968 REVOLUTION
IN
THE NAME OF GOD, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL
"Our
Lord decide thou between us and our people in truth,
for
thou art the best to decide"
God
speaks the truth.
Great people,
Brave men of our
valiant armed forces,
Arab freedom
fighters and strugglers,
Friends,
Peace be upon you,
Moral and
Principled Obligation
On this day, every
year, we recall with you the two days of the revolution on 17 and 30 July 1968.
But today, on the thirtieth anniversary of the revolution we will not engross
you, like on traditional occasions, in figures and achievements that acquaint
you with what rests you assured of its genuine course and with sincere pledge
and promise made to the brave and genuine revolutionists. Rather, it is
sufficient to mention some indications of what we can scoop up from its great
sea in a manner that makes you more confident and certain that the meanings and
spirit of the revolution which broke out at the starting point, on 17 and 30
July 1968, and throughout the subsequent course, are condensing and gathering in
an interactive way at every step on its path, as a not-deviated moral and
principled obligation, and to highlight at every stage what is new, renewable
and ready to leap forward in a manner that angers the enemies and pleases the
friends, because talking about figures and achievements does not reflect on the
course of the revolution, as the revolution of the new model in Arab life and
human life, what is necessary, now its basic achievements have become known to
those who follow up its reality and the nature of the battle with the enemies.
And because the level of the legendary steadfastness of the people of
civilizations and peaks speaks in the utmost eloquence about the level of what
assures the sons of our glorious great nation and our friends in the world that
the revolution of the new model is continuos and firm, its people and knights
are genuine and faithful to their pledge and promise. In the midst of future, it
is glorious, prosperous, promising and in the midst of present it depends on its
known qualities.
This is your
revolution, glorious men and women of Iraq, revolutionists, freedom fighters,
strugglers, and sons of our glorious Arab nation.
This is the
revolution that you know, friends, and appreciate its true pledge, obligation
and position.
It is the glorious
revolution of July in great Iraq, the base of challenge, great building,
civilizations, position and great Jihad.
The Embargo is
Eroding
Great people
We, all, face the
plight of the embargo, threats, conspiracy and the courses of evil coming from
outside Iraq. We, all, live up to the honor of firmness, position and the
ability to face the threats, relying on God, the Almighty, more confident of the
relentless enthusiasm, which cannot be severed from its fountain and resort, of
a great people of Jihad.
On previous
occasions, we said that the embargo would not be lifted by a unanimous
resolution of the Security Council, like it had been depicted that it had been
adopted by a unanimous resolution of the Council. Rather, it will be eroded as
long as Iraqis hold up to their position, and as the meanings of this position
become more clear to the Arabs who increasingly interact with that position as
well as to those who bear a serious extent of the meanings of humanity and
friendship in the world.
In late 1997, and in
the beginning of 1998, Iraqis waged battles and took positions that put the
witnesses who have no interest in the embargo, vis-a-vis the tendentious and
evil people in a manner that makes the two lines separated by a clear plain
determining unequivocally what is in the battlefield between them without
allowing an unexposed maneuver.
If the enemies of
Iraq imagine that they are able to deceive a people mobilized with all the
factors of national zeal and the experiences of life it has experienced, burned
with the fire of its enemies, motivated by the factors of defending life in the
midst of its great principles and the immortal legacy of our nation, towards
those who wanted and are still trying to assassinate them, a people that made
tens of thousands of generous sacrifices of valuable lives every short period of
time as a result of the shortage of food and medicine and due to the use of
force, we say to them, in the name of the great people of Iraq, that they are
wrong and it is better for them to re-read the ancient history and this glorious
history carefully in order to derive the lessons that distant us and them from
the abyss of their evils and their souls inciting them to evil. We reiterate
that the letter addressed to the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General
by the joint meeting of the Leadership of Arab Ba’th Socialist Party and the
Revolution Command Council on 1 May 1998 is not just a protest cry, but rather
it is a will and alternative strategy in case other means and methods fail to
return life to its natural track and to put the firm right in its proper place.
The Leadership and the Council will meet in a short time to study this subject
in depth and to act accordingly with their great people who are always in the
pupils of the eyes and in the depth of consciences that pulse patriotism and
national zeal.
Nothing will be
true but right. God is Great.
The embargo began to
erode actually through the steadfastness of Iraqis, their solid adherence to the
necessity for the lifting of the embargo and their deep preparation for
supporting the assets of sacrifices with additional honour.
This year and the
subsequent additional time will be the year and time, God willing, of the
serious erosion of the embargo on Iraq. They will be, with the assets of the
revolutionary, patriotic and faithful energy as well as the genuine national
position of those who take it, the stock of the aquiver and the fountain of the
great waterfall to conquer the embargo, break its restrictions, dishonor its
masters, the evil and vile. God willing.
Lessons of History
Arabs,
There are always
affluent lessons in history, the incitement of which underlines an important
aspect of what is possible and not possible at present, when the zeal and faith
become active to prepare and mobilize the capability for its role pursuant to
the appropriate framework and timing. On this occasion, the thirtieth
anniversary of the auspicious revolution, and as some Arabs talk about full and
comprehensive summits, and others talk about small or medium summits to discuss
the issue of Palestine or the national issues in their comprehensive meaning,
and further to our previous speech on the same occasion in July 1997 on the
issue of Palestine, we say:
The Establishment of
the Arab League
In 1945 the
representatives of seven Arab states met in Bloudan. The meeting resulted in the
establishment of the Arab League which is still existing although the
representatives of only seven independent countries at that time took that
decision, not the representatives of 22 states and entities as it is the present
case with the political and constitutional division of the nations homeland.
Despite foreign interventions, particularly British and French, were made to
make the establishment of the Arab League as a substitute for the Arab unity
whose slogans were strongly raised by the Arab masses which called for the unity
and by which they rocked the chairs of government and the remnants of
colonialism in the great Arab homeland, the old colonialism was not able to
control the subsequent march of the Arab League because the Arab masses and
their great slogans and struggle were against the colonialist will. Thus, that
situation preserved the Arab League and kept some zeal to hold its conferences,
including the summits. Had the position of the Arab masses not been as we
described, the Arab League would have been abolished at earlier stages of its
march after the foreigners failed to make it a colonialist project that could be
achieved as a substitute for the glorious Arab unity.
In 1967, in the
aftermath of 5 June relapse, the Arabs met in Khartoum. The meeting did not
include all the Arab officials, on the level of the first officials or those who
follow them directly in rank. Nevertheless, the summit took decisions, the most
important of which were the decisions which constituted the base of the Arab
steadfastness which prepared the possibility of confronting the aggression and
the Zionist-American scheme against Palestine and the Arab homeland. The summit
was named at that time as (the conference of the three no's). Although some
winked at the summit, the rejection of the defeat and the insistence of Naser on
liberation constituted the political and psychological foundation of the
military position in 1973. This happened because the Arab masses had supported
the will of the decisions adopted by the summit and because Naser, God rest his
soul, with his patriotic, national and international weight pushed for such
decisions. Thus, those decisions remained valid until Sadat deviated from the
Arab line by his known position of 1977.
Despite the horrible
shock inflicted upon the Arab masses, an Arab summit was held in Baghdad in
1978, which Egypt did not attend and some first officials of the Arab states did
not attend too. However, since the convening of that summit and the minimum
position required had met or come on the basis of Arab national desire based on
the Arab popular mindful position, many decisions were made, a vital part of
which was implemented and constituted the basic psychological and practical
foundation of others’ steadfastness and their non-collapse as expected by
Zionism and imperialist planners after Sadat’s position.
In 1973, on the
margin of the Arab October war against the Zionist entity, a small number of the
Arab states called upon the influential international parties to take a fair
position, or at least the minimum position after which the evil would be a
flood; otherwise the Arabs would be forced to put the interest of the Arab
national security in their considerations and their oil and economic relations
with the concerned parties. Since the masses’ will had supported that call
which did not exceed its declaration in the policies of most of the concerned
Arab states, or because that call represented an aspect of the genuine position
of the Arab masses, the Arabs won in that field without making a serious
sacrifice which they were to make at that time.
In 1980, we visited
Saudi Arabia after the Zionist entity put pressures on the states having
diplomatic relations with it to move their diplomatic missions and Embassies
from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and gave them a short respite, otherwise it would
sever and terminate its diplomatic relations with them. A number of those states
responded to that Zionist pressure. But, only by our agreement with King Khalid,
God rest his soul, and authenticating that agreement in a statement which we
declared after meeting with King Fahad who was crown prince then, not only the
process of moving the embassies to Jerusalem had been ceased but even the
embassies which had been already moved to Jerusalem, prior to the Zionist
ultimatum, were returned to Tel Aviv. Thus, you see how a brief statement by
only two Arab states, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, succeeded in increasing the respect
and prestige of the Arab nation amongst other nations. Although it was a joint
statement by only two Arab states, its meanings represented the will of the
whole nation as well as the whole people. Since the statement had been based on
a resolution firmly established in the souls that the warning by the two states
to those who would respond to the Zionist ultimatum, was serious, and it was
taken to be implemented not just for propaganda, the concerned parties realized
that the two states would reconsider their relations with them and that all the
Arabs might follow suit. Therefore, they responded immediately and refrained
from moving their embassies to Jerusalem, and even those who had already moved
their embassies to Jerusalem, before declaring the statement, returned them to
Tel Aviv.
In 1990, the Arabs
gathered in an Arab summit held in Baghdad. Syria did not attend that summit
although its officials were invited. Some Arab states did not attend on the
level of the first officials. Nevertheless, its decision had a thunderous impact
on the Zionist entity and on the makers or followers of its aggressive policies.
The Arab masses positively responded to those decisions to the highest and
largest degree because they put their confidence in that summit and built their
hopes on it as soon as it had been decided to hold the summit. Before announcing
what had been announced of its decisions, those decisions, attitude and the
nature of the roles and its known positions had a reflective reaction in the
plans of the plotters of the black conspiracy preceded August 1990 against
Baghdad, its men, attitude, policy, capability. Hence, the unjust thirty-nation
aggression took place.
Cairo Summit 1996
Arab brothers,
In 1996, the
concerned Arabs held a meeting on the level of the summit in Cairo. One of its
important decisions was to facilitate the task of America and its supporters to
continue the embargo on Iraq under the facade that Iraq should implement the
so-called resolutions of the Security Council, as if the concerned Arabs were to
play the role of a UN office on behalf of America. They also took other
decisions, including those decisions taken under the facade of the Palestinian
issue.
What did happen after
that meeting? Did any of those who are concerned in the Zionist entity turn a
hair? Or did the White House, the supplier of the requirements of the Zionist
occupation, aggression and expansion at the expense of the Arabs, pay any
attention? Did those resolutions have any positive effect on the conscience of
the Arabs from the shores of the Atlantic ocean and Mediterranean sea to the
shores of the Arabian Gulf and the depths of the Arabian Peninsula?
The answer to this
question is clear enough, for us, to take a decisive decision based on a
confidence that cannot be rocked by the adorned words of whoever. But, is it
clear for those who are responsible for that summit held in Cairo without the
meanings that Baghdad represents now in the Arab’s position and history? And
when discussing Arab issues, did the conference give serious consideration to
the Arabs’ aspirations and attitudes?
The return to an
aspect of the near past may involve some embarrassment to some Arabs. But, we do
not mean that per se. However, we are in bad need for such direct inquiries, for
us or against us alike, because we are under the titles of the rulers or
leaders, each according to his description. In our this capacity, we need those
inquiries more than we need them as mere normal citizens in our countries.
Since the walls of
government palaces are not always transparent, and as this is their objective
description in general, and in order to make everyone of us close to the token,
aspirations and the vision of the people, his conscience and principles should
be transparent and living.
And because what the
transparent and living conscience and principles, that reflect the reality of
the nation, mostly need is truth as it is, talking of it and about it and
inquiring into it and about it loudly, by us or by others, is an honorable
patriotic and national act. Rather it is a sacred religious duty.
Therefore, Arab
brothers, we return to say:
If some ask for
America's view in advance, or depend on its view of the acceptance or
non-acceptance of holding the summit and of its venue and nature, then how we
can imagine their conduct regarding the agenda and the trend of the summit's
resolutions, particularly on the issues in which America has a clear and
previously determined view. This view is biased, non-neutral, at the expense of
the Arabs and not in the middle between the Arabs and their enemy?!
Some Arabs have shown
courtesy to America. Many of them hoped that it would take into consideration
their friendship and sacrifices for it during two or three decades. However,
Palestine and other Arab territories are still under occupation. Al-Quds, the
second holy shrine is still under occupation. There are still some Moslem
rulers, including some Arabs, who say that they are Moslems, representing their
people and believing in the divine book, the Holy Quran, but they do not feel,
in spite of this, any embarrassment or deep wound in their hearts and chests as
a result of the occupation of Al-Quds by the Zionists by means of injustice and
aggression. Doesn't this contradict the truth, reality, responsibility and
faith?
Brother Arab
leaders,
We have learnt from
the experience of thirty years of struggle, Jihad and building in power, and
prior to this, from the record of our underground struggle and the meanings of
the lofty principles in which we believe and never bargain over them, that it is
of wisdom for anyone whom God enable to have some capability, should seek more,
depend on God, and not dispense the simplest emotions, capabilities and view of
the people for achieving these objectives, because the achievement of the higher
objectives requires large concentration, for which the officials cannot dispense
with the youngster, the elderly, those who are on the front-line or in the far
depths of the battle field. However, if you find that it is in the best interest
of the nation and it will mobilize the enthusiasm of its sons, to hold a summit
or any other arrangement with a part of its potentials, not its entire
potentials, to regain its usurped rights, to immunize the inherent rights that
should be immunized and protect them from the threats of the greedy, the
malicious and the tendentious, we will be more than happy because this will
prove that the nation is well as we believe and see. More importantly, if you,
or some of you, are able to achieve that within the minimum requirements that
satisfy God and the good sons of the nation, this will prove, for the whole
world to see, that the main parties concerned are a living part of their nation.
Then, it does not matter, if your dispensing with Baghdad's capabilities and
their effectiveness is not an avoidance or ignorance of them but a mere gesture
of warriors so that Baghdad may take some rest after its long march of Jihad
when there is that who can fill its post on the honorable front of Jihad,
although this, even according to this condition and its motivations, does not
satisfy Baghdad, its people, lovers and the great people of Iraq who never
remain indifferent or accept the warrior's rest on the margins of the
battlefields when fighting is fierce or there is a need for deliberation and
consultation.
Nevertheless,
brothers, you should remember a wisdom derived from this immortal and glorious
record, that is that who wants to brandish a sword, which he would not use only
if necessary, against the enemy, should brandish it against him without
hesitation and with tested and known sword. He who seeks wisdom should ask an
experienced man. And he who wants to warn his enemy, his capabilities should be
visible with a view to give him a chance to make a choice before getting
involved. He who wants to use force against his enemy as an unavoidable choice,
should thrust into the battlefields those men who can win one part of the battle
by their symbols and the other part by their genuine swords.
Success is granted
by God..
On God we depend,
first and last..
God is Great..
The Reality of the
Arab-Zionist Struggle
Arab brothers,
During the past two
years, some Arab officials distressingly tried to falsify the facts deliberately
or due to their ignorance of the factors and reasons for the conflict between
the Arabs and the entity which usurped their sanctuaries and territories.
Moreover, it threatens them with cruelest threats to life, sovereignty and
security. It also uses whatever it has and whenever it can use it against their
people and territory. No one can ignore the severe suffering of the injured and
struggler people of Palestine, the struggler people of Lebanon and the Arab
people in the occupied Golan as a result of the Zionist entity’s recklessness
of the simplest requirements of right, even in non-Arab perspective. I say, some
Arabs began publicly and openly to turn the fact of the conflict between the
Arabs and the usurper and aggressor, the Zionist entity, in addition to the
great meanings they lost due to this entity’s usurpation and aggression, into
a mere difference of policies. They also started to minimize and dwarf the
fields and meanings of this difference depicting them as if they are between
some Arab rulers and Netanyahu on some provisional, tactical and secondary
matters, not on basic, strategic and fateful issues which constitute a great
concern of the nation. Thus, they gave in to their enemy in advance because the
conflict in which one of its parties calls for its entire objectives and reveals
them to the quarters that are required to make sacrifices and prepare the
strategic requirements necessary for their success, while the other party hides
or waive the whole issue by declaring only a part of it and asking only for a
mobilization of forces and potentials that are parallel to that part only. In
such a conflict, the latter party will inevitably be defeated, rather it is
psychologically and actually defeated from the very beginning and before
entering the battlefield. This is the case with some Arabs who started to beg
the sympathy of the biased American administration to help them by pressurizing
Netanyahu for resuming the discussion of the so-called peaceful solution
pursuant to the so-called Madrid and Oslo resolutions, while their curses are
poured upon Netanyahu only. This negligence by some Arabs is prompted by the
Zionist American administration through throwing dust in the eyes of some Arabs
from time to time.
Tactics is Part of
Known and Understood Strategy
Some may say that the
speaker does not master the art of tactics because such Arab conduct can help
the Arabs win friends in the world, while the Zionist entity loses. Commenting
on this, I should like to say: Arab brothers, Tactics is neither (juggling) nor
a magic technique in today's international politics. Rather, it is an action
comprising capability and time in a manner that serves the strategy designed for
particular field, objective or objectives, or for an action calculated for a
specific time in the light of a capability allocated and mobilized in the field.
Accordingly, tactics is part of a known and understood strategy on the level of
the government and people, otherwise it cannot succeed, on the one hand. On the
other hand, the enemy masters the art of tactics and the tactic and strategic
dealings with its popular quarters, its enemies and friends. It also fully
understands the nature of nowadays international politics, as it was the case in
the past. Therefore, it will not wait until international politics give it
voluntarily what it hopes to get or works for. Rather, it will snatch that from
international politics and force it to use some of its concepts and objectives
against you in order to force you to give in without fighting and attrition of
the enemy. Thus, the enemy never lose from this policy, or rather the
non-policy.
Since the enemy
masters the art of utilizing tactics as a part of its strategy, it knows that
your feet should not be on the extreme edges of the target you defend. Rather,
the target should be behind you in order to protect it from the enemy's attacks.
The enemy also knows that it is impossible to mobilize a force capable to
effectively confront the enemy and snatch from it any target which is stripped
of sanctity and the attractive public interest of the people and nation.
Therefore, we see the enemy always speaks about objectives which are deeper,
larger and more severe than the objectives you talk about and demand. It
mobilizes its forces on the basis of the declared and undeclared objectives. It
investigates and calculates its alliances accordingly.
Hence, you should
return to right, brothers, as it is. Then, right will return to you, under God's
patronage, as it is. At that time, tactics will be successful.
At that time, any
policy, whatever the minor aspects the Arabs missed, will not cause them a loss
of their historical right under variables in which time cannot wait for the
helpless and the weak indefinitely to provide them with ready-made gains.
Nevertheless, Baghdad
of the Arabs and Islam, which is full of zeal for the principles, lofty ideals
and love for its nation's sons, does not accept for itself to be a cause, cover
or an obstacle that impede the holding of a serious meeting of the Arabs on the
level of summit to take decisions that put the nation in a better situation
towards itself, its lovers and enemies.
What is important,
brothers, is that you meet and your meeting should be a serious aimed at
deciding on your nation's affairs what satisfies God and the sons of the nation.
You should wisely consider your affairs without being distracted from your duty
by an obstacle or whim that impede your position.
Your meetings should
be regular, with their dates and venues are pre-scheduled every time
irrespective of difference or agreement on this or that matter.
Only then, you can
provide yourselves with a strong reason to be a living part of your nation, and
your nation will be in a higher status and better situation.
Brave Arabs,
The Iraqis know that
they have to pay the price of any rightful stand and true saying. Nowadays, the
price of the rightful stand and saying is not economic, such as terminating an
agreement or assistance, diplomatic, such as lowering the relations between two
or more countries, cultural or the like, but it is all of this soaked in the
sacred blood of the dutiful martyrs. But, Iraqis also know, they remind each
other and do not forget, that sacrifices should be on the level of wishes, hopes
and goals. Those who have such wishes, hopes and goals should be prepared for
their level. There is no way for those who aspire to reach the peaks, not the
stagnant valleys, but this level of sacrifice. There is no way out of any plight
or impasse created by the greedy imperialist foreigner or the foreign occupier
and usurper, through building on a low land since the flood will sweep it off
and render it a mere scum. The usurping and greedy enemy does not understand
reality and does not respond to what is right and just through shameful
submission, but through the adoption of an honorable stance and being prepared
for this situation. At that time, the foreigner may retreat without shedding
blood. As regards the positions of shameful submission, they will not get anyone
out of his impasse, or the impasse in which he has been entangled. They will not
open any honorable doors to get out of the plight, doors that get the capability
out of the reach of those who besiege it, set it hard punishments or threaten
the titles of its components. The Iraqis repeat the following verses of the
great poet, Kamal Al-Hadithi:
Bustards cannot
escape humiliation by flying away , for the falcon will hunt them.
Flourishing and green
is life , and only he whose life is short perishes ,
So many are the
people who come to our springs that everyone is bewildered when things are
confused,
We stir them up to
our liking and depart, only to drink the purest part which is the best.
God is Great.
Firm Rightful
Position
Arab brothers,
The firm position
based on the ground of truth and its goals brings us closer to our consciences
or brings our consciences to us. It makes us a living part of our people and
nation. We provide that position with additional means of wisdom and capability,
while it in turn provides us with a great flow of wisdom, capability and love.
More importantly, it brings us closer to the Lord of the absolute might and
wisdom, God, the Almighty, and grants us the opportunity of God's gratification
and forgiveness for the uncountable mistakes of power. However, we neither come
closer to Whom we so hope, nor He comes closer to us, unless we become a living
part of the Arab collective conscience, and unless these considerations become
the obsession of all of us, rather than the gratification or non-gratification
of this or that of the nation's enemies and those who underestimate its
capability.
Only then, and by
relying on God and the nation, rather than on any international official, the
Arabs can hold a summit with whoever attends it. A summit which polarize the
attention and interaction of the Arabs from the Atlantic ocean and the
Mediterranean to the Arabian Gulf, whether this or that Arab ruler or leader is
present or not.
At that time, the
concerned parties will act with confidence. They will feel a kind of love which
they do not know before in the eyes and hearts of their people. They will feel
the appreciation which fills them with confidence by the states of the world and
their representatives when they make their enemies feel the due respect.
" Our Lord, condemn us not if we forget or fall in error, our Lord, Lay not us a burden like that which thou didst lay on those before us, our Lord, lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear, blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness, have mercy on us. Thou art our protector, help us against those who stand against faith."
God speak the
truth.
Long live the
Arabs..
Long live the sons
of our glorious nation..
Long live Iraq..
Long live Iraq of
Jihad..
Long live
Palestine, free and lofty Arab country..
Glory and
immortality to the martyrs of Iraq and the Arab nation..
Glory and
immortality to the martyrs of Palestine..
God is Great..
God is Great..