The following was read out by an announcer on Iraqi television on 16 Febuary 2001. 

The following statement was issued: 

In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. O great people, O splendid men of our brave Armed Forces, O Arabs, O mujahidin, the men of the heroic Palestinian people's intifadah. 

Whenever the deluded ones imagine that criminal America and the Zionist entity, which has usurped the Arab and Palestinian territory and which has indulged in its crimes against the Palestinians and Arabs and the sanctities of the faithful, are two different things, a new evil piece of evidence appears to confirm that America, the enemy of the peoples, and Zionism and its accursed and deformed entity, are one and the same thing in terms of aggression and evil. 

'New aspect',p. The aggression that was carried out tonight, 16 February, against targets in the suburbs of Baghdad, confirms that the United States plans and works hand-in-hand with the Zionist entity. 
 
 

They will see that Iraq will not be bent by an aggression or threat

 There is no other explanation for this continuous aggression which has not stopped for the past 10 years. 

However, the new aspect of this aggression is paving a suitable arena for the operations which the Zionist enemy intends to launch against the Arabs and the Palestinians. 

By this and other aggressions, they think that they will stop the Iraqis' determination to extend its assistance to its Arab brothers at the right moment. They also think that they are capable of terrifying Iraq. 

They failed and were accursed, and they will fail and will be accursed, together with the nomad Arabs [Saudis and Kuwaitis] who are involved in the crime, those who put the land of holy places and the land of Arabs under their disposal to launch aggression against Iraq of jihad, stand, and glory. 

They will see that Iraq will not be bent by an aggression or threat. It will also not be tempted by the crumbs which will bring disgrace on it and harm its honour. 

The objective which Iraq decides to achieve will be realized, with God's help. 

Sacrifices

The Americans and Zionists will only reap disappointment and failure from the aggression they plan against Iraq, the Arabs, and Palestine. 

If they target any Arab, they will find the Iraqis in front of them whenever Iraq has a chance to assert its principles in the manner that satisfies it and those who believe in the nation, its right, the divine laws, and God. 
 
 

Iraq of Mother of Battles will remain lofty and victorious

 By God, nothing will discourage us from fulfilling our pan-Arab, faith-based, and sacred duty or from adhering to the full right of the Iraqis, regardless of the size of sacrifices. 

The more they step up their aggression, the harder Iraq, its mujahid and valiant army, and courageous leadership will side with right against evil. We will fight them by land, air, and sea. 

Their aggressiveness will only make them sustain more losses. The right, people, and faithful Arabs will triumph and Palestine will return free and Arab. 

Iraq of Mother of Battles will remain lofty and victorious. God is great, God is great, may the lowly be accursed. 

The meeting was attended by the head of the Presidential Office, the ministers of foreign affairs and culture and information, and the commander of Air Defence.