Text of 'Saddam Hussein Letter'
1 May, 2003
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 'And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for.'
[Koranic verse]Iraq, 28 April 2003, from Saddam Hussein to the great Iraqi people, the sons of the Arab and Islamic nation and the honourable ones everywhere, God's peace, mercy and blessings be with you.
In the same way that Hulagu entered Baghdad, Bush entered it with an Alqami and with more than one Alqami [reference to Alqam, a Shia who helped Mongol invader Hulagu Khan enter Baghdad in 13th Century].
They only triumphed over you - o you who reject the occupation and humiliation and you who have Arabism and Islam in your hearts - by treachery. By God, it is not a victory as long as the resistance remains in your hearts.
What we have been saying has now become a fact. We do not live in peace and security as long as the freak Zionist entity is on our Arab land. Therefore, there is no division in the unity of the Arab struggle.
O sons of our great people, rise against the occupier and do not trust those who talk about the Sunnis and Shias, for the only issue that the homeland, your great Iraq, is facing at present is that of occupation.
There are no priorities other than the expulsion of the infidel, criminal, murderous and cowardly occupier with whom not a single honourable person, only the traitors and agents, shook hands.
I tell you that all the countries around you are against your resistance, but God is with you because you are fighting the infidels and defending your rights.
The traitors have allowed themselves to speak openly of their treachery, though it is a shame. Speak openly of your rejection of the occupier for the sake of the great Iraq, the nation, Islam and humanity.
Iraq, the sons of the nation and the honourable ones will triumph and we will retrieve the antiquities and rebuild Iraq, which they want to split into parts, may God shame them.
Saddam did not have any possessions in his name. I challenge anyone to prove that the palaces were in the name of anyone other than the Iraqi State. I left them a long time ago to live in a small house.
Forget everything and resist the occupation. The sin begins when there are priorities other than the occupier and his expulsion. Remember that they are seeking to bring in those fighting each other [for power] so that your Iraq will remain weak and they can loot it as they wish.
Your party, the Arab Socialist Baath Party, is proud that it has not extended its hand to the Zionist enemy and has not conceded to a cowardly American or British aggressor.
Those who have stood against Iraq and plotted against it will not enjoy peace at the hands of the United States.
Greetings to everyone who resists, to every honourable Iraqi citizen and to every woman, child and old man in our great Iraq. Unite, and the enemy and the traitors who have entered with him will run away from you.
Be aware that those with whom the invading forces came and their aircraft that flew to kill you will only bring you poison.
God willing, the day of liberation and victory will come to us, the nation and Islam before anything else. Right will triumph this time, like it does every time and the coming days are going to be more beautiful.
Protect your possessions, districts and schools. Boycott the occupier; boycott him because this is the duty of Islam, religion and the homeland.
Long live the great Iraq and its people. Long live Palestine, free and Arab from the [Jordan] River to the [Mediterranean] Sea.
God is Great. Let the accursed be cursed.
[Signed] Saddam Hussein, 26 Safar 1424 [AH], 28/4/2003.