Iraq will come out on top in any confrontation with the United States, an Iraqi daily said Friday. "Iraq, which weathered all plots and came out victorious, will also win the next battle (with the US), if it occurs," Al-Iraq wrote.
"The goals which this wretched (US) administration is seeking to achieve (in Iraq) will continue to elude" Washington, the paper expressed.
"US threats do not scare Iraq, which has a courageous leadership, a valiant army and a people at one with their leadership," Al-Iraq reported.
Washington's technological edge will not prevail over an ancient civilization such as Iraq's, the paper said.
The United States has threatened to take military action against Baghdad and try to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime unless Iraq allows UN arms inspectors to verify that it no longer has weapons of mass destruction.
Meanwhile, the opposition Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) said Friday the regime has executed three members of the armed forces on charges of blowing up an ammunition depot and causing the death of an officer.
"Jawad Kazem Luaibi and Abdul Haq Ismail from the province of Babylon, and Abdul Hussein Jassem from the province of al-Qadissiya, were executed by a firing squad ... of the bloodthirsty regime on March 3," the ICP said in a statement datelined "Iraqi Kurdistan" and faxed to AFP.
"The three men were accused of blowing up an ammunition depot in their (barracks), causing the death of an officer, Lieutenant Mazen Qasem al-Janabi," it said.
A command member of the ruling Ba’ath Party, Abdul Baqi al-Saadun, "attended the execution, dealing the three victims the coup de grace by firing bullets from his own pistol," the statement added.
"The bodies of the three victims were handed to their families on March 6, but the latter were banned from receiving condolences," it added.
It should be noted that there was no independent confirmation of the ICP's claim. The ICP regularly reports executions in Iraqi prisons. Usually, Iraqi authorities refuse to comment on such allegations. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
