God alone can decide fate, says Saddam

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, a secular Arab nationalist who in recent years has promoted Islamic fervour to consolidate support at home, invoked the name of God at least 20 times in his three-hour interview with CBS News anchor Dan Rather.

Saddam repeatedly answered questions about what he expects to happen in his confrontation with the US by saying that it was up to God — a common answer among average Iraqis and, indeed, Muslims all over the world. ‘‘We believe in God, and God alone decides what fate is going to be,’’ Saddam said.

Such answers seem calculated to make Saddam appear to be a pious Muslim who believes the will of God cannot be changed. Overall, he used less religious symbolism in the interview than he normally does in his speeches to the Iraqi people. (LATWP)