Saddam sticks to his guns as public rallies around him

DUBAI, Nov 8: Thousands of Iraqi youth today cheered President Saddam Hussain and condemned United States’ tough stance against Baghdad as Iraq kept up its defiance turning back two United Nations inspection teams with American members for the sixth straight day.

Shouts of “down down America” rented the air as over 3,000 people held a rally in Baghdad to express absolute support to Saddam, showing that his popularity had not waned even though Iraq has been reeling under severe UN sanctions. Jan Eliasson, a UN mediation team member, today said on his return to Stockholm that he did not expect Americans to be expelled from Iraq immediately.

He said a letter by Iraq to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan implied that Baghdad was not “for now prepared to rescind the decision” but also seemed to suggest that it was ready to extend the decision not to expel Americans. Eliasson, however, did not reveal the contents of the letter.

Iraqi authorities blocked American members of UN teams for the sixth straight day and a United Nations envoy said the crisis could lead to armed conflict.