NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — 2003-invasion — warplan — Viewing Item

Aziz war going well Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030331/wl_nm/iraq_aziz_dc_1 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030331/wl_nm/iraq_aziz_dc_1 Yahoo! News Mon, Mar 31, 2003 World - Reuters Iraq's Aziz Claims War Success Against U.S. Sun Mar 30, 7:28 PM ET Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo! WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said in an interview on Sunday that the war against U.S. and British invasion forces was going well, and he described Iraq (news - web sites)'s decision to use suicide bombings as heroic. "When you fight an invader by whatever means available to you, you are not a terrorist; you are a hero," he told the ABC television network a day after an Iraqi officer killed four U.S. soldiers in a suicide bombing at a checkpoint near Najaf. Aziz said Iraq has been bringing in would-be suicide bombers from other parts of the Muslim world for further attacks on the U.S.-led invasion force. "From outside or from inside (Iraq), these people are heroes. They are freedom fighters against invaders, against colonialists, against imperialists," he said. In a version of the ABC interview screened by the BBC in London, Aziz also said Iraqi leaders were not surprised by the strength of resistance against U.S. and British troops. "The war is going very well as far as we see it, and as far as realities are," he said in remarks aired on the 11th day of the conflict. "They are surprised that the Iraqi people are resisting them courageously with a great determination to deter them. We are not surprised, we expected that, we said that," he said. Aziz said he had spoken to a number of American journalists including one who suggested the Iraqi people would receive U.S. troops with music and flowers. "I told them that the Iraqi people are going to fight back ... The Iraqis are going to receive the Americans with bullets," he said. Iraqi forces were prepared to fight on in hopes of drawing out the war and exhausting America's will to fight, he told ABC. "We can end this war when the invaders withdraw totally, unconditionally from the Iraqi territory," Aziz said. U.S. aircraft applied relentless pressure on Iraqi positions in and around Baghdad on Sunday as U.S. military leaders fended off growing criticism of their war plans and insisted the campaign was still on course. Faced with much stronger than expected opposition from regular and irregular forces loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), U.S. troops dug in south of Baghdad, apparently in no rush to assault the Iraqi capital until air strikes and artillery had ground down its defenders.

Asking israel for advice Aziz war going well Blair delayed 911 iraq attack { April 3 2003 } Bush blair admit war months Dangerous advise gop split { March 31 2003 } General denies asking more troops { March 30 2003 } Iraqi militia backed by special forces { April 8 2003 } Lessons of lebanon { March 30 2003 } Longer harder than predicted { March 23 2003 } Moab bomb to iraq { April 10 2003 } No coalition control of cities Peter arnett warplan failed { March 30 2003 } Planning more invasions { March 26 2003 } Possible use moab { April 10 2003 } Rolling start Saving civilians lengthens war { March 27 2003 } Tomahawk cruise missiles supply { April 1 2003 } Upbeat forecast questioned { March 29 2003 } War conduct is defended { March 26 2003 } War far from over { March 26 2003 } War gets ugly { March 24 2003 } War plan failed arnett { March 31 2003 } Will become quagmire { March 24 2003 } Files Listed: 23

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