Saddam: UN order is ploy to demoralise Iraqis

Saddam Hussein dismissed the UN order to destroy his al-Samoud 2 missiles as a ploy designed to demoralise Iraqis before an enemy attack.

"After they could not find weapons of mass destruction because they do not exist, the enemy has begun to focus on minor issues, including the rocket," the Iraqi President told a group of army commanders yesterday. "Do they reach Israel? No. Do they reach the United States? No. Why do they focus on this detail? Because they think that such minor issues will affect your morale."

The comments were his first since Iraq began destroying al-Samoud 2 missiles on the orders of Hans Blix, the chief UN weapons inspector, who suggested their range might go beyond the 150km (93 miles) allowed by the UN. Since Saturday, Iraq has destroyed 28 missiles, including nine yesterday. The destruction order also covers missile engines, launchers, fuel and other components.

President Saddam's scientific adviser, Lieutenant- General Amer al-Saadi, has said Iraq had not allowed photographs or video of the destruction to be shown because it didn't want the Iraqi people to see a bitter image. "It is too harsh. That's why we have released no pictures," he said.

One of the army commanders told the Iraqi leader that despite the missiles' destruction, Iraqi soldiers remained ready to repel any attack.