Saddam Hussein's Speech on Withdrawal from Kuwait, February 26, 1991
In the name of God, the merciful,
the compassionate. O great people, O stalwart men in the forces
of jihad and faith, glorious men of the Mother of Battles, O
zealous, faithful, and sincere people in our glorious nations,
and among all Muslims and all virtuous people in the world, O
glorious Iraqi women, in such circumstances and times, it is
difficult to talk about all that should be talked about, and it
is difficult to recall all that has to be recalled. Despite this,
we have to recall what has to be recalled, and say part - a
principal part - of what should be said.
We start by saying that on this day, our valiant armed forces
will complete their withdrawal from Kuwait. And on this day, our
fight against aggression and the ranks of infidelity, joined in
an ugly coalition comprising 30 countries, which officially
entered war against us under the leadership of the United States
of America - our fight against them would have lasted from the
first month of this year, starting with the night of 16-17
January, until this moment in the current month, February. It was
an epic duel which lasted for two months, which came to confirm
clearly a lesson that God has wanted as a prelude of faith,
impregnability, and capability for the faithful, and a prelude to
an (?abyss), weakness, and humiliation which God almighty has
wanted for the infidels, the criminals, the traitors, the corrupt
and the deviators.
To be added to this is the military and nonmilitary duel,
including the military and the economic blockade, which was
imposed on Iraq and which lasted throughout 1990 until today, and
until the time God almighty wishes it to last.
Before that, the duel lasted in other forms for years before this
time. It was an epic struggle between right and wrong; we have
talked about this in detail on previous occasions.
It gave depth to the age of the showdown for the year 1990, and
the already elapsed part of the year 1991. Hence, we do not
forget, because we will not forget this great struggling spirit,
by which men of great faith stormed the fortifications and the
weapons of deception and the Croesus' (Kuwaiti rulers) treachery
on the honorable day of the call. They did what they did within
the context of legitimate deterrence and great principled action.
All that we have gone through or decided within its
circumstances, obeying God's will and choosing a position of
faith and chivalry is a record of honor, the significance of
which will not be missed by the people and nation and the values
of Islam and humanity. Their days will continue to be glorious,
and their past and future will continue to relate the story of a
faithful, jealous, and patient people who believed in the will of
God and in the values and stands accepted by the almighty for the
Arab nation in its leading role and for the Islamic nation in the
essentials of its true faith and how they should be. These values
- which had their effect in all those situations, offered the
sacrifices they had offered in the struggle, and symbolized the
depth of the faithful character in Iraq - will continue to leave
their effects on souls. They will continue to reap their harvest,
not only in terms of direct targets represented in the slogans of
their age - whether in the conflict between the oppressed poor
and the unjust and opportunist rich, or between faith and
blasphemy, or between injustice, deception, and treachery on the
one hand and fairness, justice, honesty, and loyalty on the other
- but also the indirect targets as well. This will shake the
opposite ranks and cause them to collapse after everything has
become clear. This will also add faith to the faithful, now that
the minds and eyes have been opened and the hearts are longing
for what the principles, values, and stances should long for and
belong to.
The stage that preceded the great day of the call on 2 August
1990 had its own standards, including dealing with what is
familiar and inherited during the bad times, whether on the level
of relations between the ruler and the ruled, or between the
leader and the people he leads. The relations between the
foreigners among the ranks of infidelity and oppression and among
the region's states and the world had their own standards,
effects, and privileges that were created by the Arab homeland's
circumstances, and which were facilitated by propaganda, which no
one could expose more than it has now been exposed. The conflict
was exacerbated by the vacuum that was created by the weakness of
one of the two poles that used to represent the two opposite
lines in the world. After 2 August 1990, however, new concepts
and standards were created. This was preceded by a new outlook in
all walks of life, in relations among peoples, relations among
states, the relations between the ruler and the ruled, and by
standards of faith and positions; patriotism, pan-Arabism, and
humanitarianism; jihad, faith, Islam, fear and non-fear;
restlessness and tranquility; manhood and its opposite; struggle,
jihad, and sacrifice; and readiness to do good things and their
opposite.
When new measures spring forth and the familiar, failed,
traitorous, subservient, corrupt (people) and tyrants are
rejected, then the opportunity for the cultivation of the pure
soil will increase in its scope, and the seeds of this plant will
take root deep in the good land, primarily the land of the Arabs,
and the land of revelation and the messages, and the land of
prophets. God says: "Like a goodly tree, whose root is
firmly fixed, and its branches reach to the heavens. It brings
forth its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord"
(Koranic verse).
Then, everything will become possible on the road of goodness and
happiness that is not defiled by the feet of the invaders nor by
their evil will or the corruption of the corrupt among those who
have been corrupted, and who spread corruption in the land of the
Arabs. Moreover, the forces of plotting and treachery will be
defeated for good. Good people and those who are distinguished by
their faith and by their faithful, honorable stands of jihad will
become the real leaders of the gathering of the faithful
everywhere on earth, and the gathering of the corruption,
falsehood, hypocrisy, and infidelity will be defeated and meet
the vilest fate. The earth will be inherited, at God's order, by
His righteous slaves. "For the earth is God's to give as a
heritage to such of His servants as He pleaseth; and the end is
best for the righteous" (Koranic verse).
When this happens, the near objectives will not only be within
reach, available and possible, but also the doors will be open
without any hindrance which might prevent the achievement of all
the greater, remoter, and more comprehensive objectives to the
Arabs, Muslims, and humanity at large.
Then, also, it will be clear that the harvest does not precede
the seeding, and that the threshing floor and the yield are the
outcome of a successful seeding and a successful harvest.
The harvest in the Mother of Battles has succeeded. After we have
harvested what we have harvested, the greater harvest and its
yield will be in the time to come, and it will be much greater
than what we have at present, in spite of what we have at present
in terms of the victory, dignity, and glory that was based on the
sacrifices of a deep faith which is generous without any
hesitation or fear. It is by virtue of this faith that God has
bestowed dignity upon the Iraqi mujahidin and upon all the depth
of this course of jihad at the level of the Arab homeland and at
the level of all those men whom God has chosen to be given the
honor of allegiance, guidance, and honorable position, until He
declares that the conflict has stopped, or amends its directions
and course and the positions in a manner which would please the
faithful and increase their dignity.
O valiant Iraqi men, O glorious Iraqi women, Kuwait is part of
your country and was carved from it in the past. Circumstances
today have willed that it remain in the state in which it will
remain after the withdrawal of our struggling forces from it. It
hurts you that this should happen.
We rejoiced on the day of the call when it was decided that
Kuwait should be one of the main gates for deterring the plot and
for defending all Iraq from the plotters. We say that we will
remember Kuwait on the great day of the call, on the days that
followed it, and in documents and events, some of which date back
70 years.
The Iraqis will remember and will not forget that on 8 August
1990 Kuwait became part of Iraq legally, constitutionally, and
actually. They remember and will not forget that it remained
throughout this period from 8 August 1990 until last night, when
withdrawal began, and today we will complete withdrawal of our
forces, God willing. Today, certain circumstances made the Iraqi
Army withdraw as a result of the ramifications which we
mentioned, including the combined aggression by 30 countries.
Their repugnant siege had been led in evil and aggression by the
machine and the criminal entity of America and its major allies.
These malicious ranks took the depth and effectiveness of their
aggressiveness not only from the aggressive premeditated
intentions against Iraq, the Arab nation, and Islam, but also
from the position of those who were deceived by the claim of
international legitimacy. Everyone will remember that the gates
of Constantinople were not opened before the Muslims in the first
struggling attempt, and that the international community
(?consigned) dear Palestine's freedom and independence to
oblivion.
Whatever the suspect parties try, by virtue of the sacrifices and
struggle of the Palestinians and Iraqis, Palestine has returned
anew to knock at the doors closed on evil.
Palestine returned to knock on those doors to force the tyrants
and the traitors to a solution that would place it at the
forefront of the issues that have to be resolved - a solution
that would bring dignity to its people and provide better chances
for better progress.
The issue of poverty and richness, fairness and unfairness, faith
and infidelity, treachery and honesty and sincerity, have become
titles corresponding to rare events and well-known people and
trends that give priority to what is positive over what is
negative, to what is sincere over what is treacherous and filthy,
and to what is pure and honorable over what is corrupt, base, and
lowly. The confidence of the nationalists and the faithful
mujahidin and the Muslims has grown bigger than before, and hope
grew more and more. Slogans have come out of their stores to
occupy strongly the facades of the pan-Arab and human jihad and
struggle. Therefore, victory is (?great), now and in the future,
God willing.
Shout for victory, O brothers, shout for your victory and the
victory of all honorable people, O Iraqis. You have fought 30
countries, and all the evil and the largest machine of war and
destruction in the world that surrounds them. If only one of
these countries threatens anyone, this threat will have a swift
and direct effect on the dignity, freedom, or life of this or
that country, people, and nation.
The soldiers of faith have triumphed over the soldiers of wrong.
O stalwart men, your God is the one who granted your victory. You
triumphed when you rejected, in the name of faith, the will of
evil which the evildoers wanted to impose on you to kill the fire
of faith in your hearts. You have chosen the path you have
chosen, including acceptance of the Soviet initiative, but those
evildoers persisted in their path and methods, thinking that they
can impose their will on Iraq, as they imagined and hoped. This
hope of theirs may remain in their heads, even after we withdraw
from Kuwait. Therefore, we must be cautious, and preparedness to
fight must remain at the highest level.
O you valiant men, you have fought the armies of 30 states and
the capabilities of an even greater number of states which
supplied them with the means of aggression and support. Faith,
belief, hope, and determination continue to fill your chests,
souls, and hearts. They have even become deeper, stronger,
brighter, and more deeply rooted. God is great, God is great, may
the lowly be defeated. Victory is sweet with the help of God.
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