Baghdad communique and RCC-Ba'th statement, 17 January 1991 (FBIS translation)

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FBIS-NES-91-013 / 18 January 1991 / IRAQ / 25

[Left column: the first items on the page (a minister's reply to a press report; the opening paragraphs of 'Saddam Chairs Meeting 17 Jan', NC1701223291 Baghdad INA in Arabic 2216 GMT 17 Jan 91) are omitted to fit the length limit; transcription resumes below.]

The meeting issued a statement. Following is the text:

O great people, o men who are the stalwarts of faith and the banner of pride in the heroic Armed Forces. O Arabs, o faithful Muslims wherever you are, this is the day of the hostile sects [reference to forces hostile to Muslims in an early Islamic battle]. It is a day of Muhammadan jihad against the infidels, idolators, and hypocrites.

These are glorious days, full of the faith [words indistinct] of the days of the Prophet's companions in the first days of Islam. It is God's will to bestow great pride and a period of dignity on the Iraqi mujahidin [strugglers] after He decided to raise them to a greater degree of faith among the fortunate and pious ones and the faithful worshipers of God. As in the struggle against the hostile sects, victory will certainly fall to the faithful as it was certain to fall to the Prophet, may God's prayers and peace be upon him.

[One further paragraph of the left column, on Iraqi women and the armed forces, omitted.]

[Right column]
Bush's brute force and his followers in the army of infidelity and hypocrisy will neither frighten nor terrify the sweet children and the glorious women of Iraq.

It is natural for us to say that Bush's brute and infidel force, even if it is redoubled to several times what it is now, will not weaken the determination of the men of faith and jihad in great Iraq.

Victory, in which will is tested by weapons after reliance on God, will be the ally of the faithful and the harvest of their faith and their heroism. Aggression and its weapons will turn against the criminals who carried it out. God will make triumph those whom He wants to triumph, and he truly listens and responds. God is great and cursed be the lowly.

Communiques Claim Shootdowns, Outline Views

Communique No. 3
NC1701210091 Baghdad INA in Arabic 2020 GMT 17 Jan 91

[Text] Baghdad, 17 Jan (INA)--The number of enemy aircraft shot down by the Iraqi air defenses from early today until 1855 today has risen to 44 fighter planes. Furthermore, a large number of cruise missiles [al-sawarikh al-jawallah] were destroyed.

The following is the text of Communique No. 3 issued by the Armed Forces General Command:

Communique No. 3 issued by the Armed Forces General Command:

In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate.

O zealous sons of the Arab nation, you are God's beloved and are proceeding on the road to glory and loftiness which enhances the nation's status, upgrades its prestige, and consolidates its historical role; you are the heroes of the Armed Forces who with your chivalry and jihad are fighting the U.S. despot and apostate and the forces allied with it, the exploiters, corrupters, and corrupt. Your brave sons, the hawks of the Air Force and the heroes of the Air Defenses who protect your clear sky, have confronted the U.S., Atlantic, and Zionist forces of aggression and faced them with their known heroism. They have made their planes fall and have shattered their missiles. God has been their victor and has made you triumph on the road to virtue and to the enhancement of the nation's status by making your banner flutter high.

The hero hawks of the air have harvested the following from 0230 this morning until 1850 [as received] this evening: 44 enemy planes, 33 cruise missiles, in addition to several others which did not explode and which will be used.

Thus, those who wager on the surprise element now realize that the Iraqis are lying in wait for them inspired by their symbol Saddam Husayn and will proceed on the road to certain victory, God willing. God grants victory.

Page text is the FBIS English translation of Arabic originals; transcribed verbatim from the scan including its spellings. Passages omitted to fit the length limit are marked in the text; the omitted opening of the 'Saddam Chairs Meeting' item says the Revolution Command Council and Ba'th Party Regional Command met and reviewed the military situation. Not verified by a fluent Arabic reader against the original broadcast.