Iraq Pours Scorn on U.S. a Year After 9/11 Attacks

Wed Sep 11, 3:02 PM ET

By Hassan Hafidh

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq poured scorn on the United States on Sept. 11, saying it was using last year's attacks -- hailed as the "punishment of God" by one Baghdad magazine -- as a pretext to try to crush its old foe in the Middle East.

The government newspaper al-Jumhouriya said President Bush ( news - web sites)'s "arrogant and imperialist" administration wanted to rule the world by force.

"A year after the September 11 events, the American administration has failed to review its policy of aggression and blackmail," it said in a front-page editorial.

"Between the two Septembers, the American evil administration is pointing at Iraq as a very dangerous enemy which threatens world peace, in order to launch a new war under false excuses," wrote the official al-Iraq newspaper.

But also Wednesday, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz sent a letter of condolence to former Attorney General Ramsey Clark on the attack anniversary, the official Iraqi News Agency said.

Clark, a vocal opponent of U.S. policy on Iraq and the U.N. sanctions imposed for Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, visited Iraq late last month.

"On the elapse of one year after the tragic events of September 11, I express to you, and through you to the families of the victims my deep condolences," Aziz said in the letter.

"Our sympathy with you in this event rises from our feeling here in Iraq of the tragedies which have hit our people over 12 years of continued sanctions and aggression," Aziz said.

Iraq has been toiling under United Nations ( news - web sites) sanctions imposed on it after it invaded Kuwait in 1990. A U.S.-led coalition forced Iraq's troops from Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War ( news - web sites).

"The victims of Sept 11 events in America reached up to 3,000 people ... whereas Iraq's victims because of the sanctions and the aggression mounted to more than 1.5 million people ... and the number is on the rise," he added.

Aziz said the tragedy of Sept. 11 "shows the world's need for peace, stability and cooperation."

Aziz sent a similar letter last year to Clark.

'PUNISHMENT OF GOD'

The weekly al-Iqtasadi (Economist) magazine hailed the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and on the Pentagon ( news - web sites) in Washington as the "punishment of God."

Washington says there is no hard evidence linking Iraq to the attacks but, with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden ( news - web sites) elusive and perhaps dead, deposing President Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites) has become the main focus of Bush's war on terror.

Bush is debating with U.S. allies an attack on Iraq, which he has branded part of an "axis of evil" with Iran and North Korea ( news - web sites), to topple Saddam, whom Washington accuses of sponsoring terrorism and developing weapons of mass destruction.

Bush will take his case against Saddam to the United Nations which he addresses Thursday.

Iraq's Oil Minister Amir Muhammed Rasheed said Washington was manipulating events to harm Iraq's economy by enforcing new procedures that cut oil exports under the U.N.-monitored oil-for-food deal.

He was referring to retroactive oil pricing, under which prices are set well after the time of exports. The practice, initiated by the United States and Britain, aims to eliminate Iraq's ability to collect alleged illicit kickbacks from buyers.

"September 11 event has showed how the American administration has exploited every opportunity to harm the Iraqi people and find innovative ways to inflict damage on our economy," Rasheed told a news conference Tuesday.

Iraq has denied any link with the Sept. 11 attacks or with bin Laden's al Qaeda group whom Washington accused of carrying them.

-- (Repugs beware @ pride always comes. before a fall), September 12, 2002

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