"The chances for peace appear slim"
The scene around Baghdad's presidential office served as vivid testimony to a leader under siege: tanks blocked all entrances, and red-bereted paratroopers in camouflage battle dress alertly stood guard. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein last week invited Time Inc. Senior Editor Murray J. Gart and TIME Correspondent Dean Brelis there for a rare formal interview, the first given to U.S. journalists in a year. Looking very fit despite the effects of a dawn-to-dusk fast in observance of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Iraqi leader was a commanding presence in his field marshal's uniform as he discussed for two hours the tumult in the Middle East and his country's future. Excerpts:
On Relations with the U.S.: I have nothing personal against the U.S. We want to have good relations. But how? Until now, the position of the U.S. toward Iraq and the Arabs has been hostile. Before the war, I discussed seriously the question of resuming relations with the U.S. with some of my comrades in the leadership. We are not weak, and because of the war, we did not want our position to be taken as a sign of weakness, that we were begging. At the appropriate time we will tell the Americans, "Come." It is unnatural not to have relations with one of the two superpowers.
On the Iran-Iraq War: Until June 29, we were inside Iranian territory. [Iraq invaded Iran on Sept. 22, 1980, claiming full sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway.] As we declared, our army pulled back to the international border. The Iranians have not responded to our peaceful attempts. We had hoped that Iran would put into effect a cease-fire and enter into negotiations. The Iranian regime faces two choices: either its troops remain where they are, engaging in artillery exchanges, or they try to penetrate our territory. If they attack, they will fail. They will not be capable of imposing a regime on Iraq that would be a lackey for Tehran. They will have to abandon their dreams and hallucinations, and agree to coexist peacefully with Iraq.
On the Costs of the War: During the war the work force was reduced by 40% to 45% because the men were sent to the front. If you are talking about the financial situation, we have taken loans from some of our Arab brothers [about $20 billion was provided by gulf states for the Iraqi war effort]. Bankruptcy is not a possibility. If we are required to stop any of our development projects to meet battlefield requirements, we shall do so.
On Iran's Military Success: What has changed is the arrival of foreign expertise in an organized manner inside their lines. But we will be capable of overcoming them now that we are in our own territory, no matter how much expertise and equipment they get. I can mention the foreign support—you know, the Israeli expertise, and the North Koreans [who are serving as arms suppliers]. We also have a conviction that certain Soviet arms managed to reach them, but until now I cannot confirm it absolutely.