Iran Warns U.S. 'Biggest Blow' Is Coming

March 18, 2003
Joel C. Rosenberg

WASHINGTON – The clock is ticking, and the U.S. went up to Threat Level Orange last night as Saddam Hussein's regime declared a worldwide "jihad" against the U.S., Great Britain and the West.

Also: The Ayatollah of Iran over the weekend warned the U.S. that the "biggest blow" is coming.

Plus: The Associated Press reports that "the highest authority in the Sunni Islamic world on Monday declared that war against Iraq will be a 'new crusade' compelling every Muslim to perform 'jihad.'"

President Bush has given Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq. Now U.S. officials worry we now face a dangerous window of vulnerability. Top concerns:

* A pre-emptive Iraqi attack against U.S. and allied forces and/or Israel using weapons of mass destruction.
* A terrorist attack by al-Qaeda operatives using chemical, biological or radiological weapons within the U.S.
* A wave of suicide bomber attacks by terrorist cells trained by or paid for by Iraq.

Last week, Iraq sent $260,000 to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers in the West Bank and Gaza, including $25,000 to members of the radical Islamic terrorist faction known as Hamas. Over the past two years, the Iraqi regime has paid $35 million to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers. In January, Hamas declared "jihad" against the U.S.

Saddam Hussein, speaking Monday, threatened: "If it attacks Iraq, [the U.S.] will find Iraqi fighters ready to fight and ready for martyrdom in defense of their country behind every rock, tree and wall. When the enemy starts a large-scale battle, he must realize that the battle between us will be open wherever there is sky, land and water in the entire world."

His words echo those delivered Friday by Iraq's chief Muslim cleric, Abdul-Razzaq Saadi, in a sermon at Baghdad's Mother of All Battles mosque.

"It is the duty of Muslims today, Iraqis and others, to threaten American interests wherever they are, to set them on fire and to sink their ships," Saadi declared. "This is jihad in the name of God."

"Islamic sharia law says that if an enemy attacks us to seize our religion, money, honor and wealth then jihad becomes a must and a duty."

In January, Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi told a crowd in Gaza: "We call on the Arabs and Muslims to burn the land under the feet of the American invaders, especially our brothers in Saudi Arabia because this war is not against Iraq, it's against the Islamic nation."

"If Saddam Hussein attempts to cling to power, he will remain a deadly foe until the end," President Bush announced in a powerful and at times chilling speech. "In desperation, he and terrorists groups might try to conduct terrorist operations against the American people and our friends. These attacks are not inevitable. They are, however, possible."

The threat of terrorist attacks by Iraqi sleeper cells in the U.S. and abroad is a major concern of Washington officials right now. The president noted that a number of Iraqis have been expelled from the U.S. in recent days. The FBI is also monitoring some 50,000 other Iraqis residing in the U.S.

"I have directed additional security of our airports, and increased Coast Guard patrols of major seaports," the president told the nation. "The Department of Homeland Security is working closely with the nation's governors to increase armed security at critical facilities across America."

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge noted in blunt terms yesterday that "while the March 1 arrest of senior al-Qaeda operative Khalid Shaykh Muhammad [KSM] has put the al-Qaeda senior leadership on the defensive and will be debilitating in the long term, the intelligence community believes that KSMs capture will not necessarily affect operations that are ready or nearly ready for execution."

Moreover, Ridge said there are "many recent indications that al-Qaeda's planning includes the use of chemical, biological, and/or radiological materials."

A senior U.S. official added: "While al-Qaeda remains the principal concern, we are also concerned Iraqi state agents, Iraqi surrogate groups or ad hoc groups or disgruntled individuals might choose to use the time period as well to launch attacks against the United States or against our coalition partners."

Meanwhile, Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday warned, "The U.S. may be able to inflict damages to the region in the short term, but resistance of the regional nations will finally inflict the biggest blow to the U.S. and will culminate in the fall of America's superpower image."

On Monday, the president, vice president and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice briefed congressional leaders in the Cabinet Room about the Iraqi threat. Included in the meeting: House Speaker Dennis Hastert, House Republican leader Tom Delay, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle.

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ARABICNEWS.COM - Excerpt: "It is time to kick the U.S.A. out of the U.N. Security Council for starters, or out of the United Nations if need be. The world can do without such bullies and war mongers and international dictators." For full story, see below.

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Bush's Christian Faith Draws Media Attention

President Bush's faith in Jesus Christ is a hot media topic these days. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank on March 9 asked where "Bush's placid confidence comes from." Milbank focused extensively on "Bush's religious devotion," noting that "Bush implies but does not directly assert that he is doing God's work."

Newsweek's March 10 cover story: "Bush and God." Chief political writer Howard Fineman noted the president "rises ahead of the dawn" most days, "goes off to a quiet place" to read the Bible and Oswald Chamber's classic Christian devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest," then brings his wife, Laura, a cup of coffee in bed.

CNNfn ran an entire segment March 11 tagged, "Should Religious Faith Guide a President in Global Policy?" Correspondent Bruce Morton asked Commerce Secretary Don Evans how the president's faith influences his leadership at the brink of war. "He's able to make these very, very difficult decisions because of his deep faith," Evans, a spiritual mentor to the president, observed. "And that's where he will find his comfort. That's where he will find his peace."

Peace, peace, where there should be no peace, protested Barry Lynn of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "The presidency, remember, is a secular job," he complained to Morton. "We select a president not to be our pastor or preacher or a prophet, but a person who uses both the Constitution and the secular principles of the country to make decisions." Lynn called the president's expressions of faith "a very disturbing trend."

A BusinessWeek story this month, "Bush, the Bible, and Iraq," notes secular European countries are "increasingly suspicious of a country with a born-again Christian president" and quotes playwright Harold Pinter calling President Bush "a hired Christian thug."

President Bush was open with reporters about his faith during his prime-time press conference. "If we were to commit our troops, I would pray for their safety, and I would pray for the safety of innocent Iraqi lives, as well .... I pray daily. I pray for guidance and wisdom and strength."

He said he appreciated the prayers of others for him. "It's a humbling experience to think that people I will never have met have lifted me and my family up in prayer."

Joel C. Rosenberg is the author of the New York Times best seller "The Last Jihad" and a writer for WORLD magazine.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/3/18/105154.shtml