Washington, Apr 02: The United States has condemned as "dreadfully irresponsible" calls from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and others for Muslims around the world to unite in a holy war, or jihad, to defend Iraq. "These exhortations to violence, suicide bombings and what-not are dreadfully irresponsible," deputy State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said.
"Suicide bombings only lead to one assured outcome and that is the death of the perpetrator," he told reporters.
"And so, the violence that these people are calling for is not going to accomplish anything. We are going to move ahead with our operation Iraqi freedom and give back Iraq to the Iraqi people," Reeker said.
His comments came in response to a speech from Saddam read on television by his information minister Mohammed Sayeed al-Sahhaf in which the Iraqi leader said holy war, or jihad, was a "duty" for Arabs and Muslims and called the US-led war an attack on "religion, property, people and honor."
Earlier Tuesday in Baghdad, Iraqi vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan told reporters that more than 3,000 Arab volunteers were in Iraq and ready to carry out suicide missions against the US-led coalition. Bureau Report