August 21, 2002	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Saani 11,1423

AMMAN, Aug 20: Iraqi president Saddam Hussein on Monday expressed confidence in achieving “victory” over a US attack, as the National Assembly voted unanimously to support his nomination for another seven-year term, according to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).

“I can see victory as if we are on August 8, 1988,” Hussein told a weekly cabinet session, referring to the day Iran accepted a ceasefire to end fighting with Iraq that raged from 1980 to 1988.

Since then, Baghdad celebrated the end of the Iraq-Iran war, labelling it the “Great Victory Day”.

“Our deposit is your confidence and that of the people,” Hussein said in reference to a resolution taken by the Parliament earlier in the day to support his nomination last week by the Revolutionary Command Council for another seven-year term.

According to the state-run Iraqi media, a referendum is scheduled on October 15 to renew Hussein’s tenure for another seven years.

“As the Iraqi people exercise a real democratic process by choosing their president, the American administration is indulged in a campaign of lies and beating of war drums,” the Parliament’s speaker said as he urged deputies to back Hussein’s nomination.

“The Iraqi people, who are capable of differentiating between the good and evil, are ready to teach the aggressors the lesson they deserve,” he added.—dpa