Hoon: Iraq campaign going to plan
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Hoon cast doubt on Saddam's TV broadcast
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SPECIAL REPORT
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon says that "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is proceeding "according to our strategic planning."
"I have never been one of those who predicted a quick and easy victory. I'm not intending on joining that group now," he told a news conference Monday.
Hoon lashed out at Iraqi forces for the "surge of Iraqi propaganda" over the last few days and the "disgusting treatment and exploitation of American prisoners of war."
The British defence secretary said those were the actions of a "desperate regime" that knows its time is coming to an end.
Hoon told reporters that one of his concerns was exposing coalition forces to the use of "irregular forces, militia, basically some of Saddam Hussein's thugs, who in previous years have been responsible for terrorizing and intimidating the Iraqi people."
Hoon said the regular forces were withdrawing from cities like Basra, and "our concern is not to expose our regular forces to the kinds of terrorist activities that some of those groups could carry out."
When asked about Saddam's latest television appearance, the British defence minister told reporters that it was a taped statement, but it is not known when it was made. (Saddam broadcast)
"As far as the pictures this morning are concerned, obviously analysis continues, but what I can say is that those pictures were not live."
Hoon speculated that there was a possibility that it was not actually Saddam at all.
"I think we have to do a little more analysis of what exactly was said to see whether or not that was in fact Saddam Hussein," he said.
When asked about contemporary statements that the Iraqi leader made during his speech, Hoon replied that if Saddam wanted to indicate his statement was live or recent, "there were many events he could have referred to, which he clearly did not."
Hoon went on to say that he did not think it made a difference to the military campaign whether Saddam "is alive or dead."
