The White House said today it would consider military action in Iraq a success even if US forces failed to find President Saddam Hussein, whose appearance on Iraqi television could prove he survived a US bombing raid on the first night of the war.
While finding Saddam - either dead or alive - would be "helpful," White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer said President George W. Bush's "definition of victory" was removing the current government from power and eliminating the country's alleged weapons of mass destruction.
Mr Fleischer made the comments just before Iraqi television broadcast a speech apparently by Saddam urging the people of Baghdad to "strike the enemy with force" and predicted victory over the invading US and British troops.
In the address, Saddam mentioned the shooting down of a US Apache helicopter by an Iraqi farmer in late March. The mention of the incident, originally reported by Iraqi officials on March 24th, may be the first clear proof the Iraqi president survived a US bombing on Baghdad on March 20th that targeted him and his two sons.
The White House had no immediate comment on Saddam's address.
If Saddam eludes US forces, he could join the ranks of America's most wanted, a list now topped by al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden
