<Iraqi 'Jerusalem Army' championing Palestinians
By Miriam Fam, The Associated Press

Clad in camouflage, they fire guns, climb hurdles and roar "God is great!" The 7 million volunteers drilling for Saddam Hussein's "Jerusalem Army" are soldiers with no war.

The Iraqi leader says these men, women and even children - a 7-year-old reportedly joined the cause - are ready to march across borders to liberate Palestine. Of course, neighboring Syria and Jordan likely wouldn't let this "army" through their lands and Israel could check any march on Jerusalem.

Arab and Western analysts consider the Jerusalem Army a prop in a fantasy drama staged by Saddam to make him a hero among frustrated Arabs and help fulfill his dream of being looked on as the leader of the Arab world.

Among all Arabs, the Palestinian issue is a flashpoint of emotions. But moderate Arab leaders, including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, have ridiculed calls for war against Israel.

MORE

(Associated Press reporter Rawya Rageh in Cairo, Egypt, contributed to this story)