Nasrallah also said his Lebanese militant group warned the United States and Israel against striking Lebanon and Syria for it would be "a big historical mistake."
He was speaking during a rally in the ancient city of Baalbeck, 52 miles east of Beirut, to mark the third anniversary for the liberation of south Lebanon from 22 years of Israeli occupation. Thousands of his followers waved yellow Hezbollah flags and chanted: "Death to America. Death to Israel."
Nasrallah said Lebanon's victory in securing the liberation of its Israeli-occupied territories was "not an exception and could be achieved in any country whose land is occupied and its people take the decision of resistance."
He said many thought that resistance operations against the U.S. forces in Iraq will need months or years to begin.
"But information confirms that the U.S. soldiers are not being killed (in Iraq) in car accidents. They are being killed by bullets and explosive charges," Nasrallah said. "This is a very natural reaction by people who feel their land is occupied."
The U.S. military said no U.S. personnel have died because of attack by a combatant since April 26, but have said that there have been eight fatalities related to vehicle accidents, seven in helicopter crashes and six for other reasons -- including one heart attack -- since then.
While he noted that U.S. "political bets and promises" were dissipating, he said "it seems the Iraqis did not need a year to test the U.S. intentions" as "we all know they (Americans) did not come to Iraq for the sake of democracy, public freedom or saving the Iraqi people."
Nasrallah hailed the ouster of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as "a just demand" but said the United States was "a partner in all the crimes he committed before and after" the 1991 Gulf War.
He said Hezbollah will not relinquish its weapons while Syria and Iran should not be weakened because "this will be a suicide and a tragic sad end."
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
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