The defence that the Iraqis are putting up against the United States-led coalition does not surprise two Mumbaikars who have been to Iraq.

"On my visit eight months ago... I found that there was tremendous support for Saddam Hussein. They will die for him rather than give up," said Mohammad Rafiq Shafi Ahmed Razvi, a small-time businessman.

Razvi was in Iraq for the annual gathering of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Geelani, a saint from Baghdad.

It was not his first trip to Iraq. He had been there in 1996 and found that the reason for Saddam's popularity was because he managed his resources very well.

"In 1996, I had taken a cup of tea in Baghdad for 25 Iraqi dinars. The cost was the same in 2002. So were the costs of other essential goods. I was quite surprised. The flight from Baghdad to Basra and return cost me only $25. It is very cheap for an Indian to travel in Iraq," he told rediff.com

Eight months ago, Razvi was there for 10 days and visited Karbala, Najab-e-Ashraf, Masiab, Kufa, Qazmaih and Baghdad.

"Wherever I went, I found tremendous support for Saddam. The people of Iraq were full of praises for him," he said.

He added that the Iraqis condemned the United Nations and the US' policy against their country.

Asked if the UN sanctions bothered the Iraqis, Razvi said, "There is a big problem for rice, wheat and milk... one cannot get good medicines in Iraq. But all of them blamed the UN and USA for that and not Saddam Hussein... I didn't find anyone talking against Saddam."

Razvi and his friend Syed Mazhar, a builder by profession, had taken a flight to Jordan. From there they crossed over to Iraq after several checks from the Jordanian authorities and UN officers.

Mazhar said, "I have visited Iraq for 6 years in a row from 1996 for the religious congregation of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Geelani. And every year, I felt that the situation was improving..."

Asked to specify, Mazhar said, "During my last trip, I found there were many new cars. I remember in 1996 there hardly used to be any windowpanes in Baghdad taxis, but that all changed in six years. What I liked most about Iraq was that the government supplied monthly ration to every family and there were no complaints from the common people."

Asked if there was freedom of speech there, he said, "I have no idea about that but I did not see anyone talking against Saddam. I feel one of the reason was that the cost of goods were stagnant and there as no increase in prices, which is the best thing for the Iraqis. In fact, Iraqis are more angry with the US and UN for imposing sanctions on them."