BAGHDAD, Iraq - With U.S.-led forces closing in on Baghdad, a composed Saddam Hussein tried to rally his people and his troops with a stirring address Monday in which he vowed that allied forces would be crushed and "victory will be ours soon." 

In Washington, a senior U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity said U.S. intelligence had determined that Saddam's speech was recorded. However, it is unclear when it was taped - hours or weeks before the strikes. 

The Iraqi president appeared in full military uniform and seemed more robust and relaxed than during his last nationally televised address on Thursday, which followed the first round of cruise missile attacks on his capital. There had been unconfirmed reports that he was killed or injured in those attacks. 

"Iraq will strike the necks (of each enemy fighter)," he said. "Strike them, and strike evil so that evil will be defeated." 

Taunting the allies, he asked: "Have you found what the devil that besets your soul promised you in Iraq?" 

Saddam urged loyal Iraqis to cut the throats of the invaders and insisted that Iraqi troops would prevail in the fight against a more technologically advanced enemy. He also made specific reference to U.S. tactics and the fighting around Umm Qasr, in an obvious attempt to show that the address was relatively current. 

"Those who are believers will be victorious. In these decisive days, the enemy tried not using missiles and fighter jets as they did before. This time, they sent their infantry troops. This time, they have come to invade and occupy your land," he said. 

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said nothing in Saddam's Monday speech proved it had been made since the beginning of the war. 

"I think there are some doubts about whether that tape is canned or was fresh based on recent events," Fleischer said. "It would not be a surprise if Saddam Hussein had some time ago put in the can numerous statements designed to be released later." 

U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Saddam would have to make a specific reference to a recent event to prove he's alive. 

Officials say it is highly unlikely Saddam would use a double to give a speech; the Iraqis know such a ruse would probably be detected. Look-alikes, officials said, are more useful in motorcades and similar functions that don't require public speaking. 

British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said he was not convinced the address was current. 

"The contemporary events referred to ... did not appear to me to be unambiguously contemporary," he said. 

"And had he have wanted to indicate that this was live, or was recent, there were many events that he could have referred to, which he clearly did not," he said. "So that is why we are continuing to analyze the situation." 

In Saddam's address on Thursday, the Iraqi leader looked haggard and appeared at a loss at times, shuffling his papers to find his next line. 

On Monday, Saddam appeared relatively rested and spoke with confidence. 

However, he repeatedly collected the papers from which he was reading and tapped them against the worn-looking reading table. 

The backdrop was a white sheet. Saddam normally holds meetings or gives statements in palaces or other grand buildings but has recently hunkered down in rooms with beams, no windows and no discernible backdrops. 

Praising his troops, Saddam said Iraqi fighters were "causing the enemy to suffer and to lose every day." 

"As time goes by, they will lose more and they will not be able to escape lightly from their predicament," he said. "We will make it as painful as we can." 

Saddam said American and British forces had "become entangled" in Iraq's desert, with "Iraqi residents surrounding them and aiming their fire at them." 

Addressing the people of Iraq's cities, Saddam warned that the enemy will intensify its raids as its troops suffer casualties on the ground. 

"Be patient. God's victory is coming," he added. "Be tolerant." 

Saddam said the ground battles were going well and Iraqi troops had been able to inflict great losses on the enemy. He praised his commanders, several of them by name, saying their units fought fiercely against coalition troops. 

Among those he named were the commanders of the 51st, 11th and 18th divisions, which are posted in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city. 

One of those commanders, Lt. Gen. Khaled Saleh al-Hashimi of the 51st, was interviewed by the Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera in Basra on Sunday. Earlier reports said he surrendered to U.S. troops. 

Al-Hashimi denied the "American lies" and said he was still in Basra fighting and admitted that "we have offered sacrifices but these are the price for the defense of our honor and sacred land." 

Saddam told the people of Basra, which has been isolated but not occupied by allied forces, to be patient because "victory is imminent." 

Saddam said the allies were "trying to avoid engaging our forces" - a clear reference to the U.S. strategy of avoiding having to enter provincial cities - adding that "they are using their warplanes to attack our troops without engaging them in fighting."