The former infantryman and retired general said he had seen only snippets of tapes and could not comment as to when they were made, if it was indeed Saddam in them or if it was proof the Iraqi leader had survived the first days of the war.

But, he said quickly, none of those issues really matter.

"Psychologically, it is not going to affect our efforts," Powell told reporters at the State Department after meeting with top EU diplomat Javier Solana.

"Our troops know what they are there to do: they are there to liberate Iraq and they will be successful in that mission," he said. "Whether he (Saddam) is there at the end or not, or found or not, is almost irrelevant."

"We are almost totally in control of the country and we'll be in complete control soon," Powell said. "A better day is ahead for the Iraqi people."

In the first tape broadcast earlier Friday on Iraqi television, Saddam is seen urging Iraqis to resist the US-led invasion.

He makes reference to the March 24 downing of an AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship in what some analysts believe is a sign Saddam survived a "decapitation" strike at the start of the war on March 20.

That tape was followed by scenes of a smiling Saddam walking in the streets of Baghdad, surrounded by cheering supporters, some waving rifles and others rushing up to kiss his hand.

It was the first time Saddam has been shown in public since the war began.

SPACE.WIRE