haʊˈɛvɚ, hiː wʌz ˈɔːlsoʊ ɐn aʊtspˈoʊkən kɹˈɪɾɪk ʌvðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts ænd hiː vˈiəməntli əpˈoʊzd ðɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən ænd bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ɪnvˈeɪʒən ʌv ɪɹˈæk ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiː tə tˈɑːpəl fˈɔːɹmɚ pɹˈɛzɪdənt sˈædəm hˈʌsiːn.
However, he was also an outspoken critic of the United States and he vehemently opposed the American and British invasion of Iraq in 2003 to topple former President Saddam Hussein.