War on Iraq, war against Muslims: Mahathir

War on Iraq, war against Muslims: Mahathir

Agencies, Kuala Lumpur

Delegates to a summit representing more than half the world
backed strong calls for Iraq to disarm while opposing a U.S.-led
attack on Baghdad, and host nation Malaysia warned on Sunday that
an invasion of Iraq would be seen as "a war against Muslims."

Preparations for the Non-Aligned Movement summit opening on
Monday have been dominated by the U.S. confrontations with Iraq
and North Korea -- two member countries alleged to have weapons
of mass destruction.

Over the weekend, the grouping of 114 mostly developing
nations -- which includes many U.S. allies as well as its most
bitter foes -- drafted a compromise statement on Iraq that urged
Baghdad to "actively comply" with United Nation resolutions but
made clear the movement's strong revulsion toward any U.S.-led
war.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Sunday the
world was in a state of terror, allowing fear of Muslims to
affect international policy, and a war on Iraq would be seen as a
war on Muslims.

Mahathir said the West's "mild admonishment" of North Korea
over its weapons of mass destruction proves a looming U.S.-led
war against Iraq is targeting Muslims.

"The attack against Iraq will simply anger more Muslims who
see this as being anti-Muslim rather than anti-terror," Mahathir,
chairman and host of the summit, told a business forum.

Many of the nations from as far apart as Afghanistan and
Zambia have seized on a deadline set for Iraq to destroy its
longer-range missiles as a chance to avoid war.

The United States and Britain are massing 150,000 troops on
Iraq's border, threatening war unless President Saddam Hussein
surrenders alleged stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
Opinion polls show many people believe Washington's motive is
control of Iraq's vast oil fields.

NAM delegates on Sunday also endorsed a separate statement
condemning Israel for "systematic human rights violations and
reported war crimes" in Palestinian areas. Since the 1967 Middle
East War, non-aligned nations have regularly condemned Israel's
occupation of Palestinian territory.

Heads of state were arriving on Sunday and were to approve
separate declarations during their two-day summit ending on
Tuesday.

The bloc represent the 55 percent of the world's population
and holds nearly two-thirds of the UN General Assembly seats. Six
of them -- Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Pakistan and Syria --
are members of the 15-seat Security Council, where the United
States and Britain need a nine-vote majority to pass a resolution
authorizing an attack on Iraq.

Those six countries were undecided on Sunday about whether a
war against Iraq was necessary and said they were awaiting the
next report, due March 1, from UN inspectors trying to rid Iraq
of weapons of mass destruction.

Mahathir also accused Israel of seizing upon fears of
terrorism following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as an excuse
"to launch terror attacks against the Palestinians."

Palestinian delegates had said the draft declaration would
include a move to impose sanctions on Israel.

Meanwhile, summit delegates said preliminary agreement was
reached on a declaration to appeal to North Korea to rejoin a key
nuclear treaty, and urge Washington and Pyongyang to peacefully
resolve their dispute over the North Korea's alleged nuclear
weapons development.