Tue, 4 Feb 2003 

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Mandela Loses Patience with Bush over Iraq

Anthony Stoppard

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 31 (IPS) - Former South African president,  Nelson Mandela has lost patience with diplomacy and launched a  scathing personal attack on U.S. president, George W. Bush for  his apparent determination to take military action against Iraq,  if the middle-eastern country does not prove it has no weapons of  mass destruction to the satisfaction of the United States.

   Mandela insists that the United States must act through the  United Nations if it wants to move against Iraq. ''What I am  condemning is that one power, with a president who has no  foresight, who cannot think properly, is now wanting to plunge  the world into a holocaust,'' said Mandela, in an address to an  International Women's Forum (IWF) conference in Johannesburg, on  Jan 30.

    Mandela called on Americans to get rid of Bush through the  ballot box, and if they were not able to do so before a possible  attack on Iraq, then they should launch mass actions to protest  and demonstrate against the war.

    White House spokesperson, Ari Fleischer, has reportedly  responded to Mandela's remarks by saying that Bush ''understands  that there are going to be people who are more comfortable doing  nothing about a growing menace that could turn into a holocaust''.

    Although Mandela regularly insists that he is a retired man  with no power and little influence, the remarks of the elder  statesman are sure to strengthen the will of the international  peace movement. And, although he is known to be fiercely  independent in his thinking, Mandela remains a loyal member of  South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) and seldom  steps out of line of government policy.

    South Africa, currently lobbying the majority of countries  in the UN to oppose a possible U.S.-led attack on Iraq, is  determined to strengthen the UN, so that it can become a forum in  which developing countries can deal with the United States -- the  world's only remaining super-power -- and other developed  nations, on equal terms.

    South Africa is also very concerned that a war in Iraq would  destabilise the global economy at a time when it -- and many  other developing countries -- are suffering from slowing  international trade and weak financial markets.

    Mandela condemned world leaders for not speaking out loudly  enough against the possible war and called on those countries  with a veto in the UN Security Council, to oppose the U.S.'s push  toward conflict. However, he also warned Iraq to co-operate fully  with the UN and said he would support any UN sanction against the  country, if it was found to have weapons of mass destruction.

    Mandela also launched a stunning attack on British Prime  Minister, Tony Blair -- a strong supporter of the U.S. in its  campaign against Iraq. ''He is the foreign minister of the United  States. He is not longer the Prime Minister of Britain''.

    Mandela's attack on Blair comes just before South African  President, Thabo Mbeki, meets with the British Prime Minister,  in the United Kingdom, on Feb 1.

    As chair of the 115-strong Non-aligned Movement (NAM), Mbeki  is expected to underline to Blair that many countries want the  Iraqi crises settled peacefully, and through a decision backed by  the majority of the members of the United Nations.

    In turn, Blair is expected to try and convince Mbeki of the  strength of the case of the U.S. and Britain, against Iraq.

    South Africa has made it clear that it does not believe the  UN weapons inspectors have come up with any evidence that  justifies an attack on Iraq.

    Mbeki and Blair are also scheduled to discuss the New  Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) -- a programme for  the economic and social development of the continent -- and  British efforts to isolate the government of Zimbabwe's  president, Robert Mugabe. Britain has led international  opposition to Mugabe's government, which is alleged to have  rigged Zimbabwe's last general election, held in 2000.

    In his speech at the IWF, Mandela also attacked Blair for  trying to isolate Mugabe, rather than taking the lead of the  Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is also  trying to resolve the political and economic crises in Zimbabwe.  He came out in support of French efforts to lift sanctions  against Mugabe, so that the Zimbabwean leader could attend a  conference on human rights in Paris. The move is opposed by  Britain. The European Union (EU) is divided over the issue, and  is still trying to reach an agreement on the matter before the  sanctions expire in the next few days.

    South African foreign affairs experts do not believe that  Mandela's remarks will seriously damage relations between the  African country and the United States and Britain. They point out  that while Mandela may have bluntly reflected South Africa's  positions, he is still a private citizen who is free to do and  say what he wants. His comments are unlikely to result in a  formal diplomatic rumpus between the three  countries.