Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mandela Slams US Iraq Policy (Barf Alert)
Yahoo News/Reuters ^ | 6-20-03 | Micheal Roddy

Posted on 06/20/2003 6:37:37 PM PDT by chichipow

GALWAY, Ireland (Reuters) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela said Friday the United States posed a danger to the world for sidelining the United Nations (news - web sites) to make war on Iraq (news - web sites)

The Nobel peace laureate, in Ireland to open the Special Olympics, strongly criticized President Bush (news - web sites) for circumventing the United Nations in order to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) by force.

"Any organization, any country, any movement that now decides to sideline the United Nations, that country and its leader are a danger to the world," Mandela said in Galway, where he received an honorary degree a day before opening the games.

"We cannot allow the world to again degenerate into a place where the will of the powerful dominates over all other considerations," he added. "That will surely prove to be a recipe for growing anarchy in world affairs."

Mandela received an honorary doctorate in law from the National University of Ireland before returning to Dublin where he will join a star-studded cast to open the 11th Special Olympics for athletes with learning disabilities.

Mandela, who said South Africans strongly identified with Ireland's struggle to end colonial rule, told an audience of 1,100 that he appreciated Irish support for South Africa's struggle to end apartheid racial separation.

Now 84, and walking with difficulty with the aid of a cane, Mandela spent 27 years in prison, much of that on Robben Island near Cape Town, in solitary confinement.

PEACE PARALLELS

He told his Irish audience he had "an appreciation for your support to our struggle at a time when it was not fashionable to demonstrate such support."

But Mandela suggested Ireland had failed to show as much backbone in standing up to the U.S. war effort in Iraq, which relied heavily on troop transports stopping over at Shannon airport in western Ireland.

Ireland also is a European base for many U.S. multinational companies.

"You are keeping quiet. You are afraid of this country (the United States) and its leader," he said.

The 30-minute speech was met by thunderous and sustained applause by an audience of academics and invited guests and by the general public watching nearby.

"It's great to see him... he fought for his rights," said Claire Rabbitte, who stood on one of the campus laneways to catch a glimpse of Mandela, wearing academic robes, as he was driven to the hall in an open buggy.

Mandela said there were strong parallels between the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and the Northern Irish peace process, which culminated in a 1998 peace deal for power sharing between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

"Our own experience in South Africa, where we confounded the prophets of doom and achieved a peaceful settlement, inspires us to believe that no situation can be so intractable that it cannot be solved through negotiations and willingness to compromise," he said.

Saturday, Mandela, former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and rock supergroup U2 will open the games.

Seven thousand competitors from 160 countries have gathered in Ireland for the festival at Dublin's Croke Park stadium, the first time it has been held outside the United States.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iraq; mandela; un
Why does anyone put a shred of relevance to what this commie wingnut says? It astonishes me. Really.
1 posted on 06/20/2003 6:37:37 PM PDT by chichipow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: chichipow
"Famous Anus".
2 posted on 06/20/2003 6:40:56 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chichipow
Maybe Nelson should focus his attention to his buddy Mugabe and the mess in his own back yard.
3 posted on 06/20/2003 6:42:12 PM PDT by MJY1288 (Liberalism is the enemy of Freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chichipow
"Our own experience in South Africa, where we confounded the prophets of doom and achieved a peaceful settlement, inspires us to believe that no situation can be so intractable that it cannot be solved through negotiations and willingness to compromise," he said.

Mandela insinuates that So. Africa is a success under the ANC. S. Africa is near ruin, The Rand has less value and on the decline, The economy is in shambles, law and order is out of control, There is tremendous brain drain. This is not doom?

4 posted on 06/20/2003 7:30:55 PM PDT by BIGZ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chichipow
The Nobel peace laureate, in Ireland to open the Special Olympics, strongly criticized President Bush

Mandela's in the Special Olympics? How nice! What event is he entered in? The 100 meter dash for cash?

5 posted on 06/20/2003 7:31:10 PM PDT by freebilly (I think they've misunderestimated us....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chichipow
What's a Mandela?
6 posted on 06/20/2003 7:31:42 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Californians are as dumm as a sack of rocks)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Publius6961
"What's a Mandela? "

its the "crust" surrounding animal dung; that keeps it from falling apart when the "dung beetle" rolls it away...

7 posted on 06/20/2003 8:19:38 PM PDT by hoot2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson