Published on Thursday, January 30, 2003 by the Independent (Cape Town, South Africa) All Bush Wants is Iraqi Oil, Says Mandela

Former president Nelson Mandela said on Thursday the United States was preparing to go to war because "George Bush wants to get hold of the Iraqi oil".

Former South African President Nelson Mandela lashed out at President George Bush's stance on Iraq January 30, 2003, saying the Texan had no foresight and could not think properly. "All Bush wants is Iraqi oil, because Iraq produces 64 percent of oil and he wants to get hold of it. "Bush is acting outside the United Nations and both he and (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair are undermining the United Nations, an organisation which was an idea sponsored by their predecessors."

Mandela also questioned whether the US was ignoring the UN because its secretary-general is black.

"Because they (America) are so arrogant, they killed innocent people in Japan during Hiroshima and Nagasaki," he said referring to the two atom bombs the US dropped on Japanese cities to end the Second World War.

'One power with a president who can't think properly, ... wants to plant the world into holocaust' The elderly statesman said he was pleased that the people of the world, including Americans, were opposing the US government. "He (Bush) is making the greatest mistake of his life by trying to cause carnage.

Copyright 2003 Independent Online