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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (44847)	10/22/2003 2:32:14 AM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

Mahatir response.. Mahathir shrugs off US criticism over remarks <More from Mahathir Via Drudge, from the Bangkok Post: In my speech I condemned all violence, even the suicide bombings, and I told the Muslims it's about time we stopped all these things and paused to think and do something that is much more productive. That was the whole tone of my speech, but they picked up one sentence where I said that the Jews control the world,'' he told Bangkok Post in an exclusive interview yesterday, which covered aspects of his 22 years as leader of Malaysia, as well as his straight-forward views on terrorism, democracy and US policy. Dr Mahathir added, however, that "...the reaction of the world shows that they [Jews] do control the world'." Link posted by Steve Antler : 9:28 AM > BANGKOK, Oct 21: Shrugging off US condemnation, Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad renewed his attack on "arrogant" Jews on Tuesday, saying the reaction to his recent controversial comments confirms they do "control the world". The veteran leader, who retires later this month, launched his latest salvo despite US President George W. Bush chiding him at a Pacific Rim summit here on Monday for his "wrong and divisive" charge that Jews rule the world. In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Mahathir also criticised Western media who he said took his comments at last week's summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Malaysia out of context. "In my speech I condemned all violence, even the suicide bombings, and I told all Muslims it's about time we stopped all these things and paused to think and do something that is much more productive," he said. "That was the whole tone of my speech, but they picked up one sentence where I said that the Jews control the world. "Well, the reaction of the world shows they control the world." The comments attracted a volley of international criticism led by Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who on Monday slammed the remarks as "slanderous". However, Mahathir denied the White House's claims that the US leader "pulled him aside" to rebuke him during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meet which concluded here on Tuesday. "All he told me was: I regret having to use strong words against you. He did not rebuke me at all and after that, we were walking practically hand-in-hand," he said. In his fresh broadside aired in the Bangkok Post, Mahathir accused the West of double standards in its outrage over his comments. "The Europeans and the Americans and others want to condemn me when, in fact, one chap said all Muslims are terrorists. (Italian Prime Minister Silvio) Berlusconi himself made a statement that Muslims are terrorists. "Did the European Union pass a resolution to say that this is against Muslims?" he asked. "Why is it that when people condemn Muslims the European Union does not try to say anything?" "Israel is a small country. There are not many Jews in the world. But they are so arrogant that they defy the whole world. Even if the United Nations say no, they go ahead. Why? Because they have the backing of all these people." European Union leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels on Oct 17 attacked Mahathir's comments but the denunciation was made in a statement from the Italian presidency of the EU, and not in the conclusions of the summit. French President Jacques Chirac was accused of having it blocked, which sparked a separate controversy. Mahathir, known for his forthright style, told the Post that he believed his comments at the OIC summit were only partially reported by the Western media because "many newspapers are owned by Jews". "They only see that angle and they have a powerful influence over people," he said. "Only their side of the picture is given now. The Muslims, we are pictured as terrorists, unreasonable people, unable to administer our countries, unable to develop our countries." He also had some words of advice for Bush on the way he is handling the war on terror, which dominated the APEC summit much to the annoyance of Mahathir who believes the meeting should remain a trade and economic forum. Asked in the interview whether Washington was capable of resolving the campaigns it had started, he replied: "Not in the way they are approaching conflicts. "Using force to make people democratic, I think is wrong," he said. -AFP