Kuala Lumpur, Feb 24: Accusing the United States and the West of adopting `double standards` on terrorism, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad today made a strong plea for outlawing war and not allowing any single nation to assume the role of world policeman. Taking over the Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement that represents 55 per cent of world population and almost two third seats at the UN, Mahathir, in his opening remarks at the beginning of NAM Summit, blamed the Western nations and Israel for causing a global upsurge in terrorism. The biggest threat to NAM countries today was "the tendency of the powerful to wage war when faced with opposition to spread their dominance, he said asking the 116 predominantly developing nations bloc to "work to do away or modify the powers of the victors of the war half a century ago." "It is no longer just a war against terrorism. It is in fact a war to dominate the world," said Mahatir Mohammed adding "powerful countries no longer respect borders, international laws or simple moral values following the September 11 terror attacks." They were instead seeking to revive the old European trait of "wanting to dominate the world," he said suggesting that no single nation should be allowed to police the world and decide what action to take, when."

Bureau Report