Asia Fears Drawn Out Iraq War, Terror Backlash
Vicious firefights, footage of captured and dead Americans and armoured convoys halted by strong Iraqi resistence are pointing to a drawn out conflict and a more dangerous world, Malaysia and New Zealand said on Monday. Just days into the war and already the talk by some American military experts of a quick end to the conflict has been silenced after a string of accidents, desert battles and defiant words from Iraqi leaders. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad called the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq the action of a cowardly, imperialist bully, and said it would lead to a system of dictatorship through puppet governments. He also warned of increased terrorism and said Washington’s decision to bypass the United Nations in seeking to depose Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by force had undermined world order. “The U.N. and international law are now meaningless. We have now returned to the stone age where might determines justice.” Full Story