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| Southeast Asia |
| Australia 'the US deputy sheriff' |
| 2003-01-26 |
| MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has argued that Australia is the only country to sign up enthusiastically for a possible US-led war on Iraq. Mahathir said Australia had taken on the role of deputy sheriff for Washington, which was "completely isolated" in its Iraq policy. "Only Australia has signed up enthusiastically, in the role of deputy sheriff. Even Britain is now having some second thoughts," he told Newsweek. "Festus!" "Yes, Marshal Dillon?" "I'm going to level Iraq. Keep an eye out for the Dalton Gang while I'm gone." "You ain't goin' to level no Iraq without me. I'm goin' with you." "Well... Okay. I guess Miss Kitty can deal with the Dalton Gang..." Mahathir alo defended Malaysia's introduction of Islam saying it was a "modernising force" for nomadic people of the Arab world. He related Islamic fundamentalism to the "globalising of everything". "Even terrorism has been globalised. But you can't change this trend. We have to deal with these mobile Arabs, and we do. Even in the Arab world, fundamentalists are a minority." Did that statement make any sense? The Commies were a minority. The Nazis were a minority. The Ba'athists are a minority. Every oppressive feudal system that's ever existed has featured power wielded by a minority. Why would Malaysia be safe? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |