Oil the real motive for US plans to attack Iraq: Mahathir
Oil is the real motive behind the likely US attack on Iraq, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.
"We feel that the US plans to attack Iraq are for other reasons - to take control of Iraq's oil found in abundance," Mahathir was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency at an anti-war rally.
Iraq sits on the world's second-largest known oil reserves.
Oil is the real motive behind the likely US attack on Iraq, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.
"We feel that the US plans to attack Iraq are for other reasons - to take control of Iraq's oil found in abundance," Mahathir was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency at an anti-war rally.
Iraq sits on the world's second-largest known oil reserves.
Fears of a second war in Iraq, which the United States accuses of hiding weapons of mass destruction, have engendered further concerns of an oil price shock.
Little weight
Mahathir said a report expected today by UN arms inspectors to the United Nations Security Council after two months of inspections of Iraq's purported weapons capacity would likely carry little weight in light of Washington's pursuit of oil.
"If their intention is to attack, whatever reports are of no use. It is clear that this is a unilateral decision," he said.
A senior US military official Friday said Washington was drawing up plans to move swiftly to protect Iraq's 1,500 oil fields in the event of a war because Saddam was believed to be preparing to have them destroyed.
The Southeast Asian veteran leader, who has pledged to step down in October after 22 years at the helm, implored the United States to settle the crisis at the table.
"If angry with (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein, go and negotiate with him. Don't kill innocent Iraqis," added Mahathir, who has warned that a war against Iraq would provoke Muslim rage and broaden the ranks of terrorists. - AFP
