Non-aligned nations slam Israeli attacks, U.S. policies

[sonz]

Leaders of over 100 Non-aligned Movement nations, including the staunchest U.S. foes, attacked Israel over its month-long offensive in Lebanon, which claimed the lives of over 1,000 innocent people, mostly children.

They also pledged support for what they described as peaceful resolution to the current U.S.-Iran nuclear standoff.

In the final declaration Saturday of a summit that gathered some of the world's staunchest American foes, representatives of the 118 nations, issued a 92-page declaration broadly condemning terrorism, yet stating that fighting against foreign occupation should not be labeled as a form of terrorism.

Besides declaring democracy to be a universal value, the gathering also stressed that no country or region should define it for the whole world, apparently referring to the U.S. non-stop attempts to intervene in the Arab countries’ political system.

Non-aligned Movement nations’ reps also defended Venezuela as well as other countries’ rights to determine their own forms of government.

"No one in the Non-aligned Movement thinks that the United States is responsible for all the problems, but many think that it is for some," Cuba's Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque said.

Ailing Cuban President Fidel Castro, who’d been chosen as the president of the movement, stayed at home following doctors' orders.

Acting Cuban President Raul Castro presided over the meeting that included leaders of two-thirds of the world's nations, including Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, Zimbabwe and a number of other U.S. foes.

"The United States spends one billion dollars a year in weapons and soldiers," Raul Castro said. "To think that a social and economic order that has proven unsustainable could be maintained by force is simply an absurd idea."

Also North Korea's No. 2 leader and one of the most vocal critics of the United States, Kim Yong Nam, said his country "would not need even a single nuclear weapon if there no longer existed a U.S. threat," noting that the U.S. financial sanctions have "driven the situation into an unpredictable phase."

Kim moreover attributed the current global unrest to the U.S. foreign policy and its insistence not to respect other nations’ sovereignty which he said has destroyed "the international order."

"The United States is attempting to deprive other countries of even their legitimate right to peaceful nuclear activities," he said. He also stressed that the U.S. has been "abusing the human rights issue" to interfere in the internal affairs of foreign countries.

The United States rejected an invitation to attend the summit, saying it would have no comment on any of the proceedings.

Also during the summit, many leaders urged the UN to end the U.S. veto power in the Security Council.

"The U.S. is turning the Security Council into a base for imposing its politics," Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad complained. "Why should people live under the nuclear threat of the U.S.?"

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan agreed the Security Council must be more responsive to less powerful countries.

"The Security Council must reform — for the sake of the developing world, and for the sake of the United Nations itself," the Secretary General told the Non-aligned leaders.

"The perception of a narrow power-base risks leading to an erosion of the UN's authority and legitimacy — even, some would argue, its neutrality and independence. I have in the past described this as a democracy deficit."

[Trumble]

I'm not quite sure what a "Non-aligned Movement" is supposed to be now the Cold War is long over.

Looking at that lot (Cuba, North Korea, Iran) it seems more a "we hate America" movement than a "non-aligned" one.

[sonz]

I'm not quite sure what a "Non-aligned Movement" is supposed to be now the Cold War is long over.

Looking at that lot (Cuba, North Korea, Iran) it seems more a "we hate America" movement than a "non-aligned" one.

why dont u read about the non-alignment movement before u post.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Aligned_Movement

here are lists of the countries

1. Afghanistan
2. Algeria
3. Angola
4. Antigua and Barbuda
5. Bahamas
6. Bahrain
7. Bangladesh
8. Barbados
9. Belarus
10. Belize
11. Benin
12. Bhutan
13. Bolivia
14. Botswana
15. Brunei
16. Burkina Faso
17. Burundi
18. Cambodia
19. Cameroon
20. Cape Verde
21. Central African Republic
22. Chad
23. Chile
24. Colombia
25. Comoros
26. Congo
27. Côte d'Ivoire
28. Cuba
29. Democratic Republic of Congo
30. Djibouti
31. Dominica
32. Dominican Republic
33. Ecuador
34. Egypt
35. Equatorial Guinea
36. Eritrea
37. Ethiopia
38. Gabon
39. Gambia
40. Ghana
41. Grenada
42. Guatemala
43. Guinea
44. Guinea-Bissau
45. Guyana
46. Haiti
47. Honduras
48. India
49. Indonesia
50. Iran
51. Iraq
52. Jamaica
53. Jordan
54. Kenya
55. Kuwait
56. Laos
57. Lebanon
58. Lesotho
59. Liberia
60. Libya
61. Madagascar
62. Malawi
63. Malaysia
64. Maldives
65. Mali
66. Mauritania
67. Mauritius
68. Mongolia
69. Morocco
70. Mozambique
71. Myanmar
72. Namibia
73. Nepal
74. Nicaragua
75. Niger
76. Nigeria
77. North Korea
78. Oman
79. Pakistan
80. Panama
81. Papua New Guinea
82. Peru
83. Philippines
84. Qatar
85. Rwanda
86. Saint Lucia
87. Saint Kitts and Nevis
88. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
89. São Tomé and Príncipe
90. Saudi Arabia
91. Senegal
92. Seychelles
93. Sierra Leone
94. Singapore
95. Somalia
96. South Africa
97. Sri Lanka
98. Sudan
99. Suriname
100. Swaziland
101. Syria
102. Tanzania
103. Thailand
104. Timor Leste
105. Togo
106. Trinidad and Tobago
107. Tunisia
108. Turkmenistan
109. Uganda
110. United Arab Emirates
111. Uzbekistan
112. Vanuatu
113. Venezuela
114. Vietnam
115. Yemen
116. Zambia
117. Zimbabwe

[therebbe]

Sounds like some of the worlds most opressive dictators and the worlds most human rights lacking people because of dictators were there.

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[Trumble]

why dont u read about the non-alignment movement before u post.

I did... that article to be precise. Nowhere does it explain what, in the absence of the Cold War, the countries involved are supposed to be "non-aligned" to in 2006. The "power blocs" no longer exist. Although there are obviously many more countries, the only ones mentioned in your article were Cuba, North Korea, and Iran.

The wiki article states

The 2006 meeting in Havana has leaders discussing a strategy on dealing with the increasing influence of the United States on international affairs

I rest my case.

[therebbe]

The non-aligned movement is continuing the tradition of Stalin.

[sonz]

I rest my case.

again read before u post

The purpose of the organization as stated in the Havana Declaration of 1979 is to ensure "the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries" in their "struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid, racism, including Zionism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics".[1][2] They represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations's members and comprise 55% of the world population.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Aligned_Movement

this applies to us and israel

[sonz]

The non-aligned movement is continuing the tradition of Stalin.

and US and israel is continuing the tradition of the Nazis

[wilberhum]

and US and israel is continuing the tradition of the Nazis

So then you agree:

The non-aligned movement is continuing the tradition of Stalin.

[Trumble]

again read before u post

Again, I did. I can only suggest you follow your own advice.

The purpose of the organization as stated in the Havana Declaration of 1979 is to ensure "the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries" in their "struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid, racism, including Zionism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics".[1][2] They represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations's members and comprise 55% of the world population.

I repeat, WHAT "great power and bloc politics"? It isn't 1979 any more. There are no "blocs" any more, and hence none that can be aligned, or indeed non-aligned, to. The rest is just a bolt-on. Maybe they should rename themselves?

this applies to us and israel

Well, we have already established that it is being applied to the US.. they have said so. The reference to "Zionism" could only have been included specifically to include Israel, so no surprises there, either. I would also point out it could apply to an awful lot of other people were it more politically convenient to do so, a fair number of whom are actually members of the organization!

[therebbe]

and US and israel is continuing the tradition of the Nazis

The tradition of the Nazi's were taking amounts of people and gasing them, and then burning them. Is the US and Israel doing this? Are you even one to talk, especially since I have family that were killed by the Nazi's.

[Hawa]

The tradition of the Nazi's were taking amounts of people and gasing them, and then burning them. Is the US and Israel doing this? Are you even one to talk, especially since I have family that were killed by the Nazi's.

It doesnt matter whether you gas people or bomb them, your still committing acts of genocide and thats exactly what the USA and the "state of Israel" are doing. Which makes those who "continue the tradition of Stalin" look like peace-mongers I would say.

[therebbe]

Which makes those who "continue the tradition of Stalin" look like peace-mongers I would say.

Stalin killed more people than Hitler did, like 2X more. But would I expect you to know anything about history... no.

[north_malaysian]

NAM is just like OIC .... weak!!! They can speak whatever they want ... but do nothing....

[Hawa]

Stalin killed more people than Hitler did, like 2X more. But would I expect you to know anything about history... no.

my statement was a sarcastic one..would I expect you to get that...guess not.
i'll be generous and explain my comment to you, those who "continue the tradition of Stalin" (non-aligned states in this case) look like peace-mongers compared to the USA and Israel..
..still scratching your head?

[Keltoi]

I would just be curious to know what genocide the U.S. is committing... If you really want to stop a genocide, perhaps you should be more interested in what is going on in Darfur.

[Hawa]

I would just be curious to know what genocide the U.S. is committing... If you really want to stop a genocide, perhaps you should be more interested in what is going on in Darfur.

Mass killings constitutes Genocide, number of Iraqi civillians killed in the "war against terrorism" constitutes Genocide.


This topic has nothing to do with Darfur, perhaps you would be so kind as to make one?

[Keltoi]

Mass killings constitutes Genocide, number of Iraqi civillians killed in the "war against terrorism" constitutes Genocide.


This topic has nothing to do with Darfur, perhaps you would be so kind as to make one?

Then I suppose fellow Iraqis are also committing a "genocide" upon their own people, since they seem to be doing all the killing the past two years.