World Leaders Condemn US, Russian Crimes Against Humanity

In their speeches to the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the leaders of Iran, Venezuela and Zimbabwe challenged America's domineering hold on the world and called for reform of the UN.

Venezuela's President Chavez said:

"Yesterday the devil came here. And it still smells of sulphur today, this table that I am now standing in front of," Mr Chavez said in reference to Mr Bush, who had addressed the General Assembly a day earlier.

"Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the President of the United States, the gentleman I call 'the devil', came here, talking as if he owned the world, truly as the owner of the world," he told delegates.

Mr Chavez called Bush "a liar" and "a tyrant" who should be hauled before an international tribunal for the illegal US-led invasion of Iraq.

He said  Bush's speech to the General Assembly should be examined by a psychiatrist because contrary to what he said, he was actually spreading terrorism in the world by word and deed.

"We cannot allow world dictatorship to be consolidated," Mr Chavez said.

US "imperialism", he argued, was "a threat to the survival of the human race".

Mr Chavez accused  Bush of promoting "a false democracy of the elite" and a "democracy of bombs".

The Venezuelan leader called for drastic change to the UN to reduce the excessive influence of the US and the other four permanent members of the Security Council making the "Big Five"- Britain, China, France and Russia -- who wield veto powers such that they can individually or colllectively derail any UN resolution.

"Let's be honest: the UN system born after the Second World War has collapsed, it is worthless," Mr Chavez said.

He continued his no-holds-barred criticism of the US leader the next day at a Harlem church, saying: "Bush is an alcoholic, a sick man with a lot of hang-ups."

 Bush has admitted he was a heavy drinker in his younger days.

"The United States should choose a president with whom you can talk and work, not this gentleman who walks like John Wayne," he said, he said in reference to the late American actor who featured mostly in gun-toting and swashbuckling cowboy roles.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who spoke the day before Mr Chavez, sharply criticised the US and Britain.

He said the two abused the Security Council.

"If they have differences with a nation or state, they drag it to the Security Council and as claimants, arrogate to themselves simultaneously the roles of prosecutor, judge and executioner," Mr Ahmadinejad said.

"Is this a just order?" asked the Iranian leader, who had challenged Mr Bush to a debate on world issues.

Echoing Mr Chavez and Mr Ahmadinejad's comments, President Mugabe took a swipe at Britain and the US for frustrating development efforts in Zimbabwe through the illegal economic sanctions which they have imposed on Harare.

He said lack of concrete action was stalling development in Africa together with obstructing of funding by some Western powers.

"In the case of Zimbabwe, these countries have blocked any balance of payments support and other support from the international financial institutions that they control. Following the heroic and successful efforts of the people of Zimbabwe in clearing requisite arrears to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), these negative forces manipulated decision- making at the institution to deny us any new support.

"They have even tried to restrict investment inflows, all this on account of political differences between them and us. Is it not a paradox that while we are denied resources for development, funding is readily made available to support elements bent on subverting the democratically expressed will of the majority of our citizens and to unconstitutionally effect regime change? We condemn this interference in our domestic affairs," Cde Mugabe said.

He said the state of affairs in the Security Council where a few powerful countries hold the world to ransom was no longer tenable.

Cde Mugabe said it was sad that the Security Council dithered and failed to take timely action to stop massacres and wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon because of the misguided national interests of one superpower -- the US.

He warned resistance against the US would intensify likening it to a Goliath who would one day be felled by a David.

The President pointed out that Africa was the only continent without a permanent seat with veto power in the Security Council, saying this was unacceptable and needed immediate correction.

The position of the African Union on the matter was very clear: Africa demands two permanent seats complete with veto power and two other non-permanent seats.

"We will not compromise on this matter until our concerns are adequately addressed," said the President.

Cde Mugabe said the future of the international community would be best served by an international order based on strengthening multilateralism to achieve lasting peace and equitable development.