"The United States has made serious mistakes in the conduct of its foreign affairs, which have had unfortunate repercussions long after the decisions were taken," Mandela told Newsweek magazine.

"If you look at those matters, you will come to the conclusion that the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace," he said, citing, as its worst move, US "sabotage" of the UN decision over the withdrawal of the Soviet Union from Afghanistan.

According to Mandela, the US decision to arm and finance the mujahedin movement in Afghanistan following the 1979 Soviet invasion of the country has led to the eventual rise of the Taliban regime.

He also said that, in his view, unqualified US support of the Shah of Iran led directly to the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Mandela said that now, by preparing for military action against Iraq, the United States "is saying... that if you are afraid of a veto in the Security Council, you can go outside and take action and violate the sovereignty of other countries."

"That is the message they are sending to the world," said the former South African leader. "That must be condemned in the strongest terms."

Mandela said he believed Vice President Richard Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who advocate taking a hard line toward Iraq, were "misleading" President George W. Bush.

"It is the men who around him who are dinosaurs, who do not want him to belong to the modern age," said the former president. "The only man, the only person who wants to help Bush move to the modern era is General Colin Powell, the secretary of state."

Mandela, 84, was sentenced to life in prison by South Africa white minority regime in 1964 for advocating armed resistance to apartheid.

The African National Congress leader was set free in 1990 to lead his country in a transition to non-racial elections.

Nampa-AFP

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