By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur : Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has criticized the United States government for deceiving Americans into financing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when they unwittingly pay for higher fuel prices and increased taxes.
It was in this way that the Bush Administration had financed its military occupation of foreign lands, he told a media conference here Tuesday after the conclusion of the 6th summit of the Group of Eight Developing Islamic Nations (D-8).
Accusing Washington of duping its citizens into financing its selfish military ambitions, he said the next US government should compensate the American people for the damage done by President George W. Bush.
He did not spell out how the American people should be compensated, but said it sufficed to say that the new government should do the humanitarian thing by pulling out its troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and restore justice.
“(American) military bases throughout the world should be removed,” he said, citing how the people of Japan, South Korea and Germany “would not and do not like the presence of American troops and bases in their own countries”.
“The 60 years of military occupancy is enough,” he said in reference to the location of American bases in several countries since the end of World War II.
Ahmadinejad also blamed the US government for purposely depreciating the US dollar, leading to skyrocketing crude oil prices and said Washington’s huge military expenditure had indebted the American people heavily to the tune of 13 trillion USD.
The outspoken leader also hit out at Britain and some European countries for joining the US in its military adventures. “What can they gain from this?” he asked, warning the countries “not to leave their destinies in the hands of the US government”.
He said the superpowers should refrain from animosity and not institute hostile action against others. In this way, it could lead to better ties and prosperity among countries.
To another question, he said the creation of a single Islamic currency would make Islamic countries more influential and raise their profile in decision making in the global arena, but added the proposal required an in-depth study.