Mahathir Mohamad Quotes
We all abhor terrorists, but we have to treat them as dangerous to all of us, not to any one particular country.
Mohamad, Mahathir. "Address at the 58th UN General Assembly." United Nations General Assembly, 25 Sept. 2003, New York.
He and the government had just given the OK for a targeted assassination of the Palestinian terrorist who had designed the bombs and recruited the suicide bombers which led to the deaths of over 100 Israelis. Shortly thereafter, a cell phone the engineer was using blew up killing him by the same method whereby he had killed so many. This was the first targeted assassination of terrorist leaders, which then became an operational policy.
This quotation is used by some non Americans to illustrate a hypocrisy and double standard that they see the United States arguing for in dealing with terrorism. The PKK terrorists have been infiltrating from Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) into Turkey for years. Kissinger and most American leaders tried to dissuade the Turks from militarily moving into Iraq to cut off the terrorists there and deal the border. They preferred an international policy approach. However, after 9-11 when the U.S. mainland was attacked by terrorists, the United States not only reacted unilaterally, but invaded Afghanistan and Iraq supposedly to nullify the terrorists.
Although the President was personally opposed to terrorism and his policies opposed terrorism, in his country most people supported terrorism and the Islamic schools—madrasas—taught intolerance, hate and terrorism. Even leading generals of the army were major supporters of terrorism. See {586700} as an example.
Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad is a Malaysian politician, statesman, author and doctor who served as the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia from July 1981 to October 2003 and again from May 2018 to March 2020. He served as the 4th Deputy Prime Minister and in many other Cabinet positions before his promotion to the premiership in July 1981. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Langkawi since May 2018, Kubang Pasu from August 1974 to March 2004 and Kota Setar Selatan from April 1964 to May 1969. His political career has spanned more than 70 years, starting with his participation in protests against non-Malays gaining Malaysian citizenship during the Malayan Union through to forming his own political parties, the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) in September 2016 and the Homeland Fighters' Party (PEJUANG) in August 2020.
