U.S. Blamed at the NAM Summit

Finger-pointing at the United States, denunciation of Israel's attacks on Lebanon, appeal for a peaceful resolution to the U.S.-Iran nuclear dispute, need to make the United Nations more democratic, criticism of the United States' veto power in the U.N. Security Council sum up the issues taken up and discussed at the 14th NAM Summit in Havana, Cuba.

Acting Cuban President Raul Castro, younger brother of the iconic revolutionary Fidel Castro, presided over the meeting of two-thirds of the world's nations. He echoed the opinion of Iran, Venezuela, North Korea and Zimbabwe and stated that the world had become more dangerous because of a belligerent America.

In his (Raul’s) opinion, "The United States spends one billion dollars a year in weapons and soldiers….To think that a social and economic order that has proven unsustainable could be maintained by force is simply an absurd idea."

North Korea's representative, Kim Yong Nam was vociferous in blaming the US for grave threats to world peace and security and claimed that Korea would not need even a single nuclear weapon if US would not meddle with their affairs and let it have its way.

He also said that the desire for peace by the non-aligned countries was "confronted with grave challenges owing to the high-handed acts and unilateralism of the superpower, which denies countries and nations the independent choice of development."

Speech after speech, leaders of the world's less powerful nations criticized unfair trade practices and arbitrary actions by powerful nations especially the US.

Representatives of India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Chile, Peru and Colombia who have friendly relations with the US sought to maneuver the summit away from the finger-pointing at the United States. However, they were in minority. The summit, for sure, brought together some of the world's staunchest American foes.