LONDON, Jan 12: Still a political firebrand at 86, Algerian independence hero Ahmed Ben Bella wants vast Vietnam-style peace protests in the West to prevent war against Iraq.

In London for an anti-war meeting, the Arab statesman who was Algeria’s first post-independence president called for a wave of protests to unsettle US and British leaders George Bush and Tony Blair in their military preparations.

“We’ve got to stop Bush and Blair from going ahead with this war. Only the people can halt their war machine,” Ben Bella said in an interview late on Saturday.

“If the Americans demonstrated like they did for Vietnam, then Bush will rethink because he will risk losing power.”

And if a million or more Britons turned out for a planned Feb 15 rally in London, they would force Blair to reconsider his crucial support for Bush, Ben Bella argued.

Ben Bella — dubbed the “Arab Fidel Castro” in some left-wing circles — admitted however that he had little hope war would be stopped.

“I think they have taken their decision, and not for the declared aims. Bush wants to occupy Iraq to control the oil reserves,” Ben Bella said, repeating a familiar accusation by critics of Washington’s threats against Baghdad.

“It is a strategy coming from the oil lobby, the one which his father is closely connected to. It is not a question of weapons because they still haven’t found anything in Iraq.”

Ben Bella, who met President Saddam Hussein last month on his 17th visit to Iraq, said he was disappointed the Arab peace movement did not match Europe’s anti-war campaign.

“Public opinion in the Arab world is anti-war. And believe me, never have the Americans been so hated,” he said.

“But the people won’t be allowed to demonstrate. They live under weak regimes who are frightened. They are afraid three or four million people will come on to the street and they will lose power. They are afraid of losing America’s dollars.”

Despite the threat over his head, Saddam was tranquil in their last meeting a month ago, Ben Bella said. “He is a calm person. He controls his feelings.”—Reuters