I've always wanted to meet Nelson Mandela. To suffer 27 years of harsh and unjust imprisonment without bitterness is remarkable. To negotiate a peaceful transition in South Africa from the cruelty of apartheid to majority rule was a phenomenal achievement. Around the world, he is probably the most revered and respected leader.

Last week, I had the privilege of meeting former President Mandela personally and hearing his powerful speech about global leadership, the United States, and war. While I didn't agree with everything he said, I believe he speaks for much of the world whose rising anger against the United States is alarming.

Referring to the Bush Administration's threats of war against Iraq, President Mandela said, "Are they saying that, 'we are the only superpower in the world now, so we can act as we like? That we are special?'" He added, "They are so arrogant." The audience from 20 countries cheered.

Over the last month, I have traveled in China and Southern Africa. In China, business and government leaders asked me, "Who is next after Iraq? When will you attack China?" In Zambia, Botswana and South Africa, people told me the United States was wrong to act alone.

President Mandela told us he would unconditionally support any United Nations decision about Iraq. What he finds appalling is one nation's going to war alone, ignoring the United Nations. I heard similar sentiments from many people who believe that the United Nations is the place to solve global problems, the place to build consensus for action against a nation, the place that stands between all of us and another world war.

Why does it matter what the rest of the world thinks? It matters because we are intricately interconnected with the rest of the world, economically, morally and politically. It matters because we, too, are vulnerable to terrorism. We need countries we know little about to be our allies in fighting terrorism just as we need countries we know well to be our partners in commerce. Our economic and personal security depends on these relationships.

When Nelson Mandela expresses outrage against the United States, he speaks for countless people around the world who love our freedom and hate our arrogance. It's important to listen to what he says because our success as a nation depends, in part, on our standing as a world leader. It is not enough to be the greatest military power. We must be recognized and followed for our moral authority as well.

While President Bush talks war with Iraq, he is also talking about direct negotiations with North Korea, arguably a much more dangerous adversary than Iraq. He's doing that because he has few options in dealing with North Korea. But, the rest of the world doesn't see this dichotomy the same way. They are wondering why we have a double standard-harsh reprisals for Iraq and diplomacy for North Korea. Many people, including Nelson Mandela, think we are simply after Iraq's oil.

As many of our allies in Europe and the Middle East have repeatedly pointed out, a war in Iraq could have devastating results. Not only could it bring a severe disruption of oil supplies around the world, leading to crippling economic consequences, it almost certainly would provoke a rash of terrorist attacks on Americans at home and abroad.

President Bush has put himself in a box. His constant threats of war make it hard for him to back down. His repeated statements that the U.S. will go it alone if the United Nations doesn't act put pressure on both Iraq and the United Nations, but make diplomacy more difficult. Yet, virtually all our friends and allies around the world, as well as most Americans, do not condone unilateral action by the United States.

To disarm Iraq and build a successful nation, we need the world behind us, believing that we are acting justly, in the interests of all nations, not just our own. We cannot afford to be the arrogant superpower, despised by the rest of the world. We need to take the time to build consensus, which, by itself, would provide the best chance to disarm Iraq peacefully.