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MOSCOW, Russia

Twelve years ago, he tried to prevent the first Gulf War by using the political power of the United Nations.

But if that war was sparked by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, this war, Gorbachev says, is being fueled by the demands of a consumer society out of control and dependent on imported oil.

"The U.S. is facing real problems with this consumer society," Gorbachev says, speaking to CNN through an interpreter.

"On the one hand, it can be a stimulus for development and initiative. But there is also an abnormal aspect to it: super consumption, too many goods.

"It's almost to the point that moral criteria are set aside. Five percent of the world's population is using 42 percent of the world's energy. How much further can you develop? Where can you find the resources?"

The real threat to the West, Gorbachev says, is terrorism. And you can't fight terrorism with huge armies and massive weapons.

"Especially when circumstances are throwing billions of people into poverty, then it's easy for any terrorist organization to recruit people for its cause," he says. "We need to fight poverty and disease, and protect our ecology."

Twelve years ago, Gorbachev sent his top Middle East adviser, Yevgeny Primakov, to Baghdad to try to head off a war. Two weeks ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin did the same thing, sending Primakov back to Baghdad.

Even at this 11th hour, Gorbachev says he believes there may be one extraordinary chance to avert war.

"Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is a decisive person. You don't need to demonize him. I would approach him," Gorbachev says.

"In his position, in order not to expose his people to this escalating situation, he could say, 'OK, I am stepping down from the presidency.' The Iraqi people can decide on a new government, and in that case I think the U.N. Security Council should offer him a guarantee of security."

Gorbachev says he agrees that Iraq must disarm. But, he says, you don't need a war to do that.

If there is a war, he says, no one knows how it will end -- and the world, he believes, will never be the same.