Democrat September-October 2002 (Number 65)
Stop the War
"... The US think they're the only power in the world...we must condemn that...
One country wants to bully the world. We must not allow that."
Nelson Mandela 17 September 2002
The threat of war against Iraq is an assault on international law and especially the right of nation states to self determination. In turn this is an onslaught on democracy - everywhere.
The removal of the government of Iraq must only come from the peoples of Iraq by whatever means they see fit. The `regime change' advocated by the USA is to put in place a puppet government of its own choice where Saddam Hussain has turned against Uncle Sam who supplied arms and the means to develop weapons of mass destruction in the first place.
Nuclear weapons
The USA is the only state to date to use nuclear bombs and has used defoliants and other chemical weapons in Vietnam and radio-active ordnance elsewhere. The USA has stockpiles of these terrible devices linked with sophisticated satellite surveillance systems and automated aerial weapons. It is the USA which wants to tear up treaties limiting the number of weapons to hand and develop a `son of star wars' system to gain outright superiority in the immediate space around the world.
Old imperialism
The proposed military action by the USA is nothing less than evil old fashioned imperialism, is about oil, control of the Middle East region and much more. The USA has both a long term energy crisis and short term threat of economic collapse to resolve.
The clique who currently govern the USA consists of direct representatives of oil moguls and corporations which make up the US-military-industrial-complex. They want a classic use of war to solve their problems in the short term and consolidate their position of investigator, judge, prosecutor, jury and executioner.
Forgotten the people
The new Labour government of Britain has lined up with big capital and all but forgotten the people it was elected to represent. Britain has the second largest number of transnational corporations after the USA and has a growing energy crisis after shutting down coalfields and over reliance on expensive nuclear energy.
Prime Minister Blair has stepped onto the world stage on behalf of big capital and backs the USA in the hope the US military umbrella will protect these British imperialist interests across the world.
The Prime Minister has followed President Bush and his clique down the road towards war with Iraq which does not threaten Britain or any other state. Such a course will not do Britain or it's people any favours and will cost £billions which if available must be spent on improving public services, the transport system, pensions and a lot more.
Some have naively suggested we should fully support the European Union, including the single currency, as a counter to US war aims. The EU itself, especially the four big states, have set up the trappings of a European Army with the Rapid Reaction Force.
The Army is due to be 60,000 strong able to act anywhere in the world by 2003. It was former European Commission President Jacques Delors who made clear a European Army was required "to fight the resource wars of the 21st Century". This is the language of EU imperialism and a confrontation with the USA which must also be opposed.
Armed forces under the auspices of the EU have already been in action in Yugoslavia and due to be stationed in Macedonia. The occupation and enforced use of the EURO, makes Kosovo a de facto part of the single currency area.
Military command
German military high command has just been resurrected, breaking treaty obligations following the second world war. A high command of military forces is only required if these forces are to act outside Germany. The main EU member state behind the thrust to have a European Army in place by 2003 is Germany.
If the US, with Britain fallen in behind, does start a war, then the EU will feel free to jack boot around the world as well.
These are more reasons than enough to oppose any war against Iraq and any further development of a European Army or consolidation of the EU imperialist super state.