BUSH READIES ATTACK ON IRAQ
Anti-war leaders call emergency actions
By John Catalinotto
Washington is taking advantage of its position as the center
of world imperialism to follow through with its war
preparations against Iraq--with or without approval from its
allies and client states.
Even as the Bush administration pays lip service to the
United Nations inspections now taking place in Iraq, the
Pentagon is proceeding with the military steps needed for an
invasion. It has moved its Central Command to Qatar, with Gen.
Tommy Franks expected to arrive about Dec. 8 with a staff of
750.
He will command his forces from the new Qatar headquarters
while connecting with U.S. Marine commanders in Bahrain, the
army commander in Kuwait and the air force commander at the
Prince Sultan Air Base near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
They are set to run an unprecedented exercise called
Internal Look. "The exercise, due to start in about a week,
will be the first war game of its kind conducted outside the
U.S.," reports the Dec. 3 Sydney Morning Herald. "The command
and control procedures practiced would be the same used for a
war with Iraq."
Tens of thousands of troops are in Gulf area bases or on
ships in the region. As many as 250,000 reservists will be
called up, according to reports from the Pentagon.
Washington warlord Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy secretary of
defense--along with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of
Defense Donald Rumsfeld and chairperson of the Defense Policy
Board Richard Perle--has agitated for an invasion of Iraq for
years, but especially since Sept. 11, 2001. Wolfowitz traveled
to Britain and Turkey in the first days of December as part of
a tour to round up further backing for U.S. war plans.
Speaking in London Dec. 2, Wolfowitz referred obliquely to
France and Germany as "laggards" in the crusade to invade
Iraq.
Meanwhile, U.S. warplanes flying over Iraqi terri tory
bombed oil installations near Basra, killing four Iraqis and
wounding 27. President George W. Bush threatened Iraq for
defending itself against these now daily raids.
The empire based in Washington makes use of its single
central command, which is ruthless and single-minded, to plan
and launch a war of aggression. The worldwide anti-war
movement, while it lacks a central command, still has made
plans to respond to a massive U.S. bombing assault or
invasion.
Anti-war groups plan response
In the United States, the International ANSWER
coalition--Act Now to Stop War & End Racism--which
initiated the Oct. 26 marches of 200,000 in Washington and
100,000 in San Francisco, has announced mass demonstrations for
those two cities on Jan. 18, the weekend of the Martin Luther
King Jr. holiday. Already over 100 buses are set to arrive in
the two cities from 35 states.
Brian Becker of ANSWER told Workers World, "In response to
the growing threat of war, the ANSWER coalition Steering
Committee met Dec. 4 and called for immediate protests in
cities throughout the United States should Washington unleash
the war. If it starts before 5 p.m.," Becker stressed, "the
demonstrations will take place that same day. If after 5 p.m.,
it will be held on the following day.
For more information see www.internationalanswer.org or call
(212) 633-6646, (202) 332-5757 or (415) 821-6545.
ANSWER in San Francisco plans to protest an appearance of
Paul Wolfowitz on Dec. 6. He will be packaging his blueprint
for imperial expansion as "Building the Bridge to a More
Peaceful Future."
United for Peace is planning a day of local demonstrations
on Dec. 10--International Human Rights Day.
(www.unitedforpeace.org) And in New York, Uptown Youth for
Peace and Justice is organizing a march through Harlem on Dec.
14. For more information call Karim at (347) 203-6157 or
Claudia at (212) 237-8748.
In Europe, most national movements have called actions for
Feb. 15, following a call at the European Social Forum meeting
in Florence on Nov. 10. The day before, nearly a million people
took to the streets of Florence to protest the U.S. plans.
With Feb. 15 more than two months away, many groups are
discussing holding an immediate response to a U.S. attack. On
the web site of the British Stop the War Coalition
(StWC)--which held a demonstration of 400,000 on Sept. 28
against war with Iraq and in solidarity with Palestine--the
group says it will call an immediate national action in
response to a massive assault.
The StWC had planned a national conference for Dec. 7. This
was moved to Jan. 11 after British firefighters, locked in a
bitter strike and battle with the national government, called a
day of support demonstrations on Dec. 7. The anti-war movement
is supporting the British firefighters, who themselves have
taken a position against the war.
Thousands march in Australia
Two countries whose governments have pledged support for
Washington--Australia and Turkey--saw militant anti-war
demonstrations as Bush's deadline neared.
Thousands of anti-war demonstrators marched through
Australian cities Nov. 30 to protest against that country's
involvement in a U.S.-led war against Iraq. Many were of Middle
Eastern origin.
According to news agency reports, an alliance of left
parties, peace activists, students and trade unions was trying
to convince a majority of the public to oppose the government's
policy of sending Australian troops to fight against Iraq.
Rallies took place in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra as part of
a nationwide campaign.
Similar protests took place in Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin
and Perth on Dec. 1.
Among those participating were prominent members of
Australia's Arabic and Muslim communities, including the Grand
Mufti of Australia, Sheikh Taj Aldin Alhilali. Show-business
personalities, political activists, elected representatives,
church figures and other celebrities participated in the Sydney
protest, which was at least 10,000 strong.
The head of Australia's union movement, Australian Council
of Trade Unions President Sharan Burrow, told demonstrators
that a clear message had to be sent to Premier John Howard that
it was unacceptable for Australia to be dragged into a U.S.-led
attack on Iraq.
Turkish groups say 'No to war against Iraq'
On Dec. 1 in Istanbul, a coalition of more than a hundred
organizations held a "No to War Against Iraq" demonstration
that attracted thousands. Among the organizations arranging and
participating in the protest were the Confederation of Workers
Unions of Turkey (Turk-Is), Confederation of Revolutionary
Workers Unions (DISK), Confederation of Public Employees Union
(KESK), and socialist and communist political parties.
The political parties that entered the Nov. 3 elections
under the name of the Labor, Peace and Democracy Bloc also took
part.
The Turkish government provides major regional air bases to
the Pentagon and has announced plans to invade the north of
Iraq. This would put it in control of the Kurdish region there
and prevent any moves toward self-determination among Kurds
living under the brutal control of the Turkish state.
Following a meeting with Wolfowitz, Turkish Foreign Minister
Yasar Yakis, representing the Islamist party recently elected
to power, said Dec. 3 that his country would allow the United
States to use military bases in Turkey for the war, but only if
the United Nations approves military action against neighboring
Iraq. Washington is quietly offering the Turkish rulers
International Monetary Fund and direct U.S. aid in exchange for
using this Moslem country as a launching pad for
aggression.
Reprinted from the Dec. 12, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
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