Editorial from Kommunistisk Politik, No. 15, August 3, 2002
The plans for a new US oil war against Iraq are so far advanced that an atmosphere
of destined inevitableness around it is being created. The objective of the
war is to overthrow Saddam Hussein and install an American puppet regime.
In The New York Times on July 5, the Pentagon leaked the plans, or rather one
scenario, for a large-scale attack on Iraq: Tens of thousands of US soldiers
and soldiers from maybe the UK and other "allies", up till 250,000
in total, will invade Iraq from Kuwait. Hundreds of warplanes based in up till
eight countries, including Turkey and Qatar, will launch one of the biggest
air raids in world history against thousands of targets, including airports,
roads and communication. Simultaneously, special forces and CIA agents, with
the criminal "authority" of the US president to kill the head of state
of a foreign country, will operate against selected targets, allegedly places
where Iraq should be hiding weapons of mass destruction.
During the Gulf War in 1991, between 100,000 and 200,000 Iraqis were killed.
At that time, the war coalition stopped before reaching Baghdad. A new war can
make these figures look small. With certainty, thousands or tens of thousands
of civilians will be killed.
The US war plans are far advanced. Since September 11, Iraq has publicly been
mentioned as a new target in Bush's "War on Terror", and while waging
war against Afghanistan, the US has been making its numerous military bases
in the Gulf ready for a new aggression against Iraq. There are 20,000 US troops
in military bases in Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, and additional 5,000 troops
in Saudi Arabia. The Turkish government, dealing with a deep economic crisis,
has been offered restructuring of debts for making air bases available for an
attack, and various newspapers have reported that Jordan, too, will place military
airports at the disposal of the US attack against the neighbouring country although
Jordan, as many other countries, is officially warning against an US attack.
US War Minister Donald Rumsfeld has just ended a tour of preparing war in the
region and, allegedly, it was "successful".
The pretext for a new war against Iraq? It is no longer the hunting of the perpetrators
of September 11 because in spite of all the persistent efforts trying to link
Iraq with September 11, this has not been possible. Therefore, what is being
used as the reason for war is an assertion saying that Iraq possesses weapons
of mass destruction, that Iraq will use them, and that Iraq refuses weapon inspection.
The chief UN weapons inspector until 1998, Scott Ritter, completely denies this,
and the Bush administration is not capable of presenting any proof of its assertion.
Even if the US could present proof of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, this
would not be any reason for war.
The US itself is the world's largest holder of all kinds of weapons of mass
destruction. And the US ally, Israel, possesses illegal nuclear weapons.
Once again, the warlike Bush administration needs to use its weapons. The economic
crisis and the decreasing confidence in US business are gnawing the popularity,
which is approaching the same low level as before September 11. With its long
militaristic tradition, it is relatively easy for the US to mobilise and win
some domestic support for its wars.
Despite the advanced preparations, the war is not unavoidable. As Stalin pointed
out, wars are inevitable under imperialism, but a specific war may be hindered.
And the war against Iraq is exactly such a planned, imperialist war, a bare
looting war, an outrageous and criminal war, which can and must be stopped.
By whom? By the worldwide anti-war movement, by the workers, by the poor, by
the peoples, who pay the price for the crimes, looting and wars of imperialism.
Already before the outbreak of the war, visible protests, actions and demonstrations
must be developed. The task is to get the warlike politicians to understand
that such an adventure will mean serious damages to themselves.
But surely, the European governments are against such a war? No. Tony Blair,
as the closest European ally of the US, supports it. And it has been reported
that Jacques Chirac has given his promise to support it. What will Anders Fogh
Rasmussen (the Danish Prime Minister, translator's note) do? There is
really only one single guess although Denmark neither has anything to settle
with Saddam Hussein nor with the Iraqi people: Denmark always gets on the wrong
side in imperialist war adventures.
Now the task is to hinder the war and Denmark's participation in it. This implies
the unity of all forces that do not have any interest in the war. This means
mobilising the youth, the workers, and the great majority. If that succeeds,
a new huge catastrophe can be hindered.
July 27, 2002