[From The Worker, #8, January 2003]

Oppose, Resist and Defeat US Aggression in Iraq!

Rarely has any crime been so premeditated or so loudly broadcast in advance. The US imperialists have brazenly declared their intention to invade Iraq, kill or capture its state leaders, seize Iraq's oil fields and occupy the country with a large military force for a minimum of 'several years'. The future military governor of Iraq, US General Tommy Franks, has already been chosen. In proceeding along this path of naked aggression, the US imperialists are running roughshod over the opinion of people all over the world, even most of their allies, who for various reasons are opposed to such an adventure. The US has even declared its intention to ignore the United Nations or go so far as effectively to dissolve it if it refuses to give the US a blank cheque to carry through its attack. The flimsy pretext for this crime, that Iraq may be producing weapons of mass destruction, fools almost no one.

In fact, the war-in-the-making against Iraq is a reflection of the heightening tension in the international situation since 11 September 2001 and of the US declaration of a 'war on terrorism' directed against any persons, organisation or state that the US considers a threat to its interests, while the US terrorism of yesterday, today and tomorrow goes wild. Although they claim they are targeting Saddam Hussein's reactionary clique, in fact the US goal is to subjugate the peoples of Iraq and of the whole region. It is a reflection particularly of the sharpening conflict between imperialism and the oppressed peoples and nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America, the principal contradiction in the world today. US imperialism, as the leader and lynchpin of the world imperialist system, is obliged to be the global policeman and directly intervene militarily often and in many places. They have chosen to make Iraq the showcase for this new doctrine of unrestricted US authority.

The arrogance of the US imperialists and their announced crime has already led to widespread opposition throughout the world. In the Middle East, Europe and in the United States itself hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated against the US war plans. If the US proceeds with this war of aggression it is likely to ignite a world-wide storm of resistance such as has not been seen for many years.

We must harbour no illusions ' the US is a powerful and vicious enemy that will not be easily dissuaded from its criminal plans. The other imperialist powers will either go along gleefully with the US (like Britain) or are likely to go along even while kicking and screaming (like France). Former socialist states such as China have long ago changed colour and will not resist the US. It is only the people of the world, including the masses in the US itself, who can prevent or stop US aggression in Iraq and ultimately destroy the imperialist system itself.

However well armed the US is, however much money it has, and however much support or servility it can count on from its allies and lackeys around the world, the US ruling class has a fundamental weakness that can never be removed ' it represents only a relatively small handful and its interests are in conflict with those of the large majority of people in the world. The US is like a knife-wielding thug in a marketplace: for a while it can intimidate the peaceful crowd, temporarily stunned by its weapon and brutish manner, but once the victims unite their ranks even the biggest of bullies can be subdued.

History has shown again and again that, although the weapons of mass destruction and terror in the hands of the imperialists are very real, it is the people who are truly strong. Even some of the imperialists themselves have been warning George Bush of the dangers created by his wild ambitions. But the imperialists, blinded by their arrogance and contempt for the masses and compelled by their greed for ever-greater profits, are unable to learn the lessons of history. Only when their reactionary violence is countered by resistance and ultimately revolution can it be stopped. Even as the dark clouds of imperialist war are gathering, the bright hopes for a different future are shining from the Himalayas, where the People's War in Nepal is soaring to new heights, as well as from the people's wars and revolutionary armed struggles being waged in Peru, the Philippines, India, Turkey and other countries, and from the powerful mass movements of resistance that are arising in the imperialist citadels.

The Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement calls upon all communist, revolutionary and progressive forces to oppose , resist and defeat the US imperialist aggression against Iraq and to step up the revolutionary struggle. 

By the Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement

November 2002