------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Dec. 12, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
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. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe wwnews- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. 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