The following articles were published in "The Guardian", newspaper of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday, September 18th, 2002. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au> Subscription rates on request. ****************************** NO! TO WAR FOR OIL The announcement by the Iraqi Government that it will permit the return of UN weapons inspectors without conditions meets the demands that have been made by many countries. It should clear the way for the United Nations to insist that the US now withdraw its threats of invasion and allow for a peaceful settlement of other issues. The UN should also insist that the threats made against the UN itself by US leaders should also be withdrawn. There is no real evidence that Iraq has any significant biological or chemical weapons or that it is preparing the construction of a nuclear weapon. All the so-called "evidence" presented by US President Bush, British Prime Minister Blair or Australian PM Howard has already been rejected by the UN. Even the CIA, notorious for concocting evidence, came up empty-handed, saying they could find "no convincing evidence". However, the US and its two main lackeys are once again going to assert that "this is not enough". They remain committed to their real objective of "regime change" and the military occupation of Iraq. It is now up to the other members of the UN Security Council to stand up to the US threats and bullying of other Security Council members and the bribery of others. For example, there is the attempt to bribe the Russian government by alleging Russia would get repayment of the large debt owed to it by Iraq if they supported the imposition of a servile US imposed government in Baghdad. On this question "The Washington Post" reported a statement by former CIA director, James Woolsey that "France and Russia have oil companies and interests in Iraq. They should be told that if they offer assistance in moving Iraq towards decent government, we'll do our best to ensure that the new government and American companies work closely with them." "The Washington Post" also reported that "US and foreign oil companies have started manoeuvring for a stake in the country's [Iraq's] reserves of 112 billion barrels of crude oil, the largest in the world outside Saudi Arabia." Iraq has made concessions on the re-entry of weapons inspectors, earlier insisting on a comprehensive agreement that would prevent any attack by the US and the lifting of the 12-year UN sanctions that have caused the deaths of at least 500,000 innocent Iraqis. There is also the question of the continued illegal bombing of Iraq by US and British planes in the so-called "no-fly" zones. "If there is a solution that maintains Iraq's sovereignty, dignity and legitimate rights and prevents aggression, we are ready", said Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz. The US administration continues to threaten and stand over the United Nations to have it rubber-stamp a declaration of war against Iraq. But as George W Bush and the senior officials in his government ratchet up the war rhetoric they have instead, isolated the US as strident and dictatorial in the eyes of the international community. As "The Guardian" went to press the UN Security Council had not passed a resolution for or against an attack on Iraq but European nations - including Germany and France, Russia, China and Japan have spoken against unilateral action by the US. The Arab regimes which are close to Washington have also publicly distanced themselves from Bush's war plans. Qatar and Oman, both of whom host US military bases, have assured the world that they are not with the Bush administration's attempt to effect a "regime change" in Iraq. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, stated: "Whether Saddam Hussein remains or is removed from power is up to the Iraqi people", a substantial change in position as Saudi Arabia was the main launchpad for US-led forces in the war on Iraq in 1991. Even NATO member Turkey is hesitant. Only the Australian and British Governments have tied themselves to unquestioning support to the US war machine. Opposition to war against Iraq in Australia has been taken into parliament by the Greens and Democrats. Peace organisations are also arranging demonstrations and public meetings. A public opinion poll shows three out of four Australians oppose a war with Iraq unless sanctioned by the UN. In a statement a coalition of groups including Friends of the Earth, Ozpeace and the Australian Peace Committee said: "The recent poll shows that in spite of unremitting propaganda in favour of a first strike on Iraq, the community has the good sense to see the hypocrisy of the position of the world's largest holder of weapons of mass destruction urging war against a country that may or may not have managed to accumulate some puny and rudimentary stockpile." The hypocrisy of the US, Australian and British governments is highlighted by the fact that it is these governments that have accumulated vast stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction and are preparing to use them. It is Israel, backed by the US, which has ignored scores of UN decisions and continues its ferocious war against the Palestinian people of Arab states in the region. ******************************************************** .. -- -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Sub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
