IMMEDIATE USE 8/3/2003
WALK AGAINST THE WAR COALITION
BLIX REPORT GIVES NO CREDIBILITY TO IRAQ WAR: BRING THE TROOPS HOME
The most recent report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, handed to
the UN Security Council early this morning Australian time, gives no
credibility whatsoever to the case for war, while a resolution
supporting military action in the security council seems less and less
likely either to attract the necessary number of votes or to escape a
veto. In view of this, the Walk Against The War Coalition, the group
that three weeks ago bought between 300,000 and (according to some
estimates) 500,000 people into the streets of Sydney, believes that
Australian participation in military action would be illegal and has
called for Australian troops to be brought home.
According to WAW spokesperson Bruce Childs,
"The reports bought down by Hans Blix and Mohammed El Baradei of the
IAEA in the Security Council early this morning at no point suggest that
military action against Iraq is desirable, and Blix makes it quite clear
that such action would be a failure of the UN system. Just as in the
previous report, Blix and El Baradei point to discrepancies and to
shortcomings, and to issues that require resolution, but also to
progress. Blix notes with respect to the destruction of the El Samoud
missiles that 'we are not watching the breaking of toothpicks - lethal
weapons are being destroyed'."
"Germany, France, Russia and China have all made it perfectly clear that
they see no need for military action against Iraq and that they oppose
any such action."
"French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin has summed up the
position of Australians who marched three weeks go in their hundreds of
thousands, and of millions who marched worldwide when he said '"Why
choose division when our unity and resolve are leading Iraq to get rid
of its weapons of mass destruction? France will not let a resolution
pass that authorizes the automatic use of force.'"
"The worldwide movement of ordinary people against war has clearly
strengthened the hand of those on the Security Council who are opposed
to military action. The unprecedented mobilization of Australian people
in cities and towns will intensify in the coming week under our program
of 'Think globally - act locally' with the demand 'No Military Action-
Bring the Troops Home'."
Contact:
Bruce Childs 9386-1240, 0412-803-457
Nick Everett 0409-762-081
John Hallam 9567-7533 h9810-2598
.
--
--
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]
Unsub: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
