August 12, 2002: US-Government Determined to Wage War Against Iraq – MLPD Calls for Joint Action on Anti-War Day and on the Day of a Possible Start of the War

1. The US-government is feverishly preparing a military attack against Iraq. The head of UN-arms inspections in Iraq, Hans Blix, provocatively turned down the Iraqi government’s invitation to Baghdad. The US-government declares, "We are not interested in arms inspections, we want to overthrow Saddam Hussein." Bush and his cohorts are absolutely determined: declared goal of the USA is to install a government in Iraq which is favorable to the USA. For this purpose, meetings are currently being conducted with oppositional Iraqis. Ten thousands of soldiers are being prepared for advancing to Baghdad whereby ten thousands of dead persons are being calculated. Even the use of new further developed so-called tactical atomic weapons is not out of the question. Because hatred for the USA is so widespread among the Arab peoples, not at least because of their policies towards Palestine, and because broad people’s resistance can be expected, the Arab countries like Saudi-Arabia can be ruled out as a deployment area. This is why the USA have to rely on Turkey to lead their war. But Turkey itself is in a deep economic and political crisis. Because Turkey is a member of the NATO, an Iraqi attack upon Turkey would mean that the NATO would be forced into the war. The situation is extremely explosive. World peace is acutely being threatened by an military adventure for the new organization of spheres of influence in the Middle East as the world's richest oil region . 

2. The current aggressiveness of the US-government stems from the worldwide economic crisis which has affected the USA from the very beginning. The mood in business and at the stock market are at a low and this mood has been passed on to the political parties and governments. Polls show that President Bush would get hardly more than 20 percent of the votes if elections were held today. Stocks fell in the past months on a broad scale. With a war against Iraq, American and English finance capital are searching for a way out of the deepening crisis.

3. The preparations for a war against Iraq are an expression of the deep rift that has emerged in the imperialist "Anti-Terror"-Coalition and that the inter-imperialist contradictions have come to the fore. The war against Iraq, planned by the USA in alliance with Great Britain, is directed especially against the economic and political influence of European powers such as Germany and France as well as against the influence of Russia and China in the Middle East. On the basis of new geological data and reports, I. Brendan, Irish expert for oil and natural gas deposits, assumes that with an estimated 330 billion barrels of oil, Iraq has the biggest oil reserves in the entire world. "Especially Russian, French and Chinese oil companies have already signed contracts for the exploitation of Iraqi oil and natural gas fields long ago worth billions … A total of more than 60 corporate managers of foreign oil companies from about 30 countries in the entire world show great economic interest in lifting the embargo … Missing on the list of countries of Iraq's parties to the contracts are the USA and Great Britain." (C. Ronnefeld, "Can a campaign against Iraq still be avoided?") Bush’s "New War" so proves to be a struggle for the redivision of the world among the greatest imperialist powers.

4. The alternative to the USA’s aggressive war course cannot be the support of the "own" imperialist policies of Germany or the European Union.

The Schroeder/Fischer government broke a taboo in Germany’s post-war policies by sending German troops to a total of now 14 countries in the world, so proving that it does not shrink back from asserting the interests of German finance capital militarily in the world. By rejecting the US-war against Iraq, Chancellor Schroeder is, on the one hand, trying to pull the foreign policy card in the election campaign. According to polls conducted by the German news magazine "Spiegel", at least 91 percent of the population oppose a war against Iraq. But these are not mere election tactics; they have a substantial background. Until the Gulf War in 1991, for example, Iraq was one of the main importers of German machine technology. Large sectors of German finance capital oppose the war against Iraq because they would prefer to obtain as much influence and as many orders in the Middle East as possible and to be able to profit from the exploitation of the enormous wealth. Ludolf von Wartenberg, leading manager of the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI), declared shortly, "The exclusive orientation towards the uncompromising attitude of the USA is not helpful", a "political solution" is necessary.

5. The reactionary Saddam Hussein Regime suppresses the people of Iraq by means of an open terrorist dictatorship. People’s uprisings after the Gulf War in 1991 were brutally suppressed by the regime, which was tolerated by the USA. That led to almost two million Kurds and Shiites being forced to flee. In 1991, the USA preferred a "trimmed down" Hussein to a change of power on the Tigris with unknown consequences and the possibility of an upswing of the people’s liberation struggle. The Iraqi people must decide themselves under which government they wish to live. The imperialist intervention does not mean liberation; it rather means subjugation to the interests of US-imperialism.

6. The struggle to prevent, i.e. to stop the US-war against the Iraqi people must be led with extreme determination. The MLPD critically supports the appeal of the peace movement to the federal government "No War Against Iraq" because it is directed against a threatening war against Iraq and demands that the federal government refrain from giving any military, financial or political support and that it withdraw all German troops from the crisis region, especially the ABC-tracking-tanks from Kuwait and the Marine units from the Gulf region and the African Horn. But the MLPD criticizes that it appeals to the federal government and its diplomatic activities and spreads hopes that the UN could prevent a war. The UN is, in fact, itself an instrument of power of the leading imperialists. The US-government has declared that it is determined to wage this war in any case.

In order to prevent, i.e. to stop the US adventurist war, it is necessary to begin active mass resistance with strikes and demonstrations beyond national boundaries and to support the struggle of the Arab peoples and the Kurdish and Turkish people for their national and social liberation.

To achieve a world without war, the rule of international finance capital must be overthrown and a socialist society be established worldwide. Only when capitalist oppression and exploitation are abolished is the path clear for a world which allows the peoples to live together in solidarity and for their mutual benefit.

7. The MLPD calls upon all peace-loving people to come out together onto the streets on September 1^st, Anti-War Day, to protest against the preparations for a war against Iraq and to discuss further action.

And, when a US war begins, we call up to assemble in the evening in the inner cities and to begin protests on the very same day.

No war against Iraq – active resistance against Bush’s "New War"!

Withdraw all German troops abroad!

Long live international solidarity!

Support the liberation struggle of the Arab peoples and the Kurdish, as well as the Turkish people.

For peace, freedom – socialism!

Strengthen the MLPD as a resolute force of active resistance and for peace!