March 6, 2003: The decision has been reached. US government has decided to start war on March 13! Step up active resistance now!

1. On 5 March 2003 the "war council" of US President Bush met with Secretary of State Powell, war secretary Rumsfeld and CIA chief Tenet as well as the supreme military planners led by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Myers, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Gulf war army, Franks. They agreed to start the attack against Iraq on March 13. This has been reported by the Daily Express with reference to British government officials. In spite of the report of UN chief inspector Blix scheduled for March 7 and the wrangling over a new resolution of the UN Security Council, the US administration together with the British government has made its decision for the aggression.

2. According to the New York Times, in the first 48 hours alone it is planned to drop 3,000 precision guided bombs and rockets on Iraq in an unprecedented terror of aerial warfare that history has never seen before. These air raids should, according to the vision of the war council, "cause such a state of shock ... that the Iraqi regime would soon come to the conclusion that the end is unavoidable" (Financial Times Deutschland, 6 March 2003). The plan is to begin the ground invasion on March 17 from the south and from the north of Iraq and have the troops of the USA and Great Britain advance towards Baghdad. If Turkey continues to deny the deployment of 60,000 US troops, the assault in northern Iraq swill be launched with helicopters of the 101st Airborne Division.

3.

At the same time the planning for the time after the war is in full swing. The US war council gave the instruction on 5 March 2003 to select bombing targets in such a way "that there will be a functioning economy ... in the country even after a military operation". The point here is not concern for casualties among the Iraqi people, but the establishment of a protectorate dependent on the USA. The former US general Garner is already designated to take on government business.  

4.

The war that was decided by the USA in alliance with Great Britain is intensifying the general danger of war. The same evening when the US war council met there was an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Russia. They announced they would block a further resolution aimed at justifying the war on Iraq in the UN Security Council. They expect that by adhering to the UN as organ of decision making they will have a greater say and more influence with respect to the imperialist redivision of the spheres of influence in the Middle East. They fear that if the USA acts on its own together with Great Britain they will lose important economic and political influence in the region.

5.

The US administration is taking high risks. It is indeed isolated worldwide and the protests of millions of people have already prevented an early beginning of the war. The situation is clear: Whoever wants to prevent the war must not appeal to the UN. Cross-border active resistance is the order of the day to stop the warmongers.

6.

The 8th of March, the International Women's Day, can and must set an important signal with rallies and demonstrations and manifold protests, especially of the militant women and their families.
Let us make all preparations for organizing strikes in the factories, active school boycotts, and mass rallies and protests on the 13th of March. Nationwide rallies and demonstrations in the city centers at 5 p.m. should be prepared.