End the Occupation now, No to a Religious State
international |
anti-war / imperialism |
opinion/analysis
Monday March 21, 2005 11:31
by sovietpop - workers solidarity movement
sovietpop at eircom dot net
The Occupation: A Disaster
The US occupation has damaged Iraqi civil society and infrastructure, fuelled terrorism and was carried out in the interest of capitalists rather than the Iraqi people. American capitalism has used the occupation to suppress workers rights and steal the natural resources of the country. Before the US invaded there weren’t any Islamist terrorist groups of any note in Iraq. Now there are, thus the secular nature of Iraqi society has declined under the occupation as secular forces are squashed between the Islamists and the US forces.
How do we oppose the occupation in a progressive manner?
We must support people like ourselves, workers, secularists, progressive women’s movements and free Trade Unions. We need to oppose the anti-working class actions of the US occupiers, such as their attempt to ban independent trade unions in the work place. We also oppose the US attacks on cities such as Falluja, which resulted in huge civilian casualties.
While we support the right of the Iraqi people to resist occupation, supporting the political Islamists, that is organisations that wish to create an Islamic state in Iraq, can only contribute to the oppression of Iraqi people. We should support our fellow workers rather than religious zealots who terrorise women and assassinate progressive activists. Political Islamists, whether they are those that collaborate with the US occupation, like Sistani’s group, or those opposed to it in the resistance, share a common goal: the repression of secular women’s and workers’ movements.
Solidarity with the Iraqi people.
There is a progressive alternative: The women’s organisations, independent trade unions, groups representing the unemployed and left parties such as the Workers Communist Party, that are fighting for a secular state free from occupation, intolerance and oppression. Groups such as the General Union of Oil Employees, an independent union based in the south of Iraq, or the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq are trying to organise workers in the face of intense physical and political repression. It is these alternative movements, not the Islamist or Ba’athist elements of the resistance or the occupying forces which deserve our support.
For further information on progressive Iraqi groups see www.equalityiniraq.com, www.uuiraq.org, www.wpiraq.net
Issued by
Workers Solidarity Movement ([email protected])
Irish Socialist Network([email protected])
Fairview Against the War([email protected])
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Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6Clash of Civilizations? Check out what our arab comrades are up to in Palestine. Its a five-minute mini-doc.
http://www.slingshothiphop.com/trailer.html
"The US occupation has damaged Iraqi civil society and infrastructure, fuelled terrorism.....; "
Why do people never associate the US with terrorism and instantly label those who resist them as terrorists?
It was an illegal, immoral and brutal terrorist attack on a defenceless nation? Wake up and smell the oil!!
The US are the terrorists here, while the "terrorists" you refer to are the Iraqi people.
I have said it for 3 years now there is no such thing as Al-Qaeda -unless you work for the CIA or Mossad.
It is quite possible for both the US war and occupation to be terrorist and for some of those fighting it to be using terrorist methods. Quite clearly that is happening in Iraq whether or not you believe Al Quada to be involved (or even to exist).
On the side of the 'resistance' I'd suggest the following as terrorist acts that have nothing to do with resisting imperialism.
Car bombs at Shia religous festivals which have killed hundreds
The murder of barbers for giving unIslamic clean shaves and hair cuts
The murder of off licence owners.
It is not good enough to sacrifice the Iraqi working class because they are carrying out our fight against imperialism. Quite clearly there are elements of the resistance that are as opposed to their interests as the US occupation is. Indeed in some areas it is hard to tell one from the other as there are Islamists in the occupation government as well as the resistance.
check out this story on news.infoshop.org about the al Sadr army killing two students and provoking a student strike because of the student's "'immoral and outrageous behaviour' during the 'holy month of Muharram, while the blood of Imam Hussein is yet to dry.' He added that he had sent the 'group of believers' to observe and photograph the students, and on witnessing them playing loud music, 'the kind they play in bars and discos', and openly talking to female students, the 'believers had to straighten things out'.
Mahdi Army Beats 2 Students to Death in Basrah
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20050322134921725
terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist terrorist,
Terrorism TerrorismTerrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism,
you see, the more you say it , the less it means anything.
Think people, Think
Religious fundamentalism being enforced on people is never acceptable.