The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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History has shown that those who have looked to the west for help when internal revolutionary forces have failed to acheive their goals have always ended in tragedy and betrayal. The kosovars, The Northern Alliance, Palestine (Arafat) and perhaps most importantly in this context, the revolutionary forces of Iraq who were left blowing in the wind to die by the US. How soon has this been forgotton? If anyone thinks exchanging Hussein for US masters is going to ease Iraqi suffering look at the "liberated" people of Afghanistan. Free from the Taliban to die of starvation without shelter or help their country utterly devestated already now a nightmare landscape of mines, bomblets, and rubble is poised to be consumed by the US oil and military interests. 5000 civilian dead in the process as a direct result of allied bombing. The record will show thousands more dying of starvation and disease in the coming months. We must remember Hussein for fettered by the west for years. Any new leader(s) will have to contend with an enormous US presence throughout Iraq. What pride, hope or justice is their in this? Why would anyone think that the US would use all its military might to remove Hussein (killing thousands in the process) in order to replace him with benign leader democratically elected who will bring justice and equality. How can this happen when any democratic vote in Iraq would ask the US to leave its borders, stop the embargo, stop the bombing. I would humbly contend this would be the priorities of any Iraqi besides the immediate needs of day to day living. Finally I must protest at any use of the loaded term anti-americanism. It is a term used as a defence against an arguement where the facts do not stand in their favour. The idea that socialists have an irrational "blind" anti-american reaction to everything is both patronising and wrong. The US is a largest sponser of terrorism wordwide. Its own armed forces have rained down death of millions of innocents, its policies have caused suffering on a biblical scale. At the height of the Third Reich when Germany was laying waste to all and sunder, its policies of death camps murdering millions of gypsys, Russians, political prisioners and Jews would anyone have accused someone of "blind" anti-german sentiment if they took issue with Hitler? The US must be seen in this light. It is at war with the forces of social reform, it is at war with ALL working people of the worlds, it is at war with all the revolutionary people of the world from the PLO to Columbias FARC, it is at war with the people of the Middle-East ON EVERY LEVEL, it is the enemy of socialism, justice and peace. In its present political mold unchanged for 50 years it can NEVER be an ally of revolutionary forces in the world. Support the people of Iraq in their struggle for social justice NOT the US struggle for control of Iraq's destiny, that should be left in the the hands of its people. M _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk