'Crisis' in Iraq?
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
FIRE THIS TIME The Newspaper of the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice Issue 20/21 - December 2004 / January 2005 Double Issue www.fire-this-time.org FREE What Solution for the ‘Crisis’ in Iraq? US-UK Out Now! By Mike Krebs Iraq For the US government, which ‘It will be a lasting model of how seeks to use Iraq as a critical entry not to do things, and its imperial point for pursuing its economic, image has left a legacy that the strategic, and political goals US must distance itself from as throughout the Middle East in the soon as possible.’ – Anthony coming decades, the fact that Iraq Cordesman, of the Washington- presents a deep crisis is clear. The based think tank Center for question that this problem poses Strategic and International for the US ruling class is how to Studies, discussing the US strategy of ‘nation-building’ in Continued on page 2 Workers Struggles Justice for Emily Tang! By Nasim Sedaghat When Anita Bautista, a Metropolitan Hotel worker in Toronto learned that she had Iraqi children giving the thumbs down to US tanks in Baghdad, January 2005. tragically contracted cancer she was summoned to the International Struggles management office. She was presented with a document terminating her fourteen years’ employment in return for Keeping Afghanistan Divided: fourteen weeks severance pay. She was offered no chance to ‘Elections’, ‘Democracy’ and ‘Freedom’ US Style seek legal advice and she was even denied the opportunity to worker driven out of his job consult with fellow employees. at the Toronto Metropolitan By Shannon Bundock countrysides were less peaceful, Transitional Authority and all of Under this extreme duress, Hotel. He is a devout Muslim as Karzai was “approved” and the Afghan people on the result of she reluctantly signed the whose religious devotions “supported” with the brute force this historic vote.” document. were found “troubling” by On December 9th, Hamid Karzai of 26,000 armed soldiers from This election took place after Shahid Mahmood is another was inaugurated as the ‘elected’ Canada, the US, France and Continued on page 28 president of Afghanistan. Inside 3 years of war and occupation other nations involved in the and after Hamid Karzai had the Kabul ceremony, Karzai was occupation. Beyond Afghanistan, celebrated by his closest partners. already been in power in the half-way across the world, country since December 22nd Supportive gazes were laid Canadian Foreign minister Pierre upon him by US Vice President 2001, initially as Chairman of the Pettigrew joined in the rounds Transitional Administration, and Dick Cheney and Secretary of of applause, “On behalf of all Yes to War Resisters! Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who then as President of the Afghan Canadians, I would like to extend Transitional Authority. were in attendance. Outside the my heartfelt congratulations to ceremony, Afghan cities and President Karzai, the Afghanistan This election, far from bringing legitimacy to the occupation, No to Safe Streets Act! Also Inside actually opened a wound and exposed what this period in The Occupation of Iraq: ‘Song of Truth’ - Poem | 24 Afghanistan is all about. On every No to Apartheid Wall in Palestine! US Troops Out! | 3 Indigenous Poverty | 25 concrete level in Afghanistan the Brandon Hughey Interview | 4 Struggles in Canada: ‘election’ of Karzai will change MAWO War Resisters Campaign| 4 position against imperialism Defend Working Class Principles | 27 Vancouver & District nothing in the nation, other than and the forces of capitalist neo- International Struggles: Free Justin Goodman! | 27 generating more resentment and Interview with Dan Freeman-Maloy | 27 Labour Council liberalism. Individually or taken Israel Slaughters Palestinians | 5 frustration over the false picture Hands off Sudan | 5 Hotel Worker Emily Tang Speaks Out | 29 together, these resolutions are Who is Ruling Haiti? | 5 Vancouver Rallies for Emily Tang | 29 of a “liberated” Afghanistan Responds to Capitalist- important precedents for the Interview with ISM Activist Kole | 6 No to Racist Security Certificates! | 31 that Karzai has created. Karzai’s labour movement in Canada. Toronto Muslim Community Rally | 31 Imperialist Offensive Fidel Castro Speech Dec 2004 | 11 Afghanistan stands in stark They are an example of what Spanish: Discurso pronunciado por Toronto “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” | 32 Pivot Legal Society Report | 32 contrast to the brutal reality the position of unions must be in Castro | 12 of US and NATO arrests, By Ivan Drury the midst of reactionary attacks Langara 2 - Special Section: Organizing in Solidarity: torturing, killings, bombings on working, poor and oppressed MAWO After One Year | 35 Interview with Nicole Burton and Kira and raids that assault the people On November 16th the Vancouver Toronto June 30th Organizing people at home and abroad. Daley - on their Banning | 20 of Afghanistan every day. and District Labour Council Committee Interview | 35 The VDLC represents 120 Indigenous Struggles: (VDLC) passed three resolutions Reports on Local Events & The Haida Decision | 24 that put oppressed people in Continued on page 30 Struggles | 38-45 Continued on page 7 Canada and everywhere in a better The Occupation of Iraq Why the ‘Crisis’ in Iraq is getting worse for the US and UK From page 1 in the eyes of the vast majority of in Iraq (FWCUI), which is not people in Iraq, and the majority of recognized. In November of solve it in a way that is in favour people throughout the world. The 2004, a governor of the ‘interim’ of imperialist countries, that puts US also hopes that the elections government in Baghdad issued them in a better position to find will divide Iraqis between those an order threatening to arrest solutions for the global economic who participate in them and those any labour activist who joins the crisis they face. This translates who do not. This is hoped to FWCUI. into how to best continue to promote internal conflict among With the failure of ‘reconstruction,’ suppress, and find new ways to the Iraqi people and also help set the US will only be faced with suppress, people in Iraq, people up an ‘elected’ government that more and more resistance by within imperialist countries, and is willing and able to participate working and unemployed Iraqis people all over the world. in the suppression of the Iraqi as they are pushed to take action So far, the numerous methods resistance, the massacre of Iraqi against the brutal conditions they tried by the US-led occupation people, and lay the groundwork are forced to endure under the forces not only to dig themselves for a sustained occupation in occupation. Only $1.7 Billion out of this crisis but also to find Iraq. of the $18.4 billion that the US alternatives to this crisis have Aside from leveling this much allocated for ‘reconstruction’ failed, and are continuing to fail. destruction on the people of has even been spent. This has The most recent strategy pursued Fallujah, for the US-led occupation mostly gone into ‘security’ costs, in Fallujah was not only a failure forces, virtually nothing was meaning that instead of facing in and of itself, but has served to accomplished with this assault. the ‘carrot’ of reconstruction deepen the numerous crises facing Outside of Fallujah, resistance and the ‘stick’ of brute military the US-led occupation. to the US-led occupation has repression, Iraqis face two sticks, regardless of which department existent or ineffective because human costs to the US military. of the US ruling class is paying it gives the US an alibi for Coupled with the inability to for it. sustaining its massive military build a government that is seen presence in Iraq (‘somebody has as legitimate by Iraqis, the US-led Elections? Why Bother? to police the country’), at the occupation forces have also been “How can we have a free election same time the US needs at least unable to build any Iraqi police under martial law? Instead of a moderately functioning Iraqi and military forces effective at ceasefire, they attack Fallujah. forces for political and military pacifying the Iraqi resistance. Are they sure that the aftermath reasons. On December 8th, the police will not be bloodier than Fallujah? US ruling class think-tanks and station in Samarra was overrun by The martial law is one of the nails their intellectuals have been Iraqis, who stormed the station, in the coffin of this regime. The pushing this ‘Iraqification’ of the seized its weapons, and blew up last pretext for democracy here occupation for several months the building. After this, as well is now buried. Their declaration as a way to combat the crisis of as having his home fired on by of martial law is a declaration of legitimacy the US faces in the rocket-propelled grenades, the moral bankruptcy.” – Dr. Wamidh eyes of Iraqis and people around police chief of Samarra resigned. Omar Nadhi, spokesman for the world, as well as a way to the Iraqi National Foundation ease the burden of financial and Continued on page 37 Congress US soldiers detaining Iraqi man in Fallujah, November 12th 2004. Very few people in Iraq actually believe that these elections Fallujah not diminished as a result of the are somehow a step towards a This is the newspaper of the The main imperialist objectives Fallujah assault. Throughout the legitimate government handed to Fire This Time Movement for first half of December the US them by the US-led occupation with the Fallujah offensive Social Justice in November 2004 were to faced an average 150 attacks per forces. Should anyone be surprised - ISSN 1712 -1817 - at least temporarily decrease day, including attacks on soldiers by this? After destroying all the momentum of the Iraqi and military targets, but also on oil previously existing political and www.fire-this-time.org pipelines and the police stations civil institutions in Iraq during the resistance by destroying one of December 2004/January 2005 Issue 20/21 the strongest forces of resistance, of Allawi’s puppet government.