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By Dekel Avshalom and Fred Weston
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Friday, 18 July 2008 |
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Formally speaking Bush has gained control of Iraq, and now
the puppet Iraqi government has been granting oil concessions to the major
multinational oil corporations. But all this comes at a heavy price in
political terms...
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By Alan Woods
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Thursday, 20 March 2008 |
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When the coalition
forces marched into Baghdad
in March 2003, the imperialists were full of confidence. The things they
were going to do! Intoxicated by the power of their military machine, they
predicted a glowing future for Iraq
and the Middle East. How different things are
now!
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By Socialist Appeal
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008 |
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Five years after the invasion of Iraq all the lies cooked up by
Blair and Bush at the time have been exposed for what they were. They cannot
hide the terrible suffering and destruction they have inflicted on the people
of Iraq.
And to make things worse they have even failed in their avowed aim of
establishing what they define as a "democracy".
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By Joe Boustead - www.socialist.net
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Monday, 01 October 2007 |
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Since the first Gulf War the US and UK have been using Depleted Uranium
(DU) weaponry. DU has a half-life of 1.5 billion years, can result in
cancerous tumors and
genetic mutations, and pass from mother to unborn child, resulting in
birth
defects. This reveals not only the depths of
imperialist barabarity, mocking the idea of 'the rules of war', but
demonstrates with painful acuteness capitalism's inability to regard
the environment.
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By Alan Woods
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Friday, 24 August 2007 |
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Continuing with his
analysis of the world situation, Alan Woods looks at the growing crisis in the
Middle East. Explaining the interdependence of everything on a world scale, he
points out how the war in Iraq affects the United States and other countries,
and how this affects the developing revolution in Latin America.
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By Alan Woods
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Thursday, 22 March 2007 |
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The Pentagon is continuing intensive planning for a possible bombing attack on Iran. These preparations began already last year, by order of the President. In other words, the decision has already been arrived at. All that Bush is waiting for is a suitable opportunity to put it into practice.
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By Alan Woods
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Wednesday, 21 March 2007 |
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In the same way that the revolutionary movement depends at
critical moments on the quality of the leadership, so the outcome of a war,
such as the war in Iraq,
can be decisively influenced by the political and military leadership of the
bourgeoisie. Bush is now acting against the interests of the class he is
supposed to represent.
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By Alan Woods
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Tuesday, 20 March 2007 |
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Chinese
military strategist Sun-Tzu, wrote his famous treatise, The Art of War
2500 years ago. The basic postulates laid down in this classical work are as
valid today as they were when they were first written. Today, on the fourth
anniversary of the invasion of Iraq,
Alan Woods points out that Bush has made every possible mistake in the book.
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By Joseph Forrest - www.socialistappeal.org
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Monday, 05 March 2007 |
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An interview with Darrell Anderson, an Iraq War veteran, on his
experiences in the Iraq War. He discusses the "insurgency," the
attitudes of average Iraqis toward the US military, and the attitude of
average US soldiers toward the war.
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By Alan Woods
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Thursday, 15 February 2007 |
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Instead of listening to the advice of Baker and the Iraq Study Group to seek an exit strategy, Bush prefers to up the stakes, increasing the number of troops in Iraq and threatening both Syria and Iran. He is coming into conflict with the ruling class he is supposed to represent. Herein lies a potential political crisis of major proportions in the USA. |
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By Maarten Vanheuverswyn
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Thursday, 11 January 2007 |
 George W. Bush last
night announced his “new strategy” for Iraq. His speech consisted of the
usual rhetoric about “establishing democracy” and “defeating the terrorists”
but particularly a lot of wishful thinking. Like an about to be defeated poker
player, US
imperialism faces the problem every gambler has when he is losing: if he leaves
the table, he won’t be able to win back his losses. But a final bet can prove
fatal too.
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By Mark Vorpahl - www.socialistappeal.org
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Friday, 05 January 2007 |
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The execution of Saddam Hussein could not have been a more cynically
calculated PR event if a banner proclaiming "mission accomplished" had
been placed above the gallows. His hanging will not provide a day of
relief from the misery, humiliation, and violence the Iraqi people are
enduring under the occupation, or absolve imperialism of its role in
Saddam's rise to power and decades of brutal rule.
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By Rob Lyon
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Tuesday, 07 November 2006 |
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What
started off as a show of strength on the part of US imperialism is now turning
into its opposite. The war in Iraq
is bringing to the surface all the contradictions of present-day capitalism.
Defeat is staring the imperialists in the face. This will have far-reaching
consequences well beyond the borders of Iraq.
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By Phil Mitchinson
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Thursday, 02 November 2006 |
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The war in Iraq has been
an unmitigated disaster. Far from “promoting democracy” what the imperialists
have done is to plunge Iraq
into the depths of barbarism. Even from a purely military point of view they
are losing their grip on the country. Now the talk is about an “exit strategy”.
We say the troops must leave now. Let the people of Iraq decide their own fate.
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By Naftana
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Wednesday, 21 June 2006 |
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We have just received this Press Release from Naftana, the
UK Support Committee for the General Union of Oil Employees Iraq. It confirms
that the Iraqi government has frozen the funds of the Iraqi Oil Workers' Union, the reason being the union’s opposition to
privatisation.
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By Rob Lyon
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Friday, 02 June 2006 |
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On the morning of November 19, 2005 US Marines killed 24 civilians, including women, children and even infants in Haditha, Iraq. The massacre was covered up until January, when evidence of the massacre could no longer be denied. The US government has announced that the Marines involved will stand trial for murder. The full impact of Haditha is yet to be revealed, but similar to the My Lai massacre in the Vietnam War, it could represent the beginning of the end for the US occupation of Iraq
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By Maarten Vanheuverswyn
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Friday, 12 May 2006 |
 After being labelled a “butcher” by
the British press following last week's bad election results for the
Labour Party and the subsequent Cabinet reshuffle, Tony Blair
suffered another blow, this time not at home but abroad. In Basra the
British army lost five soldiers, including the first female casualty,
as their helicopter crashed and British soldiers came under attack.
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By Rob Lyon
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Friday, 03 March 2006 |
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Sectarian violence has plagued Iraq since the February 22 destruction of the sacred Shia al-Askariya shrine in As Samarra, pushing the country dangerously close to civil war. As the US army in Iraq faces the prospect of being dragged into such a war, opinion polls in the United States show that support for the Bush administration is at an all time low. The conditions are being laid for an all out explosion both in Iraq and in the United States. |
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By Phil Mitchinson
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Thursday, 02 March 2006 |
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The constant stream of news, combined with photographic and video evidence, about maltreatment of Iraqis at the hands of occupying troops is having a traumatic impact on the Iraqi people. It is also affecting the outlook of soldiers, both British and American, and on the population in Britain and in the US. This will serve to strengthen resistance to the occupation inside Iraq and to increase pressure in Britain and America for withdrawal of the troops. |
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By Sonia Previato
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Wednesday, 16 November 2005 |
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A minority voted
for the new Iraqi constitution. Fighting has now erupted on the
Iraqi-Syrian border. The resistance is being strengthened, not
weakened. And now we have the revelations about the use of chemical
weapons by the US army. The Pax Americana is wallowing in
blood. This article was originally published in the Italian Marxist
journal, FalceMartello.
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By Fred Weston
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Wednesday, 16 November 2005 |
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Shocking images have confirmed that
white phosphorous bombs were used during the US Army attack on
Fallujah last year, aimed at people directly, burning many of them
alive, including civilians, women and children. If anyone doubted the
real nature of the occupation of Iraq, now they have no excuse.
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By Nadim al-Mahjoub
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Friday, 14 October 2005 |
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Tomorrow the Iraqi people are being called to vote on the new Constitution. This piece of paper is full of contradictions that mean that in practice most of it cannot be applied, but the main thing for the US (and British) occupying powers is that it establishes clearly the right to private property and market relations. All the rest is a mere showpiece. |
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By Maarten Vanheuverswyn
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Tuesday, 27 September 2005 |
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Iraq is in flames like never before. The iconic scenes which we saw in Basra last week
reminded us once more of the dreadful state of affairs in Iraq. Now
the south is in a mess too. Imperialist troops cannot bring peace. Pull them
out now!
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By Rob Lyon
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Friday, 18 March 2005 |
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As we approach the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the US
and British led occupation of the country is falling apart. Some 1500
US soldiers have been killed in the conflict, and tens of thousands of
Iraqis. Everything that the Bush administration said about the war has
been exposed as a lie. Far from improving the lives of Iraqis, things
are even worse than under the hated regime of Saddam Hussein. |
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By Fred Weston
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Thursday, 17 February 2005 |
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“We can have just our usual flag with the white stripes painted black
and the stars replaced by the skull and cross-bones.” (Mark Twain).
“With the ramrod as instrument, ‘Freedom’ is to be jammed down the
throats of the insurgent patriots whom our expansionist capitalists
insult with the name of ‘insurgents’.” (Daniel De Leon). |
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By Yossi Schwartz in Jerusalem
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Tuesday, 08 February 2005 |
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On the day of the elections the media led us to believe there had been
a massive turnout, with pictures of Iraqis celebrating “democracy”. Now
the real figures are out and the turnout was shown to be well below
50%, even 30%. As they lied about the reasons for the war, why not lie
about the elections as well? |
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By Alan Woods
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Monday, 31 January 2005 |
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The elections have taken place in Iraq. The masse media have presented
us with the myth that now “democracy” will reign in Iraq. An occupied
country cannot have genuine democracy. Different sections of the
population reacted in different ways. Some boycotted, others took part
with the illusion that this is the road to peace. The illusion will
soon be shattered. Not until the heavy yoke of imperialism and its
monstrous twin, capitalism, are removed will the people of Iraq begin
to breathe freely. |
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By the British Socialist Appeal Editorial Board
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Friday, 21 January 2005 |
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Recent revelations about British troops using torture on Iraqi
prisoners have finally put an end to the myth that the British army is
somehow better than the American. All occupying armies are using these
methods. The Labour movement must demand the unconditional withdrawal
of all troops from Iraq. |
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By Alan Woods
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Friday, 07 January 2005 |
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The real reason why the insurgents are opposed to the “elections” is
because they are a cynical lie and a deception of the people of Iraq
and world opinion. They are not intended to introduce a genuine
democracy. How can any people be free with a foreign jackboot on its
neck? The real purpose of the so-called elections is quite clear: to
legitimise the American-led invasion of Iraq and disguise the cruel
reality of foreign occupation under the façade of a puppet
administration. |
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By Fred Weston
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Monday, 06 December 2004 |
 Some
American Republicans are calling for the resignation of Kofi Annan as
UN general secretary. The alleged reasons are accusations of
corruption. As always the real reason lies elsewhere. It is part of the
onging conflict between the major powers over the war in Iraq.
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By Rob Lyon
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Friday, 26 November 2004 |
The Black Watch regiment was clearly moved to Baghdad for political
reasons. Blair wanted to help Bush in the US elections and also prove
that British troops are needed in Iraq. Once again he has lied to the
British public and he has shown that he is prepared to risk the lives
of ordinary soldiers to achieve his own political objectives. Not by
Christmas! The troops should be pulled out now.
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By Maarten Vanheuverswyn
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Friday, 12 November 2004 |
On the face of it, the siege of Fallujah seems to be going relatively
well for the US troops. Most of the city has been captured and
according to the mass media “Operation Phantom Fury” will be finished
in a couple of days. However, things are not so simple. The war in Iraq
was also supposed to be over, whereas it clearly is not. The same
applies to Fallujah, where an official victory may well turn out to be
a Pyrrhic one.
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By Maarten Vanheuverswyn
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Monday, 08 November 2004 |
The war drums are being beaten once again in Fallujah. After the siege
in April this year, the city will again be the scene of an onslaught,
probably bigger than last time. During the last weeks, the US forces
stepped up their daily air raids while at the same time applying heavy
psychological warfare tactics. Threatening to crush the resistance, US
imperialism is now actually heading steadily for an all-out assault on
Fallujah.
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By Yossi Schwartz
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Monday, 08 November 2004 |
Only a few weeks ago the bourgeois newspapers bombed us with their
great expectations in Iraq, presumably on its way to “freedom and
democracy”. Yossi Schwartz comments on these predictions.
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By Maarten Vanheuverswyn
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Monday, 11 October 2004 |
“Wait until Charlie gets back with the final report,” George Bush said
confidently in June in reply to reporters fishing after a confession of
the president that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Well, now Charlie is back and the report is nothing less than a
devastating blow to Bush and Blair.
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By Fred Weston
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Friday, 27 August 2004 |
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After three weeks of fighting the moderate Shia Islamic leader, Ali
al-Sistani, has intervened and brokered a compromise in Najaf. However,
no long term solution can be provided by such manoeuvres. Today they
may "pacify" Najaf, but the fighting will erupt again in the future.
Only if the working class gives a lead to the resistance can a final
solution be found. By Fred Weston (August 27, 2004) |
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By Yossi Schwartz
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Sunday, 22 August 2004 |
The severe fighting taking place in Iraq is presented to us as some
inexplicable phenomenon, produced by “dark forces” resisting the march of
“progress and democracy”. In reality what we are facing is a mass resistance
movement aimed at expelling a foreign army of occupation. This movement is
fuelled by the terrible conditions Iraqi workers are facing, conditions created
by the domination of imperialism.
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By Greg Oxley and Layla Al Koureychi
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Thursday, 15 July 2004 |
As mass resistance to the occupation of Iraq develops, the new Iraqi
"government" will find it extremely difficult to control the
situation. This growing instability in Iraq comes at a time when just across the
border the Saudi regime is on the verge of a major crisis and could be toppled.
This has led US strategists to consider the invasion of Saudi Arabia as a
possible next step. But it is fraught with danger.
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By Alan Woods
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Monday, 28 June 2004 |
At 10.45 this morning Baghdad local time, in a hasty ceremony held behind
locked doors, the American proconsul Paul Bremer “handed over power” to an interim
government composed of Iraqis. More than the
representative of an imperial power handing over power to a grateful ally, Paul
Bremer resembled a man who had burned his fingers hastily tossing the hot potato
to another. Alan Woods looks at what is the real state of play.
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By Yossi Schwartz
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Friday, 11 June 2004 |
At recent gatherings of the major powers (from the D-Day celebrations to the G8)
a lot of noise has been made about more cooperation between the major powers, in
particular between the USA and Europe. What lies behind this? Is there really a
common position developing? Yossi Schwartz explains why any idea of unity
between the major powers is a mere pipedream.
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By Yossi Schwartz
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Saturday, 22 May 2004 |
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In the last few days the masses in many parts of the Middle East have been
pouring out onto the streets in protest against the murder of civilians in Iraq
and Gaza. They have been coming out emboldened by the feeling that the killing
machine of the occupying armies in Iraq and Gaza can be defeated. Yossi
Schwartz, just returned from one of these protests in Rafah (Gaza) looks at the
effects throughout the Middle East and in particular in Israel. |
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By Phil Mitchinson
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Monday, 10 May 2004 |
Despite all their best efforts at covering up the truth, the United
States military has been compelled to open a criminal investigation into the
acts of abuse, humiliation and torture against Iraqi prisoners, which have now
been broadcast on TV screens around the world. Each passing day brings new and
more shocking revelations. Now it seems there are a further 1000 digital
photographs to be published. As usual, the military only admit what cannot be
denied. As we are now learning, these initial pictures represent only the tip of
a vast and extremely ugly iceberg.
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By Alan Woods
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Friday, 30 April 2004 |
The invasion of Iraq stands exposed for what it
always was: an act of naked aggression leading to the forcible occupation of a country by foreign
troops against the will of the people. Naturally, such a state of affairs can only be sustained by the massive,
uncontrolled and unlimited use of force. We can now see the results of this on
the front pages of today’s newspapers. The United States military has
been compelled to open criminal investigation into acts of abuse, humiliation
and torture against Iraqi prisoners, committed by US soldiers and officers as
photographs of horrific incidents were aired for the first time on US network
television.
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By Alan Woods
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Thursday, 29 April 2004 |
The monstrously oppressive nature of US imperialism stands exposed in all its
bloody nakedness. Fallujah is being reduced to smoking rubble before the eyes of
the world. Heavily armed American gunships are slowly pounding it into dust.
Many civilians have fled in panic; many lay buried beneath the shattered
remnants of their homes.
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By Alan Woods
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Thursday, 08 April 2004 |
The US army is now faced with a general insurrectionary upsurge all over
Iraq. This marks a qualitative change in the situation. This week has seen the
heaviest fighting since the end of the war, with the US losing 33 soldiers in
three days. By last night, the troops which overthrew Saddam Hussein a year ago
this week, had been driven from five Iraqi cities after heavy fighting.
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By Rob Lyon
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Wednesday, 07 April 2004 |
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Iraq is in flames. Insurrections and fighting have spread across the country.
The US-led coalition is fighting a desperate war on two-fronts: against Sunni
rebels concentrated in the western towns of Falluja and Ramadi and a Shia
uprising in south and central Iraq. This is just three months before the US is
due to transfer power to an Iraqi government and the situation is deteriorating
with every passing day. |
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By In Defence of Marxism
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Wednesday, 03 March 2004 |
Yesterday’s
bomb attacks in Iraq have brought the plight of the Iraqi people back into
the attention of the whole world. It reminds everyone of the terrible mess
that the US-UK war against Saddam Hussein has provoked. Iraq was no threat
to anyone. That has been abundantly demonstrated now. So what has been
achieved?
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By Rob Sewell
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Tuesday, 02 March 2004 |
Things are going from bad to worse for the occupying forces in Iraq. As the
guerrilla insurgency intensified, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived
in Baghdad to check things out “on the ground”.
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By In Defence of Marxism editorial board
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Monday, 15 December 2003 |
Saddam Hussein has been captured. On Saturday, US troops
finally caught the man who had eluded them for months. The Americans could not
conceal their euphoria. Paul Bremer, the imperial proconsul in charge of
occupied Iraq opened the long anticipated press conference with the words:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've got him." The capture of Saddam Hussein may give
Bush and Blair a temporary respite. But nothing fundamental has changed and none
of the basic problems have been solved. The fighting will continue as before, or
even get worse.
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By Fred Weston
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Tuesday, 18 November 2003 |
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Bush is
now in Britain on the first state visit of a US president to this country in
eighty years. The trip was obviously planned long ago and when it was organised
Blair probably was not aware of how strong the antiwar mood in Britain would
become. But the consistent lies on the part of both Blair and Bush have
convinced even many of those who initially went along with their arguments that
the whole war was totally unjustified. It has exposed the real reasons for the
occupation of Iraq - to get their hands on the oil and to achieve a
strategically important position in the Middle East. |
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By Roberto Sarti
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Tuesday, 28 October 2003 |
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Opposition to the presence of foreign troops is not merely expressed in
the daily attacks on US soldiers. Now there are signs of a growing
militant mood among the Iraqi workers. The number of strikes has been
increasing. By Roberto Sarti. (October 28, 2003). |
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By Roberto Sarti
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Wednesday, 24 September 2003 |
The robbery of Iraq's national assets was formally legalised last Sunday. The
American-appointed Iraqi National Council has opened up all sectors of the
economy to foreign investors. From now on, all the strategic sectors of the
economy can be sold off completely to foreign buyers.
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