Iraq

Day X - Working people and youth of the world protest against outbreak of war

www.socialistworld.net, 20/03/2003
website of the committee for a workers' international, CWI

War has started. The US led imperialist assault against the people of Iraq means huge destruction and the loss of many lives. A high tech capitalist superpower is indiscriminately attacking a people already subjected to recent wars, UN sanctions (’a slow genocide’) and regular US/British air attacks. Despite all the hypocritical talk of waging war to create ’peace’, of so-called ’nation building’ and of ’liberating’ Iraq and so on, this war will result in further death and poverty for workers and young people in Iraq.

CWI Online

 

Working people and youth of the world protest against outbreak of war

But working people around the world and youth are not standing back and letting this terrible bloodbath take place without protesting. In fact, huge protests are taking place internationally, in Europe (East, West and South), in North and Latin America and throughout Asia and the Middle East. Many millions of people are demonstrating their opposition to this bloody conflict that is being fought in the interests of imperialism.

Day X, and the next days of protest, will go down in history as a time when working people made their voices heard in an unprecedented example of ’people’s power’. Never before has there been such an unpopular war and never before has there been such widespread and active protests on a world scale.

The masses of working people around the world are not fooled by all the propaganda and lies coming from the Whitehouse and Downing Street. They correctly understand that this is a war for oil, prestige and power - not a war in the interests of Iraqi working people. Working people are against the tyrant Saddam Hussein, of course, who for decades was armed and financed by the West. We believe it is up to the Iraqi workers and youth to get rid of the dictatorship and we call for the working class internationally to support them.

Tidal wave of opposition

The Iraq war has unleashed a tidal way of opposition. The Committee for a Workers’ International has been part of this movement since it began and our members and supporters have been striving to make it as effective as possible.

In the coming days CWI members will continue to be to the fore in the organising protests and strikes around the world, including blockades of military supplies going to support the war.

The huge 15 February international protests showed the scale of the anti-war movement. Following these historic protests we have seen many cases of organised protest action in workplaces, colleges and schools in Europe, North America and in Australia. There have been many spontaneous protests and school strikes as well, indicating the depth of anger. These sorts of protests will only grow over the duration of the war.

Now the war has begun, it is vital that strikes and protests by workers and young people are extended. Walkouts and strikes can create an unstoppable movement of mass civil disobedience to stop this war.

The most important way to stop this imperialist war is organising mass resistance that involves the working class. Already in Europe on 14 March millions took strike action against war. In Spain alone five million struck. In Italy, Gugliemo Epifani, secretary of the Cgil the largest trade union federation, told a demonstration of over 700,000 in Milan that Italy would come to a standstill the moment bombs started dropping.

A one-day, all-out strike - a general strike - in all sectors, including students and school students, would bring together all the opposition to war and could open the way to bringing down those governments who support the war.

Millions have been horrified at Bush and Blair’s drive towards war and their cynical, lying propaganda campaign. The past months have shown to millions of youth and working people the world over the vicious character of imperialism and reinforced the opposition to capitalist globalisation.

CWI analysis

Many will not only want to fight this war but also the system which gives rise to these horrors. The CWI, while opposing this war, and being fully involved in protest actions, will simultaneously argue for the need to build a socialist movement that will fight for a society that puts working people before power and profit, and ends the horrors of war, poverty and exploitation - a socialist society.

The CWI provides the analysis and facts to answer Bush and Blair’s war propaganda. We show why this is an imperialist war and anything but a "war for peace".

CWI Online will provide in-depth analysis of the bloody imperialist war as it unfolds. Visitors to this site will be able to find an unparalleled socialist analysis and commentary on events. CWI members from all around the world will provide reports of anti-war protests - the CWI not only comments on events but it is also an active and important part of the opposition to war. Furthermore CWI Online will also put forward its ideas on how to develop and build the anti-war movement.

Our special Day X homepage provides reports from around the world of the initial wave of anti-war protests and demonstrations.

If you agree with the ideas on this site, why not take the next step and get involved in the anti-war struggle. If you want to see a permanent end to this system of profit and war join the CWI!

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