From  MIM Notes 158    March 15, 1998

AMERIKA WAGES WAR AGAINST IRAQ

Amerika has been waging a war against Iraq for years. The 
Gulf War was not over when u.s. troops stopped bombing Iraqi 
people. The on-going warfare waged through the economic 
blockade and continuing military threat has lead to the 
death and suffering of thousands of Iraqi people. Military 
invasion will lead to even more of these deaths and must be 
opposed by all anti-imperialists. But even if a "diplomatic" 
solution is found to the current u.s. demands for total 
control over Iraq, the gulf war will not end until the 
imperialists withdraw military and economic control and 
allow the people self-determination to choose their own 
destiny.

As February drew to a close, the United Snakes was moving 
closer and closer to launching another shooting war against 
Iraq. On February 16, Defense Secretary William Cohen said 
he "was sending 5,000 to 6,000 more troops to Kuwait", bring 
the total number of troops in the region to 9,700-10,000.(1)

The 3rd largest weapons contractor, Raytheon, is licking 
it's chops at the chance for another real test for it's 
weapons. Raytheon claims to support a diplomatic solution, 
but a spokeperson erased those words with: "Let's be 
practical. No matter what happens, the actual battlefield is 
the ultimate test, isn't it?"(2) Besides the test on flesh 
and blood that shoots back, Raytheon benefits through 
replacement sales as well as the advertising to other 
governments that the media coverage will generate. 

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan appears to have negotiated a 
settlement to the stalemate. Iraq's government-controlled 
media correctly "expressed concern that Annan arrived with a 
'prepared script from the United States.'"(3) The U.$ didn't 
want Annan to go to Iraq, and delayed his trip arguing 
within the Security Council over the terms to be presented 
to Iraq. Annan's draft proposal does not create a timetable 
for the ending of sanctions against Iraq. So even if a 
diplomatic solution can prevent a shooting war, it will not 
stop the brutal economic war against the Iraqi people.

Truth not an impediment to war machine

On Feb 17, Clinton tried to explain to the Amerikan people 
why Hussein's presidential palaces were so important to 
inspect. He said that one of the palaces was "about the size 
of Washington, D.C." or 62.5 square miles. "He did not 
identify the palace, ... but his national security advisor 
made the same comparison and identified the site as the 
Thathar Palace compound." A recent team of surveyors sent by 
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan reports that Thathar covers 
1 square mile.(4)

The United Snakes claims that it wants to bomb Iraq to 
protect the Iraqi people and Iraq's neighbors from 
biological weapons. Furthermore, Clinton says "We want to 
seriously reduce his capacity to threaten his neighbors." 
but all of Iraq's neighbors with the exception of Kuwait 
oppose an attack upon Iraq.(6)

NOTES:
1. Boston Globe 17 February 1998, p. A1.
2. Boston Globe 18 February 1998, p. A7.
3. Boston Globe 21 February 1998, p. A1.
4. Boston Globe 20 February 1998, p. A15.
5. Boston Globe 20 February 1998, p. A17.
6. Boston Globe 18 February 1998, p. A8.