From MIM Notes 179 February 1, 1999 AMERIKA PROVOKES FIGHT OVER NO-FLY ZONES On January 3, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein vowed that Iraq would attempt to shoot down Amerikan and English planes patrolling the "no-fly zones". These zones cover the Northern and Southern thirds of the country. The two imperialist empires set up the no-fly zones in 1991 to further weaken Iraq by removing Iraq's ability to use air power against the Kurds in the North or Shiite Muslims in the South. The U.$. uses alleged support for the people inside Iraqi borders as a smokescreen for extending its own hegemony in the area. For example, Amerika and England are no friends of the Kurds. In fact, the U.$ finances Turkey's bloody military attacks on the Kurds. Until the December 16 attacks by Amerikan and English forces on Iraq, France was participating in the no-fly zones. For its own imperialist reasons France opposes continuing military actions and sanctions against Iraq. Evidently France wants to go back to the usual World War III war of slow death by imperialist exploitation, with imperialist-funded neo-colonial armies doing the imperialists' dirty work. Hussein's January statement to his Cabinet repeated claims by lower officials that planes in Iraqi airspace would be fired upon. Iraq's decisions to stop UN weapons inspections and shoot back at foreign planes violating its airspace are a sign to the u.$.: If you act like a spoiled bully, used to getting your way on every detail, then you will be treated like one and resisted. The shameless aggression of the u.$. and its craven attempts to pawn this aggression off as just peacemaking have stirred up anti- Amerikan sentiment in the Middle East and around the world. Since the 4 nights of bombing in December, U.$. planes have attacked Iraq at least twice, allegedly because Iraqi air defenses fired on U.$. planes. According to Iraq, 4 soldiers and one farmer were killed. The U.$. claims that its policies in Iraq are not Amerikan policy, but are attempts to enforce United Nations resolutions. But the no-fly zones are Amerikan-British inventions and are not authorized by the Security Council. Regardless, MIM opposes imperialist intervention in Iraq, whether it is U.$ or UN led. Within the current imperialist system, international law formally requires nations to respect the sovereignty and borders of other nations. Imagine how outraged the United States would be if Mexico banned U.$. police and military planes and helicopters from California and Texas. After all, Amerika does use those military forces to oppress its internal colonies. And Mexico has a claim to those states, since they were stolen from Mexico by war in 1848. If that were the case, the U.$. would be running around claiming all kinds of violations of international law. MIM supports revolution against imperialist domination. Where the borders of one nation ends and another starts is something that only can be determined as part of the struggle of oppressed nations for true self-determination. The maps drawn up by the imperialists at the United Nations, Wall Street, Washington D.C. and London only serve to weaken the oppressed and extend the life of this dying system. Note: Boston Globe 4 January 1999. p. A12.