Editorial:

Facing defeat

The US is drowning in the crimes and depravity of its own 
leaders. It has become apparent in the last few days that the US, 
Britain, Australia and their cabal of pitiful allies are facing 
defeat in Iraq and will be forced to get out sooner or later.

While it remains true that the US cannot be defeated militarily, 
it is also true that it cannot win militarily either. This is now 
being admitted reluctantly by US military leaders. This is not to 
say, however, that Bush and his warmongering administration is 
not capable of more manoeuvres or would shy away from the use of 
its massive military might — irrespective of the consequences.

But, it is not the military aspect that is gnawing away at the 
vitals of the US occupation — it is the exposure of the 
atrocities committed by US and British troops that is confronting 
the US Government with its most devastating political defeat in 
its history.

It is a defeat that will have long-term consequences, more far-
reaching than its defeat in Vietnam in the early 1970s.

From a muted welcome to the US forces by the Iraqi people one 
year ago, the photos of the humiliation and torture meted out to 
Iraqi prisoners has turned that welcome into anger and hatred — 
and the horror of people around the world.

This anger and resentment will make it impossible for any US 
administration or obvious puppet regime to govern.

By invading Iraq the Bush administration not only told endless 
lies about weapons of mass destruction but displayed the 
monumental arrogance of US leaders towards other countries. It is 
clear that they regard the people of Iraq as some inferior race 
and the people of the US as the superior, master race.

They are driven by the idea that military force can solve all 
problems in accordance with their interests and that the people 
of other countries will tremble in the face of their military 
might.

They failed to learn the lesson of Vietnam. Military might cannot 
win over the opposition of a united people who refused to accept 
occupation by a foreign invader.

In its search for a way out the US will attempt to involve the 
United Nations, not as an independent international organisation, 
but as a US puppet. But the UN may no longer be prepared to play 
that role.

The US will also attempt to hang on to military bases and buy up 
and control key elements of Iraq's economy, particularly its rich 
oil resources. But none of these aims are likely to be achieved 
now. The military and political struggle to kick the invaders out 
will inevitably intensify. The Iraqi people will never give up 
their sovereignty nor their honour and dignity which have been 
humiliated by the atrocities committed by US and British troops.

The worldwide opposition, shown by the huge anti-war 
demonstrations in February of last year has not gone away either. 
The slide in support for President Bush is a clear indication of 
this and brings the real possibility that George W Bush will be 
thrown out in the US presidential elections in November.

Desperate situations create desperate governments. It was on the 
background of the wave of revulsion that met the exposure of US 
prison atrocities that an American citizen was executed in a most 
revolting and barbaric way.

This atrocity took place precisely at a time when the US 
administration desperately needed a diversion and is claimed to 
be the work of al-Qaida. Recall, however, that al-Qaida was set 
up and financed by the US and as Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 
9/11 will show, there are very close financial and personal 
connections between the Bush and bin Laden families. Is al-Qaida 
still acting in coordination with the Bush administration to help 
it out of difficult situations?

The count-down to an American defeat is now ticking. It will be 
no less a huge defeat for Blair and Howard. It is to be hoped 
that it comes quickly, otherwise many more thousands will die if 
the US uses again its military might to hang on.