CPA Statement: War is not the answer

Statement by the Central Committee Secretariat of the Communist Party of 
Australia

The Communist Party of Australia expresses its shock and horror at the 
coordinated and devastating attack on major civilian targets in the US.

We share the grief of the thousands of relatives and friends who have lost 
their loved ones. We convey our sincerest condolences.

Those responsible for this terrible act have yet to be identified and 
should, if identified, be brought to justice.

However there are some politicians who are using this incident to whip up 
racist and religious intolerance and to attack the very democratic rights 
that they pretend to be upholding.

The talk of war and that "America is under attack" is being used by US 
leaders, NATO and the Australian Prime Minister to justify restrictive 
measures that can only be regarded as preparations for war against any 
country that dares to challenge the policies of the Bush — Blair — Howard 
Governments.

"War", "revenge" and "retaliation" and the killing of more innocent people 
in other countries, will not solve the problems of the millions of 
unemployed people, the homeless, those suffering ill-health, or those who 
have no clean water or educational opportunities. These are the causes of 
frustration and despair which lead to desperate terrorist acts.

What has happened to the people of New York and Washington is little 
different to the suffering of the people of Iraq, Yugoslavia, Panama, 
Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Vietnam, Korea — all countries that have been the 
victims of US bombing. The US has a long history of violence against many 
countries.

It is the foreign policy of the US, its military occupation of a number of 
countries, its worldwide network of military bases, the behaviour of its 
troops, the arrogance of the US leadership and its pretensions to be a 
superior race that have contributed to hostility and anger directed against 
the US in many countries. 

While the media and western politicians have been quick to lay blame 
without any evidence it should be recalled, when considering who might be 
responsible, that it was Americans who assassinated President Kennedy and 
then his brother, Robert Kennedy.

It was an American army veteran — Timothy McVeigh — who bombed the US 
Government building in Oklahoma in 1995 — a fact that was revealed only 
after many blamed Islamic terrorists.

It is US agencies that have made numerous attempts to assassinate Fidel 
Castro. The list of US initiated outrages is a long one.

The Bush administration is using the current crisis to justify the 
expansion of the Pentagon's war budget, to attack the democratic rights of 
the American people and to whip up a racist, anti-Islamic war fervour.

In total disregard of the United Nations, the situation is being used to 
justify the possible military occupation of Afghanistan and perhaps other 
countries as steps towards the objective of world domination by the US. But 
the lesson is that violence begets violence.

In this dangerous situation we call on the labour and peace movements and 
all left and progressive organisations to resist the racist and war 
hysteria, the attacks on democratic rights and the attempt to justify 
military attacks on other countries. An urgent meeting of the UN Security 
Council should be called to bring under control a rapidly developing war 
situation.