Voices for peace grow

Coalitions for peace are quickly forming in many countries as the US and 
NATO military machines gear up for an attack on Afghanistan (one of the 
poorest countries in the world) and perhaps other countries in the near 
future.

In Sydney a meeting of about two hundred people representing a number of 
community, trade union, political and environmental organisations formed 
the Network Opposing War And Racism (NOWAR) and decided on a demonstration 
to take place on Saturday, September 29, at 11 am at the Sydney Town Hall.

Even on the previous Wednesday people for peace held a demonstration in 
Sydney's Martin Place. The demands of the NOWAR coalition are: "No War!" 
"No Australian support for war", "No racist scapegoating" and "Respect 
democratic rights!"

Once the bombs start dropping it will be harder to stop the killing of 
thousands of innocent people. Already a wave of refugees is attempting to 
cross Afghanistan's borders into neighbouring countries fearful of the 
devastation that will be inevitably caused by use of the world's most 
powerful killing machine.

Demonstrations have already taken place in New York, Washington, Berlin, 
London and other cities.

While the people of New York and Washington were still counting the dead 
and dealing with the shock and horror of the ferocious attacks on the World 
Trade Centre and the Pentagon, their government and military were preparing 
new killing fields.

In the name of "Infinite Justice" the most extreme reactionary war hawks of 
the US administration are preparing for Infinite War. The US and its allies 
are moving with haste as people around the world overcome their initial 
shock and begin mobilising against war.

In an attempt to force everyone to line up with the plans of the US 
administration President Bush declared: "Every nation in every region now 
has a decision to make. Either you are with us or you are with the 
terrorists."

The US President's formulation leaves no room for anyone to OPPOSE BOTH 
TERRORISM AND WAR. As Cuba's President Fidel Castro put it, "We have all 
been ordered to ally either with the United States or with terrorism".

"The victory against terrorism will not take place in a single battle, but 
in a series of decisive actions against terrorist organisations and those 
who harbour and support them", declared Bush.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is one of the most rabid warhawks 
in the US Government and is associated with big American oil companies, 
said such a war "will last for years". He has announced that 60 countries 
are on the American list — one third of all the countries in the world. 
All of them are poor Third World countries.

"Some of [these countries] have armies and navies and air forces, and they 
do have capital and they do have high value targets", said Rumsfeld in a 
thinly veiled threat.

The planned "borderless" and endless war will not bring an end to 
terrorism. It is likely to encourage terrorism as impoverished and 
desperate people, who have nothing left to lose, attempt some sort of 
revenge for their hopeless predicament.

The target will be individuals or those who are alleged to harbour them. It 
means that villages or towns could be wiped out if the US military machine 
and its "special services" claim that a particular village is home to a 
person who has resisted US domination and is branded as a terrorist.

This tactic was used by the Nazis in WW2 and by the US in Vietnam.

"The first victims of whatever military actions are undertaken will be the 
billions of people living in the poor and underdeveloped world with their 
unbelievable economic and social problems, their unpayable debts and the 
ruinous prices of their basic commodities; their growing natural and 
ecological catastrophes, their hunger and misery, the massive 
undernourishment of their children, teenagers and adults; their terrible 
AIDS epidemic, their malaria, their tuberculosis and their infectious 
diseases that threaten whole nations with extermination", said Fidel 
Castro.

The wealthier industrial countries will not be immune. Already burdened 
with economic crisis, they will be pouring billions more dollars into the 
war machine at the expense of health, education, housing, welfare services 
and jobs.

There will be untold environmental damage; floods of refugees and heavy 
losses by military forces. As in many recent conflicts civilian populations 
will suffer the heaviest casualties.

When Bush told Congress "The course of this conflict is not known", he was 
right. Its impact is unpredictable but its consequences will be tremendous 
for the future of life on this earth.

Behind the US leadership's "war on terrorism" there is, however, another 
agenda, an agenda that has been long in the planning. (see page 6 for 
details). It is a smoke screen for an unprecedented offensive by the US to 
extend its military, political and economic domination around the globe.

In pursuing its objectives the US is violating international law in the 
most arrogant manner imaginable. It is morally criminal and illegal under 
international law.

The UN Security Council meeting of September 12 adopted a resolution 
strongly condemning the terrorist actions in the US. It called on all 
states to work together urgently to bring to justice the perpetrators, the 
organisers and sponsors of these terrorists attacks. But the resolution did 
NOT authorise war by the US or by any other country.

With bribes, carrots, and big sticks, billions of dollars are being 
promised for governments to toe the line and join the US coalition.

"We are asking all the nations to join together to use political action, 
diplomatic action, economic action, legal action, law enforcement action, 
and if necessary, join with us [meaning the US] as appropriate and if 
necessary military action when we [the US] have identified the perpetrators 
and decided what military action might be appropriate", said Secretary of 
State Colin Powell on September 13. (Remarks in square brackets added by 
the Editor).

This US-led and US-created "coalition to go after terrorism" will, 
according to Colin Powell, include the UN, NATO, the EU, the Organisation 
of Islamic Countries, the Organisation of American States and others.

It would appear that the US that has been treating the UN and many of its 
resolution with contempt and is disregarding the procedures of the UN, now 
wishes to enroll the UN in a coalition of which it would be the ringmaster.

The heavy beat of the war drum and massive threats against countries that 
are reluctant to come on board, has been enormous. Following the assertion 
that if you are not with us you are against us and on the side of 
terrorism, many countries are being threatened and, no doubt, listed for 
treatment in the future.

The Australian Prime Minister John Howard did not need a carrot or a stick 
to respond to the "We're at war" cry and jump on the bandwagon of the US 
sheriff George W Bush. Howard with the backing of the Labor Party is "all 
the way with the USA".

But the world has changed and many countries will resist the US pressure 
and eventually find ways to spike the US plans for worldwide dictatorship.

As the real purpose of the USA's "war against terrorism" becomes more 
apparent, the initial pro-war sentiments are weakening and more people in 
the US and around the world are joining the struggle against war.

Coalitions against war and racism are being established and actions 
planned. Therein lies the hope that even now the war plans will be 
defeated. It is not yet too late!