Threat to Iraq condemned
The Iraqi Communist Party has warned of the dangers to Iraq "as a result of the mounting American threats to deal a military strike" against their country. A statement by the Party's Central Committee says that this danger is aggravated by the recklessness of the dictatorial [Saddam Hussein] regime which is intensifying repression and terror. "The rulers are terrified mainly of the possibility of an explosion of people's wrath and resentment and the overthrow of their hated regime", says the statement. The Party condemned the terrorist attacks of September 11 "which affected thousands of innocent victims and had dangerous consequences with world- wide implications." At the same time the Party rejected the military option in Afghanistan saying that "it is not the most effective means to confront and eradicate terror. Rather it can create new reasons for its continuation". It called for peaceful means with political, economic and other measures in accordance with the UN Charter. The Party called for the United Nations to make "a clear and precise definition of terror, distinguishing it from the legitimate right of people to struggle against occupation, for self-determination and free choice of their social-political systems, and to struggle against dictatorial and fascist regimes." The September 11 events had been used "as a pretext to carry out strategic schemes which had already been planned", said the statement. These schemes were driven by objectives for imperialist hegemony and the desire to impose an American model of globalism throughout the world. The Saddam Hussein regime, "by gloating over the September 11 events and expressing unreserved support for the Taliban regime and for Bin Laden, helps to provide the pretexts needed by Washington to justify its threats to strike at Iraq". At the same time the regime has implemented policies which have "aggravated the suffering of millions of people. These moves have led to a hike in prices, a drop in the value of the Dinar, a state of confusion in markets and a mounting burden of taxes, in addition to concern, anxiety and fear of the unknown". However, the Party statement noted the increase in various forms of protest and rejection by the people of Iraq. This includes "the assassination of regime officials, and armed attacks on offices of the ruling party in Baghdad and other regions". The Party criticised the renewal by the UN Security Council of the "oil- for-food" program until May of this year. This resolution, "which reflected new elements in American-Russian relations implies prolonging the blockade imposed on our people" The Iraqi Communist Party called for the "immediate and unconditional lifting of the blockade". The statement said that "the patriotic and responsible position towards the current developments, and the dangers which they entail, is expressed by refusing to expose our country to a military strike, relying upon our people and the unity of their forces and refusing to take part in the American effort". The Party "opposes both the regime and the [US] military strike and puts forward a patriotic and democratic plan to save the people and the homeland from the blockade, dictatorship and aggression". The statement said that "achieving unity of action and establishing a framework for its alliance is long overdue. The need is urgent today to undertake initiatives and make concerted efforts to achieve this great task". The Party renewed its condemnation of the "bloody terror campaign waged by the Israeli occupation authorities against the Palestinian people with the aim of strangling their heroic uprising". It called for a halt to Israeli aggression and to give all help and support to the Palestinian people's uprising and struggle. The Party statement concluded by saying that the moves by the Bush administration to abolish the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty threaten "to unleash a new, dangerous and costly round of the arms race with subsequent grave dangers to world peace and security".