Opposition to US war growing quickly
Massive anti-war demonstrations in Italy, Greece and in the US over the weekend continued the build-up of opposition to the planned American invasion of Iraq. In Italy an estimated 1.5 million people took part in demonstrations in many Italian cities. Italy's neo-fascist Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, together with Tony Blair is among the few allies openly supporting the US war plans. "Our point is that we cannot support the United State's plan to kill innocent Iraqis in order to win the upcoming (US) elections", said Marco Filiberti who was among the estimated 200,000 demonstrators in Rome. One teacher said: "We cannot control what the United States does, but we can tell them that if they want to march into Iraq they will have to do so without the support of the Italian military." Demonstrators in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Portland and many other smaller communities showed that not all American citizens support Bush's warmongering. The US demonstrations were organised by the "Not in Our Name" movement. Marchers used a selection of choice adjectives to describe Bush — "warmonger", "racist", "irresponsible" and "stoopid" (sic). "This is a country full of people that won't let the government start this immoral war in our name", said organiser Tanya Mayo from a stage swathed in peace banners, blue balloons and the names of victims of past wars. "We don't want war. It's clearly for fabricated reasons", said Taliya Ansari. "We don't want people to die. Iraq is not doing anything to us." At the United Nations it appears that the US has succeeded in pressuring the Chief Weapons Inspector, Hans Blix to support principle US demands. After meeting with Secretary of State, Colin Powell, Blix is reported to have said that there was "very broad support" in the Security Council for a new resolution setting tough terms for inspections. He is also reported to have supported the threat of consequences if Iraq fails to disarm. Instead of following the US path to justify a war Hans Blix should make clear to the Americans that he is under the direction of the UN Security Council and is not a US stooge. Another development is the revelation that a secret document prepared in September 2000, by the "Project for the New American Century" think tank (and before Bush was elected), outlines the course now being implemented by Bush and his hard core of warmongers. The document was drawn up by Dick Cheney (now Vice-President), Donald Rumsfeld (Defence Secretary), Paul Wolfowitz (Rumsfeld's deputy) and George Bush's younger brother Jeb. The plan shows that these conspirators who now make up Bush's principle cabinet members, intended to take military control of the Gulf region whether or not Saddam Hussein was in power. It says: "The United States has for decades sought to play a more permanent role in Gulf regional security. While the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification, the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam." The document which has been published by the Scottish Sunday Herald is a "blueprint for maintaining global US pre-eminence, precluding the rise of a great power rival and shaping the international security order in line with American principles and interests." The report describes US armed forces abroad as "the cavalry on the new American frontier". Commenting on the document, Tam Dalyell, British Labour MP who is regarded as the father of the House of Commons said: "This is a blueprint for US world domination — a new world order of their making. These are the thought processes of fantasist (sic) Americans who want to control the world. I am appalled that a British Labour Prime Minister should have got into bed with a crew which has this moral standing."