The struggle to liberate Iraq is the struggle for humanity, and must be fought as such

An IDAO report
Marxism 2004 - War, Resistance and Revolution

10 July, In a packed hall of the annual London event organised by Socialist Worker, Marxism 2004, Ibrahim Allawi, editor in chief of the Baghdad based democratic left newspaper, Al-Ghad, and Sabah Jawad, secretary of IDAO, spoke on latest developments in Iraq, followed by lively discussions from the floor.

Extracts from Dr. Ibrahim Allawi's speech on the 'prospects for the popular movement in Iraq'

I would like to speak not so much about the war but about the Iraqi people:
How they saw the war.
The present situation.

Prospects for liberation and democracy

It is important to see the latest war against Iraq in its proper contest. In reality this war stared with the 1958 national revolution in Iraq. This revolution librated Iraq and transformed it as a front line in the 'Cold War' that started with occupied Berlin, but soon shifted to Asia with the Chinese revolution of 1949. At about the same time of the Berlin Crisis, the revolutionary movement was about to take power in Iraq lead by the Iraqi Communist party. Allan Dallas, then the head of the CIA declared, "Baghdad is more important than Berlin". Quoting the American journal (Foreign Affairs, July Issue) he said that the American James Critchfield who transformed the then defeated SS forces into a convenient factor in the Cold war was himself brought to Iraq in the sixties. With his supervision of CIA activities in the Middle East he helped arrange the 1963 counter-revolutionary coup in Iraq and set in motions the Baath Party's 40-year domination of Iraqi politics.

Thus, since then, Iraq has been always in the centre of US policies to dominate the Middle East and world politics. In this struggle we are not fighting just for Iraq but for the whole world.

How is the situation of the popular movement in Iraq?

The 40 years Baath rule has put the Iraqi people in a difficult impasse. The old generation of revolutionaries were mostly killed or were forced to tow the line of the fascist Baath regime. The new generations were isolated from the political life and the world. The Kurdish movement was crushed and was re-organised again under US air umbrella. Most of the youth were turned to religion as a relatively safe haven. However the main factor for the decline of the popular movement and loss of hope has been the soviet union which had been a major supporter for the Baath regime.

What is happening now in Iraq is remarkable given the dire situation in Iraq. The young people are the most active against the occupation. They are being driven to the resistance, by patriotic feeling and the widespread unemployment, which has reached about 70% of the workforce. Under the UN sanctions and especially due to the occupation Iraqi society has been reduced to largely two classes, a very large class of working class and the unemployed driven to real poverty, and the very small section benefiting from the occupation or hoping to benefit from it.

What are the factors for Liberation in Iraq:

(1) The US occupation has failed, and faces an impasse and can't withdraw without loosing face.

(2)There is a gradual loss of control; city after city is falling to the control of various militias although still nominally under central government control.

(3) Such a situation cannot continue for long because of the loss of security, which hampers the repairs to infrastructure.

The alternative to anarchy and destruction is to:

Setting up national coalition of political parties, which can appoint an interim administration to organise national election. The prospects for this are possible after a certain period of re-alignment of the various political forces and the mass of the people. The favourable factors for this is the widespread rejection of civil war by all sections of society and the direction for national unity, coupled with political realignment of patriotic forces that have seen once powerful parties that accepted the occupation loosing popular support. If this trend continues it will encourage the formation of broad alliance of the anti-occupation organisations. I think we are living at a turning point in the world as Iraq emerged as the fault line of the world balance of power; this is because of its geopolitical position and the oil reserves of the area.

I feel the present international anti-war movement could change the face of the earth where it continuous in its growth and sharpens its focus. This current struggle must not only be waged in the streets of Iraq but by the mass democratic movement in the streets of world capitals. This is an international aggressive war and needs to be confronted by an international solidarity movement.

Extracts from Sabah Jawad’s speech:

I would like to present The Iraqi left view of the war.

The US objective from occupying Iraq in my view is to:

Control the future of oil supply.

Cement the position of US as the world only super power.

Mould the Middle East (as vital area of the world economy) in a subservient way and to save the interest of Israel’s expansionist policy.

This analysis is widely accepted even by forces outside the left and in the Middle East and elsewhere.

To wage the war and occupation the US used deception and lies utilising fully the events of September 11.

Let us not be fooled by the reports blaming the war on Iraq to failure of intelligence. It is their political masters that are responsible, Bush and Blair are responsible.

What do we do now after 1.5 years of occupation?

The occupation has left Iraq with:

Destruction of the Iraqi state and economy.
Well known examples: dismantling of Army and police, collapse of the Electricity network… But the destruction was on a much wider scale.
Examples: High unemployment, health service, public transport, sewage system, legal system, water system, traffic lights, education system.

The economy been looted by multi-national companies and Iraqi mafia connected to the occupation.
Factories been dismantled and sold abroad, land and property confiscated.

Iraq is left with no sovereignty, democracy or elections, with former Baathist leading the government, secret negotiations with Saddamis, and release of Saddam hench men is under way.

and finally a state of emergency in now declared.
Worsening security situation including crimes unheard of in Iraq – kidnapping.

Success and challenges.

The Iraqi people reject the occupation, and the American plan is in disarray.

The Iraqi people have Scored notable victories both military and political.
Foiled American plan for attacking Iran and Syria.
Maintained unity despite provocations.

Victory for Iraqi people will have huge positive impact in the Middle East and the world.

Defeat for the Iraqi people will have the opposite effect.

The occupation in Iraq is in crisis, perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end. The Challenge for the Iraqi people is keep united and to establish a united front that Oppose sectarian politics, fight for democracy and free elections, the unity and political integrating and independence of Iraq.

Dr. Ibrahim Allawi, editor in chief of
Al-Ghad, speaks at Marxism 2004

Sabah Jawad, secretary
of IDAO, speaks at Marxism 2004