The Iraqi revolt against occupation is spreading like
wildfire. The Pentagon is reacting with a
murderous iron fist that is making the popular Iraqi
position increasingly clear to the world: that the
occupation forces are indeed an enemy - not liberators.
In the last 72 hours, as the colonial force attempts to
hold the country in a tight grip, the number of casualties
has mounted, as Iraqi cities are besieged and bombed by
missiles and tanks. Street fighting is raging throughout
the country.
Although an allegation has been made that this is isolated
"trouble" within a "Sunni Triangle," the revolt is in
reality over an entire Iraqi rectangle encompassing nearly
ALL areas - from north to south. Over the past three days,
the previously simmering rejection of foreign occupation
has evolved into a near full-scale revolt that has spread
to many cities in the south of Iraq. All while the U.S.
has implemented collective punishment against the people
of Fallujah and other cities in the central part of the
country
This is where the oil is. Not just in Iraq, but also
throughout the Gulf region where two-thirds of the world's
known petroleum reserves are located. It is where the Palestinian struggle anchors
a populist anti-colonial sentiment, and where imposed
proxy regimes are dependent in their existence directly on
the U.S. In the heart of that region, there is Israel, the
U.S.'s most important ally and power broker, functioning
as a spearhead that simultaneously requires a political,
economic and diplomatic cover and support from the U.S.
Even as our own economy falters.
ABSOLUTE CONTROL Military conrol - over these highly
strategic resources is the key to the exercise of hegemony
in the world capitalist economy. If the United States were
to leave, Japan, Germany, Britain, France would be quick
to attempt to fill the void. Therefore, Bush does not
contemplate withdrawing from Iraq as an option, nor would
it be a considered option if Kerry replaces Bush in
November.And Kerry has said as much, despite rehtoric stateing otherwise..
The Bush gang opted to use military force as a means
of further consolidating an existing U.S. dictatorship
over the region. The project in Iraq was designed not only
to crush the Iraqi government, it was seen as a means to a
larger end. The plan was to build large-scale U.S.
military bases in Iraq, establish in Baghdad the largest
U.S. embassy (more than 3,000 personnel) in the world, and
use Iraq as the launching pad for regime change throughout
the region - the imposition of a true Pax Americana.
Earlier U.S. governments, including the Clinton
administration, also declared regime change in Iraq as the
top priority in U.S-Iraq relations. The Bush
administration, however, saw Iraq in a different light:
that the conquest and takeover of Iraq would be used as a
strategic pivot for the long-term reorganization and
globalization of this region under U.S. authority.
Tens of thousands of Iraqis have died already as their
country was invaded and occupied. It is CLEAR from the
events of the recent days that so many Iraqis are enraged
and disgusted with the occupation of their country that
thousands and thousands of people are prepared to GIVE
their life rather than accept foreign tion.Some on religous grounds, many because their standard of living is so marginalized, due to sanctions enactd during the Clinto era and still carried on today.
The Iraqis are paying with their lives rather than be
colonial subjects. Meanwhile, the young men and women of
the foreign occupying forces, including U.S. troops,
really just want to go home. They and their families know
that contrary to the assertions of Rumsfeld, the U.S.
forces are not considered liberators by the people. This
is the classic equation for an unwinnable war.
In this sense too, the conflict resembles Vietnam.
The actions of Bush and Rumsfeld have created a revolt that
is moving from an embryonic stage to a potential
FULL-SCALE rebellion. Unable to prevent the spread of the
rebellion by other means, the U.S. military is carrying
out more murderous repression against the people, which in
turn will inflame the situation in Iraq and throughout the
region. Under these conditions, there is no actual exit or
withdrawal strategy in site. Even should the U.S. succeed
in outsourcing the occupation authority from Paul Bremmer
to his hand picked Iraqi proxies, there will be no actual
exit of U.S. military forces from Iraq.
Even the phony exit strategy is collapsing as the Pentagon
brass ponders the current need, to send thousands of additional troops to crush a rebellion that has its roots in the anti-colonial
yearnings of an occupied people. Rumsfeld has said
PUBLICLY that he is considering sending additional troops
to Iraq. The Pentagon has relied not only on the
120,000-plus U.S. military forces but, according to
Nightline on April 6, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 "guns
for hire" - U.S., British and South African mercenaries -
that are now fighting in Iraq under the euphemistic label
"private contractors." Four of these were killed recently, but touted as Civilians.
All is not well,
Sincerely,
Fred Albury
