March 20, 2003

CEC STATEMENT ON THE INVASION OF IRAQ

Press Statement issued by
the Central Executive Committee
Communist Party of Canada

Act Now to Stop This War of Aggression!

The worst fears of humanity are upon us. A firestorm of deadly force is raining down on the people of Iraq in a cruel and devastating war of conquest.

The arrogant decision of the Bush Administration to launch this ‘pre-emptive’ aggression has ushered in a dangerous new period of world affairs.

Having failed to purchase, pressure, or blackmail its way to a majority vote on the U.N. Security Council authorizing war, U.S. imperialism has now chosen the path of unilateral aggression, in brazen disregard to world public opinion and in violation of international law.

The Chrétien government has announced that Canada will not participate in this dirty war. This is a welcome decision, but the real credit for this development belongs to the vast majority of Canadians, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of whom took to the streets to oppose this action. Had Chrétien and co. spoken out clearly and unequivocally months ago, Canada could have exerted more pressure to prevent this outcome.

What Now?

This is a totally unjustified and illegal war – it is an act of state terrorism, plain and simple. Governments and peoples the world over are condemning this criminal war, and demanding its immediate cessation.

We must demand that the Canadian parliament issue a formal statement condemning this war, and completely withdraw all Canadian frigates and service personnel from the region, as Greece and other countries have done.

We must redouble our support for the principles of international law and defend the integrity and authority of the United Nations from those who would negate these values and institutions and replace them with the ‘Rule of the Fist’. We should support the convening of an emergency session of the U.N. General Assembly to halt this aggression, and call for the perpetrators of this war – Bush, Blair, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc. – be tried for crimes against humanity.

We must intensify our solidarity with the Palestinian people and prevent Israel from using this opportunity to crush the Intifada and expel the Palestinians from their lands.

We must counteract the dangerous slide to militarism, intolerance and fascism, and defend the democratic rights and civil liberties of all Canadians and all peoples around the world.

And finally, we must strengthen the struggle to defend Canadian sovereignty and independence in the face of increasing pressures to integrate Canada economically and politically into ‘Fortress America’. Not least, this must include Canada’s immediate withdrawal from NATO and NORAD, and from trade and investment pacts such as NAFTA and the proposed FTAA.

The Bush Administration represents the most reactionary and aggressive sections of U.S. monopoly capital – the oil companies and the defence industry. In its drive to consolidate economic, political and military hegemony over the entire planet and its natural and human resources, U.S. imperialism is prepared to trample on weaker states and peoples, ignore international laws and obligations, and defy world public opinion.

U.S. imperialism has set the world on a calamitous course. It is not only the main enemy of humanity; it is the main threat to humanity’s continued existence. While doing everything possible to stop this illegal and immoral war, we must at the same time work to build a broad democratic and anti-imperialist front to confront and contain this threat to peace, security and social justice in our world.

For more information, contact CPC Party leader Miguel Figueroa at 416-469-2446.

© 2003 Communist Party of Canada