Keep protesting!
Please do not let up on our protest against war with Iraq. If Howard thinks those protesting at the weekend {February 14-16] are in the minority. Let's have another and another until he takes notice.
The hide of the man!
Peter Routley
Newcastle NSW
Liberation?
Anyone with illusions that the Bush administration aims to "liberate" the Iraqi people would do well to contemplate two articles published in the Australian on February 18.
One article makes clear that after "liberation", Iraq will not be run by a United Nations administration, but by a regime headed by a US general. This occupation regime is expected to exercise power for at least two years.
Then the clincher. The new Pentagon government of Iraq is to rely for its bureaucratic muscle on large numbers of Saddam Hussein's existing officials. In short, the new "democratic" administration will be the Saddam regime — without Saddam.
Leaders of Iraq's Kurdish minority are reportedly enraged by the plan. So, very likely, will be many members of the majority Shiite Muslim population. Saddam's officials have always been drawn heavily from the Sunni minority around Baghdad — and this imbalance will evidently continue. Any guesses at the chances of civil liberties (and physical safety) for the Kurds and Shiites?
Actually, these plans are probably the least of the worries besetting Iraq's Kurds at the moment. An accompanying article in the Australian explains that as part of the price for using their country as a staging-point, Washington's Turkish allies are insisting they be allowed to send up to 80,000 troops into Iraq, under Turkish command, to take up positions almost halfway to Baghdad. This would give the Turkish military control over Iraq's Kurdish-populated regions.
Turkey has an appalling record of human rights violations against the Kurds on its side of the border with Iraq, and is intent on preventing an independent Kurdish state from arising out of the destruction of Saddam's regime.
For the Iraqi Kurds, the consequences of Washington's "liberation" could well be genocidal.
Renfrey Clarke
Adelaide
Thanks
I am an American and I am very much against war in Iraq. Despite the tremendous events this weekend, it is easy to feel discouraged and frightened.
My government is dead set on war. Many Americans are against the idea of war, full-stop. But almost all are against the idea of a unilateral war. If the American peace movement has any chance of stopping this war, it is only by gaining the support of everyone. That could happen if we lost key allies like Britain and Australia. You keep up the good work, and we'll try to do the same.
If we fail and the war takes place, I hope that some day the people of America are forgiven for letting it happen.
Mike Benfield
San Rafael California USA
Democracy threatened
The failure of the Howard government to heed the message of the hundreds of thousands of people in this country who have clearly demonstrated that they want peace, not war, casts a shadow over our democracy. The arrogance of this government knows no bounds.
It has continuously shown no regard for Indigenous people and broader social justice issues, or for protection of the environment. Of late it has ignored the opportunity it has had to strive for peace, and now it has displayed total disdain for the views of the Australian public.
Millions of people across the world have spoken out against war this weekend, yet Bush, Howard and Blair still know what is best for us.
This is not an issue which belongs to a minority group. It is something which concerns and affects all Australians, and all the people of the world, and if our so-called leaders continue to put our security at risk in this way, they will prove once and for all that their own dictatorships are no better than the one they are purportedly trying to bring down.
Catherine Moore
Greens candidate for Monaro
Charleys Forest NSW
Doesn't add up
America has sent 60,000 body bags to its troops in the Gulf. Iraqi casualties could well number millions. All to stop further terrorist attacks which, with our new vigilance, will be almost without victims. Someone needs to do some remedial maths.
Peter Gilet
Albany WA
Echoes of Billy Hughes
I live in England, and found your web site whilst idly surfing the net on Sunday [February 16] night. I must compliment you greatly on the firm stance you are taking over this atrocious looming military onslaught against the terrified and starving Iraqi populace; may your strong and eminently moral stance reach all Australian ears!
You may be pleased to note that the anti-war marches and rallies in Oz have received widespread media coverage in England, including a long ITN report which showed the vast demo in Sydney (complete with George Bush effigy leading a poodle with John Howard's head on a lead!)
The London demo was actually nearer 2 million as opposed to the figure that is being given. I was there, there was a delegation of 130 from my home town alone (Malvern, at the foot of the Malvern Hills).
The situation in Australia seems to have depressing echoes of World War I, when the then premier Billy Hughes sought to introduce conscription against massive public opposition to the increasingly bloody conflict. Then the government's actions led to massive riots and the ultimate fall of the Labor administration (though the wily Billy hung on in for a second term under the banner of a hastily created new party).
Hughes was a cousin of mine on my mother's side and I'm deeply ashamed of his warmongering behaviour. I thus hope sincerely that the anti-war movement in Australia has every success in reversing Canberra's decision to participate in this insane march towards an unforgivable bloodbath in the Middle East.
Good luck and very best wishes.
Owen Morgan
Worcestershire England
Terrorists
What a pity the terrorist hotline was not operating a couple of years ago because then the criminal crew at HIH could have been dobbed in for financial terrorism. Has anyone checked if Adler, Williams and Cooper have links to al Qaeda?
Gareth Smith
Byron Bay
From Green Left Weekly, February 26, 2003.
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