Unite the anti-war movement

Below is a statement from the Black Workers League about the upcoming Sept. 24 anti-war demonstrations.

The anti-war movement is at the center of world politics. It confronts preemptive war and occupation of oppressed nations by imperialist forces. The lies and deceptions leading to the war, the slaughter of the Iraqi people, the suppression of labor rights, the increased oppression of Iraqi women, and the use of U.S. working class women and men as cannon fodder and torturers demands that African American people, the multi-national working class, and all honest and progressive people turn out to the anti-war demonstrations in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24.

Opposition to the war in Iraq must be seen as part of the anti-war struggle against the endless war of plunder and occupation in the Middle East and throughout the world being carried out in the name of the "war on terror." This means supporting an end to all occupations and the right of self-determination for all the nations in the region, especially Palestine, including their right of return.

The U.S. anti-war movement embraces forces fighting for peace and those opposing imperialist domination. And while there may be differences within the anti-war movement in terms of long- and short-term goals and tactics, it is critically important that this movement and its demands be guided by anti-racist, anti-sexist, democratic and human rights principles.

While the primary immediate demand of the anti-war movement centers around ending the U.S.-led war and occupation in Iraq, it must also include demands that expose, isolate and put pressure on key components of the U.S. imperialist strategy of using wars and occupation for empire building throughout the Middle East.

Israel's occupation of Palestine and its role in the Middle East as an outpost of U.S. imperialism is a central component of the U.S. strategy to dominate the Middle East--the most energy-rich region of the world and the gateway to both Africa and Asia.

In addition to its cruel oppression of the Palestinian people, Israel's occupation of Palestine has served as a base for Zionist expansion and U.S. military aggression throughout the Middle East.

Israel has occupied a piece of every country it borders. It has carried out "pre-emptive" strikes against Iraq in the 1980s and Syria more recently, and is now planning to do the same in Iran. Its arsenal of 200-400 nuclear weapons makes it the greatest threat to peace in the Middle East.

The refusal to build a unified U.S. anti-war movement and demonstration on Sept. 24 that includes the demand to end Israel's occupation of Palestine as part of the struggle for peace and democracy in the Middle East is a refusal to oppose white supremacy and the racist character of the war in that region, and amounts to defending Zionism.

For the African American community, this points to similar arguments used by many progressives against supporting demands opposing racism and for Black power, claiming they are divisive to building "broad" campaigns and mobilizations.

Progressive forces should be in the forefront of promoting democracy and opposition to racism and human rights violations. They have correctly taken "risks" in promoting other controversial issues closer to home which the religious right has condemned as "immoral" and against "family values." Yet, there is hesitation to oppose Israel's occupation of Palestine, which is a clear violation of human rights any way one cuts it.

The Israeli occupation of Palestine has been central to shaping U.S. and European racism against the Arab peoples. The occupation of both Palestine and Iraq has led not only to racist profiling against Arab peoples, but also Muslims, the largest number in the U.S. being African Americans.

The unity of the U.S. anti-war movement and for a united demonstration on Sept. 24 must not be obstructed by sectarianism, or by bowing to racism, national chauvinism and Zionism. All are enemies to the struggle for peace and against imperialism.

For all these reasons and more, it is essential that we build a united front of the main national anti-war coalitions against U.S. war in the Middle East--one that is centered on ending the war in Iraq and opposing wars and occupations in Palestine and throughout the region.

If there are two demonstrations in D.C. on Sept. 24, we urge people to mobilize and raise demands opposing U.S. war and occupation in Iraq, Palestine and throughout the Middle East. Troops out now!

For more information, contact Black Workers League, P.O. Box 934, Rocky Mount, NC 27802.