International meeting in Italy denounces NATO

Anti-war organizations and individuals from Europe and Canada met in Florence, Italy, 600-strong, for a day-long conference on April 7 to discuss the current role of the NATO military bloc following the 70th anniversary of NATO’s creation under U.S. aegis. The following are the statement and the link to the petition, slightly edited by Workers World staff, of those meeting as they continue to work for their individual countries to exit from the pact. The petition is published in 14 languages at nowarnonato.blogspot.com.

The risk of a vast war, which, with the use of nuclear weapons, could mean the end of humanity, is real and growing, even though it is not noticed by the general public, which is purposely kept ignorant of this imminent danger.

A strong commitment to find a way out of the system driving toward war is of vital importance. This raises the question of the membership of Italy and other European countries in NATO.

NATO is not an Alliance [of equals]. It is an organization under the command of the Pentagon, and its objective is the military control of both Western and Eastern Europe.

U.S. bases in the member countries of NATO serve to occupy these countries by maintaining a permanent military presence that enables Washington to influence and control their policies and prevent genuine democratic choices.

NATO is a war machine that operates in the interest of the United States, with the complicity of the major European power groups, which has made these groups guilty of crimes against humanity.

NATO’s war of aggression in 1999 against Yugoslavia paved the way for the globalization of military interventions, with wars against Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and other countries, in complete violation of international law.

These wars are financed by the member countries, whose military budgets are increasing continually, to the detriment of spending for social programs, in order to support colossal military programs like that of the U.S. nuclear program which costs $1.2 trillion.

In violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty,  the USA is deploying nuclear weapons in five nonnuclear NATO states, under the false pretext of the ”Russian menace.” By doing so, they are risking the security of Europe.

To exit the war system, which is causing more and more damage and exposing Europeans to increasing dangers, we must leave NATO, affirming our rights as sovereign and neutral States.

In this way, it is possible to contribute to the dismantling of NATO and all other military alliances, to reconfigure the structures of the entire European region, and to form a multipolar world where it is possible to realize the aspirations of the people for liberty and social justice.

We propose the creation of a NATO EXIT International Front in all the European member countries of NATO, by building an organizational network at a basic level strong enough to support the very difficult struggle needed to attain this objective, which is vital for our future.

No War No NATO Committee/Global Research

Sign the petition to support No War No NATO at nowarnonato.blogspot.com.