[Marxism] IVAW Statement on the Second Anniversary of the Iraq War

["M. Junaid Alam" <mjunaidalam@xxxxxxxxxx>]

   IVAW Statement on the Second Anniversary of the Iraq War

Today marks the second anniversary of the invasion and occupation of
Iraq, a key milestone in the current U.S. Government’s campaign of lies
and deceit common since 9/11. We were first told that there was a link
between Iraq and the horrible 9/11 attacks. But there was none. Then we
were told that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction; yet only a few old
warheads and some dormant bacterial cultures have been found despite
rigorous searching. Then finally, we were told that Saddam Hussein was
training terrorists to attack the United States, but no terrorist
presence seems to have existed in Iraq prior to the massive build-up in
early 2003. Post-invasion Iraq, however, has clearly become a hotbed for
new terrorist threats.
We, the veterans of the war, now know all of these reasons for invading
the sovereign country of Iraq were false, and we have paid a heavy price
for these lies. Two years into a seemingly endless war, our nation has
incurred a terrible debt, while the corporations who profit from the
business of war reap millions. Our deficit has climbed to a rate that
can only be paid by our children’s grand children. While our domestic
programs crumble, the social and economic future of our children is
indeed bleak. Most tragic, over 1,500 of our comrades in arms have given
the ultimate sacrifice for this senseless, imprudent, and immoral policy
of war and occupation. A cross section of our county, these
extraordinary men and women came from all walks of life. They were both
poor and wealthy, high school dropouts and highly trained professionals.
All believed in their country’s leadership and in their own duty to that
country, and so they went into needless slaughter. Every one of these
fallen comrades was loved by their families and many in their community.
They were our sons and daughters, our husbands and wives, our brothers
and sisters, our fathers and mothers; most of all, they were our friends
and they are sorely missed. If they could arise from their graves and
speak, they would tell us to find a better way to solve our conflicts.
Whatever the reasons for this counterproductive conflict, it is now
clear that it had nothing to do with helping the Iraqi people. We, the
troops, were told that we were not invaders and occupiers, but
liberators and protectors of the Iraqi people, and that we would bring
them freedom, prosperity and a better life. Specific numbers of the
Iraqi dead are not known, since “We don’t do body counts,” as General
Tommy Franks said. However, we do know that we shoulder some of the
responsibility for the thousands of innocent civilians that have been
killed. In addition, important commodities such as food, water, power,
and sanitation are not readily available ensuring the continued
suffering and death of countless innocent Iraqis. Iraqi Children play
amongst explosives and clouds of depleted uranium dust, and bombings of
markets and mosques are a daily occurrence. In many ways, we have made
the lives of average Iraqis worse, not better, since the invasion. It is
no wonder, then, that the terrorism that was not present in Iraq prior
to the US invasion is now a daily reality there.
On the second anniversary of this unwise, unjust, and unproductive
invasion, Iraq Veterans Against the War call upon our President, the
Congress, and all elected officials to immediately and unconditionally
withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq and the Middle East. We also demand
full funding for the medical needs of our returning veterans, including
treatment for post traumatic stress disorder and the effects of depleted
uranium. Finally, we call for all citizens of the United States to
demand that their government end the pillaging and destruction of Iraq
so that everyday Iraqi people can control their own lives and country.

http://www.ivaw.net

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