Re: Milan Rai on UN occupation of Iraq

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Joel wrote:
> Some folks sititng in university offices in the United States often will
> attribute to those in other parts of the world who aren't saying what they
> want them to say (or can't really hear what they are syaing) the quality of
> being a "tool."

I am at a university, but I occupy a cubicle rather than an office--more
like Dilbert's than the one that Gayatri Spivak has.

> Most Iraqis of a democratic perpsuasion would prefer the presence of UN
> peacekeepers for the maintenance of security. Ahmed Chalabi, Bush's point
> man in the IGC, has tried to deny this and say that Iraqis don't want or
> need a UN presence, but he and his cronies, of course, have no ties or base
> within Iraq.

This is fundamentally a tactical disagreement. The Kerry campaign, "old
Europe", et al want a multilateral imperialist occupation. To give you an
idea of what kind of machinations are possible, the newly elected
"socialist" President of Spain has worked out a deal that the Spanish
troops withdrawn from Iraq will be sent to Afghanistan to show that they
are serious about fighting "terrorism" in line with Richard Clarke's
compaints. Supposedly this will go over better with Spanish voters since
this kind of occupation has the blessing of the UN and old Europe.

> I think it might be a good idea to support the UN demand.

Just out of curiosity, is the CPUSA in solidarity with the CP of Iraq that
sits on the quisling Governing Council next to Chalabi?

> It might also be a good idea to support Iraq's growing trade union movement:
> http://www.iraqitradeunions.org/


This is from Mahmood Ketabchi, a Marxmail subscriber and sympathizer of the
Workers Communist Party of Iraq. It refers to the IFTU, whose website Joel
urges us to visit above.

From: "Mahmood ketabchi" mekchi@xxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004

On January 27, the US puppet Iraqi Governing Council has appointed or
rather hand picked a union, the Iraqi Federation of Trade Union (IFTU) as
the "legitimate representative" of Iraqi workers.  IFTU is associated with
the Iraqi Communist Party whose leader was chosen by the occupation
authority to serve on the the Iraqi Governing council with the primary
function to justify the bloody occupation of Iraq.

The Federation of  Workers' Council and Unions in Iraq has issued a
statement condemning this decision. Please read the statement bellow:

*************************************

Statement of the Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq on the
Governing Council's Resolution that Appoints Representatives for the Iraqi
Workers

On January 27, 2004, the Governing Council passed its resolution number 3,
which appoints an organization as the official representative of the Iraqi
workers inside the country and internationally. This organization consists
of the representatives of the parties grouped in the Governing Council.

The Resolution 3 is a continuation of the Baathist tradition which
appointed trade unions through orders and from above.  This resolution
contradicts all international conventions, resolutions, and agreements
which stress that establishing trade unions and labour organizations is the
affair of workers themselves and that workers should elect their
representatives freely from among their ranks.

We, in the FWCUI, believe that the Governing Council has no right to pass
any resolution preventing workers from electing their representatives.
Therefore, we totally reject this resolution and regard it as an attempt to
enforce the practices of the ousted Baath regime which denied workers any
control over their own affairs and erected bureaucratic and repressive
bodies which had nothing to do with the interests of workers.  The
resolution number 3 is a part of the attempts by the state apparatus to
control workers despite all rhetoric about freedom.

The Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq calls for a general
conference, which embraces all labour activists in Iraq. The FWCUI also
calls on the international labour organizations to attend this conference.

Genuine and influential labour organizations, which represent workers, can
only be established when workers themselves freely elect their own
representatives.

Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq
February 19, 2004



Louis Proyect
Marxism list: www.marxmail.org