Texas Labor Against the War

Since several months there was a preparation to sign what is referred to as a “Security Agreement” between America and Iraq.  This agreement is presented as an opportunity for Iraq to achieve sovereignty.  The political forces that endorse this “agreement” are presenting it as an agreement for the withdrawal of American forces in Iraq.

Before the political position is presented, the reality is that America and the authorities that support it, are trying to push through an agreement at a time when (Iraqi) society is busy trying to secure their daily bread and trying to deal with the lack of basic life necessities such as electricity, water, and medicine.  The forces of liberation are scattered at the moment and are unable to effectively stall this project and to instill the will of society which is the project of the immediate ending of the occupation.

The insistence on removing Iraq from the sanctions through this agreement is bad because Iraq was placed under sanctions by the United Nations in 1990 because of a “security threat in the area” and force was used against it  after the invasion of Kuwait.  So the countries that are placed under the sanctions are the countries that that are involved in threats and attacks.  There were several conditions on removing Iraq from sanctions  which were implemented and they were: the withdrawal from Kuwait and to make the borders official and to recognize the Kuwaiti government and  to repay debts and release prisoners.  All these conditions were met and yet the economic embargo continued to be enforced and subject the people to great pains.

What should fall under sanctions according to the UN documents is America, which occupied Iraq after a vicious military invasion formed a threat to the region.  Underneath the sound and fury which the US and the authorities in Iraq propoagating is the distortion of facts to pass the so called “security agreement.”

Since the agreement does call for the withdrawal of the forces of occupation, which has never been a force of stability.  On the contrary the bloody ethnic and religious infighting arrived with the  arrival of the (American) tanks.  So this agreement is the last link in the progress of the American project to transform Iraq into an arena where the American forces can run amok and create a perpetual threat to its security and peace.

What is occurring right now is not an agreement, because an agreement happens between two parties with equal will and freedom of choice.  For Iraq’s situation is that it is under American occupation and American tanks fill its streets, alleyways and villages.  So the agreement with America is nothing but an opportunity to provide legal justification for the permanent presence of the occupational forces.

There will not be any legitimate agreement, no with American or with another without the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq and the ending of the occupation because there is no peace with the entity that stole security from (Iraqi) society.

Despite the false claims and the distractions, the people have expressed their refusal to the agreement on several occasions – in demonstration, conferences and rallies and political positions.  The people have expressed all this despite the dangerous state of our security and despite the bombings that have been occurring. All the while, the political forces in the parliament and in the ministries are flip flopping and maneuvering for their own political gain.

The rejection of the agreement by the Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq, which represents tens of thousands of workers (whether members of supporters) is the most prominent formulation of the rejection of this agreement by the people.  This places their position in an official, publicized arena. And this is precisely the duty of the organization and federations and political forces that reject this (security) agreement.

We invite the forces which reject this agreement to place their opposition in the political arena to widen the public discourse and to transform the rejection of this agreement to an empowerment of the people – to exercise its will and to prevent the passing of this agreement, which is diametrically opposed to its interests, behind its back.

We ask the forces of resistance to the occupation to support the forces of rejection of this agreement in its stand against in approval.

Long live the will of the people.