March 19th - 2nd anniversary of the invasion of Iraq

Bwahaha hoo hoo....whew!
Is Finklestein There?

Unhappy makes a good point.

But the real point about the lies line is that it concedes that if these had not been lies, eg Iraq had WMDs then invasion was OK. If people believe this, and now feel duped and get mad and come on a demo good. But we need to tell them that this is not good enough. The US always concocts some pretext to invade and smash up countries, not to mention the Amerindians that already occupied Amerika when it was discovered. There is no 'truth' that justifies US invasions of countries that have been 'set-up' exploited and dominated for decades. On the other hand, the 'truth' means the right of such oppressed countries to fight wars of independence against Amerika.

March 19 is an international day of action. It will not be the socialist revolution. The main thrust is to end the occupation. The World Social Forum called for actions on 19/20. But their demands are notable for the absence of any reference to organised labour the only social force that can stop the US war machine.

It is a major move that in the US the USLAW and Million Worker March have strongly endorsed these actions, with the Bay Area stevedores and warehouse workers putting their money where their mouth is and stopping work on the 19th. Their main demand is 'Troops Out Now'.

But even this demand does not go anywhere near saying what has to happen for the yanks to get out. To get out they have to be defeated. That's why CWG calls for workers everywhere to recognise the Iraqi right of resistance based on the armed independence of the trade unions.

We also need to follow the lead of the ILWU and take strike action against the war and the occupation. Workers strike action to blockade troops movements, like they did a couple of times in Italy in 2003, is the way to stop the war.

We also have to call on the troops to oppose the war. Michael Moores book on "letters from the War Zone" quotes many who have left the army in disgust. Apparently over 5000 US troops have deserted, dodged the draft or refused orders. He quotes others who have staying in Iraq and circulated copies of his films and books, and are actively creating a climate collective resistance.

NZ does not have troops in Iraq, but where it does like Afghanistan, NZ workers should be calling on the troops to oppose the war by refusing to fight against an occupied people.

'Workers' says a large part of the 'movement' have written off 'organised labour'. The problem is that no 'movement' can substitute for organised labour, so the answer is rebuild the unions as fighting democratic unions not to fatalistically submit to disorganised labour. Look at the reaction of the rank and file workers to the CIO-AFL sabotage of the Million Worker March on October 17. Those workers are fully aware of the role of the bureaucracy in killing off democracy. Their response: organise independently of the bureacuracy and the state. The fact is that all the victories that allow us to debate politically like this result from the healthy victories of organised labour in the past. Now is not the time to write off this proud record because a bunch of bureaucratic bastards are holding us back. The ILWU strike on March 19 points the way. What 'movement' could stop all the Bay Area ports other than the 'labour movement'?

why is the dunedin one not listed here, under main articles?

About 40 - 50 protestors gathered and marched to Pete Hodgsons office today demmanding the withdrawl of New Zealands involvment with the Iraq liberation fuck up. There was chanting, chalking and talking...

photos soon

Some pix up of the Wellington Demo in the Media Gallery

For a report of the Auckland protest, see http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/30311/index.php

Here's another account of the Auckland Protest (police riot):

http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/30310/index.php

Activism can really burn you out sometimes, emotionally, physically and mentally...thanks for the laughs.

I would like to suggest, that we stop marching for an end to war, it isn't going to happen and can be a waste of our energy. I would like to suggest that we turn our energy to our own government to withdraw support for the US. that we the people do not want any type of aliance with this rouge nation and to do so is supporting a regime akin to Nazi germany.

we all know that Iraq was invaded because americans consider that THEIR oil lies under Iarqi sands, what we don't fully yet realise is that world oil resreves have peaked or are nearing peak, which means that we are now living in the times of RESOURCE wars. they cannot be stopped. But we can put increasing pressure on our government as we still have some sort of fading democracy (hopefully) left.

we all know that if the US was another other countries, sanctions would have been placed on them immediatly. But no. Now, if you a politically astute enough you can see the political chess board changing alligences, with china, russia, venezuela, cuba and other sth american countries forming new alligences to bring the US down in the only way that they can, fincancially.

we will be much better placed to focus our attention on our own invovlement with the US via our government policies, we need now to turn our incredible energies and resources to this end and harange our government to cut ties with this rouge nation. Send the usless US ambasador home, close their embassy and shut off trade. It will happen eventually when peak oil finlay sinks into the natations consciousness and we begin to see the full ramifications of living at the end of the fossil fuel era.

some one has to suggest something and nothing is going to stop this illegal invasion, or bring the troops home, this is a resource war and we will see many more.

wake up the old world is dying, its being murdered, slowley by our silence. a change in tact is vitally needed.

Jesus fucking Christ, that cop is hot!!!