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No U.S. War
on Iran! United National Anti-War
Coalition Statement on Iran and Iraq The United States drone
assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani
and Iraqi commander Abd Mahdi al-Muhandis, along
with eight others, was a war crime by any definition, violating both Iraqi
sovereignty and international law. This criminal act carelessly risked
sparking a wider, catastrophic war that would involve many nations and put
millions of lives at risk. President Trump and Secretary
of State Mike Pompeo followed their aggression with a series of lies, which
were repeated by much of the media and many politicians, claiming that
General Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of over 600 U.S. soldiers in
Iraq. But it is Iran who has been the victim of U.S. aggression ever since 1953,
when the democratically-elected president Mohammed
Mossadegh was overthrown in a joint British/U.S. coup, followed by the
imposition of the Shah. From 1980-1988, the U.S. fueled the Iran/Iraq war,
which killed more than one million people. In 1988, the U.S. shot down an
Iranian civilian passenger plane, killing more
than 290 Iranian civilians. Since 1984, the U.S. has imposed crippling
sanctions that have devastated Iran's economy and the lives of its citizens. Iraq also has been devastated
by U.S. sanctions imposed by the Clinton administration, which killed 500,000
children, and by the U.S. invasion and occupation which followed in 2003,
resulting in the deaths of over one million Iraqis. Donald Trump's order to
assassinate General Soleimani was the culmination of his campaign of
"maximum pressure" against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The
bipartisan attack began when Democrats joined with Republicans to resume
sanctions in 2017, giving Trump leverage to withdraw from the Iran nuclear
agreement (JCPOA). The Iranian people continue to suffer tremendously from
U.S. sanctions, which prevent Iran from accessing world financial markets,
depriving them of life-saving medications and the ability to maintain the
nation's infrastructure. The Anti-War Movement
Responds But the U.S.
people are not fooled by their government's aggression. The anti-war movement
quickly and decisively organized mass actions in 80 different cities in
38 states. Tens of thousands of people rallied across the country to demand
No War on Iran and U.S. Out of Iraq! Most importantly, the people
of Iran and Iraq have spoken loudly. Millions have taken to the streets to
mourn their martyrs and both governments spoke quickly. The Iraqi parliament
passed legislation demanding that the U.S. close its embassy and remove all
military personnel. They also ended all security agreements and now deny the
U.S. the right to use Iraqi airspace. Iran announced that the JCPOA is
officially dead, that they will resume enriching uranium, and that they will
take their case to the United Nations. Donald Trump is just the
latest U.S. president to lay waste to the nations of the Middle East, a
region whose problems can all be laid at Washington's door. Democrats in
Congress have made a great show of their impeachment but not before giving
Trump everything he wanted. They agreed to remove language from the National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would have required him to seek
congressional approval before taking action against
Iran. They gave him more than $700 billion in defense spending – more than
ever before – and refused to end the Authorization for Use of Military Force
(AUMF) which is the pretext for continued occupations in the region. Trump's provocations did not
end with the assassinations. He publicly stated that the U.S. would target 52
sites in Iran, including those of cultural significance – another war crime. He then threatened Iraq with extreme
sanctions after its parliament and Prime Minister requested that all foreign
troops, including U.S. troops, be removed from their country. Trump also
said he would force Iraq to pay for the bases built to support the US
occupation. This is a gross violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a slap
in the face of the Iraqi people. When Congress returns on
January 7 they must be met with demands for action. Their impeachment makes
no mention of the international crimes in which they are complicit. They must
add war crimes – surely a high crime and misdemeanor – to their articles of
impeachment. Congress must clearly state that they oppose war on Iran,
whether Trump seeks approval from them or not. The people’s demands are
clear. We are absolutely opposed to a war with Iran – which could have devastating
consequences for the entire planet. The U.S. must withdraw its military from
Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and all of the Middle
East. The January 4 anti-war protests are just the beginning. We will
continue to mobilize mass actions and to voice our demands for an end to
invasion, occupation, and war. We stand in solidarity with the people of Iran
and Iraq, who want the U.S./NATO axis to leave their region and end their
deadly interference and interventions. NO WAR ON IRAN - U.S. OUT OF IRAQ! U.S./NATO Out of the Middle East! End the Sanctions!
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