Bush, Blair, Sharon:

The Real 'Axis Of Evil'

IN A Forrest Gump moment, George W Bush admitted "They're not happy they're occupied. I wouldn't be happy if I were occupied either."

Alistair Tice

No wonder. Amnesty International reports that US-led forces have "shot Iraqis dead during demonstrations, tortured and ill-treated prisoners, arrested people arbitrarily and held them indefinitely, demolished houses in acts of revenge and collective punishment."

(Above, extract from Cartoon by Alan Hardman)

Occupation forces have killed at least 11,000 Iraqi civilians. Over 600, many women and children, were killed in Falluja. Najaf is encircled. Baghdad is cut off with all highways closed. No wonder Iraqis are 'not happy' with this 'liberation'.

Bush said of Blair "he's a stand-up kinda guy". Well, the rest of the world's not laughing at this 'stand-up' double-act.

It's not funny for the Iraqi children dying cancerous deaths from playing amidst uranium-depleted contamination.

Nor the hundreds of servicemen and women who have died - for what? The profits of the oil companies. The reconstruction contracts. To get Bush re-elected?

Hostage

It's not funny for the dozens taken hostage. Nor the millions of people around the world who now live with the increased fear of terrorist attack. It's always ordinary people who suffer from war and terrorism.

"Whose side are you on?" asks Blair. He says: "On the one side are terrorists, religious fanatics and supporters of Saddam Hussein..." Isn't this the same dictator Saddam who western governments supported when he served their interests?

Even now, US 'dictator' in Iraq, Paul Bremer, uses Saddam's anti-trade union laws and wants to bring back Saddam's army officers to restore order.

What about religious fanatic Bush who claims: "Freedom is the Almighty's gift... And as the greatest power on the face of the earth we have an obligation to help spread freedom." Sounds like the divine right of US imperialism!

And there's no bigger state terrorist than Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, given the green light by Bush to steal more Palestinian land and assassinate their leaders.

Bush, Blair and Sharon are the warmongers. The real 'axis of evil'. They are a 'clear and present danger to the world.'

Resistance will grow

That's why Iraqi and Palestinian resistance to occupation will grow. As will demands in the west to bring the troops home. Spanish and Honduran troops are to be withdrawn. Bush and Blair are losing support. A resurgent mass movement in Britain and the US could see the toppling of this double-act.

At the same time, we need to build an alternative to the 'profit before people' oppressive and exploitative system of capitalism that spawns war and terror.

A democratic socialist society would harness the wealth and resources of the world for the benefit of the vast majority. That's whose side we are on. Join us.

Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.

In The Socialist 24 April 2004:

The Real 'Axis Of Evil'