Iraq: what we say

What we think

Iraq

THE SOCIALIST Party calls for the withdrawal of all the
occupying forces and for the Iraqi people to democratically decide their own
future. 

There is, of course, the danger of religious and ethnic conflicts
and the disintegration of Iraq. 

But after the slaughter of up to 1,000
civilians by US troops in Falluja, Sunni and Shia forces came together
against the occupying forces, showing that civil war is not inevitable.

We support the building of workers’ organisations in
Iraq that can unite across the religious and ethnic divides, and of
democratic multi-ethnic defence forces. 

The movement against the occupation
should fight for an Iraq-wide government of the workers and urban and rural
poor that could introduce a democratic and socialist programme.

This would include an end to privatisation and bringing
the oil and other industries and resources under the democratic control and
management of the Iraqi workers. 

The vast potential wealth of Iraq could
then be used to finance the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, housing,
public transport etc through a democratic plan of production.

A socialist society would also guarantee religious
freedoms and full rights for women and minorities, including the right of
self-determination for ethnic groups such as the Kurds.