[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
!!Sun. demo to condemn US attack on Iraq!!
Attention all peace-loving activists in Ottawa-Hull!
What: Demonstration to CONDEMN THE US-LED MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAQ!
Date: Sun. Dec. 20, 1998
Time: 12pm
Location: Corner of Rideau & Sussex (between Chateau Laurier & Rideau Centre)
Organized by: Ottawa-Hull HANDS OFF IRAQ! Committee
Contact: Robert Rival, Committee Coordinator, tel: (613) 236-9570 or (613)
276-6968; email: rr@magma.ca
*****************************
CONDEMN THE US-LED MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAQ!
END THE SANCTIONS! FOREIGN TROOPS OUT OF THE GULF NOW!
As of December 19, 1998, in the evening, the US and Britain have suspended
their barbarous military attack on Iraq. For three days people and nations
around the world have vehemently condemned this criminal act. The
Ottawa-Hull HANDS OFF IRAQ! Committee is now calling on all peace and
justice-loving people in the region to once again demonstrate on Sunday,
December 20 @ 12pm this time at the corner of Rideau & Sussex (between
Chateau Laurier & Rideau Centre) to condemn the US-led military attack
against Iraq, to demand an immediate end to the devastating sanctions and
the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from the Persian Gulf.
High school and university students, workers and activists from many
organizations vigorously condemned the US-led attack on Iraq and Chretien's
support at another militant demonstration in Ottawa on December 19 at noon.
Protesters shouted "Stop the attack! Hands off Iraq!", "Lift the blockade!
Stop the air raid!", "Non-compliance is a pretext. Stop the war now!" and
"UNSCOM! UNSCOM! Human rights you trample on!"
According to the Pentagon, the US and Britain fired about 415 missiles at
Iraq, more than during the entire Gulf War, costing them over $300 million.
The US-led forces hit 100 targets. US and British aircraft carried out 650
strike and strike-support sorties. Iraqi officials report that 68 people
were killed during the December 19 air raids bringing the death toll to
nearly 100 in three days. Iraq has sustained terrible destruction, the
majority of the targets being civilian including hospitals, museums and
government buildings.
But for the US fascists this is not enough: moments after they ended the
air raids the US Navy announced that a second US aircraft carrier battle
group led by the USS Carl Vinson had moved into the Gulf to join the USS
Enterprise. The addition of the second carrier brings US air strength in
the region to more than 300 warplanes.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz on December 18 pointed out
that the targets of the US and British missile attacks against Iraq clearly
reveal that their aim is merely to devastate Iraq and impose US dictate.
Referring to some of the sites, Aziz pointed out that they "have been
visited many times by UN inspection teams and had nothing except
administrative functions". Others have also "been previously inspected and
cleared of storing any forbidden materials". He said this proves that the
attacks "are not about weapons of mass destruction".
Aziz said that there was "a coordination by the US government and Butler
about the content of the report and the timing of the report", accusing
Butler of withdrawing inspectors from Iraq before consulting UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and before consulting the UN Security Council.
The UNSCOM report was provided on December 13 to the White House, two days
before it was submitted to the UN Security Council, he said. Aziz added
that the fact that the attacks began on December 16 while the UN Security
Council was already "in session" about the report, proved that the attacks
were not related to the report.
The content of Butler's UNSCOM report is an exercise in disinformation. Of
300 inspections UNSCOM ordered in Iraq, Butler cites non-compliance or lack
of cooperation with five, including trouble having access to the offices of
the Baath Party and refusal to have access to a warehouse on a Friday, the
Moslem holy day. On the basis of these five instances, Butler concluded in
his report that Iraq's lack of full cooperation made it impossible for
inspectors to determine that Iraq had eliminated its weapons of mass
destruction, a key requirement for lifting sanctions imposed after the Gulf
War.
These facts prove that Iraq's "non-compliance" with UNSCOM inspectors is
the pretext the US imperialists used to launch their viscious attack
against Iraq. The real aim of the US is to establish its hegemony over the
Middle East, Asia and the whole world by means of its fascist logic that
MIGHT MAKES RIGHT.
The Ottawa-Hull HANDS OFF IRAQ! Committee urges all peace and
justice-loving people in the region to condemn the US-led attack and the
support given by the Chretien Liberals. This wave of bombing may be over
but the crisis in the Persian Gulf is far from being resolved. So long as
the US, British and other foreign powers maintain their military presence
in the Persian Gulf and impose criminal sanctions on Iraq there can be no
peaceful solution to the crisis.
CONDEMN THE US-LED ATTACK!
NO MORE ATTACK! HANDS OFF IRAQ!
SAY NO TO CANADA'S SUPPORT!
END THE SANCTIONS!
TROOPS OUT OF THE GULF NOW!
FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS!
Ottawa-Hull HANDS OFF IRAQ! Committee
For more information contact Robert Rival, Committee Coordinator
tel: (613) 236-9570 or (613) 276-6968
email: rr@magma.ca
-
This is the OPIRG-events@ox.org list. Announcement only please.
To unsubscribe, send email to opirg-events-request@ox.org, and put
"unsubscribe" in the body.