Stop new U.S. colonialism! -- JCP calls for support for Iraq reconstruction to be led by U.N.

On April 17, the Japanese Communist Party Standing Executive Committee published the following statement calling for Iraq reconstruction to be led by the United Nations:

The United States and Britain, using overwhelming military strength, forced the whole of Iraq under their control and brought down the Iraqi government led by Saddam Hussein.

The United States has started its military occupation of Iraq led by the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) without halting combat, saying that the war has not yet ended. It is preparing to launch the Interim Iraqi Authority (IIA) consisting of members whom the U.S. forces arbitrarily named.

The Japanese Communist Party has severely condemned the lawless U.S.-British war on Iraq and now expresses its firm opposition to the ongoing scheme that will impose a lawless military occupation in the aftermath of the war of aggression.

Do not endorse lawless U.S.-British war

In the present circumstances, the JCP thinks it important for the international community to respond to the Iraq question on the following principles:

First, in dealing with the reconstruction of Iraq, the international community should not endorse the lawless U.S.-British war.

Even though the United States and Britain achieved a military "victory" using their overwhelming force, this does not mean allowing them to escape the responsibility for the lawlessness of their war. Given the fact that this war has taken the lives of many innocent citizens of Iraq, it must be seriously condemned as a crime against humanity. The international community must severely hold them responsible for the crime.

The United States started this war on Iraq as the first application of the preemptive attack strategy it set out last year in its "National Security Strategy". Official U.S. documents name many countries and regions as possible targets for its attacks under the preemptive attack strategy. Endorsing this lawless war amounts to approving of the U.S. preemptive attack strategy, which in turn will lead to the destruction of the international peace established in the United Nations Charter. The JCP stresses that refusal to endorse the lawless war on Iraq would be an important step toward restoring the peace of the world.

Further applications of the preemptive attack strategy must be thwarted

Secondly, further applications of the U.S. preemptive attack strategy must be thwarted. U.S. government leaders are now threatening Syria, Iraq's neighbor, by indicating possible sanctions against it. U.S. President George W. Bush openly spoke about Syria as a possible target, saying, "We believe there are chemical weapons in Syria." A senior U.S. government official threateningly demanded that not only Syria, but Iran and North Korea, learn from Iraq's lesson.

These lawless threats and moves toward expanding the lawless war must not be condoned. It stands to reason that this U.S. government attitude is under severe criticism from the international community.

Support for reconstruction of Iraq should be led by the United Nations

Thirdly, in dealing with the reconstruction of Iraq, no other entity but the United Nations should be the key player. The international community should confirm that the United Nations be given the central role in reconstruction efforts and order the U.S.-British troops to immediately withdraw from Iraq within an agreed framework. Only with these procedures can a new government that represents all Iraqi people's wish be established.

The international community must not allow the United States to use the ongoing U.S. military occupation as leverage to establish under U.S. initiatives a new Iraqi administration in favor of the United States. The U.S. attempt to impose a regime favorable to it, using military force in violation of the right to national self-determination, should be called a new form of colonialism. It will only sharpen contradictions with the Iraqi people and with the international community.

Under the slogan, "democratize the Middle East", U.S. President Bush planned to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime first. Using this as a breakthrough, Bush has declared that he will follow a political strategy that seeks to make Arab and Islamic countries loyal to the United States. We must not condone such a blatant strategy that will give rise to devastating lawlessness and confusion in the Arab nations and the Muslim world.

Japan's government must not assist in lawless military occupation policy

In addition to supporting the unlawful war in its shameful submission to U.S. policy, the Japanese government is planning to send its officials to the U.S. Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, an organization of the U.S. Defense Department for military occupation.

This plan, which marks another step in support of the lawless war and occupation, must be thwarted. The Japanese government must not assist in the occupation by the U.S. forces since it has stated its refusal to do so under Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution on the grounds that "occupation amounts to exercising the right of belligerency."

The task now is for the government under the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution to oppose the lawless war and do all it can to help Iraq's reconstruction led by the United Nations. (end)