Iraq: fake elections will not quell the resistance!
1 February 2005


The media worked overtime to sell the Iraqi elections in January as a "triumph for democracy". Praise was heaped on the "brave Iraqis" who stood out against terror and voted. Endless pictures were shown of happy Iraqis in exile, in Britain and elsewhere, going to the polls.

But nothing could hide the reality of these fake elections. In 40 per cent of the country, elections could only take place because of a massive lockdown by tens of thousands of US troops. Even 48 hours before the vote the location of polling stations had to be kept secret. The candidates remained anonymous - represented by numbers for fear of reprisals. Virtually no meetings or campaigning took place in the unsafe areas - which included the capital city. International election observers remained safely in Jordan.

Yet we are told these are the first "free and fair" elections ever to be held in Iraq.

Then how come several major parties and the majority of Sunnis in central Iraq boycotted the poll? How come the population hate the US and British troops who kill, torture and daily humiliate them with near impunity? How come every candidate and party had to be vetted by the US?
It has taken the occupation forces two years to allow elections to take place. Why? So the US and British governments could put in place their own stooge regime and build up an army and police force trained and loyal to imperialism. So they privatise Iraqi state assets and open them up to takeover by the US oil and business multinationals.

These delaying tactics, designed to circumvent the wishes of the vast majority of Iraqis to get the occupiers out of their country, are set to continue. The rules of the elections, and the transitional assembly that will come out of it, were laid down by the US. The outlines of the constitution that will emerge from it are already fixed. Another year of yet another transitional government was the only "choice" in these fake elections. The real government and the real power will remain firmly in the hands of the US, backed up by 150,000 troops.

But Iraqis do have another choice. They can - and will - continue to choose the path of struggle. The armed resistance to the occupation has been growing by leaps and bounds. Independent trade unions, like the Basra Oil Union, that resist privatisation and support the rebel cities, are recruiting hand over fist. Women's organisations are courageously demanding their right to fight back.

Iraqi workers, women, youth can kick out the occupiers, the collaborators, the war profiteers. They can establish the rule of workers and poor farmers, where the wealth of the country can at last be used for the benefit of the people who live there. They can build a socialist republic as a step towards a socialist federation of the Middle East.

And we can play our role in that struggle by redoubling our efforts to - get British and US the troops out now and let the Iraqis determine their own future.

15 February - Day of direct action
19 March - Demonstrations in London and Brussels

Now read: more articles on the Iraqi resistance