BAYANusa STATEMENT ON THE 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. INVASION & OCCUPATION OF IRAQ : QC IMC

March 19-20, 2005

On March 19-20, 2005, BAYAN-USA, in unison with the 136 participating organizations of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) from 33 different countries, joins the mass protests of people around the world to condemn the U.S. invasion and continued occupation of Iraq. The control of the Iraqi economy with its oil and other profitable resources and the unregulated use of Iraqi military bases by the U.S. have always been the goal of this long planned invasion and occupation.

It has been two years since the U.S. and the U.K. declared under the pretext of the doctrines of “war on terrorism” and “preemptive war” to assault Iraq by falsely claiming it had weapons of mass destruction, connections with the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and links with al-Qaeda. The attacks and occupation of Iraq has resulted in the massacre of more than 100,000 Iraqis, the massive destruction of their livelihood and of homes, water systems, power plants, and other infrastructures. Of the more than 150,000 American troops that have been deployed, 1,500 have been killed and more than 24,000 wounded or evacuated due to non-battle injury or disease. More will die as the U.S. occupation continues and the Iraqi resistance intensifies and grows in the most courageous stand against U.S.-led imperialist aggression.

As the policies of U.S. President Bush result in rising unemployment and cuts in social service programs, the Bush regime is asking for at least an additional $80 billion to support the war of aggression in Iraq that has already cost $150 billion. More U.S. troops will be needed to maintain the occupation of Iraq. The U.S. military draft may soon be in full sway. This will impact negatively on low-income communities, since the military is the only entry-level federal job to accept young immigrants and non-citizens.

In the guise of the reconstruction of Iraqi society, lucrative restoration contracts have been awarded to favored U.S. multinational corporations such as Halliburton, which U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney headed. Yet people of color living in the U.S. continue to bear the brunt of this borderless war on terrorism. Tens of thousands have been detained and removed based on racial profiling and homeland security racism. To curtail dissent, the Bush regime unleashed civil repression through laws such as the USA PATRIOT Act.

The purpose of the hurried January 30 “election” in Iraq is to legitimize the war, occupation, destruction of cities, and the deaths of thousands of Iraqis as well as U.S. troops. The election puts into place a government that will pass laws and policies supporting First World imperialists’ interests. The Bush regime is using the “success” of the election to push U.S.-style “democracy” and “liberation” to the people of Iran, North Korea and other countries not under the control of U.S. imperialists. Filipinos knows that this is the same tired rhetoric of the “benevolent assimilation.” For the past 106 years, U.S. colonization and subsequent series of U.S. military atrocities and the neo-colonial and imperialist presence have resulted in economic plunder and greater social misery in the Philippines.

Since the September 11, 2001 tragedy, the U.S. declared the Philippines the Second Front of its global war on terrorism. The Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo jointly announced the holding of 28 Philippines-U.S. war games for 2005 and has welcomed renewed U.S. military presence in the country even though it violates national sovereignty. The U.S. continues to sustain presence on military bases and station U.S. troops in the Philippines and over 80 other countries to expand and secure further its own strategic economic and geo-political interests. Just days ago, the U.S.-trained Armed Forces of the Philippines and paramilitary squads murdered three loved progressive Filipino leaders using U.S.-made weapons: Bayan Muna Ilocos regional coordinator Romy Sanchez, Bayan Muna leader and Tarlac councilor Abelardo Ladera, and BAYAN lawyer Filedito Dacut in Leyte.

BAYANusa calls on Filipinos living in the U.S. and all concerned people to demand the end of all U.S. interventions and wars of aggression, the redirection of public resources towards a sustainable and progressive economy, the promotion of social rights, and the end to anti-worker bias, racism, gender discrimination, and other inhumane features of U.S. society. The people of the world must condemn the unjust, bellicose and plundering policies and acts of the U.S. in various countries. BAYANusa demands the billions of dollars being spent on the war in Iraq and elsewhere be spent on healthcare, education, affordable housing, and creation of meaningful jobs, the national self-determination of the Iraqi people, and that all U.S. troops immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw from Iraq, Philippines, Palestine, Afghanistan, Haiti, Korea, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Nepal, India, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, Congo and everywhere!

BAYANusa invites U.S. Filipinos to join local grassroots groups campaigning against U.S. imperialist wars and mobilizing for social and economic justice in the Philippines, the U.S., and everywhere.

U.S. Troops Out of the Philippines, Iraq and Palestine!
End the Bush-Arroyo regime!
Restart NDFP/GRP Peace Talks! Stop rampant human rights violations!
Defend Professor Jose Maria Sison! Free all political prisoners!
Stop all imperialist wars of aggression!
Victory to the world people’s anti-imperialist resistance!

For more information, please email info@bayanusa.org

BAYANusa is an alliance of progressive Filipino groups in the U.S. representing organizations of students, scholars, women, workers, and youth. As the only international chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), BAYANusa serves as an information bureau for the national democratic movement of the Philippines and as a campaign center for anti-imperialist Filipinos in the U.S. Members of BAYANusa include: ANAKBAYAN (Seattle), Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines
(Oakland, Bay Area), Habi-Arts (Los Angeles), New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NY), League of Filipino Students (San Francisco), Pilipinos Organizing Workers for Empowerment and Respect (Los Angeles), and Critical Filipino and Filipino Studies Collective.

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