Official Statement On the Crisis in Iraq
Iraq Veterans Against
the War (IVAW) – an organization comprised of individuals who served or
continue to serve in the US Military following September 11, 2001 – calls on
Congress, the President, and his administration to reject the use of violence
and militarism in response to the current outbreak of violence in Iraq.
Many of our members
deployed to Iraq during the recent US occupation. Those of us who were there
know first hand that US military solutions in Iraq do not serve the interests
of the Iraqi people. We advocate for the self-determination of all people, in
this case the people of Iraq. Any solution to this crisis must come from them.
When the United States
invaded and occupied Iraq, the formerly secular country was destabilized. The
United States and the Department of Defense intentionally created and agitated
sectarian divisions that would not have otherwise existed. The result of this
is what we see today, and Iraqi civilians are paying for it.
Iraqis have been paying
with their lives for this war since March 2003. After 10 years of US occupation
they were left with little relief. Their economic infrastructure was destroyed
and new work to repair it has been awarded to US corporations and contractors,
instead of to Iraqis. Iraqi labor unions face frequent retaliation, and an
entire generation of children has been born with severe birth defects in places
like Hawija. No one has been held to account. No effort has been made to
clean the waste left behind.
When it comes to arming
“freedom fighters” the US has a tendency to act as a fair-weather friend;
today’s freedom fighter becomes tomorrow’s terrorist and justification to
pursue an illegal invasion. Instead of creating more chaos, we should be
solving the problems that already exist. Instead of installing another puppet
president, the United States should be cleaning up environmental contamination,
investigating allegations of torture, and allowing democracy to blossom in both
government and labor, without US intervention.
In
Solidarity,
Joyce, Maggie, Matt, and Julia
IVAW Staff
IVAW Staff
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