Iraq War

Polls continue to confirm a key part of the 2006 election results: a growing majority wants U.S. troops out of Iraq according to an agreed-upon timetable. People no longer believe our presence there serves any good purpose. Nor do they believe Bush’s military plans can change the situation for the better.

The Peace and Solidarity Commission prepared this memo for the National Board discussion on legislative priorities. Out of necessity, it is also an assessment of the Iraq Study Group (ISG) report released on Dec 6, 2006. The 2006 elections and now the country wide debate on the ISG report provides new opportunities and challenges for the Party. Our aim within the peace movement and in mobilizing the entire Party organization should be geared to organizing a stronger grass roots movement to end the war/occupation.

Three years into “shock and awe”, the Bush administration’s imperialist war and occupation of Iraq has shattered hundreds of thousands of lives, both in Iraq and in the United States.

The Iraqi people have awakened from the nightmare of dictatorship only to be plunged into a seemingly bottomless abyss of bombings, torture and executions by the U.S. military; death squads, attacks on civilians and exploding sectarian violence between the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish communities; car bombings and other terrorist attacks on civilians by Al-Qaeda-type groups in Iraq...

WASHINGTON — The Communist Party USA played an important role in the Sept. 24 demonstration against Bush’s Iraq war, bringing its own members and mobilizing others to come, as well as forming a large contingent in the march.

With layer upon layer of misrepresentation, exaggeration, and outright lies, George W. Bush and his war cabinet have recklessly flung our nation into an illegitimate, illegal, and unnecessary war.

Whereas, the Iraqi Communist Party, with its heroic history of struggle against imperialism and brutal dictatorship, has been working under the most difficult conditions ...

Whereas, the Bush Administration launched a war on Iraq for the purpose of controlling that nation’s oil and other resources, and to gain strategic geopolitical advantage over its rivals in Europe and Japan; and, ...

Congressional Republicans last week killed a provision in the latest “emergency” Iraq war appropriations bill that would have blocked permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.

“The House and Senate went on record opposing permanent bases, but now the Republicans are trying to sneak them back in the middle of the night,” said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), sponsor of the House amendment.

“The perception that the U.S. intends to occupy Iraq indefinitely is fueling the insurgency and making our troops more vulnerable,” Lee said...

Read the full article at the People's Weekly World

A change in the composition of the congress will make it more possible to end the occupation in Iraq. That’s the political reality.

Today I will not discuss the next national initiatives of the peace movement, nor assess the tremendous 350,000-person national demonstration on April 29, 2006 organized to mobilize the majority peace sentiments toward the 2006 midterm elections. I also will not get into the details of the upcoming national peace conferences or the work to organize joint actions between the peace and immigrants rights movements...

March-Lobby Congress Jan. 27-29

The Bush administration’s call to escalate the war in Iraq has been met with a resounding “No!” Twenty-four hours after Bush’s announcement about sending 21,500 more troops, emergency protest actions were organized in nearly 1,000 neighborhoods and town squares.

The Communist Party USA joins several other organizations in marking the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq with mass direct action, hearing screenings, congressional lobbying, and more.

Check out this preview for the IVAW "Winter Soldier" Hearings.

Watch the Iraq Veterans Against the War "Winter Soldier" hearings live video streaming!

On March 19th, 2008, Communist Party USA districts, clubs, and members joined tens of thousands of Americans in marking the 5th anniversary of the war with protest and vigil.

The CPUSA took part in actions across the country marking the 5th anniversary of the the Iraq war. End the War now! 4,000 troops dead is too many.