Dear residents of countries in the European Union: men and women, born or not born in Europe, with or without identity papers... we cannot accept that countries belonging to the Union have any reason to take part in the military occupation of Iraq.
Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and above all, the UK have troops in Iraq, no plans for withdrawal and are still allowing George Bush Jnr. to lead them by the nose. Italy and Poland have said they will withdraw but their troops are still in place. Please follow the example set by Spain, Hungary, The Netherlands and Portugal who were part of the US led coalition but have since withdrawn their troops.
The people of Iraq suffered Saddam’s dictatorship for 30 years. We have lost millions of our citizens in two pointless wars. Several million tonnes of bombs have been dropped on our soil. 12 years under the UN embargo starved us of many of life’s necessities. We have had to put up with lies about “weapons of mass destruction”. We are under the heel of a foreign power. And hundreds are killed every week by car bombs and the suicide bombers of reactionary Islamic militias.
What did we do to deserve this?
Every day, European politicians talk about the European Constitution. But what does article 1-41-1 mean? It makes provision for recourse to military means for “peace maintenance” or “conflict prevention”. 100.000 Iraqis have died since the beginning of the occupation by US-led forces. They were either killed by coalition troops or by attacks caused by their presence in Iraq.
Once the US and its allies withdraw their troops, the Baathists and political Islamists will no longer have an excuse for carrying out their barbaric acts. As each country withdraws its troops, the US administration becomes more isolated. Its colonial-style policy in Iraq becomes easier to see. This increases the pressure for a US withdrawal.
Today, the debate about what kind of Europe we are going to have is fully open. It is essential that these questions be clearly asked. We must put an end to wars of invasion and colonial-style politics.
We must demand the withdrawal of all European troops from Iraq.
This means urging the governments of the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Czechoslovakia to announce a date for withdrawing their troops. And insisting that the Italian and Polish governments step up the pace and complete their already-announced withdrawals immediately.
First signatures :
Gilbert Blessy, member of parliement, PCF - Micheline Carrier, feminist web editor - Jean-Louis Coulloc’h, actor - Ghislaine Soulet, urbanist - CNT interprofesionnal union of Jura - Christian Mahieux, SUD-rail union secretary - Sharo Hakim, Iraqi Freedom Congress - Sylvain Billot, student, federation of students unions, university of Paris 1 - Bayaff Ahmed, iraqi refugee - Bernard Le Stum, PhD, university teacher - Joseph Tarca, town counciler of Echirolles - Nicolas Dessaux, archeologist, president of Solidarite Irak - Cyril Halland Gronnberg, CGT union secretary - Andre Feraud, CGT union secretary - Michel Bretagnol, former regional counciler of Essone, PRG- Bnar Mustafa, Helsinki, Finland, Worker-communist party of Iraq - Celine Pauvros, Solidarite Irak - Claude Hallegot-Le Stum, former teacher, resident of an international solidarity association - Paul Balta, writer - Romain Prunier, Solidarite Irak - Noro Andrianarisoa, student, Solidarite Irak - Olivier Theo, public servant, Solidarite Irak - LCR Section 77 - Sos-sexisme - Communist party of Geneva - Prof. Emanuel Angelo da Rocha Fragoso, PhD, universty teacher - Roberto Ferrario, Bellaciao - Üzeyir Lokman Cayci, poet - Zahia Matougui, PhD, university teacher - Jean-Luc Gautero, PhD, universty teacher - Georges Labica, PhD, former univerity teacher, president of International democratic resistance - Maxime Vivas, writer - Rene Gaudy, writer - Jean Hillaireau, painter - Maria De Goyeneche, painter, CNT union -
Brigitte Bourseaux - Jaime Vich - Samra Amar - Alexandre Maupin - Christian Faucomprez - Claude Normand - Jean-Pierre Avermaete - Angela Stefanatos, teacher, SNES - Nacera Nedromi - Olivia Labat, chargee de production - Serge Benito, postier - Gilbert Simiand, technicien - Laure Nguyen, lyceenne - Francois Marcheir, postier - Some Majdalani, etudiant - Sebastien Teyssier, enseignant - Roi Sande, sociologue - Annick Villemagne, educatrice - Yannick Dufour - Clement Bonnin, etudiant - Elia Peytavi - Marianne Herlic, enseignante - Claude Regi, enseignant - Aurelien Dropsy, etudiant - Benoit Perez, demandeur d’emploi - Caroline Perez, infirmière - Bernard Moisonnier, technicien - Marie-Lou Cartier, etudiante - Marie-Paule Geney, enseignante - Vincent Presumey - Monique Vergne , enseignante retraitee - Pierre Pillot - Martine Evezard, institutrice - Huguette Balicot, retraitee - Liliane Esclada, enseignante - Claude Bixer, retraitee - Prouveur Lemartret, retraitee - Bernard Mimisimi, fonctionnaire - Suzanne Livain, enseignante - Paul Reggio, retraite - Veronique Brechet - Christiane Carpentier, consultante - Jean-Jacques Recht, enseignant retraite - Sylvie Aubin, retraitee - Marine Diaz, retraitee - Elisa Chanstaing, employee - Marie Leterrier, professeur - Yasmina Houri, professeur de français - François Sarindar - Claudia Sarindar - Muriel Charbonnier, assistante de redaction - Michel Orain, technicien du spectacle - Christophe Questiaux, chômeur - Malika Oularis, etudiante - Simone Goblot, retraitee de l’education nationale - Jean-Jacques Goblot, retraitee de l’education nationale - Marie Trancart - Richard Claude Maryse, retraitee - Liliane Maurin, retraitee - Maria Chaquès, retraitee - Françoise Plottu, AS - Anne-Marie Brianne, AS - Osmani - Brahim Mahiddine - Isabelle Sanmartin - Benjamin Hellouin - A. Arel, educatrice specialisee Jacques Benoît, retraitee - Dupont de Vieuxpont, retraite - Ahmed Bouissan, journaliste - - Adnam Mazayek, refugie - Manezui, etudiante - Nicole Louzeau, retraitee - Gouarin Gerard, comedien - G. Garaud, - Schmid Bernard, etudiant doctorant - Hakim Arabdiou, Paris - Guy Leteve - Dominique Michel - Khelif Damiche - Robert Pauze - Mohamed El Baki - Morgane Bona, collègienne - Jean-Luc Neynoud - Claire Delattre - Florence Hirsch, conseillère emploi - Nadine Guerri - Anaïs Cintas, etudiante - Jerôme Hamel, facteur - Lucile Girard, retraitee - Jean Michel Pot, retraite - Rosa Ammel, retraitee - Josiane Feriol, enseignante - Sylvain Gibrot - Martin Ariso - Michelle Tuaizon, enseignante - Henri Sanchez - Valerie Chataigner - Nadia Sadaoui - Alain Jaber - Pierre Gerard - Marie Vincent, retraitee - Marie Christine Gontrah, salariee - Catherine Boudjena, active - Mathieu Morant, etudiant - Eric Ivanov, RMIste chaleureux - Marc Soulhol, chômeur - Lucienne Allard, retraitee - Elodie Menant, retraitee - Danièle Porta, profession liberale - Tatiana Bretore, retraitee - Jean Porta, retraite - Gaspar Flandrin, retraite - Christine Dabrowski, agent territorial - Bernadette Gastoud Lafossa, documentaliste - Guy Lafossa, retraite - Gisele Quarri, retraitee - Nicole Vernhes, infirmière - Christophe Guernot, technicien - Thierry Mathonnet, technicien assedic - Fatima Chorfa, retraitee - Christine Boucelut, educatrice - Dominique Inard, chargee de communication - Francois Cheillian, professeur - Nathalie Guiraud, documentaliste - Gerard Viviam, enseignant - Catherine Vial, agent de service - Guy Turi, employe - Patrice Voir, infirmier - Solima Dsirel, educatrice - Yann Celton, salarie - Isabelle Mias, professeur d’ecole - Annie Moreau, salariee - Marie France Jaber, secretaire - Serge Pailard, enseignant - Leugh Gonsalez, AT, technicien communal - Anne Delnonte - - Marcelle Sales, agent d’entretien - Andre Guilloud, chauffeur - Antoine Brescia, technicien - Isabelle Pons, CGT Echirolles - Christian Mathon, CGT PCF - Nathalie Veyret, conseillère municipale - Frederic Favier, Ingenieur - Suzanne Gonsalez, retraitee - Aline Dodin, etudiante - Jeremy Bernard, etudiant - Marie Christine Coilrault, enseignante - Nicole Veyssiere, enseignante - Jean Bauet Ulbauquat, retraite - Monique Lesrigro, consultante - Monique Monin, retraitee. - Sebastien Douat, agent commercial - Francis Brefort - Bernard Montmasson - Jeremy Raieusky, electricien - Pierre Dumestre, etudiant salarie - Henriette Borde, retraitee - Henri Tarelli, retraite - Yassine Bellachia, ingenieur - Mita Kafai, cadre administrative - Brigitte Godard, puericultrice - Francoise Braisaz, enseignante - Mario Ferrazzi, enseignant - Elise Bedot, informaticienne - Cecile Allibe, fonctionnaire - Valerie Millier, enseignante - Michel Kumpf, cuisinier - Christian Pechuat, employe de banque - Alais Hoarau, employe electricien - Benoral Laboure, retraite - Eve Balagna, chomeuse - Christine Calahno, employee - Jean Pierre Salsi, resident associatif - Jean Marc Borel, postier - Claude Roussilme, postier - Luc Ferrand, inspecteur du travail - Jean Pierre Strappazzon, CPE - Anna Kazimierczak, invalide - Gondret Patricia, COP - Germs Frydman, PCF - Michel Ardin, preretraite - Gerald Giovani - Gemma Cifani - Jean-Luc Dericquebourg - Claude Monnier - Bernard Mallet, enseignant retraite - Marie-Aline Mazauric - Florent Depalle - Amar Baghli, chômeur - Belmont, cadre - Dominique Boccadoro, auxiliaire de puericulture - Jean Michel Cordat, comptable interimaire - Aïssatou Diako, institutrice - Dumouchel, enseignant - Colin Falconer, formateur - Anne-Marie Fruchter, infirmiere - Adrien Herubel, etudiant - Theodore Lazarichi, retraite - Andre Luzi, ste Idonocare - Cedric Masset, jardinier - Maria Oditi, professeur - Paylan Abdellah - Guillaume Quashie, etudiant - Igor Zamichiei, etudiant - Eric Bakerdjian, LDH paris 9° - Karim Bannoule, coursier - Adjera Boubou - Anne-Marie Brossard, retraitee - Mario Canali, retraite - Mourad Chiad, artiste - Philippe Chleo - Marion Faucomprez, etudiante - Guilaine Geffrey, assistante sociale - Beatrice Guiot, animatrice - Stephane Herve ; installateur - Muriel Knezek, journaliste - G. Laganne, retraite - Claire Legueil, etudiante - Guy Liseron, retraite - Elisabeth,Martin Gaudy - Francoise Normand - Henri Quille - Majid Rami - Thuillier Francoise, professeur - Guy Varrot, professeur - Catherine Wroblewski, bibliothecaire - Didier Malinosky, technicien, CGT - Lydia Chenal, secretaire de redaction, FSU - Alain Quellier, menuisier FSU - Christiane Chaussard - Laurence Biberfeld -Isabelle Dubois-Ferte - Nicolas Andry, etudiant surveillant - Üzeyir Lokman Cayci - Frederic Tran, cheminot, SUD rail - Yves Coleman - Nathalie Piloni - Martial Chateau - Olivier Humbert - Roger Raby, retraite education nationale - Lucky Thipaine, Alternative Citoyenne - Convergence Citoyenne pour une Alternative de Gauche à Gauche - MRAP - France-Palestine-Solidarite - Solidariedade (Porto-Alegre) - Brigitte Vequaud - Matthieu Renault - Maurice Claude - Sophie Longo - Lotfi Hamdaoui - AM Malinge - Raymond Snauwaert - Michel Roux - Laurent Ripart Jerôme Beguin (www.republique.ch) - Andre Meyer - Wizjy - Albert Richez - Alain Remoiville - Ludovic
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Withdrawing troops will let Islamic terrorists sieze power!
02.06.2005 14:04
Tom
Islamic terrorists - not really
02.06.2005 15:24
Resistance to the invasion of Iraq is coming from many groups. Few of these are Islamic fundamentalist terrorists.
Resistance to invasions is desirable. Most Iraqis had and have no love for Saddam Hussein, but that does not mean that they will welcome invaders to their lands, especially when the invaders ran around killing civilians in large numbers. Resistance has been magnificent and the invaders are now largely in hiding, only emerging in large groups.
There were no Islamic fundamentalist terrorist groups blowing people up in Iraq before the invasion. Despite all the lies from Bush, Saddam didn't like fundamentalists. The ones that are there now have come from other countries, through the borders which the invaders were supposed to be controlling.
Never forget that the only civilian building the invaders guarded was the oil ministry. The invasion was about grabbing the oil in Iraq for Texaco and settling an old score..
A N Other
Freedom congress in Iraq
02.06.2005 17:44
Nico
e-mail:
solidarite_irak@yahoo;fr
Homepage:
http://www.solidariteirak.org