Speech by Doug Cameron, ACTU Vice-President, Sydney Palm Sunday Rally, 2003

There is no glory in concluding this unnecessary war - and there are certainly no winners.

The images of some jubilant Iraqis dancing in the streets of Baghdad is a welcome change to the miserable pictures seen throughout the tyrannical rule of Saddam Hussein, and particularly throughout the horror of this illegal war.

Let us not forget that thousands of human beings have been killed in the last three weeks... but for what?

For weapons of mass destruction? -- No.

There has been no proof Saddam's regime had continued producing weapons of mass destruction.

To rid the world of terrorists? -- No.

This war will spawn more terrorists, more insecurity.

The sight of Baghdad being unmercifully bombed, the killing and maiming of thousands of innocent Iraqis will ensure that revenge, hatred, and increased terrorism is the inevitable outcome of this war.

For those of us dedicated to peace, we always ask Why War?

This war cannot be justified by claiming it is a necessity or it is just, or honourable.

This war is illegal, immoral and unjustifiable.

There is clear documentary evidence that the Bush administration determined to invade Iraq, with or without, UN approval.

Death, misery and destruction were an inevitable consequence of the Bush administration's plan to extend its military and economic dominance.

This slaughter has barely been a war - despite the efforts of the news media to turn it into a sick computer-game battle.

The true battle faced by the people of the world is not one of smart bombs ,tanks and bunker-busters - but a battle for peace, a battle underpinned by debate, reason and resolution.

Peace is a battle in itself. To be peaceful demands tact and strategy.

It demands understanding and reason; Relentlessness and determination.

It demands strength, unity, leadership and discipline.

Peace is not the easy option, but it is the right option.

Since the events in New York and Washington on September 11 2001, and the atrocity of Bali late last year, those of us who have strived for peace have been a proud and vocal majority.

The heinous acts committed by terrorists on the innocent citizens of the world, including Australians, have been rightly denounced as an immoral, appalling act of aggression.

But does any right-minded person truly believe that the "eye for an eye" aggression or military force will resolve the hatred brewing in the bellies of fundamentalist lunatics?

John Howard, the lies, hypocrisy, and propaganda being used by you to justify this illegal war will continue to be exposed.

With time, the truth will emerge from the propaganda haze distorting the political and media coverage of this conflict.

Where are the weapons of mass destruction we heard so much about before the aggression was launched?

Where are the links between Saddam and Bin Laden used to justify your murderous, villainous attack?

You have no evidence of weapons of mass destruction, Mr Howard.

You have no evidence of Iraqi connections to terrorist groups.

You have jeopardised the lives of young Australian service men and women based on a lie.

You have deceived your own people.

You have helped drag an unwilling world to war.

Your palms are now awash with the blood of innocents.

What the world has witnessed over the last three weeks is the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" unleashing the world's most technologically advanced and destructive war machine on defenceless Iraqi civilians.

How long will Howard allow our country to be part of this failed US policy of pre-emption, destruction and arrogance?

The military propaganda machines, with the help of the media empires, have sanitised the war into instances of "collateral damage", "hostile response" and "friendly fire". All euphemisms for murder.

We are not fooled by the manipulation of language, or the attempted manipulation of our minds.

The spin Howard is attempting to weave is indicative of his inability to be honest with the nation and brave enough to hear his own lies.

Let us be clear - the Australian people are not part of the Coalition of the Willing: John Howard is part of the Coalition of the Willing but he does not speak for us.

The sickening propaganda designed to convince an increasingly sceptical and worried world that "collateral" damage is minimised due to so-called "smart bombs" and "humanitarian warmongering" defies reality.

The mass media - with their embedded journalists, have embedded themselves with the politicians and embedded themselves in ideology - just to get "good" pictures.

Instead of being sceptical, critical external reporters of this war, the media has been sleeping with the enemy of truth - the White House propaganda machine.

In Australia too, the sanitised and offensive reporting by the majority of Australia's media is a national disgrace.

The right-wing ranting of radio shock-jocks has elevated the hatred, mistrust and suspicions of ordinary Australians as they urged us to be alert, not alarmed - instead of urging us to be compassionate, welcoming and peaceful.

Through all of this, John Howard has thumbed his nose at the Australian people.

More than half a million of us marched over one weekend in February denouncing this war - he turned his back, just as he turned his back on the United Nations and the efforts of diplomats across the world.

Now he is turning his back on domestic priorities.

Instead of addressing the urgent needs of Australians on matters of true national importance, like health, education and job security, our Prime Minister is beating the drum of war in an attempt to distract us from the real issues.

John Howard's arrogant march into war is now costing Australians their livelihoods - and has already cost one Australian, an ABC cameraman, his life.

What kind of leadership drags an unwilling nation into a conflict that is not their's?

What kind of leadership shrugs its shoulders at domestic issues and participates in a war at the behest of George W Bush?

While we are fighting for oil security for the United States, Mobil closed its oil refinery in Adelaide with the loss of 400 direct and 800 indirect jobs.

Our tourism industry is being decimated, and it won't take long for the downturn to start affecting other sectors.

Instead of focusing on the sandstorms over Baghdad, why isn't our Prime Minister focusing on the plight of our drought-affected farmers, or fighting to keep manufacturing jobs in Australia?

Howard is the man claiming to want a safe and secure Australia, yet by thrusting us headfirst into an act of intolerant, illegal aggression; he has made us less secure than ever.

As the Egyptian Prime Minister Mubarak has warned, this action will create 100 Bin Ladens.

Not only are Australians lives at risk as they serve in the Gulf, now their jobs are at risk at home. Security - and job security - is out the window, thanks to John Howard.

Let us hope that this madness comes to a quick and conclusive end. Let us demand the safe return of the young Australians serving in the Gulf region, and for Australia's defence Forces to remain just that: defenders, not aggressors.

This war has given a clear demonstration that arrogant, aggressive and incompetent politicians are leading this "Coalition of the Willing".

Where are the statesmen and stateswomen?

Howard, Blair and Bush are pathetic politicians; they will never be real statesmen or honest proponents of peace. Their reckless actions have directly resulted in thousands of Iraqi deaths and more than one hundred coalition dead.

A true American statesman and a true leader once said:

I have seen war,

I have seen war on land and sea,

I have seen blood running from the wounded,

I have seen the dead in the mud,

I have seen cities destroyed,

I have seen children starving

I have seen the agonies of Mothers and Wives,

I hate war

The words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a real leader of Americans, have never meant as much as they do today.

These are the words of a true statesman - a nation builder, a peace lover, a defender of his country.

Roosevelt spoke the words we all have in our hearts, yet may not have the eloquence to express so vividly.

Thanks to the global media empires and the propaganda machine that is the Pentagon, we have now all 'seen war', in its most sanitised form.

We cannot from this coverage comprehend the horror, destruction, death and agony suffered by tens of thousands in Iraq.

Today, celebrate your hatred of war.

Continue to be loud, vocal advocates for peace.

Continue to call for our troops to be brought home immediately and safely.

Denounce companies that profit from the spoils and misery of war.

Demand the United Nations, not the United States controls the rebuilding of Iraq.

Demand that the Iraqis themselves determine Iraq's future, not the White House and the Pentagon.

Work for changes and safeguards in our own democracy.

Our Constitution must be changed to ensure a handful of scheming, lying and incompetent politicians can never again commit Australia to war without proper debate and the full support of parliament and the wider community.

The Anti-War Coalition is a powerful force for change; its strength lies in its breadth and diversity, its shared principles and values.We must maintain this broad global movement for peace and resist attempts to narrow its vision or divide its strength.

And above all else, we must go in peace, and continue to hate war.

Thank you.

© Walk Against the War Coalition 2003.
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