Last week, US President George W. Bush delivered a war speech in US Congress even as the United Nations Security Council and other UN members are positioning for a peaceful solution to the crisis in Iraq. Bushand his minions only manifested their true character as top terrorists in the world, thus dislodging Osama bin Laden from the top spot.
The US government doesn’t care if other small nations, like the Philippines, would be gravely affected by the war. If it ignored the warning of UNICEF and World Health Organization that if the war escalates over three million people would suffer from malnutrition and the total direct casualties would hit more than 250,000, neither would it mind the displacement of more than a million of our overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East. It would not be bothered also if the war would lead to the skyrocketing of oil prices thus further ruining the Philippine economy.
We have about 1.4 million Filipinos working and living in the Middle East. All of them are in danger of being annihilated by the weapons of mass destruction from both contending sides. Right now, the Philippine government is preparing for the immediate evacuation of our OFWs once the war breaks out. Unfortunately, the government could only provide two C-130 planes that have a loading capacity of merely 100 persons each. The government is saying that we could easily ask the assistance of the US for the OFW evacuation because of the existing Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) between the Philippine and US governments. However, once the war gets going, what assurance could we get from the US when it is already busy bombarding and wiping out not only Saddam but also the whole Iraqi populace? Worse, our
OFWs might become Iraqi targets if the Arroyo government expresses its full support for the US invasion of Iraq.
It is clear now that the US seeks to “end” terrorism by sowing fear and terror among the peoples of the world by instigating war of aggression against any leader of a nation that is critical or unyielding to US foreign policies; even without any concrete evidence of terrorist linkages and/or activities. Unfortunately, the Philippine government seems bent on supporting the US invasion, which would only further inflame terrorism and would make our country and the Filipinos here and abroad vulnerable to terrorist revenge attacks. In fact, Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said as early as December that our 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty binds the Philippines to help the US and vice-versa since it requires the two countries to assist each other in case of attack. With the ongoing Balikatan Exercises and the MLSA, it is quite doubtful that the Philippine government would decide otherwise.
“Terrorist” tag and possessing “weapons of mass destruction” are in fact smokescreens only for the real objective of the US in its latest military adventure – OIL. By invading Iraq and ousting Saddam Hussein, the US will be able to remove one pestering problem that threatens the easy access of Middle Eastern oil needed by the American market as well as its allies. Thus, the US’ bullish and arrogant stand against Iraq as part of its “war against terror” is actually a deception.
The Alliance of Progressive Labor and Akbayan condemn the US war of aggression on Iraq and call on the government not to support it and instead work on viable economic programs for the displaced OFWs and other coping mechanisms once the war breaks out in the Middle East.
No to US-led invasion of Iraq!
No to US’ war-for-oil!
Stop US global terrorism!
Rescue OFWs and provide them jobs in the Philippines!
Prevent war and avoid the massive loss of innocent lives!
Alliance of Progressive Labor AKBAYAN · MASP
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comment here: