Resistance in Iraq (article from ISN paper)

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Tuesday September 25, 2007 11:17

by Ed Walsh - Irish Socialist Network

Article from

[From the September/October issue of Resistance, the ISN paper]

Resistance in Iraq to US imperialism remains strong

By Ed Walsh (ISN

Anyone daft enough to believe that the ‘surge’ of US troops in Iraq would pacify the country has been set right by events. According to the Pentagon’s own figures, June of this year saw the highest ever daily average for attacks on US and Iraqi government forces – 177 attacks every day. The same figures show that out of 19,000 Iraqis being detained for their alleged role in the anti-occupation struggle, just 135 are foreigners – proving that the armed resistance inside Iraq is a home-grown phenomenon.

      The character of that resistance has always been quite murky. While the vast majority of attacks have always been directed against the occupation forces, the media image of ‘resistance’ in Iraq has largely been set by the atrocious sectarian bomb attacks that have claimed thousands of civilian lives. It’s been very hard to establish exactly who is responsible for those attacks, and where the line can be drawn between legitimate resistance to occupation and terrorism.

      Perhaps aware of this problem, the leaders of a number of Sunni resistance groups gave an interview with the Guardian newspaper in July. Abd al-Rahman al-Zubeidy of the Ansar al-Sunna movement reported that his own group had split over the question of links with Al-Qaeda’s Iraqi franchise: ‘Our people have come to hate Al-Qaeda, which gives the impression to the outside world that the resistance in Iraq are terrorists. Suicide bombing is not the best way to fight, because it kills innocent civilians. We are against indiscriminate killing.’ The Sunni groups have established a united front and begun drawing up a programme of political demands.

      Meanwhile, in the Shia community, the strongest voice against the occupation has come from the Mahdi army led by Moqtada al-Sadr – estimated to be over 100,000 strong. In April, the Sadrists organised a huge demonstration on the streets of Najaf to mark the fourth anniversary of the US invasion, demanding an end to the occupation. Soon afterwards Sadrist MPs withdrew from the government of Nuri al-Maliki, who has been completely discredited by his willingness to do Washington’s bidding.

      It remains to be seen whether al-Sadr’s movement can spearhead the cross-sectarian resistance to occupation that’s badly needed. On the one hand, the Sadrists have made overtures to Sunni Iraqis (a Sunni cleric was invited to lead the demonstration in Najaf). On the other hand, there have been persistent and credible reports that Mahdi army cadres have been responsible for sectarian murders of Sunni civilians. The Sunni resistance leaders interviewed by the Guardian were deeply suspicious of al-Sadr’s party.

      Meanwhile, another challenge to the occupation regime has come from a very different source – one that left-wingers outside Iraq should find hugely encouraging. The Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions has led opposition to the oil law which al-Maliki’s government has adopted. The law is critical if US oil companies are going to profit from the huge Iraqi reserves at the expense of their rightful owners.

      After oil workers went on strike in protest against the law, al-Maliki ordered the arrest of their leaders and sent troops to surround work-places. This is very much in line with the experience of trade unionists since the 2003 invasion – the US and its collaborators have revived anti-union laws passed under Saddam Hussein’s regime in a big to crush labour activism. Despite these anti-democratic pressures, the Iraqi trade union movement has established bridge-heads in a number of industries, and the oil workers’ union has a position of vital importance for the future of the country. It has already forced Dick Cheney’s Halliburton out of the oil-fields.

      The oil workers have vowed to continue their struggle against the legislation, even if it is passed by Iraq’s parliament. Their battle deserves the support of anti-war and left activists everywhere. That solidarity should go hand in hand with constant pressure for US troops to leave Iraq. Anyone tempted by the patronising view that Iraq would fall apart without the ‘stablising’ presence of the occupation forces should heed the words of Faleh Abood Umara, a leader of the oil union: ‘I’d rather they withdrew yesterday than today. I assure you, chaos will not happen, and even if it happened, I’m very sure we can solve our own problems.’