Iraq War's Illegality and Immorality will not be Heard Tonight

Tonight, President Bush will address the American people from Fort Bragg, North Carolina (interesting selection of locale). The live speech will speak to the current Iraq situation, of course spun to minimize political damage. There will likely be mention of Iran and Syria to keep the public from forgetting why at some future date the US will most likely attack or support an attack by Israel. And, there will certainly be no mention of controversial, yet factual, news items.

Several "hot" items have come up in the world press although have received limited air time, if at all, by American media. I'm sure those who have been following the news from more objective news services and aggregators (American Free Press, AntiWar.com, Centre for Research on Globalization, Counter Punch, Information Clearing House, Signs of the Times, Truthout) will be listening closely to see how he dodges the key revelations and accusations.

Take a look at the most significant news items which have disappeared from the American media:

• News of no WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) in Iraq.
  
• Downing Street memo showing a US administration committed to regime change (i.e. war) in Iraq.
  
• Support for Bush and the Iraq War at an all-time low.
  
• Additional memos and testimony indicating the bombing of Iraq started even before congressional approval for the war.
  
• Use of napalm in Iraq.
  
• US acknowledges torture at Guantanamo and Iraq, Afghanistan.
  
• US stalling on requests to allow visits to terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay.
  
• CIA caught in the "extraordinary rendition" of an Egyptian.
  
• Non-participation by the US in the World Tribunal on Iraq.
  

Mr. Bush will try to convince the American public of the moral basis and responsibility of America to "spread freedom and democracy", "defeat evil", "win the battle against terror", etc. Yet, for all the righteous spinning of the reasons, one fact will be indisputable: there has been more death and destruction in this war than all the terrorist acts combined.

The American public should instead spend their Tuesday night listening to the proceedings of the World Tribunal on Iraq (compilation of reports available here) or reading the Statement of Principles.

About WTI:

The World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI) is a worldwide undertaking to reclaim justice. It aims to record the severe wrongs, crimes and violations that were committed in the process leading up to the aggression against Iraq, during the war and throughout the ensuing occupation, that continue to be widespread to this day. It is our intention to also record the social, political, environmental and cultural devastation. In the end, the evidence gathered and presented will serve as a historical record that breaks the web of lies promulgated by the war coalition and its embedded press.

WTI is a horizontal network of local groups and individuals worldwide that work together in a non- hierarchical system. The project consists of commissions of inquiry and sessions held around the world investigating various issues related to the war on Iraq, such as the legality of the war, the role of the United Nations, war crimes and the role of the media.

On June 23rd to the 27th 2005, at the start of the third year of the occupation of Iraq, the culminating session will take place in Istanbul. This session will reach a decision following an examination of the results of the previous sessions as well as new reports and testimonies, while evaluating the implications of the aggression against Iraq for the world at large.

Technorati Categories: Current Affairs, Government, Iraq, News, Politics.