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5 February, 2003
On February 15, trade unions across Europe will take to the streets of major cities to demonstrate against the imminent war that Bush and Blair intend to launch against Iraq, to prevent a "bigger" war, as they claim.
The political leaders of eight European countries who recently signed a letter in support of the American Administration's position will face tough questions from their own people. Demonstrations, surveys and polls show that European public opinion is definitely and increasingly against the war.
Actually, antiwar opinion is growing all over the world, including in the USA.
Participants in the recently concluded World Social Forum in Porto Alegre expressed a unanimous antiwar view at practically all events, small and large alike. It was not an expression of pacifism, but rather a broad rejection of this particular war prospect.
It was a strong signal to the USA that world security must be governed by the United Nations, and not unilaterally by a "superpower".
Expressing this opinion against a war in Iraq must not be confused or mixed up with the battle to defeat terrorism, by all means, including war if necessary.
The UN must be the only authority to decide what and when action is necessary. Also, the UN must ask the influential Arab countries to put pressure on Saddam Hussein to comply with the resolutions which have been adopted by the UN but ignored by the Iraqi government.
Saddam Hussein is a terrible dictator and, like with all dictators, must be removed, but we cannot accept that millions of innocent civilians in Iraq and elsewhere will have to pay the price for the atrocities he has committed.
On February 15, in Bern, the Swiss trade unions and other NGOs are organising a demonstration.
I am going to join it.
I hope you have the chance to do the same in your country.