07) OCT. 6: HANDS OFF IRAN AND SYRIA!

People's Voice Editorial

      The Canadian Peace Alliance has called for a Day of Action on October 6 to oppose the build-up towards war against Iran. This important initiative deserves strong support, and we urge our readers to take part.

     The majority of Canadians still want to end the NATO occupation of Afghanistan, and most oppose the nightmare scenario of war against Iran or Syria. But the anti-war movement faces serious obstacles. With the collusion of the corporate media, the Harper Tories present war-making as "foreign aid," as if bombs and armed occupation were "liberation". Sadly, this narrative goes unchallenged by the NDP and Liberal opposition in Parliament. Similarly, breaking relations with Iran is falsely characterized as a human rights initiative, not a step towards aggression.

     Make no mistake: the Harper government's agenda has nothing to do with "protecting" the people of Iran or Syria. Otherwise, why wouldn't Tory cabinet ministers be denouncing the Israeli occupation of Palestine, or human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia and Qatar? Or closer to home, in the United States or Canada?

     The barrage of Tory rhetoric has a different purpose. It aims to weaken and divide the anti-war sentiments of Canadians, in preparation for a new round of imperialist interventions in the Middle East and central Asia. This dangerous game has the potential for truly catastrophic consequences. If the U.S. or Israel do launch such a war, it will be too late to hit the streets. Millions could be killed within days, giving a macabre meaning to the imperialist doctrine of "responsibility to protect."

     The time to hit the streets is now, not later. Our goal must be to prevent another war, not to lament the tragic death toll after NATO bombs destroy Teheran or Damascus. That means making October 6 a priority, not an afterthought. We'll see you there!

(The above article is from the October 1-15, 2012, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)