Despite the rave review of the Iraq elections by your embedded military reporter [“Iraqi Elections Made History,” Letter From Iraq, February 10], the voters gave the majority in the new parliament to those who pledged to write off Iraq’s debts, cancel reparations and use the oil wealth for economic development projects. The party of U.S.-installed Ayad Alawi received the least votes, about 14 percent.
But George Bush says the United States will stay. And the Iraqi finance minister, Adel Abd al-Mahdi, plans to privatize Iraq’s state-owned enterprises and wants a new oil law “very promising to the American investors,” according to Naomi Klein, writing in The Guardian on February 12.
Meanwhile, the violence in Iraq continues. The price for control of Iraq is being paid for by our troops, hospitalized vets and those who rely on housing subsidies and other services being cut from the federal budget. The president will shortly ask Congress for another $80 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to the $420 billion defense budget.
Where is our congressman, Tim Bishop, on Iraq? Will he vote again to fund the oil-igarchy’s wars?
Where are we on Iraq? We can send a message to Washington this coming weekend. At 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 20, a “Car Caravan for Peace” will leave the wharf in Sag Harbor and tour the area. This event is sponsored by East End Women in Black. More information is available at 831-4966.
Anthony Ernst
Southampton
Issue Date: Southampton Press 02/17/04
Copyright, The Southampton Press
