Tensions over war plans for Iraq
John Edmundson writes in The Workers Party of New Zealands 'Spark:
"Rumours have been rife for months on the left that the United States is preparing for a new war on Iraq. Many commentators have suggested that this new war could take place as early as this October, pointing to the mid-term elections in the United States as the motivation for a new round of fighting. The call has been going out to leftists and the peace movement to prepare now for this eventuality.

But is it really that certain that there will be a war? Is Bush about to go to war just to rally support for the Republican electoral campaign? Many would say yes, he will do just that. Increasingly though, evidence suggests that there are deep divisions within the US ruling class over the wisdom of a new war in the Gulf. It just might be that the smart minds in the US elite don’t want a war at all."

"Whether or not George W Bush goes to war against Iraq, the killing and dying will go on. But if we are to be taken seriously, and are to be effective in building anti-imperialism, we must not fall into the trap of crying ‘wolf’ every time another leaked report emerges from Washington. There is a path that we can take, which enables us to respond quickly and intelligently in the event that war does become inevitable. We need to keep campaigning against the UN’s sanctions policy. We need to keep campaigning against the ongoing ‘no fly zones’ and the regular bombing raids that are occurring right now in Iraq. We need to be informed and armed with the best information we can get so that we are ready to act in the event that an escalation of the war does take place. Ultimately, the best way to prepare for building opposition to a possible new war on Iraq is to oppose the one that’s already happening."