How was the antiwar movement in your countries?

[proletarianrevo]

Dear comrades
As the military part of the Iraq war is now over (if you except the newest devolpments in Iraq, it could be good to hear from comrades in diffrent countries, what they thought of the antiwar movement. did it attract big layers of radicalised youth? did it awake ppl from inactivity? was the labour movement involved, etc.

okay, i will have to start on this one..:
Denmark supported the war. this resulted in quite big demos. on february the 15 there was a demo of some 40.000 ppl. it was the biggest demo in Denmark, senn for many many years. also the demo on marxh 15 was big, about 20.000 in Copenhagen. and at the bigging of the war, the movement was also big, with spontaneous students demos of some thousounds in copenhagen, and to a lesser extent in other big cities.

The problem, I think, consisted in particular of two things:
First of all the lack of any clear alternative to the war, inside the movement. all the sects put forward the slogan of demoicracy, which should be installed in Iraq.
The only tendency which put forward the position, that the fight for democracy could only be runned as a fight for socialism, was the marxist tendency gathered around the paper Socialistisk Standpunkt.
While all the sects either talked about fight for 'social justice' or appealed to the UN for 'democracy' - we tried to put forward a class position, and explained the imperialist motives for starting the war, and called for the workers of the world to unarm the imperialists.

The second big problem was the lack of connection to the traditional labour movement. The representation of the unions was minimal, and the big workers' parties did nothing to really mobilize.
And after some time, ppl became tired of the antiwar movement. Because it just called demo after demo. it was led by the sects (especially the danish version of SWP) and they had absolutely no understanding whatsoever of how to achieve any results.
they thought that they could just stop the war through protests... what they should have explained was that only the working class could stop the war through international strike action. This they were incapeable of seeing, so they ended up with a lot of people with great desillusions.

well that was just some about the danish antiwar movement, please take the time to tell a little about yours!

comradely
Andreas

[mir]

Hello Comrade,
My country (Bosnia) was against the war since we, for the most part, are a muslim country.  That may come as somewhat of a shock since we have UN peacekeepers in the country.  Also, I recently heard on the news that the Americans think they will leave in Iraq in 2008.

Comrade,
mir

[bi722855kh]

Although the war in Iraq was planed long before the US – British invasion yet with the recent social political lies by the leaders of two countries, people believed these lies and to a point with some racial baised - undestanding they support the war.

This has been the policy of the neo - colonialism that has been developed by the fact in what is been a US – European “Democratic” movement called “Neo Fascism” - militarism started in war with Yugoslavia and etc.

Here and in the matter of Iraq occupation, one thing is for sure, there is a resistance and it’s the people of Iraq whom are against this occupation and will resist this neo fascism and its militarism - as its “Democratic” instrument. I think, it is not a question in what country and what percentage of population been against or for the war; however, in numbers, the greater majority of the people around the world were against this invasion, more then 40 million people openly demonstrated in various countries, but rather how many are willing to help the Iraqis resistance to kick out the US (as in Vietnam)  and rest of the European capitalism apparatus (Militarism) whom are about to enter that country!

We all know that the “religious” opportunism, such as the Iranian government is beneficial in being involved, so here, it is not a question of yet another religious war in the region (as in Palestinians freedom – struggle fights against the occupation by an Jewish racial - dictatorial regime changed its historical course and become a religious war and where it has been lost!) but rather a freedom from colonialism and neo – fascism.

In the other hand the Iranian religious – capitalism apparatus is the “modernized” version of a system that works and working against socialism, therefore it is willing to negotiate with US – British Russian and other capitalist government just to stay in power and being an element against people’s voice and power.

The US – European capitalism – governments are in need of the Persian Gulf - people’s wealth (mainly Oil) and a political and a militarism power as Israel; therefore, they will do whatever in their racial biased and inhuman power to establish such monopoly in the region, here one should look at Paul Wolfowitz, Richard pearl, Rumsfeled, Dick Cheney, George Bush and his father (New World Order) and rest of the Neo - Conservatism – Neo Fascism memorandum to see that this Neo – Colonialism has been developed to the point and without a shame (Although capitalism never shamed in what he did) to call the invasion of Iraq a “legal” and “justified” occupation while the people of Iraq still suffering. It is time to ask for people solidarity and organize the masses for and to end this occupation and tell the US and British militarism and Neo fascism to “bring them home” and not to “bring them on” as the leader of this invasion George W. Bush has said…
In the name of solidarity, Bijan.

[Danish]

Canada didn't support the war. I was very very pleased about that. Now we are decriminalizing weed and legalizing gay marriage. 51st state my ass!

[Jedi Jesus]

Heh my history teacher was busted at the 500,000 person one in Chi Town.

Its intresting to note that Iraq was divided into 13 districts, also this is clearly a war for greed.

What happened to OSAMA GEORGE!??!?!?!?!?! Oh wait, the Iranians let him go (maybe because he is instrumental in creating fear?)

What happened to Afghanistan? Where is Karzai, maybe he is defending a 2 block strip from warlords that they call Afghanistan, where the real power is controlled by warlord (1980's anyone?)

Why did the opium production go up in Afghanistan?!?!?!?

We got our pipeline in afghanistan, We got our oil in Iraq, now our big SUVs can run over endangered animals

USA!!!
USA!!!
ZIEG HEIL FUHRER DUBYA!!!
USA!!!

redicolous, those signs did nothing besides get a bunch of people arrested against the 1st ammendement.

We need an election, but its going to be Dubya Versus John Kerry so that the skull & bones wins

[Lutraphobe]

A town I live in sometimes, like a lot of towns in that area, had weekly protests during the war. Odd thing is, the people enjoyed it so much that they still have them-- broadened, of course, to be simply anti-Bush. We're the only town in the state that has a simply anti-conservative protest every sunday night.

[styrken]

Originally posted by proletarianrevo
it was led by the sects (especially the danish version of SWP) and they had absolutely no understanding whatsoever of how to achieve any results.
they thought that they could just stop the war through protests...  

The truth is, that even themself did not believe that it was possible to stop the war. They made movement for the the movement, like a old german or russian did in the start of 1900, dont remember his name.
The SWP know very well, that its naive to ask for democrazy and UN, but they hope that they can build a movement if they hide their socialists perspectives. I think that is the reason why they appeal for democrazy and UN.
But a movement build on these paroles will not achieve much! And the sects know this but they do not believe its possible to raise the demand of socialism without the masses will be scared... Sad, but true

[proletarianrevo]

Originally posted by styrken
They made movement for the the movement, like a old german or russian did in the start of 1900, dont remember his name.

Eduard Bernstein, founder of reformism:
"The goal is nothing, the movement is everything"

!!!!!!!!!!! :p