Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) USA



Statement On the US-Wide Anti-War Mobilization against the Bush “Iraq Troop Surge”

January 11, 2007



The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) - USA, a member of the national steering committee of the International A.N.S.W.E.R., stands with the American people not only in opposing all unjust wars and racism being perpetrated by the imperialist system. For the Filipino American community, all imperialist wars are not patriotic crusades and a worthy cause to die for. We vehemently oppose Bush’s new policy of the “Iraq troop surge” or the Iraq alternative, for this is just a carbon copy of the failed Nixon “ Vietnamization” during the Vietnam War. It is now called “Iraqis solving Iraq’s problem.”



The bullheadedness of US President Bush and the neo-conservatives shows. Instead of heading public opinion that US troops get out of Iraq, they deployed more than 21,000 troops in the “Iraq troop surge.” For them, this is the easiest thing to do because it is not they, the ruling class, who will suffer casualties or die. However, they will be the prime beneficiaries of the exploitation of Iraq’s rich oil resources. Bush stated that responsibility for setbacks “rests with me.” But in actuality, the casualties and expenses for the war rests with the American people.



At the same time, though the Democrats share discontent with Bush’s latest troop surge policy, they are also to blame for authorizing this war in Iraq through their failure to take action of imposing the authority of the US Congress’ “power of the purse to tie the dogs of war.” Rather it seems that they will merely “symbolically” oppose the war in the safe confines of their chambers while more young American soldiers will be sent out to die.



We express our solidarity with the people of the Philippines who militantly oppose the

US “War on Terror” and the US-Arroyo regime-sponsored “Anti-Terrorist War”. The AJLPP condemns the ostentatious ASEAN Ministerial and Leaders meeting in Cebu, Central Philippines, from January 10-14, 2007 that will be used as an “anti-terrorist meeting” to justify Arroyo’s lust for perpetual power. The ASEAN meeting will only rationalize Arroyo’s counter-insurgency war, BANTAY LAYA II (Freedom Watch II), that terrorizes the masses and aims to destroy the revolutionary movement in the Philippines.



We are united with the oppressed people and the working class in the United States in the militant movement against the war in Iraq. We come out today, January 11, in the streets of major cities to show that we are opposed to this huge waste of humanity and people’s resources for a foolish show of imperial arrogance, jingoistic pride, and, most of all, open force against the Iraqi, Arab, and Palestinian people.



NO TO WAR! US TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ NOW!