Central Committee, Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
April 15, 2018
The Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist) unequivocally condemns the outrageous so-called “precision strikes” against Syrian government facilities by the US-British-French imperialists. The strikes are a gross violation of Syria’s sovereignty and a clear breach of International Law that the imperialists hypocritically claim to uphold.
We also condemn the Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull for his obsequious support of the US-led strikes. The continuing slavish support for the so-called “US-Australia Alliance” by both the LNP and the ALP and Australia’s unfaltering subservience to US imperialism risks dragging us into yet another US war of aggression.
Recent claims against the Syrian government over the use of nerve gas remain nothing but allegations. Until independently verified, we believe there are good reasons why they may be fabrications. Meanwhile, the US-led imperialist coalition prefers to “shoot first and ask questions later.”
The US, UK, France, and other countries vetoed Russia’s proposal to send an investigation team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to Syria on April 10, 2018. That team has nevertheless arrived in Damascus at the invitation of Syrian President Assad and has been given unrestricted access to sites around Douma where it is alleged that Assad had gassed his own people.
Why do we say that there are good reasons for disbelieving the allegations? There exists no strategic advantage to the Syrian government to use chemical weapons at this time when its army, with Russian support, has won one victory after another and recovered much of the terrorist-held territory. If the government was to use nerve gas, why use it against non-combatant civilians rather than terrorist fighters?
We note that this is not the first time such allegations have been levelled at the Assad government. In 2013, it was alleged that Assad had used chemical weapons against civilians at East Ghouta. The Syrian government provided access to a team of UN investigators. Carla del Ponte, a senior member of the team said that testimony gathered from casualties at East Ghouta and medical staff indicated that the nerve agent sarin had been used by rebel fighters.
Syria undoubtedly had chemical weapons. They agreed to destroy these in 2013. Yet much of Syria has been under the control of terrorist “rebels” and weapons of all sorts have been seized by them. The rebels are not freedom-fighters but feudal-minded terrorists affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaeda. They have used inhuman methods of torture and execution.
It is far more likely that the terrorists used chemical weapons to create an “incident” to justify US military aggression against Syria. They understand the tremendous propaganda effect of women and children being presented as victims of a government nerve gas attack. The US, which has killed more innocent people than any regime in history, weeps over the “mass murder of innocents” and parades as the protectors of “Assad’s victims”.
The ongoing political and military conflict over Syria is underpinned by the rivalries of the big powers as they vie for control of the region’s natural resources, markets, and political influence. Assad, like Gaddafi in Libya, and Hussein in Iraq, has become a target for regime change because he will not bow to the interests and dictates of US imperialism.
In this context,it remains to be seen what further developments may flow from the US-British-French missile attacks. But after 7 years of courageous and stubborn resistance by the Syrians to the proxy war waged in their country and instigated by the US imperialists, it is obvious the war drums are beating louder and louder as US hegemony and economic interests across the globe are challenged.
Hands off Syria!
Imperialists out of the Middle East!
Australian independence – end the US-Australia Alliance - no slavish backing of US provocations!
