Editorial

The Significance of the U.S. Victory in Iraq

The sudden and unexpected collapse of the Iraqi forces in Baghdad handed the U.S.-British invaders the quick victory they so desperately needed in order to dampen the growing international opposition to their war. Although reports indicate that Iraqi resistance continues in some regions of the city, it is becoming clear that no serious defence of the Iraqi capital was ever organized. The American forces encountered no tank traps, no blown bridges and no mined highways to slow their advance into the centre of the city. Most of the continuing fighting appears to be by lightly armed militia and it is unclear what has become of the Republican Guard or the top Iraqi leaders. Some fighting continues in isolated areas. However, with the fall of Baghdad there is little doubt that the war will soon be over and the American occupation of Iraq will have begun.

While there was never much hope that the overpowered Iraqi army could defeat the Anglo-American forces, a long and costly war would have caused serious problems for the Bush administration, both at home and abroad. It may even have been forced to re-examine its doctrine of pre-emptive wars of imperial conquest. However, this quick victory, mirroring the previous one in Afghanistan, will be cited as evidence of the correctness of the basic tenets of the Bush Doctrine, and the American imperialists can be expected to become even more arrogant and aggressive as a result. In the immediate future, this means that there will be increased pressure on Syria and Iran to capitulate to U.S. dictate or face a similar fate.

In other words, the world has now become a much more dangerous place. The "war without end" so desired by the likes of Donald Rumsfeld, PaulWolfowitz and Richard Perle has begun and can be expected to continue with a vengeance during the next few years. The Bush administration is already making noises about Syria and Iran and former CIA Director and Bush advisor James Woolsey is openly discussing "regime change" in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well.

The governments of France, Germany and Russia essentially abandoned Iraq once the U.S. war started. They failed to demand that the United Nations condemn this war as a violation of the UN Charter and instead issued feeble declarations hoping for a speedy U.S. victory. They are now lining up to demand a role for themselves and their corporations, directly or through the UN, in the rebuilding of Iraq. Once again they have confirmed that those countries with their own imperialist ambitions cannot be relied on to defend the interests of the people.

Thus, a new and much more difficult situation presents itself to those who stand for peace and social progress. The U.S. imperialists are emboldened and will undoubtedly seek to take advantage of their victory in Iraq to push their agenda everywhere else in the world. They can be expected to become even more aggressive on every front, including their trade relations with various countries. A new period of military aggressions, colonial occupations and intensification of all the contradictions inherent in the imperialist system is on the horizon.

However, just because they have significant military superiority does not mean that the U.S. imperialists will succeed in imposing their dictate on the entire world. It appears that already there are forces within Iraq which plan to carry on a prolonged guerilla campaign against the occupiers. Armed resistance is continuing to escalate in Afghanistan. Anger and resentment against the United States is deepening around the world. Furthermore, the victory in Iraq will do little to solve the profound financial and economic crisis besetting American capital and the entire international capitalist order.

Empires fall as a result of a combination of military over-extension, economic decline and popular resistance. All three ingredients already exist and as the U.S. imperialists pursue the Bush Doctrine their problems on these fronts will be further exacerbated. In other words, within their victory over and occupation of Iraq, the U.S. imperialists are also planting the seeds of their future destruction.