[R-G] Bush State of The Union: Preparing Crime of War Against Iran

[Josh Minchen]

Commentary on Bush's State of The Union speech from the U.S. 
Marxist-Leninist Organization.  Bush's call for a Civilian Reserve Corps is 
extremely disturbing as it shows how the "Union", facing defeat everywhere, 
is relying on organizing fascist mercenary forces in order to save itself. 
The Voice of Revolution speaks to this issue in the following article:

http://www.usmlo.org/arch2007/2007-02/VR070203.htm#bus

Bush State of The Union: Preparing Crime of War Against Iran

President George W. Bush gave his State of the Union address January 23 and 
again made clear U.S. preparations for aggressive war against Iran. Bush 
also raised the need to expand the military and create an additional 
"Civilian" Corps of mercenaries to try and rescue U.S. efforts at world 
domination. He received broad applause for both proposals. Taken as a whole, 
the speech reflected the exhausted character of the U.S. ruling class, which 
has no solutions for any problem. Instead, cornered by failure on all sides, 
it is desperately trying to save itself by lashing out, imposing fascism and 
war.

In 2007, Bush again used the justification of September 11 for U.S. crimes. 
He declared "The evil that inspired and rejoiced in 9/11 is still at work in 
the world. And so long as that is the case, America is still a nation at 
war." He again emphasized the plan for more aggressive wars, saying, "to win 
the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy." And, far from 
striving to solve any problem, he repeated the refrain that "America must 
not fail in Iraq."

Despite the broad demand by the peoples to end the war now and thus 
contribute to solving the problem of ending aggressive wars, Bush claims 
that repeating, again, the use of more aggression against Iraq is the way to 
go. He also more broadly branded "the enemy" by basically saying any form of 
"extremism" and "violent radicals" are a threat. And this applied simply to 
people's views. "This war is more than a clash of arms - it is a decisive 
ideological struggle, and the security of our nation is in the balance." So 
those with what Bush decides is an "extreme ideology" are also enemies. In 
this manner the president is not only warning those he specifically named, 
such as the resistance movements in Iraq (including Sunnis and Shias) and 
Lebanon (Hizbollah), but also anyone, inside the country and out, who stands 
in the way. Indeed, he even cautioned Congress, saying, "We must have the 
will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies - and the wisdom to 
face them together." Few could miss the echo of "you are with us or with the 
enemy."

Bush directly targeted Iran several times. He said the U.S. faces "an 
escalating danger from Shia extremists who are just as hostile to America 
[as al Qaeda] and are also determined to dominate the Middle East. Many are 
known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming 
terrorists like Hizbollah - a group second only to al Qaeda in the American 
lives it has taken." Hizbollah successfully led the resistance in Lebanon to 
U.S.-Israeli aggression and continues to do so. Bush added, "Hizbollah 
terrorists, with support from Syria and Iran, sowed conflict in the region." 
He claimed, "Radical Shia elements, some of whom received support from Iran, 
formed death squads [in Iraq]." He threatened that if the U.S. withdraws, 
"we could expect an epic battle between Shia extremists backed by Iran and 
Sunni extremists aided by al Qaeda."

Bush repeatedly attempts to claim that the cause of the violence and 
terrorism in Iraq is the Iraqis themselves, when it is clear that it is U.S. 
occupation. Now Bush is claiming Iranians are also responsible for the 
deaths of Americans in Iraq. No evidence of any kind has been presented. It 
is simply asserted over and over by the Pentagon disinformation machine that 
Iran is responsible for American deaths.

This emphasis on American deaths is an attempt to push the U.S. anti-war 
movement backward, away from its stand that Iraqis deaths and Iranian deaths 
and Lebanese deaths are not acceptable. The movement stands as one with the 
peoples of the world against all the death and destruction of U.S. 
imperialist wars. It also makes clear that there would be no U.S. deaths if 
all U.S. troops were brought home.

The Iraqis and Iranians are not the source of the problem, occupation is. 
The Iraqis, Iranians, Lebanese and Palestinians are all capable of governing 
themselves and living in peace if they are left to do so by the U.S. and its 
client state of Israel. Respect for sovereignty and non-interference by all 
the big powers, the U.S. first and foremost, is necessary.

Bush rejects withdrawal of all U.S. troops as the solution for success and 
instead outlines the U.S. plan for revenge against the Iraqi resistance, 
focused on Baghdad. Increased U.S. troops will be organized as gangs to go 
into neighborhoods to "find the terrorists and clear them out," and then 
"hold" the neighborhood. Using the U.S.-Israeli model in Palestine and that 
of Falluja and elsewhere, this can only mean more mass civilian killings, 
destruction of housing, hospitals and civilian infrastructure, terrorizing 
the population, especially women and children, and then making the 
neighborhoods prisons, with checkpoints, restricted movement and dusk to 
dawn curfews. This is what U.S.-style democracy looks like in Iraq.

Plan for Expanded Military & Civilian Corps

It is well known and admitted by the Pentagon that U.S. military forces are 
already stretched thin and are losing in Iraq. Yet Bush plans to escalate 
the war to Iran and elsewhere. To do so, he is demanding to increase the 
Army and Marine Corps - the occupying ground forces in any war - by 92,000 
troops, over the next five years. But it is clear this is not enough, 
especially given the increasing resistance among the youth to be cannon 
fodder for imperialist war. So Bush is also calling for a "Civilian Reserve 
Corps."

According to Bush, this Civilian Corps "would function much like our 
military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by allowing 
us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions abroad when 
America needs them. It would give people across America who do not wear the 
uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle of our time." This is an 
effort to entice yet more youth into war, while claiming to do otherwise. It 
very likely will also be directed toward undocumented immigrant youth, with 
the promise of citizenship for "civilian service." It could also be used to 
justify hiring "civilians with critical skills," from other countries.

This Corps would be in addition to the existing mercenary army in Iraq, 
utilizing forces like Blackwater, Inc. There are an estimated 100,000 
private "contractors" in Iraq, including at least 48,000 soldiers. 
Blackwater, with hundreds of millions in government contracts already, also 
provided mercenaries to occupy New Orleans after Katrina.

The government mercenaries in Iraq have been responsible for torture and 
other crimes. They are considered outside any law and have not been subject 
to any punishment for known crimes. Given this existing reality, it is very 
likely that such a Civilian Corps, once established, would serve to create a 
private army directly controlled by the president. It likely will not come 
under the authority of Congress, or even the military. And it could be used 
as a fascist force of the executive inside the country as well. It 
represents a significant and dangerous development in government 
arrangements.

Alongside the call for this Civilian Corps, Bush proposed what he called a 
Congressional "advisory council." Emphasizing the power usurped by the 
Office of the President that reduces Congress to a consultative body, Bush 
said "Both parties and both branches should work in close consultation. It's 
why I propose to establish a special advisory council on the war on terror, 
made up of leaders in Congress from both political parties. We will share 
ideas for how to position America to meet every challenge that confronts us. 
We'll show our enemies abroad that we are united in the goal of victory."

The proposal for an "advisory council," if implemented, represents an effort 
by the president to complete new arrangements of governance whereby Congress 
and the Courts have only an advisory and consultative role, and all power 
resides with the president. Bush emphasizes that he, and he alone, is the 
"decision-maker," and that Congress cannot stop him. He has made the 
decision about sending more troops to Iraq. By implication, he will also 
decide about bombing Iran.

A serious clash is underway on this matter. But Bush and the ruling circles 
generally do not want an open constitutional fight if it can be avoided. An 
advisory council is a possible means to do this. It could serve to keep 
Congress as an elected body, but essentially eliminate any power it has. It 
could also eliminate the current role of Congressional committees and 
concentrate them in this "advisory council" of top leaders. This select few 
would be in on the deal making and decision-making and the rest would simply 
be consulted with. It is a significant proposal that bears watching, 
especially as the current battles over bills and resolutions on Iraq and 
Iran unfold.

Americans met Bush's speech with a massive outpouring on January 27, 
demanding an end to the war now. The action also put Congress on notice. 
Americans do not want a pro-war government. The failure by Congress to act, 
like Bush's failure, will be met with determined resistance, including 
working step by step to create an anti-war government of the people 
themselves.