Rohan Pearce
The final declaration of the World Tribunal on Iraq, released on June 27 in Istanbul, strongly defended the right of Iraqis to resist the occupation, including by taking up arms against the occupying forces. "There is widespread opposition to the occupation", it acknowledged. "Political, social, and civil resistance through peaceful means is subjected to repression by the occupying forces. It is the brutality of the occupation that has provoked a strong armed resistance and certain acts of desperation."
"By the principles embodied in the UN Charter and in international law", the tribunal found, "the popular national resistance to the occupation is legitimate and justified". Iraqis' resistance "deserves the support of people everywhere who care for justice and freedom".
The declaration was released as US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld made an unguarded admission about the degree of armed opposition to US troops' presence in Iraq. He told the June 26 edition of Fox News Sunday that the Iraqi insurgency "could go on for any number of years. Insurgencies tend to go on five, six, eight, 10, 12 years."
Rumsfeld's comments contradict the claims of other US government officials, including Vice-President Dick Cheney. Cheney commented on May 30: "I think the level of activity that we see today, from a military standpoint, I think will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency." However, US General John Abizaid told a Senate committee on June 23 that the insurgency was as strong as it was six months ago.
From Green Left Weekly, July 6, 2005.
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