The raid by the U.S. Air Force that successfully targeted Zarqawi is part of the “war on terrorism” led by Washington and its imperialist allies. The fact that the target had much blood on his hands, including that of civilians his group often claimed responsibility for kidnapping and beheading, does not make the attack less reprehensible.

Statements by liberals or middle-class radicals in the U.S., like Kenneth Roth of Human Rights Watch or Leslie Cagan of United for Peace and Justice, saying that Washington was “perfectly within its rights” to kill Zarqawi, or that they “would not condemn” the killing because the target was “a terrorist,” are a capitulation to U.S. imperialism and its allies.

It’s not an accident that the conservative New York Sun ran an editorial, headlined “A Win in the War,” quoting Cagan and Roth to back up its assertion that even some of “the Bush administration’s toughest critics” did not find “fit to criticize” the June 7 air raid in Baqubah.

Al-Qaeda and its leaders have used thoroughly anti-working-class methods and pursued a reactionary course similar to that of the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein that has nothing to do with the interests of working people in Iraq or the broader Middle East. But only the Iraqi people themselves—free from the boot of occupation—can mete out justice against such people, not the imperialist occupiers.

As U.S. president George Bush put it, the killing of Zarqawi is part of Washington’s “long war.” The ultimate targets of that “war on terrorism,” however, are working people and their allies—from Iraq to North America. The same capitalist ruling class waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan—to deal blows to its capitalist competitors, change the relationship of forces in the region in favor of imperialism, and gain firmer control of resources such as oil for U.S. finance capital—is attacking the wages, working and living conditions, and rights of workers and farmers at home.

The U.S. rulers and their profit system are humanity’s number one enemy. We should oppose their “war on terror” and all its manifestations, uncompromisingly! And we should demand: U.S. and all “coalition” troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan now!
 
 
Related articles:
Bush: Killing of al-Qaeda leader in Iraq part of ‘long war’ on ‘terror’
Cops in Canada stage ‘antiterror’ raids, arrest 15
UK: Protesters oppose ‘anti-terror’ measures  
 
 
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