World Mobilization Against War 15/2/2003
Alliance: Stop the War

Speech of Mikis Theodorakis

The hideous face of war

After Yugoslavia, after Palestine and Afghanistan, here comes the hour for Iraq.

Within just a few years, it is for the fourth time that we meet in the same square to express our opposition to the activities and the criminal projects of the only super-power.

With the difference, however, that until now we were almost alone in Europe to express our rage, while today, 90% of the French and the German people, 80% of the Italian and the Spanish, and even 70% of the English are found in the camp of peace.

Today in 70 cities throughout the world, millions of people make clear that they will fight against war, so that Peace can be preserved. To isolate those developing strategies of cataclysm.

Until the day before yesterday, the Americans told us that their country was threatened by Taliban, by Al-Kaïda and Usama Ben Laden. For this reason and with the pretext of defending themselves, they transported their armada of war thousands of kilometers away from the United States, to Afghanistan.

They bombed cities, destroyed villages, burned houses, schools and hospitals. They cut the throats of thousands of innocent victims, women, old people and children.

However the final result was that the one for whom this bloody war was waged against the Afghan people escaped.

After this fiasco, President Bush has dug and found another Evil. Because it seems that the horrible machine of war lives and breathes through Evils: only this justifies the doctrine of preventive wars.

Americans say that their country is threatened by the country of Evil which is Iraq. But, for Heaven’s sake, who they take us all for? For simpletons?

Why don't they tell us simply and clearly that they will wage war, cost what it will, because that’s what they want to do? Because they believe that they are so powerful that nobody can resist them? And that those who dare to oppose them will be destroyed in one way or another? That’s it, the right of the most powerful. It is the law of the jungle.

This threat, this ultimatum, we have already heard it. When there was a super-power: Hitler’s Germany. And when there were governments seeking conciliation, and finally, not only did not prevent Hitler, but led their people to catastrophe.

The Americans repeat in different keys that their only enemy is Iraq and that the threat comes only from this country.

Their war, they say, will be still defensive. That’s why they send once again their armada of war thousands of kilometers away from the United States. This time, it is almost multiplied by ten compared to the preceding one. And this, just to defend themselves against that country of Evil that is Iraq!

The first day, they will launch only three thousand rockets to make an end of it. However, as they are not certain that they will get the anticipated result, they will use other tens of thousands of rockets, bombs, flame-throwers to burn that country of Evil that is Iraq! But as they are still not certain that they will succeed, they will send also hundreds of tanks, as well as tens of thousands of soldiers to make sure of the result. All that just for Iraq. Which, finally will perhaps have had time to hide under the hecatombs of corpses.

The experts consider that collateral damage will reach 500.000 victims, so that the threat of Saddam against Bush’s America and Blair’s Great Britain ceases. With 500.000 innocent victims, they reckon that American culture will be saved and American citizens will be able to sleep peacefully.

And what will occur after the end of Saddam? I think that the next country of Evil has already been found. The next objective. And thus, from hecatomb to hecatomb, by crushing one people after the other, the Pentagon intends to clear the road towards the final domination: Pax Americana on a planetary scale. And until the end of time...

In the face of this terrifying prospect for humanity, the question is: What are we, the ordinary citizens, to do? Are we to kneel down before Mr. Bush and say: 'Slaughter us, master'? As blood-offerings?

I cry NO.
NO to Bush. NO to War.
YES to Resistance. YES to Peace.

Syntagma Square, 15.2.2003

Mikis Theodorakis

World Mobilization Against War 15/2/2003 Alliance: Stop the War

Speech of Mikis Theodorakis

World Mobilization Against War 15/2/2003
Alliance: Stop the War