The Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) condemns the U.S. imperialist regime’s killing of Major General Qasem Soleimani of the Iranian armed forces, Abud Mahdi al-Muhandis, a leading member of the Iraqi armed forces, and eight other officials. The U.S. military carried out its lawless assassinations with drone missile strikes at the Baghdad civilian airport on January 3.

The U.S. imperialists have been attempting to subjugate Iraq and Iran for decades. They have failed to do so in the face of the determined resistance of the Iraqi and Iranian peoples. What the U.S. ruling elite cannot control they seek to destroy and in doing so act outside of and in violation of any international law, rules or norms that stand in their way. The U.S. military launched the first Gulf War against Iraq in 1991 and followed this with crippling sanctions and then a “shock and awe” full-scale destructive invasion and occupation in 2003. The Iraqi people have heroically resisted and have not allowed the U.S. imperialists to gain control of their country.

The U.S. imperialists have never accepted the 1979 overthrow of their puppet the Shah of Iran and the formation of the independent Islamic Republic of Iran. The U.S. ruling oligarchs have tried in vain to isolate, destabilize and cripple Iran through economic sanctions and military encirclement in order to bring about regime change but the Iranian people have resisted all attempts of the U.S. to regain control over their country. The actions of the U.S. imperialists are provocations with the aim of creating a pretext, however flimsy, to launch an all-out war on Iran to destroy it. It must not pass! Denounce the use of force to settle conflicts! All U.S. troops must return home! Canadian forces on a “training mission” must be withdrawn immediately!

CPC(M-L) opposes the role played by Canada in U.S. and NATO interference in the region. The Party opposes Canada’s “leadership” of NATO’s Operation IMPACT “training mission” in Iraq until November 2020.[1]

The Canadian people have a social responsibility to denounce U.S. imperialist lawlessness and constant wars and interference against the peoples of the world. CPC(M-L) calls on the Canadian and Quebec people to take concrete measures to extricate the country from the U.S. war economy and its military forces, and make Canada a zone for peace. Withdraw Canada from NATO, NORAD and dismantle all aggressive military alliances with U.S. imperialism. No U.S. military, police, border officials or mercenaries must be allowed to set foot in Canada.

Demand that Canada boldly assume its responsibility to the world and denounce U.S. imperialist aggression and interference in the sovereign affairs of others.

Condemn U.S. Imperialist Killings, Lawlessness, Interference and Wars!
Canada, Out of NATO and NORAD!
Extricate Canada from the U.S. War Economy!
Make Canada a Zone for Peace!
All Out to Establish an Anti-War Government!

Note

1. On January 3, Canada’s Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne issued a cynical and self-serving statement that underscores the unprincipled nature of Canada’s role in the region as a servant of U.S. imperialism. The Minister said:

“Canada is in contact with our international partners. The safety and well-being of Canadians in Iraq and the region, including our troops and diplomats, is our paramount concern.

“We call on all sides to exercise restraint and pursue de-escalation. Our goal is and remains a united and stable Iraq.

“Canada has long been concerned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Qods Force, led by Qasem Soleimani, whose aggressive actions have had a destabilizing effect in the region and beyond.”