Internatioanl campaign against US overseas military bases

Initiative to launch
international campaign against
US overseas military bases

The struggle of the peoples to throw out the US military bases from all countries in the world becomes especially important under the current world conditions. The wild aggressiveness of US imperialists for world domination, the frequent military interventions in various countries and regions that are of strategic importance to US interests and the recent invasion and occupation of Iraq, more than ever bring to the attention the issue of the struggle against US military bases.

It is now evident to all the peoples across the world that these military bases are used as instruments to facilitate the imperialist powers in the wars to occupy countries and regions and to impose complete imperialist domination. The US uses these military bases to make the hosting countries economically, politically and militarily dependent, lead them, through the local bourgeoisie to greater subjugation and blackmails them to act as "willing" participants in the US plans. After September 11th the US has intensified its military presence and installed new military bases within regions considered as strategic, such as Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Central and Western Asia (Middle East).

It is under such anti-peoples and reactionary developments and the imminent dangers poised against humanity by the US belligerence, which the need for common action and struggle of the peoples to throw out US military bases from every country and region becomes an urgent task. The struggle against the military bases is a basic element of the anti-imperialist struggle and an important factor in the struggle to defeat US imperialism and can bring hope and victory to the peoples’ struggles everywhere.

The installation of US military bases and their military presence in the hosting countries create the reactionary political conditions that strengthen the rule of the most reactionary and tyrannical regimes in order to continue to implement anti-people, anti-worker policies. From this point of view, the struggle against the military bases is at the same time a struggle in support of the national and social liberation struggles across the world.

The massive anti-war wave of opposition that was recently displayed in every corner of the planet against the US shows the anger of the peoples worldwide and their will to fight against imperialism and war. The great wish of the peoples is to live in peace and brotherhood, without the horror of war, without exploiters and oppressors.

All the above issues and many more will be the subject of the discussions in the international conference that will be held in Chania, Greece on 20-21-22 September 2003. The purpose of this meeting is to contribute and examine the possibility of forming an international campaign against US overseas military bases, and respective peripheral formations.

This conference and the initiative to form the International Campaign to shut down US military bases is sponsored by the International League of People’s struggle (ILPS), an alliance of 230 mass organisations from 40 countries that was formed in May 2001. The initiative committee is composed of mass formations from Turkey, Greece and Philippines engaged in the struggle against US military presence in their respective countries. All organizations, committees and movements fighting against US overseas military bases are hereby invited to join and participate in the formation of this international campaign.

Please find attached the rationale - the working concept paper of the initiative committee and the conference registration form.

The Coordinator,
Initiative Committee,
International Campaign Against US Overseas Military Bases
Athens, July 31, 2003

For further information please contact:
tel. +30 210 3303639
fax. +30 210 3815597
e-mail: antibases03@yahoo.gr

or ILPS information Bureau
info@ilps2001.com