Page "Opposition to the Iraq War" Paragraph 9

Sato Kazuyoshi, President of the Japanese Movement for Democratic Socialism, argues otherwise.

Reporting on the discussion at the 2004 conference, he writes that, " We cannot support, nor extend our solidarity to, them on the grounds that their strategy excludes many Iraqi citizens – above all, women – and do great harm on the civilians, and will bring the Iraqi future society under an Islamic dictatorship.

" He cites in turn Mahmood Ketabchi of the WCPI, who criticizes Iraqi guerrilla groups for Baathist and Islamist connections, and attacks Ruder's view as a " Left Nationalism " which ignores divisions within Iraq.

Countering the response that the best way to ensure that progressive forces, not reactionary ones, dominate post-occupation Iraq would be for progressives to take the lead in fighting the occupation, Ketabchi argues that this is not possible due to the present situation in Iraq.

Nevertheless, he claims, " We do not have to choose between the US and Iraqi reactionary forces.

Opposition to the US is not a progressive stand per se.

What matters is the kind of future that this opposition represents and objectives it pursues.

" A third alternative is represented by what Kazuyoshi calls the " Civil Resistance.