European left statements against the threat of US-led war on Syria (updated Sept. 3)

Below are a number of statements (or news reports of statements) by European left parties on the crisis in Syria. More will be posted (or expanded) as they come to hand.They include Die Linke (Germany), Syriza (Greece), the Party of the European Left and the New Anti-Capitalist Party (France).

Die Linke: German government's support for war coalition is insanity

August 27, 2013 -- Die Linke -- "A military strike of the US threatens to escalate the conflict in Syria to become an international war“, warns Christine Buchholz, member of the executive board of the party Die Linke.

The attack of the US army using cruise missiles threatens to cause a wildfire, further aggravating the suffering of the Syrian population. With the assault the US government does not help the people in Syria but will solely demonstrate its military supremacy in the region.

Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle said yesterday that Germany "in close coordination with its allies" will be among those „that consider consequences to be appropriate. "This boils down to nothing else but support of impending military assaults. The support of an evolving US-led war coalition is insanity".

The patriot missiles stationed by the Federal [German] Army at the Turkish-Syrian border have to be withdrawn immediately. Otherwise Germany is in the danger of getting involved in a new Middle East war. On the approaching International Day of Peace on September 1, Die Linke will, as every year, support the protest campaigns of the peace movement for a withdrawal of the Federal Army from all foreign assignments.

Syriza on Syria: no 'imperialist' intervention

August 28, 2013 -- ANA-MPA, EnetEnglish  -- Syriza, the main opposition party in Greece, has warned against any Greek involvement in any "imperialistic" and "opportunistic" campaign in Syria.

"Greece should not, under any circumstances, either directly or indirectly, get involved in the military intervention that the USA and its allies are preparing", a statement from the leftist party said on August 28.

It said United Nations international inspectors must be allowed to complete their investigation into the circumstances surrounding last week's chemical weapons attack in a Damascus suburb in which hundreds of civilians were killed.

"The UN is the only international organisation that must examine objectively the reasons for this barbarous and unprecedented attack with chemicals against innocent people", Syriza said. It added: "The Syrian people are the only ones who must determine with peaceful and political means the immediate ending of the bloody civil war. The international community ought to support this one and only way."

It warned the government "not to allow our country to become part of an opportunistic war conflict that will have destructive consequences for all the people of the region, including the Greek people".

Party of the European Left condemns planned Western attack on Syria

Statement by the Party of the European Left

August 29, 2013 -- The Party of the European Left (EL) condemns the coming attack of the USA and its Western allies to Syria for several reasons.

Our only guideline is the interest of the Syrian population. We condemn all the crimes committed for two years against the civilian populations: those of the Assad regime who took the responsibility of the military spiral against the popular movement, and those of the others. The use of chemical weapons is an unacceptable crime. The UN must establish the responsibilities.

But we are convinced the war will not save any civil life. In the previous cases in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, the use of war as solution to a conflict has worsened the situation. We affirm the supremacy of searching always a diplomatic and peaceful solution to any kind of conflict based on the international laws and international institutions. War will keep a political solution away.

Moreover there is a real risk of an enlargement of the conflict to the region, taking into account the geopolitical interests of major international powers: USA, Israel, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and several European countries like France and United Kingdom.

In a global point of view, a reflection must start on the conditions to avoid this kind of world conflict for the future: a new international order must emerge. Co-development and solidarity, common work to respond to the challenges posed to humanity and must replace competition and selfishness.

For all those reasons we cannot accept that European countries like United Kingdom, France or the European Union itself or by some European political forces are supporting such attack to Syria.

The European peoples are against the war, as all polls show: 69% of the Germans are against, only 25% are in favor in the UK and 59% of the French are against too.

Our members parties will, in their respective parliaments, vote against the war and make proposals to relaunch the political process in Syria as well as the demilitarisation of the world, beginning by the banning of chemical weapons.

The EU and our countries can initiate the organization of a roundtable with all parts of the conflict. This is the only way to protect the Syrian population and peoples of the Middle East.

Against any military intervention, total support for the Syrian revolution

Statement by the New Anti-Capitalist Party in France

August 28, 2013 -- International Viewpoint -- The regime of Bashar Al Assad incessantly raises the level of the massacres which it organises against its own people. Thus the recent bombardments in civilian areas around Damascus, using chemical weapons, once again lead to horror and rage against the hypocrisy of the great powers which leads to these crimes against humanity. The NPA makes a point once again of assuring the insurgent Syrian people of all its solidarity, and its admiration of its determination to overthrow a regime which is indefensible from any point of view. We denounce the direct complicity of the governments of Russia and Iran which encourages the crimes of Al-Assad. But we reaffirm that the great Western powers, by refusing to deliver the weapons demanded for so many months by the collective structures of struggle set up by the people, also bear a heavy responsibility for the perpetuation of the murderous regime, while contributing to the development of religious obscurantist currents which constitute a second mortal enemy for the Syrian people.

Now, the USA, France and the United Kingdom announce their will to intervene directly in the conflict by targeted bombardments. We absolutely reject such a policy, which President Holland puts himself at the forefront of without any democratic consultation. Indeed, it can only have counter-productive effects, faced with a criminal and adventurist regime, and could on the contrary reinforce its international propaganda and ultimately increase the suffering in Syria.

It is up to the Syrian people to free itself in complete self-determination, with all essential international assistance but without the operations and direct interventions of states which primarily defend their own interests. Faced with a regime which has cut all the bridges of compromise, the Syrian people and its representatives who fight for democracy, social justice, and national dignity with respect for all its components will not be able to compromise on the fall of the clan of Bashar Al-Assad, and the rejection of any foreign supervision!

[French original “Contre toute intervention militaire. Soutien total à la révlution syrienne”.]