وثيقة

النص الإنجليزي

لبيان مجلس قيادة الثورة العراقي

في شأن مبادرة الانسحاب من الكويت

الصادر في 15 فبراير 1991

Statement by the Iraqi Revolution Command Council

on 15 February

     Honorable Arabs, true Muslim believers, freedom-loving people around the world: Ever since the United States, Zionism and the United States' imperialist Western allies came to realize that an Arab Muslim country - Iraq - was developing a force of its own, capable of being a counterweight to the imperialist-backed Zionism - free, honorable force, resolved selflessly to tackle Zionist aggression and greed, and to reject imperialist hegemony over the region, the United States, Zionism and all colonial powers who entertained hatred against Arabs and Muslims - {ever since then, they} set about taking measures, making decisions and waging campaigns of falsehood and incitement against Iraq, with the object of thwarting the creation and development of this force, and isolating and punishing Iraq, because it has faithfully, determinedly and efficiently gone beyond the limits set by the United States, imperialism and imperialist forces, for the states of the region.

     1988 and 1989 saw sustained campaigns in the press and other media and by officials in the USA and other imperialist nations to pave the way for the fulfillment of vicious aims. 1990 saw these campaigns escalate feverishly and mount day by day. The aim was clear to us and to all conscious Arabs and true Muslims, as well as to all the free people who believe in freedom and justice in the world. The aim was to pave the way for destroying this nascent force and tip the regional balance back in favor of the USA, Zionism and the imperialists - the balance that has been in place for many decades and prevented the Arabs from recovering their rights and usurped and occupied lands in Palestine, the Golan Heights and Lebanon. It has also stood in the way of the Arab nation realizing its aspirations for revival, progress and justice in the interest of occupying its deserved place in the world by virtue of its glorious history and its great contribution to human civilization.

     In the early months of 1990. these campaigns intensified, expanded and assumed a hysterical dimension, with daily incitements to hit Iraq, liquidate its leadership and deprive it of the means to achieve a revival and progress. Along with other imperialist nations, the USA took a string of measures and made unfair decisions banning the export of whatever may contribute to Iraq’s development and its scientific and industrial revival. These decisions called for an effective economic blockade, including the cancellation of food contracts in March 1990. It was also clear that in concert with the Zionist entity, the USA was preparing to hit Iraq's scientific and industrial facilities and liquidate its patriotic, believing leadership. When the USA discovered that its plan, which largely rests on the Zionist military capability, fell short of achieving its civil aims, it brought into the conspiracy its hireling, corrupt agent and conspiratorial rulers in the region - the enemies of God. The role, of these was to undermine Iraq's economy and then push Iraq to the brink of economic collapse.

     In the meantime, the USA set about tightening the network of the imperialist alliance in the interests of forging a political and military US-Atlantic alliance with the aim of dealing a blow to Iraq and controlling the region when the opportunity to achieve this aim presented itself with the lopsided balance represented in the USSR becoming preoccupied with internal developments.

     O Iraqis, O Arabs, O Muslims, O freemen of the world: The events of 2nd August 1990. in substance and goal, were not as portrayed by the US and colonialist propaganda, or as were described by the treacherous rulers, followers of America. They were a national, pan-Arab and Islamic uprising against the conspiracy and conspirators - an uprising against injustice, immorality, corruption and imperialist-Zionist colonialist hegemony of the region and against the plotters whose role in the US-Zionist conspiracy became exposed. Thus, the imperialist-Zionist-Atlantic alliance revealed its true goals and intentions from the very first hours of those events. The alliance massed armies and forces and organized the biggest and most malicious campaigns of misinformation, lies and deception witnessed by the world in the modern age.

     This oppressive and sly imperialist-Zionist-Atlantic alliance manipulated the UN to issue with unparalleled swiftness a series of unjust and unprecedented resolutions, although this body had failed, throughout several decades, to fulfil the simplest demands of the Arab nation and preserve the simplest rights of the Arabs in Palestine, despite the obviousness of the Arab right and the severity of the tragedy of the struggling Palestinian people, from which other Arabs, including the oppressed Lebanese people, have suffered.

     This tyrannical alliance has forced its will on the world. It has pursued terrorist and extortionist tactics, as well as bribery, not to mention the malicious means of lying and deception found in the pouch of imperialism, Zionism and colonial powers, to pave the way for the aggression against Iraq.

     O glorious Iraqis, O dear Arabs, O faithful Muslims, O freemen and honorable people throughout the world, the aggression that has been launched on Iraq, the courageous, proud, mujahid, faithful and patient country, is unprecedented in history. The entire history of mankind (? will) never record such an alliance in which the USA as well as two big powers participated, not to mention several other countries numbering 30. against the mujahid, courageous and patient Iraq, whose population does not exceed 18 million people. It is an evil, (? rancorous), malicious and atheistic alliance against the bastion of faith and principles, against the center of freedom where the call for justice and fairness is made.

     Over the past month, the USA, its allies, along with the Zionist entity, which has taken part in the aggression from the beginning, have launched savage and destructive raids on the Iraqi people; on their economic, scientific, cultural and service property; and also on their religious centers and the sites of ancient civilizations in Iraq. These raids are unprecedented in history in terms of the gigantic firepower used and in terms of the means of killing and destruction used in a manner that contravenes the UN Charter, the false international legitimacy and the new world order, which they wanted to use as an order for US-Atlantic hegemony over the world.

     The United States and the partners in the evil alliance, the planes that fire their missiles from a distance and the long-range missiles, have dropped huge quantities of bombs and explosives on women, children and old people in all Iraq's cities and villages and even on the nomad Bedouin in the desert. They hit in a premeditated manner mosques, churches, schools, hospitals, civilian factories, bridges, main roads, telephone, electricity and water centers, irrigation dams, cultural centers and sites in the country. They hit targets that have no connection in any way whatsoever with the military effort or the military duel arena of which they have spoken.

     Their latest crime was the ugly and dirty crime of the premeditated bombardment of a civilian shelter. They killed and burned hundreds of women, children and old people. The aim of this unjust aggression was very clear, namely to proceed with the process of destruction which they want and to punish the proud, free and struggling Iraqi people, because it has chosen the road of freedom, independence and glory and has rejected humiliation, disgrace and submission to the will of imperialism and Zionism.

     The United States and its allies have waged a dirty and cowardly war against a courageous and faithful people. The history of peoples and nations and their fate are not decided by the material possessions of states and ruling regimes. How many strong and rich empires throughout history had fallen because they pursued the road of evil, cowardice, injustice and decadence! This is the fate of tyrannical America and its decayed systems. It is the fate of Zionism and all the imperialist forces by the will of God.

     Iraq has triumphed in this duel. It has triumphed because it has remained steadfast, courageous, faithful, proud and strong-willed. It has triumphed, because it has maintained principles and the spiritual values inspired by the true religion of Islam and its noble heritage. Its material losses in this battle, despite their enormity, are small compared to its spirit of determination, its firm belief in principles and strong determination to continue the course of renaissance and progress.

     O dear Iraqis, O honest Arabs, O Muslims who truly believe in Islam, O honest and freemen of the world: Proceeding from this firm and right feeling and this assessment of the nature of the showdown, and in order to rob the evil US-Zionist-Atlantic alliance of the opportunity to achieve, their premeditated goals; and in appreciation of the Soviet initiative conveyed by the envoy of the Soviet leadership; and in compliance with the principles outlined in leader President Saddam Hussein's initiative on 12 August, 1990. the Revolution Command Council has decided to declare the following:

First:     Iraq’s readiness to deal with Security Council Resolution No. 660 of 1990 with the aim of reaching an honorable and acceptable political solution including withdrawal. The first step that is required to be implemented as a pledge by Iraq regarding withdrawal will be linked to the following:

(a) A total and comprehensive cease-fire on land, air, and sea.

(b) For the Security Council to decide to abolish from the outset Resolutions 661. 662. 664. 665. 666. 667. 669. 670. 674. 677 and 678. and all the effects resulting from all of them, and to abolish all resolutions and measures of boycott and embargo, as well as the other negative resolutions and measures that were adopted by certain countries against Iraq unilaterally or collectively before 2nd August, 1990 which were the real reasons for the Gulf crisis - so that things may return to normal as if nothing had happened. Iraq should have to suffer any negative effects for any reason.

(c) For the United States and the other countries participating in the aggression, and all the countries that sent their forces to the region, to withdraw all the forces, weapons and equipment which they brought to the Middle East region before and after 2nd August, 1990 - whether on land, seas, oceans or gulfs - including the weapons and equipment that certain countries provided to Israel under the pretext of the crisis in the Gulf, provided that these forces, weapons and equipment are withdrawn during a period not exceeding one month from the date of the cease-fire.

(d) Israel must withdraw from Palestine and the Arab territories it is occupying in the Golan and southern Lebanon, in implementation of UN Security Council and UN General Assembly resolutions. In the case that Israel fails to do this, the UN Security Council should then enforce against Israel the same resolutions it passed against Iraq.

(e) Iraq's historical rights on land and at sea should be guaranteed in full in any peaceful solution.

(f)  The political arrangement to be agreed upon should proceed from the people's will and in accordance with genuine democratic practice and not on the basis of the rights acquired by the Al Sabah family. Accordingly, the nationalist and Islamic forces should primarily participate in the political arrangement to be agreed upon.

Second: The countries which have participated in the aggression and in financing the aggression should undertake to reconstruct what the aggression has destroyed in Iraq in accordance with the optimum specifications regarding all the enterprises and installations targeted by the aggression, and at their expense. Iraq should not incur any financial expenses in this regard.

Third:    All the debts owed by Iraq and the countries of the region which had been harmed by the aggression and which did not take part in the aggression, either directly or indirectly, to the Gulf countries and to the foreign countries which took part in the aggression should be written off. Besides, relations between the rich nations and poor nations in the region and the world should be based on justice and fairness in such a way that puts the rich nations before clear commitments regarding the realization of development in poor nations, thus removing their economic suffering. This should be based on the saying that the poor must share a claim to the wealth of the rich. Moreover, the duplicitous approach pursued in handling the issues of peoples and nations should be halted, whether this approach is being pursued by the UN Security Council or by this or that country.

Fourth: The Gulf States, including Iran, should be given the task of freely drawing up security arrangements in the region, and of organizing relations among them without any foreign interference.

Fifth:     To declare the Arabian Gulf region a zone free of foreign military bases and from any form of foreign military presence. Everybody must undertake to observe this.

     This is our argument, which we declare before the world, clear and shining against the traitors and their imperialist masters.

     Our basic source of confidence, in addition to our reliance on the one and only God, remains our great Iraqi people, our valiant and struggling armed forces, and those who believe in the path which we have chosen in fighting oppression and the oppressors. Victory will certainly be realized against the oppressors in the coming days, as it had been certain in past times. God is with us. May the despicable be damned.

[Signed] The Revolution Command Council.

[Dated] 29th Rejab 1411 AH, corresponding to 15 February 1991.