Elections took place in Iraq on 30 January. The verdict in the western media was that these elections were an undoubted success, "historic" moments were just some of the memorable cliches bandied about endlessly by journalists. Iyad Allawi, the interim government's Prime Minister called it a "great day!"

Turn out has been claimed at 55-60%, with the Sunni minority boycotting the election (about 20% of Iraq's population). However only 44% of those eligible voted, and the majority of those who did, voted to remove US and British troops.

This supposedly "free and fair" election must go down in history as one of the most chaotic, fraudulent and undemocratic elections ever held. Iraqis were voting for a government that will be kept in power by the bayonets of 150,000 imperialist occupation troops. What is more, the elections were held under the auspices of a pro-imperialist stooge government headed by ex-CIA man Iyad Allawi which itself has been kept in power only thanks to the benefits of US weapons of mass destruction. The new government will not have legitimacy in the eyes of the Sunni minority and it remains to be seen how the Sunnis will be reconciled into the constitutional and governmental apparatus. Widespread voting irregularities, which have been openly admitted in the western and Iraqi media and which were noted by electoral monitors have gone unchallenged by any single candidate or list that took part in the election. The 260 attacks by the resistance on 30 January was the single largest number of attacks on any one day since the occupation began.

It looks likely that the Unified Iraqi Alliance (UIA), the Shiite list that was backed by cleric Ali al-Sistani, will win the most votes in the election. The Allawi led, more secular Shiite list is looking as if it will pick up 10% with the list that included the Iraqi Communist Party also taking 10%. What must be analysed and realised when looking at these elections is that the Iraqi people did not endorse the occupation.

The Iraqi people voted for freedom of speech and conscience, freedom from the imperialist occupation and the arbitrary curfews, arrests and brutality that go along with it. The Kurds voted for independence, while the Shiites voted for a better standard of living, especially in areas of Iraq crippled by the affliction of unemployment.

What also seems more likely in the future is more sectarian conflict and the "balkanisation" of Iraq. Each ethnic grouping is now pulling in a different direction and the role of other Middle Eastern regimes will be of critical importance in the future. Turkey will not stand for independence for the Kurds; Iran would take a dim view of it as well, while the Shia minority in Saudi Arabia is being looked upon with greater and greater unease by the monarchy.

The Allawi government was exposed as the pro-imperialist stooge regime it was, as in turn will the government that emerges from these elections. Bush and Blair will not pull out until they have secured a pro-West regime, yet the Iraqi people want them out.

The war on Iraq began as a war for oil, so it continues as an occupation for oil. Only struggle and bitter experience will show the Iraqi people that a new government that is tied to imperialism will never deliver freedom from poverty but only oppression and exploitation.

The recent allocation of $80 billion by the US Congress brings their spending on the wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan to $300 billion - half of their total spending on the Second World War and the Vietnam War.

$300 billion spent on death:
* 100,000 Iraqi deaths since the invasion.
* Only four hours a day electricity supply in Baghdad.
* Majority of Iraqis have no access to clean water or a proper sewage system.
* 60% unemployment.
* Strikes are banned in the public service.
* US planes are carrying out 3 - 4 bombing raids a day from their aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf.

The recent elections were an attempt to place a veneer of legitimacy over the continuing occupation of Iraq. Meanwhile, the harsh reality of life continues for ordinary Iraqis. These elections were a farce and the US and British administrations have no intention of handing over any real power.

Any Iraqi government formed from these elections will be a puppet of imperialism. The occupying troops are set to remain and the plunder of Iraq's wealth and mineral resources by private companies will continue.

Two years after the invasion of Iraq the country is still in crisis and the Iraqi people have had to pay a heavy price for their so-called "freedom".

Around the world young people and workers have been disgusted by the images that continue to flow out of Iraq. From the photographs of Abu Ghraib and the revelations of torture and sexual humiliation of prisoners by both US and British forces, to the slaughter of 3,000 civilians and the razing of the city of Fallujah.

Far from winning the peaceâ imperialism is faced with an ever more difficult situation where resistance forces are estimated to have grown to over 200,000, outnumbering the occupying forces.

A member of the British Commons Defence Committee has said that "it will take 10 to 15 years at least before the troops can be withdrawn". It has also been reported that the US are creating Iraqi death squads, similar to the Contras in Nicaragua, to assist their dirty war against the Iraqi people.

On Saturday 19 March, Socialist Youth will be taking part in the Dublin demonstration as part of a global day of protest against the occupation of Iraq and the Irish government's continuing complicity in it by allowing refuelling at Shannon airport. We will be raising not only opposition to imperialism but arguing that the only real alternative for the Iraqi people is socialism. Socialism means taking the wealth and power out of the hands of the big companies and multinationals in whose interests the war was conducted, and democratically planning the economy in the interests of ordinary people. Only on this basis can there be an end to wars for oil.

Demonstration
Saturday 19 March, @ 2pm
Parnell Square, Dublin

On 19 March this year, the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, there will be an international day of action against the continued illegal occupation. Socialist Youth are now nationally campaigning to mobilise the maximum number of people for this event.

February 15th 2003 was an historic day, when 30 million across the globe came onto the streets to show that they rejected Bush and Blair's phoney arguments for the war, including 20,000 in Belfast and 150,000 in Dublin. However, popular opposition to the war and occupation is even greater than it was at the advent of the conflict.

The British and American governments have finally admitted that there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which was the main pretext for the invasion. Also, revelations of brutality against Iraqi civilians by some British and American troops and, of course, the rising death toll of soldiers and civilians, which now stands at well over 100,000, have helped erode much support for the pro-war camp.

However, we must remember that despite the huge public opposition to the war, Bush and Blair still went ahead with the invasion. That is because they represent the interests of the capitalist class, big business owners who pushed for regime change in Iraq to protect their economic interests by securing Iraq's vital oil resources.

Socialist Youth supports the right of the Iraqi people to fight back against the imperialist occupation of their country. However, this does not mean that we are uncritical of the actions and tactics of the resistance movement.

Although it has a relatively loose structure, the resistance is heavily influenced by the ideas of the Mullahs, with militias based on religious or national groups. There is a real danger of inter-ethnic conflict now opening up.

When Al-Sadr and his supporters took control of some shia towns, they implemented elements of their interpretation of Sharia law, which led to the oppression of women and homosexuals, with a number of executions taking place.

Also, indiscriminate car bombs and suicide attacks, along with the execution of foreigners in Iraq, do nothing but alienate people in the West from the struggle of the Iraqi people. We call for a secular, multi-ethnic resistance movement, based upon - and under the democratic control of - the working class to fight for an independent, socialist Iraq.

If you want to get involved in building for 19 March, campaigning for an end to the occupation of Iraq and fighting for a socialist future, contact Socialist Youth on 07821058319 or socialist_youth@hotmail.com