May 2003 Archive 

The last days of fundamentalist Iran As it became clear over the last few months that US-UK hostilities against Iraq would take the form of all-out war, Iran’s Islamic government defined its foreign policy as one of ’active neutrality’.

Who rules the peace? The war on Iraq has been waged without UN authority in violation of the organisation’s charter. Because the war is illegal, any post-war US occupation will be illegal too. That means the US should not be allowed to claim any power to rule or determine economic, political or social arrangements in post-war Iraq. Only the UN has the legitimate authority to provide governance and help rebuild civil society in Iraq now Saddam Hussein’s regime has been overthrown.

No more demockery We failed to stop the war but another world is still possible writes Hilary Wainwright

Searching for new monsters On day 15 of the Iraq war, British troops in Basra displayed for the TV cameras a dozen suspected fedayeen. Hands tied and sacks over their heads, some of the captured men were shaking with fear as they awaited their fate. Speaking in a strong Northern Irish brogue, an army corporal said the men had been ’lifted’, pronouncing the word used so often in the Ulster conflict as ’lufted’.

The Ramonet Affair The ongoing campaign by various Venezuelan media outlets to discredit the government of president Hugo Chavez resulted in a rather embarrassing turn of events last month.

Ten tumultuous years ‘Red Pepper, breaking a decade; New Labour, broken and decayed,’ suggested a wit in the office. But now is not the moment for narrow triumphalism (beyond celebrating the larger font size and the monthly miracle performed in getting the magazine out at all).