Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq!

WHAT: International day of protest to end the corporate invasion of Iraq and support Iraqi workers’ rights
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24
WHERE: In your city, at the offices of Halliburton, Bechtel, or another war profiteering company (see suggestions below)

Following on the heels of the military invasion of Iraq, another invasion began: a corporate invasion by Halliburton, Bechtel, and other U.S. companies that were awarded millions in “reconstruction” contracts. Nine months into the occupation, Iraqi schools are still in disrepair, electricity is intermittent, and the water is not safe to drink.

Qualified Iraqi businesses say they are shut out of the reconstruction of their own country and some 70% of Iraqi workers are unemployed. But the contracts for U.S. companies -- especially ones with close ties to the Bush administration - keep getting fatter, even as Halliburton is suspected of overcharging the U.S. up to $61 million for fuel in Iraq, and the Pentagon has accused Bechtel with doing “horrible” work.

At the same time, the occupation administration has essentially put Iraq up for sale. In September, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued an “order” that allows for the privatization of Iraqi state companies, 100% ownership of Iraqi banks, mines and factories by foreign companies, and 100% expropriation of profits by foreign firms operating in Iraq. While the U.S. saw fit to approve these drastic changes to Iraqi economic laws, which very well may violate international law, it chose not to make any changes to Iraqi labor laws. In a period in which Iraqi workers are organizing throughout the country, the CPA left in place a Saddam Hussein-era law that forbids workers in state-owned enterprises (where the majority of Iraqis work) from forming unions. They have also repeatedly detained or harassed workers who are demonstrating for jobs or better pay.

TAKE ACTION - ORGANIZE A FEB. 24 PROTEST AT THE LOCAL OFFICE OF HALLIBURTON, BECHTEL, OR ANOTHER WAR PROFITEERING COMPANY

Please join the international day of action against the corporate invasion of Iraq by organizing a Feb. 24 rally at Halliburton, Bechtel, MCI or another war profiteering company that has offices in your city. If these companies don’t have an office in your city, protest in front of the federal building or at another well-trafficked downtown location. For a list of U.S. companies that have reconstruction contracts and their local offices, email peace [at] globalexchange.org or call 415-575-5555.

The protests don’t have to be big - even a few people holding up signs in front of a Halliburton local office would be great! Ideas for slogans include: Bring Halliburton and Bechtel Home, Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq, Support Iraqi Workers’ Rights, Iraq is not America’s to Sell, Iraq for the Iraqis, Privatization is not Liberation, No Blood for Corporate Profits, US Corporations get Freedom-Iraqi Workers Get Saddam’s laws, etc.

Tell us about your planned protest so we can publicize it as part of the national day of action. Email peace [at] globalexchange.org or call Global Exchange at 415-575-5555. To find out what’s already planned, see http://www.unitedforpeace.org

Sponsored by Campaign to Stop the War Profiteers (Institute for Southern Studies), Citizen Works, CodePink, Democracy Rising, Global Exchange, National Network to End the War Against Iraq, National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, United for Peace and Justice, US Labor Against War, and others.