The Scottish Socialist Party today warned that many more Scottish soldiers of the British Army would face being killed in the illegal occupation of Iraq and that the thousands of Iraqis who had voted in the elections would be desperately disappointed if they believed that by voting they would be able to free Iraq of the occupiers.

An SSP spokesperson said today;

"The SSP does not believe that elections imposed by an illegal military occupation can be regarded as legitimate. "The elections that have just been staged by the occupiers cannot be regarded as legitimate as they were deliberately manipulated using national rather than provincial voting rolls in order to reduce Sunni representation and to anoint US-supported groups who will allow this occupation to continue.

"The SSP does recognise that after decades of dictatorship under Saddam there is very real desire amongst many Iraqis to express themselves at the ballot box with tens of thousands voting for party's that are opposed to the occupation.

"The SSP also recognises that an enormous propaganda and news manipulation exercise was orchestrated by the occupiers in order to convince Western public opinion that these elections were legitimate. "Those Iraqis who voted in the election in the hope that the occupiers will leave if the Iraqi people wish them to will be desperately disappointed.

"The US invaded Iraq not to bring democracy to the people but to plunder the oil and resources of the country and to alter the military balance of power in the region.

"Military experts estimate that the US is in the process of constructing 12 permanent military bases in Iraq as an extension of US power and influence in the Middle East.

"The occupiers will not leave Iraq unless forced to do so by a united movement of the Iraqi people, crossing ethnic and religious divide. "To that end the Scottish Socialist Party offers support and solidarity to all those independent and free trades unionists in Iraq who oppose the occupation and have no links to the puppet regime of Iyad Allawi and to all those Iraqis who wish to see an independent and free Iraq.

"The Scottish Socialist Party warns that many more soldiers of the occupying armies will be killed if the occupation continues and that the only solution is for the immediate withdrawal of all occupation troops.

"The SSP unreservedly condemns all atrocities committed against the civilian population of Iraq committed by both by the occupying armies and religious extremists with statistics showing that the vast majority of civilian deaths have been perpetrated by the occupying military forces." [ends]