Condemn U.S. action Communist Party says It is time the world quarantined President Reagan and all those in the USA who are responsible for its acts of aggression around the world. His latest act of aggression against Grenada has both star- tled and angered the world. Reagan tries to cover up the invasion of Grenada, one planned well in advance, under the false pretext that U.S. citizens in Grenada were in danger, that little Grenada with its 110,000 people constituted a threat to the USA, and that the USA was going to “‘restore democracy”’ in that island. All these are false reasons to cover up the real U.S. aims. No U.S. citizens in Grenada asked to be ‘‘saved’’ because none were in danger. Grenada was not threat to any country and certainly not to the USA. No one from Grenada invited the U.S. administration to undertake this invasion. As for bringing democracy to Grenada, why doesn’t Reagan Start at home? Or, if he is really concerned about democracy in other countries, why doesn’t he put an end to U.S. support for fascist and military dictatorships in Haiti, Chile, Uruguay, - Paraguay, El Salvador, Pakistan to mention but a few? In fact the real democracy operating in Grenada accorded its citizens more real rights, more security than that afforded millions of U.S. citizens — particularly Black and Hispanic Americans. The real aim of U.S. imperialism is to turn the Caribbean into a U.S. lake, take away or prevent the right of peoples anywhere to work out their own destiny free of outside inter- ference. It is part of the role U.S. imperialism has taken upon itself, to order the world in its image. The Monroe Doctrine is now the Reagan Doctrine. Gunboat diplomacy, the use of armed force as in Grenada, Nicaragua, the Mid-East, interference in the sovereign affairs of other nations, this is the ugly face of U.S. imperialism. And Canada is its ally. Where is Canada’s voice in this situation? Parliament has been quick to align itself on numerous occa- _ sions with President Reagan’s unfounded attacks on the USSR. Why does it not condemn the U.S. adminsitration for its act of aggression? Why does Prime Minister Trudeau equivocate? True, he appears to be critical of the U.S. invasion but he does not come out forthrightly and condemn it. The leader of the New Demo- cratic Party, Ed Broadbent has condemned the invasion, but at this writing he has failed to call for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. As for the leader of the Conservative Party, Brian Mul- roney, where does he stand? He has lined up with Reagan’s act of aggression against Grenada. In this case he is true to his word. He said recently that a PC Government would work with the U.S. adminsitra- tion in strengthening common economic and foreign policy goals. He is doing this now. Clearly a Tory government would be a first class disaster for Canada. Throughout the world there is growing condemnation of U.S. intervention in Grenada. Even British Prime Minister Thatcher was compelled to dissociate herself from this act. Canada must add its voice to this world-wide condemnation of the Reagan administration. The labor and democratic movement, all concerned Cana- dians, should demand of the Trudeau government and of Parliament — speak up — tell the U.S: adminstration to with- draw its troops from Grenada and let the Grenadian people decide their own destiny free of outside interference. To condone U.S. imperialist aggression is to condone U.S. interference in the internal affairs of Canada also, of which we have too many examples. It is to aggravate further inter- national tensions and the threat to peace in the world. FACTS, BACKGRO GET REAG U.S. Marines destroy Grenadian revolution Just before dawn on Oct. 25 Grenada was invaded by airborne forces of the United States in violation of both the United Na- tions’ Charter and the Rio Treaty. The attack was launched from U.S. carriers and from nearby Barbados. Fighting was still under way at Tribune press time as units of the Grenadian armed forces were re- ported resisting. Reports also in- dicate that Cuban construction workers on the island were de- fending themselves against Marines and that many have died. The original 1,900 U.S. Ran- gers and Marines were reinforced Oct. 26 by fresh troops and heli- copter gunships. Journalists have been kept off the island by the U.S. military and reports to date of the actual situation are avail- able only from U.S. sources. The whereabouts or fate of members of the former Revolutionary Mili- tary. Council or leaders of the New Jewel Movement is unknown. President Reagan took to na- tional television hours after the attack began to explain the U.S. Soviet news agency TASS statement Oct. 25 (abridged): The bandit style interven- tion against Grenada has ex- posed the true face of the U.S. government as one of an ag- gressor. Reports make clear that what is taking place is a large-scale military action planned and prepared by Washington in advance with the aim of cutting short the revolutionary process that began in 1979 and to return Grenada to U.S. neo-colonial tule. It is the same old, ill-famed ‘An act of banditry’ this criminal act rests with had invaded the island ‘‘to protect U.S. citizens and restore democ- racy’’. He said the U.S. had re- sponded to ‘‘a request’’ from the Organization of East Caribbean States. The U.S. is not a member of OECS. At the request of Nicaragua the UN Security Council, despite U.S. efforts to prevent a debate, was considering a motion con- demning the U.S. move and de- manding immediate withdrawal ” of U.S. troops. World reaction was quick and sharp. At Tribune press time only Jamaica, Dominica and Antigua defended the U.S. action in the Security Council debate. The Tory Thatcher government in England was particularly em- barrassed as debate in parliament revealed the U.S. had sought Bri- tain’s opinion but launched the at- tack without waiting for the British reply. Grenada is an in- dependent member of the British Commonwealth. The Thatcher government reported it had told » Reagan an invasion was ‘“‘inad- visable’. - Other U.S. allies such as Fr- ance and West Germany also op- gunboat diplomacy that U.S. imperialism has been deploy- ing in the Western hemisphere _. since the beginning of the cen- tury. And now it is being used with unheard-of arrogance and on an unprecedented scale. It is an act of undisguised inter-. national banditry. It is a challenge to the world community. It is a heavy blow © to the cause of peace and inter- national security. All respon- sibility for the consequences of Washington and personally with President Reagan. posed the attack as did virtuall)_ every -non-aligned state. Tht socialist community strong} condemned the action as an act! international terrorism and 4 manded an immediate will drawal. Criticism from within the U. $ Congress was also heavy charges of gunboat diploma ringing through the Senate an House. In Ottawa, the gover ment revealled it was not col sulted in advance and Primé Minister Trudeau told the Com" mons that according to inform* tion available the invasion Ww) not justified. Facts are emerging which clearly indicate U.S. citizens # Grenada were not in danger that the RMC was negotiatiné with the U.S. for the safe depal” ture of any U.S. nationals wh? wished to leave. Canadians in Grenada, like wise, were not in danger befol) the U.S. invasion but, accordirt to Canadian authorities, the! safety was imperiled by the a tack. Efforts to date to remov® Canadians from Grenada hav been prevented by U.S. milital) authorities despite formal pi) tests by the Canadian Gover ment. A Canadian Herculé transport is on an airfield in Ba” bados but landing permission Grenada has not been granted bY the U.S. Co a Former Prime Minister a Gairy, living in New York sinc the 1979 revolution, is reporie wanting to resume power bul considered unacceptable even i the U.S. and an embarrassment! neighboring Caribbean states- At press time, however, the central fact that U.S. milita! might has succeeded in c the revolution in Grenada appe@® indisputable. The cost of lives al destruction, the stories eyewitnesses to the invasion © main to be seen and heard. _ Cuba’s position The Communist Party of Cuba issued the fol- - lowing statement Oct. 26: containing points de- livered Oct. 25 at 9:30 p.m. to John First, Head of U.S. Interest Section in Havana: 1. We have done all we could to prevent an intervention and, in our Saturday note (Oct. 22) we explained that no U.S. or other foreign citi- zens, according to our reports, were in danger. At the same time we voiced our readiness to cooperate in the solution of problems without violence. 2. Intervention is absolutely unjustifyable. We have refrained from interfering in any way in the country’s internal affairs, notwithstanding our friendship and sympathies for Bishop. 3. A reply to our note delivered on Satur- day, Oct. 22 at 9 p.m. arrived on Thursday, Oct. PACIFIC TRIBUNE—NOVEMBER 2, 1983—Page 8 25 at 8:30 a.m. — an hour and a half after our personnel and installations at the airport came under attack by United States troops. 4. We do not have soldiers, but builders and civilian personnel in Grenada, with the excep- tion of a few tens of military advisers who work with the army and security forces. Before the death of Bishop our personnel had instructions to fight only if they were attacked, and they were not the first to fire. They were also instructed not to take part in any action at the landing strip near the United States university (which could be ’ used) to evacuate U.S. citizens. It was clear that if it was a question of occupying the Cuban installations there would be a clash. 5. Our personnel have suffered an un- determined toll of dead and wounded in Tues- day’s fighting. 6. The attack by U.S. troops took place suddenly and without any prior notification. 7. Although Cuban personnel were still able to resist despite absolute numerical, technical and military disadvantage, they retain high morale and are determined to defend them- selves if the attacks continue. 8. If there is a real desire to prevent further bloodshed, the attacks on Cuban and Grenadian personnel who are still fighting must cease and a decent way found to end the battle which brings no credit to the United States ... . 9. The Cuban chief in Grenada has been instructed to receive any truce negotiator and rt to his proposals and send them on to uba. 10. It must be taken into account that some Grenadian units are also fighting and that treat- ment to be given to the Cubans must not differ from theirs.