The deployment of British and American bombers to attack targets around Baghdad in mid-February was a fitting celebration of the tenth anniversary of the ‘end’ of the war against Iraq in February 1991. Ten years ago, Desert Storm, the military operation of the UN coalition of 29 countries led by the US, was unleashed against Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait. It was supposed to be in defence of ‘international law’ and ‘world peace’.

The Franco-German public TV channel Arte recently ran a long documentary with the eloquent title: "Les dessous de la guerre du Golfe" (which translates something like "The truth behind the Gulf War). At the same time as the documentary, a number of articles appeared in various weeklies full of "revelations" about the preparation and execution of the war. The title of the French weekly Marianne (22/28 January 2001) was even more explicit: "The lies about the Gulf War". Why are these "revelations" coming out now, ten years after the event? Why, after the tons of lies during the war, that accompanied the tons of bombs, are some fractions of the bourgeoisie bringing into the open the criminal manoeuvring by the elder Bush's administration in the preparation, setting up, and conduct of the war, from the outset in the summer of 1990 until February 1991 and even to this very day?