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What is a war against terrorism? by Karl Carlile 26 September 2001 15:17 UTC |
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? Communism List: http://homepage.eircom.net/~kampf/ Workers of the world unite! _______________________________________ The role and character of what is known as the mainstream media must be subjected to serious examination. It is clear that it has played a pivotal role in both whipping up hysteria and shaping public opinion. The predominant reporting, analysis and commentary has been quintessentially pro-imperialist. It prove a useful exercise to complete a study of of the mainstream papers, both broadsheet and tabloid, to work out a specific position on the character of the print media. A similar exercise in relation to radio and television would be of value too. In Ireland radio seemed to be less hysterical and less overtly pro US imperialism than the papers. Perhaps it reflects more west European bourgeois concerns. It is also surprising to see the Iranian regime adopting such an apparently pro-western approach. I am surprised that it wants to see Washington, next-door to it, on the other side of the border. The supportive role of Putin is another surprise. I would not have anticipated that he would adopt such an cravenly supportive role to Washington. Given that central Asia has a special relationship to Russia --especially when it was the USSR -- I would have expected Russia to adopt a less conciliatory role. Given that it is prepared to encourage Washington to occupy Russia's soft underbelly it then makes no sense that it should have been opposing the eastward drive of NATO. Clearly Russia's role is an indication as to how weak it is and that it is in fact no longer a world or even a regional power. Perhaps both Iran and Russia hope for a similar relationship to Washington that exists between Washington and West European governments. If so both countries fail to realise that the West European regimes can pursue this path because of their economic and political strength as imperialist powers --a strength which has been growing. On the other hand Russia and Iran don't possess this kind of strength. Consequently the US is hardly prepared to form this kind of relationship with them. After all the revolutions that occurred in both countries in the past were the result of the very oppressive character of the relationship between these two countries and imperialism. The only way they may stand a chance of developing a diplomatic and political relationship resembling Western Europe's is if they are prepared to entirely subject their countries to the interests of imperialism. This will mean these countries can have no independent foreign policy and will be available to imperialist capital for rampant exploitation at all levels. Indeed at the moment both countries have no foreign policy. Their foreign policy is imperialism's and particular Washington's. The entire call for a war against terrorism is completely farcical and senseless. Terrorism is a tactic and a most a strategy. To declare a war on terrorism is analogous to declaring a war on a tactic or strategy. Again even then it makes little sense since terrorism is a very ambiguous term. It has been chosen as a rhetorical device by the Bush regime for precisely that reason. It can mean anything and nothing. There exist very different kinds of terrorism including individual and state terrorism. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan is considered by many as an act of terrorism. The Indonesian assault on East Timor in which thousands of people were brutally murdered is another form of terrorism. Indeed the establishment of soviet of workers in Russian in 1917 could be considered to be a terrorist action by the Russian working class since it filled the Russian bourgeoisie with terror. A general strike by workers could be considered a form of terror too. The fight against Muslim fundamentalism or extremism is another questionable war. Is the Northern Alliance deployed in Afghanistan not in the main Muslim too. What is the difference between they and the Taliban? Can the northern alliance then not be deemed terrorist too? The very Taliban and what is called the Bin Laden network has been recently used, and had been used, by Washington in the struggle between Bosnian Muslim and Serbia and its satraps. This war against terrorism can be used to undermine any armed struggle against the capitalist class by rhetorically declaring it as terrorist. Washington has the papal power to declare what is and what is not terrorist. At heart this war against terrorism is a war against the working class. It is a war designed to prevent the working class from resisting and challenging imperialist capital. Right now Washington is apparently prepared to negotiate with Al Fatah. This organisation led by Arafat has an armed wing that has engaged in what might be termed terrorist usinm --Washington's ambiguous rhetoric. Equally the British government has negotiated with the IRA, a blatantly terrorist organisation, in relation the so called peace process. The contras, the child of Washington, was largely created and funded by the CIA in its terrorist activities against the Nicaraguan people. The funds were linked to the negotiations between the CIA and the Iranian regime that had held American hostages from its embassy. Surely those responsible would be regarded as terrorists by Washington. Lets be frank. Washington is going to continue to engage in terrorism and support and fund terrorist groups (ever bit as much as ever) that serve its bourgeois interests. This means that the war against terrorism is a farce. It is no more than an imperialist war ranged against forces that obstruct US imperialism's interests. Regards Karl Carlile (Communist Global Group) Be free to join our communism mailing list at http://homepage.eircom.net/~kampf/ Communism List _______________________________________________ Communism@lists.econ.utah.edu
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