THEY MAY BE OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS BUT THESE ARE NOT OUR TROOPS! END THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ NOW!! IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL OF UNITED STATES/ALLIED TROOPS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST!!!
FORGET DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS AND GREENS- BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
In light of the recent seemingly never-ending revelations concerning American military atrocities toward Iraqi civilians it is high time to set the record straight about the appropriate slogans that anti-war militants should use to affect the political outcome of the situation in Iraq. For those militant leftists, including this writer, who have opposed the American war aims since before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 our main slogan expressing our opposition to imperialism has been for the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all American and Allied forces from the Middle East. That continues to be the thrust of our political struggle today. But, more, much more, is necessary to accomplish that goal. It is no longer up to us-the ball is in the court of the rank and file service personnel in Iraq.
The recent revelations also underscore the aimless nature of the occupation. The role of American troops has been reduced to 'search and destroy' missions against the so-called insurgents with the Iraqi population cast merely as subjects for ‘collateral damage’ in pursuit of that strategy. Moreover, as of August 1, 2006 troops are being deployed in Baghdad, essentially as hostages, in the sectarian civil war between Shia and Sunni. Enough!! Those militants old enough to remember the Vietnam War or who have studied about it must be painfully aware of the similarities to the current situation. Most infamously- Remember My Lai.
Nevertheless the bulk of anti-war militants, abetted by the organizations which have led the anti-war demonstrations over the years (yes, years to our shame not the imperialists')such as the United for Justice and Peace Coalition have centered their calls for action on the social patriotic slogans Bring the Troops Home or Bring Our Troops Home. Even though some elements of that movement have begun calling for Immediate Withdrawal recently, the demand is still tied to getting our ‘boys and girls’ out of harms way. While no one, including this writer, wishes harm to individual servicemen and women this is politically dishonest.
Why are such slogans social patriotic? The essence of such calls is that the American troops used to destroy Iraq and murder and maim Iraqi civilians are our troops rather than agents of the American government- the main enemy of the peoples of the world. Those slogans imply there is just a misunderstanding over policy which reasonable people can disagree over. That is transparently not the case. The hard fact is that we citizens have no control over the military deployment of any troops. To say so creates illusions that we do. While we have no interest in seeing individual soldiers harmed we also cannot take political and military responsibility for their use. If we are going to get anywhere with opposition to the war we better give up these last illusions on that score. We cannot have it both ways. Not on this issue. Support the troops-Hell, no!
Take the pledge- No more illusions! No more social patriotic support for their troops in Iraq! Fight under the slogan- Immediate, Unconditional Withdrawal Now-By any means necessary!
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
FORGET DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS AND GREENS- BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
In light of the recent seemingly never-ending revelations concerning American military atrocities toward Iraqi civilians it is high time to set the record straight about the appropriate slogans that anti-war militants should use to affect the political outcome of the situation in Iraq. For those militant leftists, including this writer, who have opposed the American war aims since before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 our main slogan expressing our opposition to imperialism has been for the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all American and Allied forces from the Middle East. That continues to be the thrust of our political struggle today. But, more, much more, is necessary to accomplish that goal. It is no longer up to us-the ball is in the court of the rank and file service personnel in Iraq.
The recent revelations also underscore the aimless nature of the occupation. The role of American troops has been reduced to 'search and destroy' missions against the so-called insurgents with the Iraqi population cast merely as subjects for ‘collateral damage’ in pursuit of that strategy. Moreover, as of August 1, 2006 troops are being deployed in Baghdad, essentially as hostages, in the sectarian civil war between Shia and Sunni. Enough!! Those militants old enough to remember the Vietnam War or who have studied about it must be painfully aware of the similarities to the current situation. Most infamously- Remember My Lai.
Nevertheless the bulk of anti-war militants, abetted by the organizations which have led the anti-war demonstrations over the years (yes, years to our shame not the imperialists')such as the United for Justice and Peace Coalition have centered their calls for action on the social patriotic slogans Bring the Troops Home or Bring Our Troops Home. Even though some elements of that movement have begun calling for Immediate Withdrawal recently, the demand is still tied to getting our ‘boys and girls’ out of harms way. While no one, including this writer, wishes harm to individual servicemen and women this is politically dishonest.
Why are such slogans social patriotic? The essence of such calls is that the American troops used to destroy Iraq and murder and maim Iraqi civilians are our troops rather than agents of the American government- the main enemy of the peoples of the world. Those slogans imply there is just a misunderstanding over policy which reasonable people can disagree over. That is transparently not the case. The hard fact is that we citizens have no control over the military deployment of any troops. To say so creates illusions that we do. While we have no interest in seeing individual soldiers harmed we also cannot take political and military responsibility for their use. If we are going to get anywhere with opposition to the war we better give up these last illusions on that score. We cannot have it both ways. Not on this issue. Support the troops-Hell, no!
Take the pledge- No more illusions! No more social patriotic support for their troops in Iraq! Fight under the slogan- Immediate, Unconditional Withdrawal Now-By any means necessary!
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
"Bring The Troops Home Now" is beyond a reform demand. It would alter ruling class plans in the Middle East. It puts demands on US/UK govt.
ReplyDeleteTHE QUESTION OF POLITICAL SLOGANS IS NOT AN ABSTRACT ONE. AT ANY GIVEN TIME A SLOGAN THAT IS GENERALLY ADEQUATE TO PRESS A DEMAND MAY ONLY CLOUD THE ISSUE OR COVER FOR SOME QUESTIONABLE POLITICAL APPETITE. AS A GENERAL PROPOSITION BRING THE TROOPS HOME IS NOT OBJECTIONABLE. EXCEPT WHAT IS THE POLITICAL PURPOSE OF RAISING OR SUPPORTING SUCH A DEMAND AT THIS TIME? LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE. IN THE FIRST MONTHS OF 1975 WHEN THE NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY AND THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE LIBERATION FRONT WERE ROLLING ON TO HO CHI MINH CITY (THEN SAIGON) AND AMERICANS , INCLUDING AMERICAN TROOPS, WERE BEING EVALUATED FROM THE U.S. EMBASSY ROOFTOP THE SLOGAN-BRING THE TROOPS HOME HAD NO MEANING.
ReplyDeleteALTHOUGH TODAY’S SITUATION IN IRAQ IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT 1975 SITUATION IN TOO MANY WAYS TO DISCUSS HERE IT BRINGS UP THE SAME QUESTION OF APPROPRIATENESS. AT A TIME WHEN THE YELLOW RIBBON- SUPPORT THE TROOPS- STICKERS, IF SOMEWHAT FADED, ARE STILL PLENTIFUL IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IT IS HARD TO DISTINQUISH THAT SENTIMENT (AND BELIEVE ME, THAT IS SOCIAL PATRIOTIC) FROM A GENERAL ANTI-WAR BRING THE TROOPS HOME SENTIMENT. AND THAT IS EXACTLY THE POINT I AM TRYING TO DRAW OUT. THE LEADERSHIP, SUCH AS IT IS, OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT IN AMERICA HAS UNTIL VERY RECENTLY MADE THAT DEMAND THE CENTER OF THE MASS DEMONSTRATIONS. IT STILL UNDERLIES THE ITS CONCEPT OF THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL SLOGAN. THAT SAID, AT THIS TIME THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL NOW SLOGAN IS JUST MORE APPROPRIATE AND TIMELY. ALSO IT HAS THE VIRTUE OF SEPARATING OUT THE REAL ANTI-WAR FIGHTERS FROM THE GROWING CROWD OF THOSE JOHNNIE AND JANIE COME LATELIES TO THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT WHO HAVE NO INTENTION OF ACTUALLY TRYING GET US THE HELL OF IRAQ.