Markin comment:
In a recent blog entry, “As The 2010 Anti-War Season Heats Up- A Note On The Three Whales For A Class Struggle Fight Against Obama’s Wars”, dated January 19, 2010, I put forth a few ideas, particularly around the concept of forming anti-war soldieries and sailors solidarity committee, that the circle of anti-war militants that I work with locally are committed to pursuing this year as the struggle against War-monger-in-Chief Obama’s Afghan war policies take shape. The elephant in the room that was missing in laundry list of tasks listed in the entry was any notion of supporting a national mass anti-war march in Washington, D.C. this spring, now scheduled for the anniversary of the start of the Iraq war March 20th. And there is a good and sufficient reason for that. The circle is split on an orientation toward that event. Thus, the comment that follows in favor of such an endeavor and putting some resources and energy into the event is my own personal take on the question, fair or foul.
Certainly, given the priorities listed in that previous blog entry mentioned above, it would be quite easy to walk away from serious organizing for, getting transportation for, making housing arrangements for and the thousand and one details that go into providing a contingent for a national march. Moreover, as has been argued in the circle by a number of militants, for just one more of a seemingly endless series of mass marches over the past several years. And normally I would agree with that analysis, especially once it becomes clear that the main strategy of those groups who call such national marches is to make that the main point of extra-parliamentary opposition. Or worst, see these things as an effective political tool for “pressuring” politicians, especially “progressive” Democrats (if there are any left as of late). Pleeaasse..
Hear me out on this one thought. President Obama made his dramatic announcement for a major Afghan troop escalation on December 1, 2009. That, along with a less publicized build-up in February 2009, and the odd brigade here or there since has meant that the troop totals ( I will not even bother to count “contractors”, fro the simple reason that who knows what the numbers really are. I don’t) are almost double those that ex-President Bush nearly had his head handed to him on a platter for in the notorious troop “surge” of 2007. And the response to Obama’s war-mongering. Nada. Or almost nothing, except a small demonstration in Washington with the “usual cast of suspects” (Kucinich, McKinney, etc. Al) and a few hundred attendees and small local demonstrations around the country.
Now this might seem like an argument for wasting no more time on the spring March tactics. And that argument is enticing. But, as a veteran of way too many of these demos, and as a militant who has spilled no small amount of ink arguing against the march strategy on many previous occasions I still like the idea of a spring March. First, because Obama needs to know that those on his left, particularly those who supported him in the 2008 election cycle are more than just passively angry at him for the Afghan troop escalation. And that is true even if the numbers do not match those of the Bush era. Secondly, those of us on the extra-parliamentary left need to see who those disenchanted Obamians are. If we are going to be successful we have to get our fair share of these left- liberals before they ditch politics altogether. And lastly, as the bikers say- “we have to show our colors”. Large or small we need to see what we look like. All those may not be sufficient reasons but I will say this to finish. Unless you plan to have an anti-war demonstration outside the gates of places like Fort Bragg, Fort Hood, Fort Drum, and Fort Lewis, in which case I will be more than happy to mark you present you should be I Washington on March 20th. And ready to fight around the slogan – Obama- Immediate, Unconditional Withdrawal of all U.S./Allied Troops and Mercenaries from Iraq and Afghanistan!
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