COMMENTARY
RESOLUTIONS AND GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH- USE THE VOTE TO SUPPORT ANTI-WAR FRATERNATIZATION WITH THE TROOPS IN IRAQ
FORGET ELEPHANTS, DONKEYS AND GREENS- BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!!
According to the Boston Globe of October 11, 2006 the voters of a number of Massachusetts communities will be able to vote on November 7th on a non-binding referendum calling for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. The measure sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee (Quakers) and other anti-war organizations will be on the ballot in various communities depending on the Massachusetts House of Representatives district. The gist of the resolution is a call on your local state representative to support a resolution to call on the Congress and the President to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq. Given that all hell is breaking out in Iraq at some level this should be regarded as sub-parliamentary cretinism. I personally think that it would be much easier to turn swords into plowshares than get any effective action out of this cumbersome parliamentary maneuver. Nevertheless it is minimally supportable by militant leftists as an expression of opposition to the Iraq war. But, hear me out further.
Petitions, people’s peace treaties and referenda against war pushed by the more pacific, reformist-minded elements of anti- war movements throughout history have been a dime a dozen every time a serious military conflict arises. Those forces that place primary emphasis on such methods of redress fundamentally believe that those who have the power to take a nation to war are at heart “reasonable” and subject to parliamentary pressure from the masses. At last count their efforts have had zero effect on the continuation or cessation of any war, particularly the current one. Nevertheless, as a political proposition such acts do no harm and can give a minimal voice to anti-war opposition. That it is hardly enough goes without saying. Let me, however, propose another way to look at such a vote.
Any even moderately political person who has paid attention to the situation in Iraq over the last period knows that it is desperately necessary to cut and run with “all deliberate speed out” of that quagmire. That part is a no-brainer. Nevertheless, the President, the Congress, the military chieftains and, yes, the anti-war movement have failed the troops in Iraq. The shortest and only way home now for the troops is to organize AMONG THEMSELVES TO COME HOME. Our role on this side of the ocean is to act in solidarity with such efforts and form civilian solidarity committees to aid these efforts. Thus, on November 7th voters in the effected Massachusetts districts can use their vote not only for calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq but to support the troops efforts' to get out. Until then it is still necessary to say and organize around- GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAQ NOW!!
ADDED NOTE: For the past several months I have been proposing the above course of action regarding troop solidarity committees. During that time I have also been adamant that there will be no troop drawdown soon. Today’s Boston Globe (October 12, 2006) brings the grim confirmation of that projection. No drawdown until 2010, according to the Army chieftains. During this same several month period I have been arguing that the only meaningful measure on a parliamentary level is a vote against the war budget. That is the litmus test for any labor party or socialist candidate (forget the Democrats and Republicans, they like to vote for these budgets). Moreover, on the state level I have proposed this parliamentary question in another form. In the heat of the current Governor’s race I have posed the question to ask Deval Patrick (Republican Kerry Healey is beyond the pale), the darling of the parliamentary anti-war left here, whether as Commander-in Chief of the Massachusetts National Guard he would refuse to send troops to Iraq. No liberal really want to know the answer to that one. Nevertheless, these are the real parliamentary tactics needed for the times.
You are as much a realist and a pragmatist as you are socialist, but I suppose I am being thrice redundant in making such an assertion. I agree, there is no serious anti-war movement, perhaps until now. Are you conscious of The World Can't Wait organization? I'm just wondering. I've only learned of them recently, but it might behoove like-minded individuals like us to check them out. They appear to be adequately militant, as opposed to Move On, whom I see as passive, liberal accomodationists.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS FOR THE INFORMATION. I WORK WITH A GROUP THAT WANTS TO LINK UP WITH OTHER GROUPS TO FORM A MILITANT ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT BASED ON OPPOSITION TO AMERICAN IMPERIALISM, OPPOSITION TO THE WAR BUDGET (AND THOSE CANDIDATES WHO VOTE FOR IT) AND FRATERNIZATION WITH THE TROOPS. I WILL CHECK THIS OUT. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST CHECKING OUT GROUPS BASED IN ENGLAND WHERE THERE IS A MUCH GREATER ANTI-IMPERIALIST (AS OPPOSED TO PASSIVE LIBERAL ACCOMMODATIONISM MOODS HERE, IN ANTICIPATION OF SOME DEMOCRATIC VICTORY AT THE POLLS ON NOVEMBER 7TH). IN REALITY WE MILITANT ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS ARE SOMEWHERE NEAR THE POSITION WHERE THE OPPOSITIONISTS IN THE ZIMMERWALD MOVEMENT IN WORLD WAR I WERE-WE HAS A PROGRAM FOR THE WAY OUT OF THE QUAGMIRE BUT NO IS SERIOUSLY LISTENING, STILL, I WILL STICK WITH KARL LIEBKNECHT- NOT ONE PENNY, NOT ONE PERSON FOR THIS WAR. ENOUGH SAID FOR NOW.
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