AUT: unions against the war??

[neil <74742.1651@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nate, et al,

The  "stop the war"  type  slogans are more popular now
because they may influence &  draw a wider audience and forces into the
protests. The problem here is that different social -class forces
INSIDE the movement have  differing-opposing concepts of what this means
in terms of tactics and goals, theorizing and in practice..
Our take on this is never to sneer at the masses basic  humanist sentiments
but to explain that this idea of preventing barbaric wars is not
practicible
under capitals hegemony over society.

Those with illusions in the lib-labs, pacifism, pious  religious
preachments ,
reformism, etc, should understand what the history of this means , those
who rely on the
 'powers that be'  to  turn 'swords into plowshares' will be rudely
disappointed.
That is what happened in the movement against Gulf War 1 in 1990-91.
This disappointment at war and the blitzkreig victory for the US and
allies,
demoralized people and the US  protests went flat , not 2 weeks after the
war began.

INSIDE the movements today , the usual   opportunist forces who claimed to
support the
 demand "stop the war' now, right before  1/16/91 , were promoting the
slogans 'support
our troops" and this dovetailed right into the US ruling class' own
pro-war
propaganda maybe minus only  the open sales of   *yellow ribbons* at
demonstrations.
Also Scott's points about the  real aims of the European rulers "stop the
war 'campaign
should be sufficiently instructive. Truth be told, the Europen bosses
support
"stop the war" until the US rulers agree to cut them in on a good share of
the
loot..

Today some but not all "stop the war'  US refrom/lib/lab outfits also have
the '*small
print* method ,  'stop the war' ,  maybe , but  by support /obedience to UN
resolutions,
supporting slick liberal  Democrats in Congress, getting  ready for 2004
election
 circus, more prayer vigils,  against militancy  etc. Now it is clear that
communists
at least have to explain the real  stakes invoved in this war, Control of
OIl, profits,
permanent  military outposts, etc,  that   big power nation states need to
compete and outfox
 their rivals. In this the worker soldiers on both sides, Iraq mainly,
will be chewed up
as cannon fodder to  achieve these capitalist goals.  Workers on the
homefornt
are told to 'do without' , for god and country , of course.

no serious forces want to 'frighten' the  new masses in struggle
away from  the experience of  collective action and mass motions.
But ruling  classes also know the stakes, they have their right , center
and adept  'left'  political wings active  to 'win hearts and minds too'.
Their
 class goal is to 'pacify' the anti-war motions , derail its
anti-militarist
and anti capitalist  potential , and paralyze it. Their  track record so
far, unfortunately is pretty good. We need to study this, deal with
the trends active in the struggle , explain that  to oppose the
militarism means linking this up on ALL fronts against the bosses
exploiation of humanity worldwide. This means open debate and
polemic is important,  reliance on *spontaniety* alone  in the event won't
do, History shows the rulers have learned theri lessons too,
they are fighting politically too to create a 'spontaniety' to launch war
while at the same time , claiming  their goal is to 'fight for peace'..

Neil





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