[Marxism] "The Salvador Option" The Pentagon may put Special-Forces-led assassination or kidnapping teams in Iraq

[David Walters <dwalters@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't agree with Carlos on El Salvador. We used to watch this
day-to-day on the news, and, in such places as NY, where there were
large Salvadorean CP and BPR groupings, we would get first hand info.

It was the FMLN, not the gov't, that was fought to a standstill. As
Carlos pointed out, the FMLN "disengaged militarily". You think? WHY
did they? Because every one of their offensives was smashed or turned
back. The momentum achieved by the rapid collapse of Samoza's National
Guard in Nicaragua (7,000 strong) and the subsequent revolutionary
ferment that enveloped Central America was brutally suppressed by the
over 30,000 strong Salvadoran army against the FMLN's 12,00 fighters.
The ability of the Army to neutralize areas of popular support in this
very small country (one hour helicopter ride from San Salvador to any
part of the country) meant the FMLN, fighting a guerilla style to a
fixed position war (in the beginning) was going to loose without
serious support from the outside, which wasn't in the cards.

The FMLN disengagement from the armed-struggle was the smartest thing
it ever did, despite it's subsequent move into the camp of
social-democracy.

On another point...I agree with Louis about the US anti-war movement's
*focus* and revolutionaries role in that movement. However, outside the
movement, and on the periphery of that movement, we can talk about
anything, comment on anything, and learn through such discussions. This
includes the positive and negative (perceived) aspects of the
Resistance's politics, tactics and strategy. There is a long history
among Marxists in doing this, including Engel's military writings on
the US Civil War to the Franco-Prussian war. It's certainly an
outsiders discussion, but it should be encouraged, not discouraged.

David Walters


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