[Marxism] Re: The Military Programme of the Proletarian Revolution (was Re: Many Vietna...

[Jscotlive@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 18/05/2005 05:19:00 GMT Daylight Time,
cerejota@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Attacking soldiers in an army, when this army is not directing attacks
towards you is like attacking a gas station attendant for the price of  gas.




Reply:

They ARE however attacking Iraqi civilians in an imperialist war, who as
such are fighting, not only for themselves, but for all oppressed and working
class folks around the world, including Americans. It is therefore imperative
that pressure is brought to bear on the troops engaged in these atrocities on
behalf of the US ruling class, through the efforts, yes, of a mass movement,
but  also by refuting the patriotic, nationalist propaganda entirely that the
troops  should be supported at all costs.

We would not I'm sure have had much sympathy with Germans following the  same
line with regard to their troops in occupied Europe during the Second World
War and I fail to see the difference with this one.

Your analogy with the First World War is incorrect. That was a war fought
between imperialist powers of a like strength and size for markets and colonies,
 while Iraq is in the process of being colonised by a superpower of
incomparable  size and savagery. The only thing standing between Iraq's 
colonisation
is the brave resistance we see unfolding there every single  day.  The
antiwar/anti-imperialist movement within the US, which is  the only one that 
counts,
has so far been largely ineffective. The fear of  criticising the troops, a
hangover from the Vietnam War, has been cleverly and  cynically instilled by the
ruling class. If we pander to that tactic we  pander to the kind of
social-patriotism responsible for the collapse  of the Second International at 
the
outbreak of the First World War.

J




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