RE: [Marxism] Re: Marxism and Conspiracy

["Austin, Andrew" <austina@xxxxxxxx>]

David,

You have made a most useful post tonight.  I want to add a few things to
it.  Not really any disagreements, just discussing the points within my
way of thinking about things. 

The anti-terrorism line has the same purpose as the anti-communist line,
namely, ideological cover under which imperialism and the police state
are expanded and entrenched.  This is obvious, but I say that to say
this: The government has no real commitment to fighting terrorism.
Indeed, the eternal threat of terrorism is desirable, as it perpetuates
the useful state of fear and the oppression fear justifies (from an
authoritarian point of view).  Exposing the lies of imperialists and
authoritarians that were used in constructing anti-communism had some
usefulness back in the day, as does exposing the lies used to construct
anti-terrorism today.  But I agree that it's not central. 

What I think is central to the anti-war/anti-imperialism movement is the
moral argument, specifically, the principle of universality.  And the
most useful empirical pieces to this are making people aware of the
illegality of US-Israeli foreign policy and the reality of war crimes
committed by the United States and Israel. 

Taking up a line that makes dismantling anti-terror ideology central to
the movement, and denies the immoral acts of the official enemy, by
seeing the official enemy as, as you say, "false flag" operations, harms
the credibility of anti-imperialism/anti-authoritarian
resistance/struggle. 

I think your "feeling" on the truth of 9-11, if we are to speculate
about such things, is most reasonable.  Moreover, that there are so many
questions being raised that have not been answered, and answers that
seem so implausible, your statement that those who raise questions and
doubt official answers should not be driven out of the movement, is very
fair and I agree with you.  In fact, David, that is the point I have
been trying to make throughout this discussion.  I have only raised some
of the questions that the truth movement raises here as examples to show
that these are legitimate questions and that the skeptics asking them
should not be alienated by ad hominem attacks. 

Your very serious consideration of the character of truth movement
politics is a model for how discussion of this matter should be
conducted.  Thank you.

Andrew

-----Original Message-----
From: marxism-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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dwalters@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 8:18 PM
To: marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Marxism] Re: Marxism and Conspiracy

... They correctly attack the "war of terror" but not just because of
the hypocrisy of the ruling class that uses this as a diversion, but as
the central theme of imperialism's strategy to mislead the movement.
This is wrong and misleading, IMHO.

... One cannot organize around 'exposing the truth behind
9/11'....albeit I think people who hold this view should not be run out
of the movement since their views should be heard insofar as they may
help cast doubt on US foreign policy. They are also good at raising a
lot of circumstantial evidence about 9/11.

Generally speaking though, they deny the existence of any "jihadist"
movement at all, that this movement is wholly created by the US or, that
it doesn't exist and is fake altogether. They tend to see 'agents'
setting up 'false flag' operations everywhere. ...

What do I believe. My "feeling" is that the NSA/CIA and Mossad, probably
knew it was in the works. There is a LOT of circumstantial evidence for
this. They may of even let it happen because of the desired political
consequences. But until someone shows me the proof....

...especially if those that hold that position * demand * the rest of us
adopt their point of view. (and part of that point of view is that those
of us who do NOT share it, are somehow promoting the gov't line on this
question!).

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