[Marxism] Intervention and Zimbabwe

[dave.walters@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Like Walter L, I know little of Zimbabwean politics and I have only a
'general leftist' knowledge of the history of the liberation struggle
there. The largest relationship with this area is through the ongoing
solidarity with South Africa that reached almost mass-movement proportions
when a former member of the Spartacist League, Howard Keylor, almost
single-handily kick-started the campaign in 1985 by setting up a picket
line in front of a ship carrying S. African goods. This was in San
Francisco and Howard was an active member of the ILWU then, now retired. It
virtually spawned the S. African liberation solidarity movement in the US.

But we know quite a lot about S. Africa, and of course, we had our own
large exile population in the US. But Zimbabwe? No, not so much.

I've learned to always at least question what the US gov't, NGOs, and the
UN states about any particular situation, be that in the Balkans, Sudan or
Zimbabwe. However, like obvious historical situations in the past, just
because imperialism goes on an ideological offensive and makes threats
against a neo-colonial regime doesn't automatically mean that what the
imperialists are *saying* is automatically a like. Often it's the truth,
and, a truth served up on silver platter with neon lights pointing at it.
This was true with the old USSR, it can be as true with the Mugabe regime
in Zimbabwe.

I think the important part of this is that we, most but not all of us on
this list, as in the imperialist metropolis(s) of Europe and N. America
(and Oz). As such, regardless of our view of Mugabe, et al., we must oppose
that which the imperialists *advocate* as their solution to the problems in
Zimbabwe, that is, we should have a defense of self-determination of the
people Zimbabwe, something opposed by every imperialist center, NGO or the
U.N. This does not mean some sort of ideological defense of the "gov't" but
a defense of the people to determine their own destiny including their
right to overthrow a reactionary and corrupt kleptocracy if that is their
choosing.

This is not an assumption I make for the entire left-wing on this list...I
say this because most demonstrably, the Aussie left has had a problem in
this area that, at best, is confusing, especially with the former DSP's
lack of opposition and even advocacy of UN intervention in East Timor
and,perhaps more importantly, the general international left collapse over
the Balkan wars where we all sort of ended up on opposite sides of the
barricades. So I don't make the assumption that everyone agrees with me
about opposing ALL outside intervention, be that from the US, Europe,
"NGO"s or the U.N.

David Walters

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