Re: [Marxism] Roman Catholic bishops urge Mugabe to quit, head off popular uprising

[Lajany Otum <lajany_otum@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Fred Feldman writes:
<<By the way, it is my very strong impression that Museveni had very broad
support in Uganda when his forces took Kampala.>>

With due respect, this "very strong impression" is based on what? The New 
York Times, The Guardian and the BBC? Have these outlets ever been 
concerned with popular opinion in the dark corners of the world, let alone
listened to anyone in these places who is not telling them what they want to 
hear?
 
<<The fact that [Museveni] turned out not to offer a way out of the crisis 
is another and very important matter relating to the points I am trying to 
make on Zimbabwe.>>

Being there at the time, I never bought any of the nonsense that all the 
Western NGO's, the Catholic Church, the (then) West German CDU,
the BBC and so on trotted out to justify their intervention in support of
Museveni. Thus, to those of us who were there at the time, his rise was 
never so much as a chance to get out of the crisis, but a product of the 
ineptitude and advanced state of decay in the national movement -- that 
had some genuine achievements to its name in the decade following 
independence, for which the imperialist powers never forgave it.

The victory of the pro-imperialist so called "opposition" in Zimbabwe 
cannot but have similarly disastrous ramifications. 

<<Remember when "nothing could be worse" than Saddam Hussein?  And
he was pretty damn bad.>>

I hope this point is not lost on Patrick Bond -- I have often thought
of raising it with him myself in relation to the discussion on Zimbabwe. 

That aside, it must be recognised that it was Saddam Hussein's 
political incompetence and stupidity that opened the door
to the destruction and ultimate invasion by the West of Iraq. If
his political crimes are to be assessed, his would far outweigh
the others. Consider the eminently sensible advice that Fidel gave
to him after the invasion of Kuwait, and which he rejected:

"It is with great pain that I write to you, having heard today that troops
from your country have entered the State of Kuwait".

"Regardless of the motives that led to such a dramatic decision, I feel I
must express our concern over the serious consequences that this could have
firstly for Iraq and Kuwait, but also for all the countries of the Third
World. Cuba, despite the bond of friendship that unite it with Iraq, must
oppose a military solution to the conflict between Iraq and Kuwait.

"The immediate reaction of the international community, which learned of the
events from the transnational news agencies, creates a very dangerous and
vulnerable situation for Iraq.

"I feel it is very likely that the United States and other allies will take
the opportunity to intervene militarily in the conflict and deal a strong
blow to Iraq. Washington, furthermore, will seek to consolidate its
self-appointed role as international and Gulf gendarme.

"In this situation, the time factor is decisive, and I appeal to you to show
a willingness to withdraw the troops from Kuwait and immediately work toward
a political and negotiated solution to the conflict, using the good offices
of the Arab League or the Non-Aligned Movement, to which we turn for help
with this. These actions will help to strengthen the international position
of the Third World countries in the face of the United States' role as
gendarme, and will also reinforce Iraq's position with regard to
international opinion.

"What is essential at this time is to avoid an imperialist intervention
carried out under the pretext of defending the peace and sovereignty of a
small country in the region. Such a precedent would be disastrous both for
Iraq and for the rest of the Third World.

<http://www.mail-archive.com/marxism-thaxis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/msg03534.html>


Lajany Otum





      ___________________________________________________________ 
Yahoo! Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign up for
your free account today 
http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/evt=44106/*http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail/winter07.html 
________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism