Re: [Marxism] Obama aides

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ruthless:
>The Iraqis aren't "backing" the occupation. The reason why  a plurality of
>Iraqis  do not want the US forces to leave immediately, is not because they
>like being occupied (they do not), but because they are rightly worried
>that, at this point, the chaos unleashed after an abrupt withdrawal may put
>their lives at even more risk than in the current situation. Human lives
>(Iraqi lives) are at stake here.

I really don't get your point. You tell us that we have to tailor our 
demands to what the Iraqis state to pollsters. If it is arrogant to 
demand immediate withdrawal rather than a phased withdrawal, why was 
not arrogant to oppose the invasion of Panama when 92 percent of the 
people welcomed U.S. troops. Wouldn't the Panamanians have been 
miffed at American leftists for ignoring their wishes?

The best way to avoid these situations is to maintain a principled 
position that the U.S. has no business invading and occupying other 
countries. When people protest in the U.S. (or Great Britain), the 
only demand that makes sense is "Out Now". Otherwise, you get caught 
up in the logic of viewing U.S. troops as "maintaining the peace". 
The number one problem in the world today is the U.S. acting as the 
policeman of the world. Unless we can convince the American people 
that it has no such right, we will see "humanitarian interventions" 
that cost millions of lives everywhere in the 3rd world.


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