Workers Resistance

Category: US imperialism

  • North Korea up close: Interview with anti-war activist who visited DPRK

    Fight Back! interviews Chicago anti-war activist John Stachelski, who recently returned from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

    Fight Back!: In August you traveled to north Korea. What were your impressions?

    John Stachelski: I traveled to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea this past August. I was extremely impressed by the architecture and beauty of the Pyongyang, but the best part of my trip was the people. Our guides and the people we met with were extremely friendly and down to earth. As soon as they understood I was respectful of their culture and lifestyle, they opened up and were a lot of fun.

    Though the difficulties caused by the U.S. embargo are apparent in places – not unlike in Cuba – the basic needs of the people are provided for, including full employment, no homelessness and education rights.

    The infrastructural achievements of the 1990s have led to notable improvements in the food situation and green healthy crops could be seen everywhere as we drove through the countryside.

    Adequate fuel resources are still a challenge, leaving some farmers without the use of their tractors and there are difficulties keeping power on throughout the country. While I was there the power never went out, but our guides did tell us about the hardships they experienced in the past. That said there have been notable improvements in alternative fuels.

    Fight Back!: Tell us about your talks with regular people. What were their concerns and what did they think of the DPRK leadership?

    Stachelski: A thing that strikes you in the DPRK was the respect and reverence the people of the country have for their leaders. They understand Westerners are skeptical of this tradition, and find it strange. Our guide asked us to respect the customs of the country, because the respect for the leadership comes from the bottom of their hearts and helps to tie them into the history of how their country survived the occupation of the Japanese, and then the U.S. I did not doubt for an instance that he spoke with sincerity and this was confirmed as I talked to other people in the country. For them the leadership represents their revolution and the end of foreign control of their lives. It represents saving their culture and traditions from the Japanese who attempted to destroy it and the victory over the U.S. invaders in 1945.

    In the West we build monuments on the side of mountains to leaders who were slaveholders and worse – they did not do half of what Kim Il-Sung did for the Korean people.

    Fight Back!: The DPRK is known for its public art works. Could you tell us about them?

    Stachelski: The public art is absolutely stunning. There is a misconception that all of the art is of the leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, but in actuality the majority of the art depicts everyday people: soldiers, workers, mothers, athletes and others. Everywhere one could see images of women scientists and revolutionaries, promoting a positive image for young women to look up to.

    There are next to no advertisements in the country; at bus stops there are beautiful scenes of landscapes or historic events. Combined with the architecture and centralized planning of the city, Pyongyang is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been. Almost any other city I have been to is constantly bombarding me with advertisements; it was a breath of fresh air to have my identity as a working class person exalted, rather than just attempting to convince to buy useless things.

    The focus of the trip was the Mass Games “Arirang,” a mass artistic and gymnastics performance coordinating thousands of ordinary people in telling the history of Korea and other important national themes. The show was the most impressive thing I have ever seen, and really speaks to the unity and collective spirit of socialist Korea.

    Fight Back!: U.S. troops continue to occupy and divide Korea. How does this affect Koreans and what do people in the DPRK think about reunification?

    Stachelski: Almost everyone in DPRK strongly desires reunification. There is a great deal of public artwork on the topic and during the Mass Games there is an entire scene devoted to reunification of the country. At the DMZ [demilitarized zone] separating DPRK and South Korea, the guard spoke of the countries’ deep desire to reunify and how that effort has constantly been thwarted by U.S. occupation of the south. Tens of thousands of U.S. troops stand on the border in the south, only Korean troops stand on the north side.

    One of the soldiers took me out of the line to discuss how I felt as an American, regarding the situation. He was pleasantly surprised to hear that I supported reunification and the Korean nation’s right to self-determination. He came and sat next to me on our bus and we talked about our lives and families. Putting a human face on the situation made me firmer than ever in my conviction that we have a responsibility as people from the U.S. to defend the Korean people and try to help heal the immeasurable damage the U.S. has inflicted on the Korean people.

    Fight Back!: The U.S. has often threatened the DPRK. What is the attitude of the people of north Korea towards these threats and war preparations?

    Stachelski: The DPRK is very explicit in how it would handle another attack by the U.S. At the hotel for foreigners in Pyongyang, a plaque read “Soldiers of the Korean People’s Army are firmly determined to annihilate the aggressors without any mercy should war break out again in their country.” This is hardly an idle threat, despite the difficulties and setbacks of losing the USSR, their largest trading partner, alongside massive weather related disasters in the 90s. The Songun “military first” policy orchestrated by Kim Jong-Il has kept the country’s defensive capabilities strong and indeed warded off repeated efforts by the U.S. to bully and attack the DPRK. Some socialist countries had to succumb to foreign pressure and internal difficulties; the DPRK is resolute in building socialism and maintaining their national sovereignty. Their example is an inspiration to oppressed people all over the world, that the U.S. empire can be defeated, and resisted, despite all the odds.

  • U.S. Has Hidden Hand in Kenya-Somalia Crisis of Relations

    Fight Back News Service is circulating the following article by Abayomi Azikiwe of the Pan-African News Wire

    Billows of smoke emanated from the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya on the third day of a standoff between Kenyan, Israeli and United States forces (FBI) against the seizure of the facility by members of the Al-Shabaab Islamic resistance movement based in Somalia. Reports indicated that at least 62 people had been killed since the incident began on Saturday September 21.

    Eyewitnesses reported that a group of armed men and women stormed the entrance of the mall during midday shooting at random and tossing hand grenades. Members of the armed group were quoted as saying that their operation was in response to the ongoing occupation by approximately 2,500 Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) troops of southern Somalia.

    Kenya, which shares a border with Somalia, entered the troubled Horn of Africa state in October 2011 in what was called Operation Linda Nchi (protect the nation in Kiswahili). The Kenyan government at this time was led by President Mwai Kibai and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, two close allies of the U.S. administration.

    KDF forces bombed the strategic port city at Kismayo in the early phase of the operation. The city was a financial base for Al-Shabaab which controlled the lucrative charcoal exports from the country.

    Since the intervention of Kenya into Somalia, unrest has continued in the south of the country where resistance is escalating outside Kismayo involving Al-Shabaab guerillas who attack KDF positions on a daily basis. Even local politicians and elders not associated with Al-Shabaab have complained about the activities of the Kenyan forces which are accused of interfering in the internal affairs of the region as well as human rights violations against civilians.

    The Role of the U.S. in the Somalia Crisis

    The attack on the Westgate Mall is being portrayed by the corporate and capitalist government-controlled media in the U.S. and Europe as a new episode in the so-called ‘war on terrorism.’ Yet the role of the White House through the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) goes without mention.

    U.S. imperialism has been involved in attempts to influence the political situation in Somalia and the Horn of Africa for many decades. During the late 1970s, former Somalian military leader Mohamed Siad Barre was courted by the Carter administration and convinced that an invasion of Ethiopia, then in alliance with the Soviet Union and Cuba, would result in Washington’s economic and military support to the beleaguered state which had attempted to adopt a socialist-orientation in 1969.

    The invasion of the Ogaden region of Ethiopia in 1978, where a large population of Somalis lived, proved to be a monumental disaster for Mogadishu. Cuban internationalist forces then in Ethiopia to assist the government of Mengistu Haile Mariam fought alongside the national army of Addis Ababa defeating Barre’s forces.

    This ill-advised military adventure plunged Somalia into a deeper economic and political crisis that lasted for well over a decade. By early 1991, the Barre regime had collapse leaving a vast security and political vacuum inside the country.

    Later in December 1992, the administration of George H.W. Bush sent 12,000 Marines into Somalia in what was called ‘Operation Restore Hope.’ The intervention was sold to the people of the U.S. and the world as a ‘humanitarian mission’ designed to address problems stemming from the drought and famine which had long plagued the country.

    Nonetheless, by early 1993, Somalians had risen up against the intervention by the U.S., other western-imperialist states and United Nations forces occupying the nation. Dozens of Pentagon and UN troops lost their lives in a humiliating defeat that drove these military occupiers from Somalia in 1994.

    Since this defeat in Somalia, the U.S. has never given up on controlling this region of Africa. With the overthrow of the socialist-oriented government of Mengistu in 1991, Washington enhanced its influence through working with the federal government in Ethiopia then headed by Meles Zenawi.

    By 2006, the U.S. ‘war on terrorism’ was well underway with occupations taking place simultaneously in Afghanistan, Iraq and Haiti. In order to avoid the political fallout of another direct intervention, the Bush II administration encouraged Ethiopia to invade Somalia in order to displace the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) which had begun to consolidate its influence and stabilize the country after years of war and factional strife.

    The main problem the U.S. had with the Islamic Courts was that it was operating outside of Washington’s influence. After two years of the intervention by Ethiopia, Somalia was again facing famine with the worst humanitarian crisis in the world at that time.

    Ethiopian military forces withdrew in early 2009 and sections of the Islamic Courts were won over to a Washington-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG). A youth wing of the Islamic Courts arose known as Al-Shabaab (the youth) and began to wage war against the TFG demanding that all foreign forces be withdrawn from Somalia.

    Beginning in 2007, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) was formed with the bulk of its forces coming from the U.S.-allied government of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Fighting has continued in Somalia since this time period with periodic and direct intervention by the Pentagon and the CIA.

    U.S. and British bombing operations have been carried out against alleged Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda bases in Somalia. The country is also a base of operations for the U.S. drone programs which extends from the Horn of Africa all the way into the Indian Ocean islands of Seychelles.

    In addition, the CIA has a major field station in Mogadishu and has maintained detention facilities inside Somalia imprisoning purported suspects in the ‘war on terrorism.’ The combined AMISOM forces now consisting of some 17,500 troops, receives training and funding from Washington.

    The Somalia operation of the U.S. is part and parcel of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) which was formally started in 2008 under Bush but has been strengthened and enhanced by the Obama administration.

    Kenya’s intervention in southern Somalia in October 2011 had been planned for at least two years. The release of WikiLeaks cables in 2010 documented the plans and the role of the State Department.

    In an article published by the Kenyan Daily Nation on December 17, 2010, it reports that ‘The cables also say the military action took years of planning and was not a spontaneous reaction to abductions conducted by the Islamist group on Kenyan soil as repeatedly stated by government officials. The abductions seemed to provide Kenya with a convenient excuse to launch the plan, which, officials argued, was necessary to ensure protection against threats posed by an unstable neighbor.’

    This secret plan, dubbed ‘Jubaland Initiative,’ outlined the creation of an artificial state in southern Somalia in an effort to choke off Al-Shabaab from the border areas near Kenya. At a meeting in Ethiopia in January 2010, the Kenyan delegation led by the-then Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula appealed for U.S. support in the operation.

    In addition to U.S. involvement in Somalia and Kenya, the state of Israel also has close ties with the government in Nairobi. Israeli economic interests are much in evidence in Kenya where tourism hotels and other businesses such as the Westgate shopping mall are owned by capitalists who are citizens of the Zionist state.

    Developments in Kenya and throughout the entire region of East Africa must be viewed within the context of U.S. economic and strategic interests in partnership with its NATO allies and the state of Israel. In recent years new findings of oil and natural gas all along the coast of East Africa is of course a source of imperialist interests in the region.

    At the same time flotillas of U.S. and European Union warships have been occupying the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia for several years under the guise of fighting piracy. Underlying this occupation of the Gulf of Aden is the vast economic resources that are transported through this waterway which is one of the most lucrative in the world.

    The current government of President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi was not the favored choice of the Obama administration during the elections in March. Washington supported former Prime Minister Odinga in the race and had issued veiled threats against Kenya if it did not vote the way the U.S. wanted.

    Both President Kenyatta and Vice-President William Ruto are under indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Ruto requested and was granted an adjournment of his trial that was taking place at the time of the Westgate mall attack pending the outcome of the standoff.

    Kenyatta and Ruto are accused of human rights violations during the course of a violent dispute over the results of the previous elections held in late 2007. Their prosecution by the ICC has been rejected by the Kenyan government as well as the entire 54-member nations of the African Union.

    The ICC has been severely criticized by the African Union due to its exclusive pre-occupation with prosecuting continental leaders. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is also under indictment by the ICC and could be denied a visa by the State Department to attend the UN General Assembly in New York even though Washington is not a signatory to the Rome Statue that created the ICC.

  • Jacksonville protesters take over Senator Nelson’s office, demand ‘Hands off Syria’

    Jacksonville, FL – Over 60 protesters stormed U.S. Senator Bill Nelson’s Jacksonville office on Sept. 12, demanding that the senator renounce his support for President Barack Obama’s proposed military strike on Syria. Nelson says he will vote yes for a U.S. war on Syria.

    The protest, called by Jacksonville Against the War on Syria (JAWS), was lively with many Syrian and Arab-Americans taking part. Dave Schneider, an organizer with JAWS, explained, “Bill Nelson built a career for himself criticizing Bush for starting the war in Iraq and he’s happy to take money from progressives and the anti-war movement. But now that Obama is in office, he supports war and occupation. Senator Nelson is now a warmonger. It’s hypocritical, it’s disgusting, it’s flat-out wrong, and we’re demanding he vote no on U.S. war.”

    The protesters assembled outside of Nelson’s office on the 20th floor of Riverside Tower. Carrying signs that read, “Say no to U.S. military intervention” and “Hands off Syria,” the group stood in front of the building and caught the attention of drivers in rush hour traffic. They chanted, “USA, stay away!” and “U.S., NATO, hands off Syria,” before marching inside the complex.

    The protest included members from JAWS, the Friends of the Syrian American Forum, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, the New Jim Crow Movement, Occupy Jacksonville, several churches in the area, and students from the University of North Florida. Many of the protesters were Syrian American, for whom the threat of war is especially terrifying and personal.

    “I am a Syrian,” said Sandy Flaieh, a Syrian American resident in Jacksonville, who lost a cousin to the U.S. and Saudi-backed rebels. “I can’t see America going to bomb my country and family and friends and my whole memories, and stay quiet. That’s hard. We can’t fight there but we are going to do anything we can here to help. It’s not easy to see your families killed.”

    Once inside the building, the protesters ignored the requests of security guards to put away their megaphones, with one person saying, “We’re just here to speak with our senator.” As the crowd rode the escalators to the tower lobby, they continued chanting, “Senator Nelson, hands off Syria,” and “Obama, it’s not your business.”

    The crowd filled into five elevators and reached Nelson’s office, continuing to loudly chant and make noise. Nelson’s staff left moments before the protesters arrived, leaving the crowd with no way to directly voice their demands.

    With no one from Nelson’s office to talk with, protesters began posting up their rally signs and small cards that read, “I don’t support Obama’s strike on Syria, and neither should you, Bill Nelson,” which every person signed. Within minutes, rally signs and cards covered the entirety of Senator Nelson’s office door.

    The crowd reassembled downstairs in front of the tower. Many of the Syrian Americans sang the Syrian national anthem and led several Arabic chants against U.S. intervention.

    Organizers announced several call-in days to Senator Nelson’s office. After marching to a nearby park, participants drew up plans for a meeting and forum on future actions.

    After the rally, Schneider commented on their protest, “Just two days after we marched on Congressman Crenshaw’s office, he came out vocally against any U.S. military strike on Syria.”

    Jacksonville Congressman Ander Crenshaw said he would vote no on authorizing war on Syria. Protesters targeted Crenshaw earlier this month by plastering his front office door with rally signs, news articles, letters and petitions. Crenshaw specifically cited the actions of his constituents as a reason for his change from “undecided” to a “no” on U.S. war with Syria.

  • Turkey shoots down Syrian helicopter

    The Syrian Arab News Agency is reporting that Turkish military forces shot down a Syrian helicopter that was carrying out reconnaissance work, after it accidentally crossed the Turkish border, Sept 16.

    A statement from Syria’s military says that the helicopter mistakenly strayed a small way across the border, was given immediate orders to return, and as it was heading back, was shot down. The statement also noted that the hasty reaction on the part of Turkey is evidence that they are escalating the tension on the border between the two countries.

    For its part, Turkey has played an important role in helping the U.S. and other Western countries in their efforts to destroy Syria’s government. Turkey is a key transit point for combatants and war material for the brutal Syrian rebels. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has set up a large operation inside Turkey to arm and train the Syrian opposition.

    Given recent threats by the U.S. to launch military strikes against Syria – and despite the massive opposition domestically and internationally which resulted in the Obama administration pausing its attack plans – it’s likely that Washington will continue to seek pretexts to expand the war with Syria.

  • Minneapolis protest demands: No U.S. Military Intervention in Syria!

    Minneapolis, MN – More than 100 people rallied and marched here, Sept. 14, under the call of “No New Wars – No U.S. Military Intervention in Syria.” Protesters gathered in the busy Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue area. Carrying signs and banners opposing an attack on Syria, they marched along Lake Street. There were many honks of support from passing cars.

    Margaret Sarfehjooy of Women Against Military Madness stated, “We are here to say no more. No more wars. Not one more death in Syria in my name paid for with my tax dollars. Hands off Syria.”

    The demonstration was initiated by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and endorsed by Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness, Students for a Democratic Society and others.

    Jess Sundin of the Anti War Committee told the crowd shortly before the march, “Syria and Russia called the White House’s bluff early this week and agreed to Secretary of State John Kerry’s demand that Syria turn over any chemical weapons to the international community. Syria is joining the Chemical Weapons Convention, and Russia is working on UN oversight.”

    Sundin continued, “In spite of this progress, President Obama spoke to the country on Tuesday, and announced that U.S. warships would not withdraw. He told us all that they remain ready, waiting for his order to attack. If he honestly cared about chemical weapons, Obama might have used Tuesday’s speech to take credit for some fine diplomacy and maybe extended his commitment to rid the world of these weapons – starting with the Pentagon’s stockpiles, and then maybe moving onto Israel. Of course, that is not what happened.”

    Speaking at the end of the protest Alan Dale, a member of the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, said, “The U.S. has been at war continuously for the past 12 years: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, the drone wars in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia. And now the Obama administration is proposing yet another military intervention. The people of the U.S. and people around the world say enough, enough, enough! No new wars! People need funds for jobs and housing, not another war.”

    Organizers also announced plans for a protest in Minneapolis set for Oct. 5 that will mark 12 years of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The protest is being organized to demand “U.S. Troops and Drones Out of Afghanistan – No New Wars – No Military Intervention in Syria.”

  • Miami protest at Senator Nelson’s office slams war on Syria

    Miami, FL – Over 25 people gathered outside of Senator Bill Nelson’s Miami office here on Sept. 12 to demand that the U.S. Senator from Florida vote against any military authorization bill that comes his way.

    The rally began at 6:45 p.m. in front of Nelson’s office, which is located in Coral Gables. Protesters held Syrian flags and anti-war signs with slogans such as, “Hands off Syria,” and “I don’t want my tax dollars supporting Al-Qaeda.”

    On Sept. 10, President Obama addressed the nation stating that the U.S. would postpone any immediate strikes against Syria, as well as the vote for Congressional approval. According to a POWIR (People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism and Racism) statement released the following day, the protest itself was not postponed because the military option is still not off the table and a vote could still happen at any moment.

    Sandy Davies, of Progressive Democrats of America (Miami-Dade), gave the first speech at the protest in which he told the crowd that this was the first time in history that popular resistance against a war actually succeeded in deterring the U.S. from attacking another country.

    “We must continue to resist the media’s narrative that Assad gassed his own people. It has never been proven true,” Davies said. “We must also resist any new red lines that the government puts forth to try ad justify attacking Syria. No new red line!”

    Camilo Mejia of Veterans for Peace also spoke to the crowd. He said the U.S. remains the “world’s number one bully and the world’s number one war criminal,” and continued by saying that the U.S. has been using biological and chemical weapons since the extermination of Native Americans.

    After the speeches, the group marched from Senator Nelson’s office to Ponce De Leon Park, chanting, “No Justice to peace, U.S. out of the Middle East!” Cars honked in support and onlookers raised fists in solidarity.

    Upon arriving to the park, members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Green Party and POWIR delivered speeches opposing any new imperialist wars and actions overseas.

    Kim Miller, an organizer with POWIR said, “All anti-imperialist and peace-loving people around the world should oppose all U.S. policies used to intimidate and bully independent nationalist governments!”

    The event ended at 8:00 in the evening. This protest was part of a statewide call to action put out by POWIR for the week of Sept. 8. Cities across Florida held call-ins and protests urging representatives and senators to vote no on war with Syria. People and organizations in Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Gainesville all took part in the week of action.

  • Miami protest at Senator Nelson’s office slams war on Syria

    Miami, FL – Over 25 people gathered outside of Senator Bill Nelson’s Miami office here on Sept. 12 to demand that the U.S. Senator from Florida vote against any military authorization bill that comes his way.

    The rally began at 6:45 p.m. in front of Nelson’s office, which is located in Coral Gables. Protesters held Syrian flags and anti-war signs with slogans such as, “Hands off Syria,” and “I don’t want my tax dollars supporting Al-Qaeda.”

    On Sept. 10, President Obama addressed the nation stating that the U.S. would postpone any immediate strikes against Syria, as well as the vote for Congressional approval. According to a POWIR (People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism and Racism) statement released the following day, the protest itself was not postponed because the military option is still not off the table and a vote could still happen at any moment.

    Sandy Davies, of Progressive Democrats of America (Miami-Dade), gave the first speech at the protest in which he told the crowd that this was the first time in history that popular resistance against a war actually succeeded in deterring the U.S. from attacking another country.

    “We must continue to resist the media’s narrative that Assad gassed his own people. It has never been proven true,” Davies said. “We must also resist any new red lines that the government puts forth to try ad justify attacking Syria. No new red line!”

    Camilo Mejia of Veterans for Peace also spoke to the crowd. He said the U.S. remains the “world’s number one bully and the world’s number one war criminal,” and continued by saying that the U.S. has been using biological and chemical weapons since the extermination of Native Americans.

    After the speeches, the group marched from Senator Nelson’s office to Ponce De Leon Park, chanting, “No Justice to peace, U.S. out of the Middle East!” Cars honked in support and onlookers raised fists in solidarity.

    Upon arriving to the park, members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Green Party and POWIR delivered speeches opposing any new imperialist wars and actions overseas.

    Kim Miller, an organizer with POWIR said, “All anti-imperialist and peace-loving people around the world should oppose all U.S. policies used to intimidate and bully independent nationalist governments!”

    The event ended at 8:00 in the evening. This protest was part of a statewide call to action put out by POWIR for the week of Sept. 8. Cities across Florida held call-ins and protests urging representatives and senators to vote no on war with Syria. People and organizations in Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Gainesville all took part in the week of action.

  • Chicago protest says ‘No war for the 1%’

    Chicago, IL – Chanting, “Bombs won’t bring peace, U.S. Out of the Middle East,” 30 people gathered on a downtown street corner here, Sept. 12, to keep the pressure on the Obama White House. According to Hatem Abudayyeh of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network – Chicago, “Although President Obama said on Tuesday that the U.S. will now take the diplomatic plan developed by Russia, we believe that the U.S. drive to war has not ended, and our response remains the same: No war on Syria.”

    The activists, which included the Syrian American Forum and the ANSWER Coalition of Chicago, also hit at the role of the military industrial complex in pushing for war in Syria. Joe Iosbaker of the Anti-War Committee (AWC)-Chicago said, “Who would benefit from this war? Weapons manufacturers like Raytheon, which makes the Tomahawk missile. The value of their stock has soared in recent weeks, because the war could include 200 to 400 of these cruise missiles.”

    In recent months, the AWC has campaigned against Chicago’s own weapons manufacturer, the Boeing Company. Iosbaker points out, “The White House is planning to use Boeing’s long range bombers to attack Syria. Those bombers will be loaded with “smart bombs”, made by Boeing as well.”

    The protest ended with Kait McIntyre of AWC calling for everyone to attend the Midwest regional protest against war on Syria and against drone warfare on Sept. 28 in Chicago.

  • Chicago protest says ‘No war for the 1%’

    Chicago, IL – Chanting, “Bombs won’t bring peace, U.S. Out of the Middle East,” 30 people gathered on a downtown street corner here, Sept. 12, to keep the pressure on the Obama White House. According to Hatem Abudayyeh of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network – Chicago, “Although President Obama said on Tuesday that the U.S. will now take the diplomatic plan developed by Russia, we believe that the U.S. drive to war has not ended, and our response remains the same: No war on Syria.”

    The activists, which included the Syrian American Forum and the ANSWER Coalition of Chicago, also hit at the role of the military industrial complex in pushing for war in Syria. Joe Iosbaker of the Anti-War Committee (AWC)-Chicago said, “Who would benefit from this war? Weapons manufacturers like Raytheon, which makes the Tomahawk missile. The value of their stock has soared in recent weeks, because the war could include 200 to 400 of these cruise missiles.”

    In recent months, the AWC has campaigned against Chicago’s own weapons manufacturer, the Boeing Company. Iosbaker points out, “The White House is planning to use Boeing’s long range bombers to attack Syria. Those bombers will be loaded with “smart bombs”, made by Boeing as well.”

    The protest ended with Kait McIntyre of AWC calling for everyone to attend the Midwest regional protest against war on Syria and against drone warfare on Sept. 28 in Chicago.

  • The ISO and the war on Syria: Silly and shameful

    In recent weeks there has been a real upsurge of activity on the part of the anti-war movement in the U.S. Protests have been held in scores of cities – more that 50 on Sept. 7 alone – including substantial demonstrations in cities like New York and Chicago. An article published in the Socialist Worker on Sept. 10, entitled “Standing against both war and dictatorship,” goes a long way toward explaining why the International Socialist Organization (ISO) has been by and large irrelevant, or worse yet, an obstacle to this growing movement against another U.S. war.

    Penned by ISO member Eric Ruder, the article takes to task three socialist organizations: Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Workers World Party (WWP) and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) for supporting Syria in its fight to defeat a vicious onslaught from U.S. and Western imperialism, reactionary Arab states and the Israelis.

    We in FRSO have constantly stated our views on this matter and we will always be on the side of those who resist imperialism.

    Sectarianism directed at Syrian Americans

    The anti-war movement is a united front, which brings together diverse viewpoints and forces. The level of political understanding about what’s happening in Syria is uneven and we need to unite people who have a wide range of perspectives. To oppose a U.S. attack on Syria, it is important that we have broad slogans that unite all who can be united, such as “Hands off Syria,” or “No U.S. war on Syria.” That’s a given.

    It should also be a given that we build unity with Syrian Americans who are concerned about their loved ones at home and support their country in its battle with imperialism. Sadly this is not the case for the ISO.

    In many cities, Syrian Americans have one of the most constant, dynamic, and in some cases, the largest force in the current anti-war movement. Most people would say that is a good thing, but not the ISO. Instead they complain about the flags, signs, and portraits that Syrian Americans bring to protests.

    For example in Chicago, Syrian Americans have been extremely active in anti-war demonstrations. How does the ISO evaluate this? Ruder’s article says, “The ugly consequences of ‘antiwar’ support for the Syrian regime were easy to see in Chicago, where organizers of ‘Hands off Syria’ protests repeatedly turned over the platform to representatives of the Syrian American Forum…” Imagine that. Syrian Americans help organize demonstrations, turn out in large numbers and often speak from the platform.

    The ISO, which has never been big on opposing U.S. intervention in Syria, was apparently “caught off guard” when they finally did make their way to the anti-war protests and found Syrian Americans expressing their views. It seemed “ugly” to them. Perhaps it is more a case of ISO playing the Ugly American.

    ISO and the demonization of Syria

    At the very moment when Washington and those who echo the master’s voice are trying to demonize the government of Syria, ISO is trying to do the same thing among left and progressive forces. So they criticize the Syrian government for being “inconsistent” opponents of imperialism and praise the “rebels.”

    Let’s take a look at this. The government of Syria has done more to oppose imperialism than ISO will ever do. They help the Palestinians in a big way. Same goes for the patriotic and national democratic forces of Lebanon. Syria, Iran and the movements for national liberation in Lebanon and Palestine are central to the camp of resistance to imperialism and Zionism in the Middle East.

    So what does the ISO article have to say about this? According to them not only is Syria an “inconsistent” opponent of imperialism, the article says “the West considers the Syrian regime a precious asset that can assist in maintaining the current hegemonic structure of power in the region, though their preference may be for it to be weakened and thus more subservient.”

    The Bush administration used to say that Syria could be considered a part of his ‘Axis of Evil.’ Over the last couple of years Washington has spent over $1 billion to destroy the Syrian government and right now the U.S. is threatening a military attack. Yet in the world that ISO sees, Syria is a “precious asset” of the West. It is hard for serious people to take this kind of analysis seriously.

    The point here is not to say that Syria is perfect or socialist or always does the right thing. What is being said is that we should not be joining our rulers in demonizing the Syrian government.

    As for the ‘rebels,’ history’s verdict is in. One can debate the nature of the demonstrations against the Syrian government several years ago and what led up to them, but today, right now, the opposition is bought, paid for, and acting on behalf of the U.S. and the most reactionary of Arab regimes.

    Anti-imperialism is a good thing

    The U.S. has built an empire and that extends into Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and some other places too. It exists to rip off the land, labor and natural resources of others while enriching the elite who run this country. This empire is a grim place, held together by U.S. military power, death squads and puppet governments.

    It is positive that there are national liberation movements in places like Colombia and Palestine that are leading powerful movements to break free of imperialism. It is a step forward for the peoples subjugated by U.S. imperialism and they land blows on our common oppressor.

    It is also a good thing that there are countries in this world that have left the orbit of imperialism. This includes Syria. It is good for the people of Syria, good for the struggle in the Middle East, and for all of us who want a world without imperialism.

    ISO considers it strange that a socialist would take this view. In fact it is ISO that is the odd one out.

    We recently reprinted a statement from the Syrian Communist Party, which reads in part, “The defense of Syria’s national regime, which faces, head held high, all methods of aggression, refusing humiliation and submission, means defending the country and its sovereignty and independence.” Frankly this is what the vast majority of revolutionaries around the world think. Check out what Cuba says about Syria or the government of Venezuela. One could go on and on like this but the point is clear enough.

    Revolutionaries and socialists need to make a concrete analysis of concrete conditions; this is what Marxism is all about: understanding reality in order to change it. Everything in this world is the product of actual historical processes that we can know about, if we bother to study them. This includes Syria.

    The ISO uses the opposite approach, which claims the world is what they would like it to be and what they say it is. In their world, the brutal foreign-backed Syrian opposition becomes the Arab revolution. They find progressive forces where they are not, and when forces resisting imperialism have shortcomings – they say that those resisting are the same as the imperialists.

    The world never has and never will conform to a bunch of preconceived notions. The anti-war movement deserves something better than the ISO’s armchair critiques.

    The people of Syria, the peoples of the world and the people of the U.S. face a vicious enemy that will go to any length to maintain its power and privilege. Building an anti-war movement under slogans like “Hands off Syria” and “No war with Syria” is the best way that people in this country can help to defeat U.S. imperialism’s attempt to dominate the Middle East. Washington is isolated right now. People don’t want another U.S. war. Together we can win.