Problems of Perspective
Anti-Blair | 26.09.2002 19:39
The Stop the War Coalition which is made up of an alliance of far left organisations, union bureaucrats, New Labour MP's and the Muslim Association of Britain is setting itself up as the official unelected leadership of the anti-war movement in Britain.
Under the guise of being anti-Blair most of its organisers have voted for and campaigned for New Labour in the last two general elections- despite the fact that in the same period of time we have had 40% abstention by voters, most from working class districts. In order to understand their policies and why they are seeking to corral any possible militant action, back to New Labour one has to go back to what has happened over the last year, in particular 9/11 and the war on Afghanistan.
Having accepted all the official lies regarding the perpetrators of 9/11 as being that of Bin Laden and company an individual who has been credited amongst other things for working closely with the CIA we have had no campaign regarding the still unanswered questions as to the Twin Tower bombings.
Last year three demos occurred against the war in Afghanistan. Two were by the Stop the War Coalition and one was by the Muslim Association of Britain. The Muslim demo had a near virtual abscence of union banners and leftwing groups. The size of the demo must have shocked all and the militancy of the demo. Police hounded many young Asian boys after the end of the demo in many parts of Oxford Street.
Now we suddenly have joint demo with most of New Labours loyal 'left-wingers' many of whom had no problem calling for sanctions for Iraq 10 years ago and supporting the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia. The Mayor of London works closely with a man who has a tradition of killing unionists in Americas back yard (Latin America) and has done more than many in privatising the roads for the sake of private bus companies.
The far left organisations it appears have one policy and one policy only. To corral the youth back to New Labour under any means possible, so as to demoralise the movement with a strategy tied to protest marches and protest marches alone, when the situation demands dynamic action.Protest marches alone cannot stop the outbreak of a war, but they can derail it once it has started. A whole series of public sector unions are facing privatisation and war, the two pillars of globalisation. No demands are made for strikes to shut down the ports, block the motorways. Yes a halfhearted demand has been made by Tony Benn to shut the city on the day the war is announced, but no campaign material is provided, no propaganda is made.
Blair and Bush need this war not simply to crush the Arab revolution, but also to further defeat the labour movement in their own country. Bush wants to deregulate totally the semi-unionised ports of LA, Blair wants to do the same almost everywhere from the underground to air-traffic control.
The misleadership of the Stop the War Coalition aims to silence many who want to have more dynamic action. They will probably send many home early after announcing tens of speakers who by coincidence are mostly New Labour. the irony of the situation is that just as they derailed the anti-globalisation protests now they are attempting to do the same with the anti-war movement. But the coming war will scupper their plans. The working class of Britain alongside other countries will move to the left of Labour and see through this charade.
Under the guise of being anti-Blair most of its organisers have voted for and campaigned for New Labour in the last two general elections- despite the fact that in the same period of time we have had 40% abstention by voters, most from working class districts. In order to understand their policies and why they are seeking to corral any possible militant action, back to New Labour one has to go back to what has happened over the last year, in particular 9/11 and the war on Afghanistan.
Having accepted all the official lies regarding the perpetrators of 9/11 as being that of Bin Laden and company an individual who has been credited amongst other things for working closely with the CIA we have had no campaign regarding the still unanswered questions as to the Twin Tower bombings.
Last year three demos occurred against the war in Afghanistan. Two were by the Stop the War Coalition and one was by the Muslim Association of Britain. The Muslim demo had a near virtual abscence of union banners and leftwing groups. The size of the demo must have shocked all and the militancy of the demo. Police hounded many young Asian boys after the end of the demo in many parts of Oxford Street.
Now we suddenly have joint demo with most of New Labours loyal 'left-wingers' many of whom had no problem calling for sanctions for Iraq 10 years ago and supporting the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia. The Mayor of London works closely with a man who has a tradition of killing unionists in Americas back yard (Latin America) and has done more than many in privatising the roads for the sake of private bus companies.
The far left organisations it appears have one policy and one policy only. To corral the youth back to New Labour under any means possible, so as to demoralise the movement with a strategy tied to protest marches and protest marches alone, when the situation demands dynamic action.Protest marches alone cannot stop the outbreak of a war, but they can derail it once it has started. A whole series of public sector unions are facing privatisation and war, the two pillars of globalisation. No demands are made for strikes to shut down the ports, block the motorways. Yes a halfhearted demand has been made by Tony Benn to shut the city on the day the war is announced, but no campaign material is provided, no propaganda is made.
Blair and Bush need this war not simply to crush the Arab revolution, but also to further defeat the labour movement in their own country. Bush wants to deregulate totally the semi-unionised ports of LA, Blair wants to do the same almost everywhere from the underground to air-traffic control.
The misleadership of the Stop the War Coalition aims to silence many who want to have more dynamic action. They will probably send many home early after announcing tens of speakers who by coincidence are mostly New Labour. the irony of the situation is that just as they derailed the anti-globalisation protests now they are attempting to do the same with the anti-war movement. But the coming war will scupper their plans. The working class of Britain alongside other countries will move to the left of Labour and see through this charade.
Anti-Blair
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