The Worker, Vol. 39, Number 10
Contents:
I. The Gilded Lackey and the U.S. Imperialist Farce: A New Act of Opportunist Betrayal
II. Imperialism: Inseparable Engine of War and Domination
I. The Gilded Lackey and the U.S. Imperialist Farce: A New Act of Opportunist Betrayal
II. Imperialism: Inseparable Engine of War and Domination
Note from the editor:
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The Gilded Lackey and the U.S. Imperialist Farce: A New Act of Opportunist Betrayal
On November 10, President Trump endorsed Ahmed al-Sharaa, the new leader of the post-Assad transitional authority of Syria who was formerly worked on by the U.S. Intelligence Service at Abu Ghraib.
The latest vile act emanating from the White House of police and military despotism is the appointment of the former Iraqi insurgent to head the temporarily subjugated people of Syria.
This cynical maneuver is a political screen, attempting to cower the oppositional bourgeoisie and insult the Syrian working masses with miserable compromise.
This placeman, having famously been held without due process, been exposed to extensive years of physical, mental and spiritual torture, stands as a symbol of the defeat of the Syrian nation. The regime change represents punishment for standing up to Big Power dictate. This placeman, tortured and "re-educated" under the U.S. occupation jackboot, now trades the contract-bound mercenary role for a ministerial job.
This appointment does not signify a genuine transfer of power to a popular representative body, but rather the creation of a cipher to mask reactionary, colonial policy.
We must expose this contemptible compromise, which is designed to spread terror and pessimism among the workers.
The former Iraq War rebel is a renegade and a caricature of the proud Syrian people, adopting the path of those who grovel for positions and are eager to sell out their principles.
The latest vile act emanating from the White House of police and military despotism is the appointment of the former Iraqi insurgent to head the temporarily subjugated people of Syria.
This cynical maneuver is a political screen, attempting to cower the oppositional bourgeoisie and insult the Syrian working masses with miserable compromise.
This placeman, having famously been held without due process, been exposed to extensive years of physical, mental and spiritual torture, stands as a symbol of the defeat of the Syrian nation. The regime change represents punishment for standing up to Big Power dictate. This placeman, tortured and "re-educated" under the U.S. occupation jackboot, now trades the contract-bound mercenary role for a ministerial job.
This appointment does not signify a genuine transfer of power to a popular representative body, but rather the creation of a cipher to mask reactionary, colonial policy.
We must expose this contemptible compromise, which is designed to spread terror and pessimism among the workers.
The former Iraq War rebel is a renegade and a caricature of the proud Syrian people, adopting the path of those who grovel for positions and are eager to sell out their principles.
Imperialism: The Inseparable Engine of War and Domination
The history of the last century proves that imperialism is inseparable from war, demonstrating that this system inherently means war, but also that the peoples, through struggle and revolution, possess the capability to defeat the war plans of imperialism and ultimately overthrow the system.
The inseparable link between imperialism and war is established by the very nature of the capitalist-imperialist system:
1. Economic Necessity of Violence and Domination
The root cause of war is the inherent economic imperative of the capitalist-imperialist system, which requires violence and domination in politics.
Export of Capital and Super-Exploitation: The social existence of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class is inextricably bound up with the super-exploitation of the peoples and the oppression of nations. The monopolization of wealth creates a "superabundance" of capital that overflows the home market, compelling monopolies to seek new outlets abroad. Through the export of capital (in the form of investments, loans, and branch plants), U.S. monopoly capital comes to own the land and resources of dependent and colonial countries, resulting in the plunder of foreign nations and super-exploitation of labor. This subjugation and exploitation can only be maintained through violence and war.
Maximizing Profits and Empire: The monopoly capitalists need war primarily to extend their empire and further shift the burden of the economic crisis onto the backs of the peoples. The continuous military build-up and vast expenditures on weaponry are financed to the advantage of the financial oligarchy, using the military to protect the economic and strategic interests of the U.S. monopoly corporations.
2. The Manifestations of War in the Imperialist Era
Since the transition to the monopoly stage of capitalism at the beginning of the 20th century, war has been a permanent and inevitable feature of political life. This violence manifests in two primary, simultaneous forms:
Wars Against Peoples (Intervention and Suppression): Imperialism continuously wages wars against the national liberation movements of the peoples to enslave colonial nations and suppress their just struggles for national liberation and independence. Since the end of World War II alone, U.S. imperialism has launched hundreds of armed interventions against peoples and their movements in places like Korea, Vietnam, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, and Iraq.
Wars Between Imperialists (Re-division of the World): The inherent contradictions and intense rivalry among imperialist powers lead to wars fought to see which capitalist state can grab the most empire and profits. Twice this century, this drive led humanity into World Wars, and the collapse of the Soviet Union only created a new disequilibrium, intensifying these rivalries in the struggle for new spheres of influence and control of resources.
In both cases, war is utterly reactionary, serving only the aims of exploitation and plunder, while the working class and people are the ones who pay the horrible price in death and taxes.
In essence, imperialism is war because the system is structured like a financial parasite. Since the parasite (monopoly capital) must constantly consume new resources and territories to survive, it must rely on its weapon (the military state) to continuously conquer new hosts (nations) and fight off other parasites (imperialist rivals) seeking the same prey. Until the parasite is eliminated (through revolution), the violence is inevitable.
The peoples are the decisive factor which can stay the whipping arm of the capitalist warmakers. Experience proves again and again that the colossal strength of the working people themselves is the only reliable force against war and militarism. The history of the last century confirms that the peoples—through struggle and revolution—can defeat the war plans of imperialism and overthrow it. By actively mobilizing against every aggressive step, the struggles of the peoples succeed in averting and defeating the war plans of imperialism and preventing the imperialists from widening or escalating conflicts. Thus, the struggle transforms from merely resisting aggression to asserting the capability to take the political initiative necessary for genuine peace..
The inseparable link between imperialism and war is established by the very nature of the capitalist-imperialist system:
1. Economic Necessity of Violence and Domination
The root cause of war is the inherent economic imperative of the capitalist-imperialist system, which requires violence and domination in politics.
Export of Capital and Super-Exploitation: The social existence of the U.S. monopoly capitalist class is inextricably bound up with the super-exploitation of the peoples and the oppression of nations. The monopolization of wealth creates a "superabundance" of capital that overflows the home market, compelling monopolies to seek new outlets abroad. Through the export of capital (in the form of investments, loans, and branch plants), U.S. monopoly capital comes to own the land and resources of dependent and colonial countries, resulting in the plunder of foreign nations and super-exploitation of labor. This subjugation and exploitation can only be maintained through violence and war.
Maximizing Profits and Empire: The monopoly capitalists need war primarily to extend their empire and further shift the burden of the economic crisis onto the backs of the peoples. The continuous military build-up and vast expenditures on weaponry are financed to the advantage of the financial oligarchy, using the military to protect the economic and strategic interests of the U.S. monopoly corporations.
2. The Manifestations of War in the Imperialist Era
Since the transition to the monopoly stage of capitalism at the beginning of the 20th century, war has been a permanent and inevitable feature of political life. This violence manifests in two primary, simultaneous forms:
Wars Against Peoples (Intervention and Suppression): Imperialism continuously wages wars against the national liberation movements of the peoples to enslave colonial nations and suppress their just struggles for national liberation and independence. Since the end of World War II alone, U.S. imperialism has launched hundreds of armed interventions against peoples and their movements in places like Korea, Vietnam, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, and Iraq.
Wars Between Imperialists (Re-division of the World): The inherent contradictions and intense rivalry among imperialist powers lead to wars fought to see which capitalist state can grab the most empire and profits. Twice this century, this drive led humanity into World Wars, and the collapse of the Soviet Union only created a new disequilibrium, intensifying these rivalries in the struggle for new spheres of influence and control of resources.
In both cases, war is utterly reactionary, serving only the aims of exploitation and plunder, while the working class and people are the ones who pay the horrible price in death and taxes.
In essence, imperialism is war because the system is structured like a financial parasite. Since the parasite (monopoly capital) must constantly consume new resources and territories to survive, it must rely on its weapon (the military state) to continuously conquer new hosts (nations) and fight off other parasites (imperialist rivals) seeking the same prey. Until the parasite is eliminated (through revolution), the violence is inevitable.
The peoples are the decisive factor which can stay the whipping arm of the capitalist warmakers. Experience proves again and again that the colossal strength of the working people themselves is the only reliable force against war and militarism. The history of the last century confirms that the peoples—through struggle and revolution—can defeat the war plans of imperialism and overthrow it. By actively mobilizing against every aggressive step, the struggles of the peoples succeed in averting and defeating the war plans of imperialism and preventing the imperialists from widening or escalating conflicts. Thus, the struggle transforms from merely resisting aggression to asserting the capability to take the political initiative necessary for genuine peace..