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If we in
the West are going to develop, market and produce a global Pax Democratica to replace outmoded and
destructive tyrannical regimes and policies in order to stabilize the world susceptible
to terrorism, we will certainly have to review economic and sociopolitical
paradigms that no longer can be applied with more than 50% efficiency even
under the best of circumstances. The old
paradigms are failing and falling away. That includes socialism and communism
and capitalism as we’ve known it. We have to be in the discussion now to
prepare for a reasonable transition rather than deny and be overtaken by
events. Progress
and the liberalization of autocratic societies cannot be made at the point of a
gun. John is right that if we forget that the point of a military is to win
peace, we fail. Period. The G8
agreed to $3Bn in infrastructure investment for Palestine. That will go much
further to ending the intifada than all the weaponry and military skill the IDF
and Mossad (and US backers) have done to bring Israel back from economic ruin
and literal threat of extinction. Give the displaced unemployed something meaningful
to do with their lives rebuilding their society - hope and means = opportunity
- and the terrorists will lose ground. We are
going to lose some battles, but if the longer strategy is to win peace we have
to invest in progress not control. Flow. note the reaction from
the Left. -----Original
Message----- Terror
attacks condemned The July 7 bomb attacks in London must be roundly condemned. They
are cowardly and absolutely reactionary, as all such terrorist acts are. The perpetrators set out to kill indiscriminately people unable to
defend themselves. Not only were the bombs timed to kill and maim ordinary
people on their way to work, but they targeted people in the one of the most
multicultural cities of the world. Hospitals had to use the services of
translators to treat the injured. Those hurt or killed in the attacks have no connection with the
government or the authorities. Far from striking a blow at the British
government and the state, the bombings play directly into the hands of the
authorities. As many have already pointed out, Home Secretary Clarke will use
them to rush through new powers that will affect everyone and increase
surveillance on all opponents of New Labour's policies. As a Kent reader of The Independent wrote: "Aside
from the human distress, these bombings have done more to ease the course of
illiberal legislation through Parliament than anything else ever could. So,
stand-by for more CCTV and satellite surveillance, black boxes in your cars,
more stop and search, the hounding of ethnic communities, and yes, the
compulsory issue of ID cards with heaven knows what information on them." This comes only days after millions of people in Britain and
around the world showed their hostility to the G8 leaders by supporting Live 8
and marching in Edinburgh and Gleneagles. Now the attention is switched away
from these issues as a result of these despicable attacks. Londoners took part in the biggest of all anti-war demonstrations
in 2003, marking the city's opposition to the illegal occupation of Iraq. Now
the same city has to pay the price of its government's policies. Many people warned that Britain would become a target as a result
of its endorsement of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. An early
warning came from singer George Michael, who said that sending British troops
to Iraq made British people open to terror attacks. Many will be aware that
governments, headed by Blair, Bush, Berlusconi and other G8 leaders, are
imposing free market capitalism in Iraq through the barrel of a gun and are
responsible for the deaths of 100,000 innocent men, women and children. Those killed and injured on July 7 were not consulted by the
government when it took the decision to invade Iraq. It is certain that the war
against terror has made us more, not less vulnerable to terrorism. In addition,
the government is proving incapable of defending its citizens from the
consequences. Despite the brave actions of firefighters, medical staff,
transport workers, and others, more than 50 people have paid with their lives. Terrorism cannot be defeated by the "war on terror",
which only deepens the problem because it refuses to address the causes of
terrorism. All those opposed to these barbarous attacks should redouble their
efforts to campaign for deep-going democratic political change towards a
society free from exploitation and oppression, at home and abroad. Movement for a Socialist Future http://www.socialistfuture.org.uk/msf/commentaries/Londonbombs.htm |
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