Hi George,
Lets put it another way, if it weren't for this war, would the US have such
a strong physical presence in Europe? And whilst the conflict may be the
beginning of the end for Nato, conjured demons are essential to keep it
together:- no matter that the threat to the West is inconsequential,
re-create the enemy as a new Hitler and the same old ideological game of
freedom versus totalitarianism can be played out willy nilly.
As for Britain, well it's now a two-bit power on the world stage, but Saint
Tony can massage his own and the establishment's narcissism, by pretending
to the world that it still has a _role_ to play in civilising the
barbarians. (St. Tony also gets blood on his hands, it excites him: watch
his eyes next time you see him on TV.)
Ditto the French really, but add some anti-American independent gallic
spice to the conconction.
And the the Germans? - it's their backyard - they have to be involved at
some level, but I reckon that the most strident anti Nato rhetoric will
arise from here.
The real fun, the frisson in inter-imperialist rivalries will be when
there's a conflict between who backs who. I can see the day when a German
backed Europe will tell the States to fuck off out of its terrain, or
perhaps more likely, when the two Great Powers start to back different
horses.
George: This kind of subjectivism just wont do. This is the kind of stuff one is forever getting from much of the Left. To simply say that Britain is a two bit power that still wants to believe it is a world power is rubbish. The British bourgeoisie are not going to get involved in the present attack on Serbia for Quixotic reasons such as feeding an illusion that it is not just a two bit power.
The reason for US involvement are equally bad. You say that
the attack on Serbia gives the US a military presence in Europe. But this
army has had a big presence in Europe for years through the stationing of its
military in Germany. Anyway it makes no sense wasting money stationing troops in
Europe when it does not serve the class interests of the bourgeoisie.
As I say I am still waiting for a reasonable outline as to
how the class interests of the imperialist bourgeoisie is being served by
bombing Serbia. I still have not gotten one nor seen one yet. Instead one gets
subjectivist knee jerk responses of a speculative nature.
George
