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anarchist ivrhliehflzv _ I111 I 1 '*_ _1~_fl 1 _ _ __ _ _ _- _ - _ _- __ - __ 26 June 1982 V0143 No 12 _ 1._ -IIZT1. orst THE human species, to which so many of to destroy itself. However the symptoms in the twentieth century, because they our readers belong, has managed during of this disease appear — as intolerance or were weaker than the military regime; but the million or so years of its existence to persecution or violence,as church or nation it was ineffective against the British settlers eliminate all the threats to its biological or state — we are almost powerless to treat in the offshore islands, because what was survival, except one. We have learnt to them because to do so we must treat our- once the greatest imperialist power of all tame or hunt all the large species which selves. And this summer we are is still prepared to send an armada half- are bigger and stronger than us, because a veritable epidemic of the human disease. way round the world if the risks don’t seem we are more brainy and handy than them. It is true that the absurd war in the too large. We have learnt to control and even to South Atlantic seems to be over, at least Of course this lesson applies to Britain destroy almost all the microscopic organ- for a time. Unlike most wars, it has caused as well. We needn’t expect to see British isms which make us ill, because we have fewer deaths than the population it was armadas sent to rescue the Greek Cypriots invented science and medicine. We know supposed to be about. Like most wars, from the Turkish invasion of 1974 or to how to use heat and cold, wind and water, however, it has raised more problems return the Diego Garcians to an island and all the forces and elements of nature, than it was fought to solve. As well as which is now an American base, or indeed to give us food and drink, shelter and reminding us ~— if we needed reminding — to protect the inhabitants of Gibraltar or clothing, energy and leisure, because we that Britain has a strong militarist tradition , Hong Kong if the Spanish or Chinese dec- have invented technology and culture. provided that the militarism can be safely ide to copy the Argentines. After all, what But we have one big problem us. released a long way off, it has reminded happened to our kith and kin in Kenya The only species we haven’t learnt to con- us — again if we needed reminding — that and Rhodesia? Blood may be thicker than trol is our own, and the only disease we violence begets violence. In this sense the water, but money is thickest of all. The haven’t learnt to cure is precisely that war has scarcely begun. Argentines might have realised this, if urge to control which has made us masters The official lesson of war for the Falk- they hadn’t owed so much money, and of everything except ourselves. Our great- lands or the Malvinas is that aggression could have won the islands if they had est strength has become our greatest weak- does not pay. But the real lesson is that played the game. ness. Our most significant evolutionary aggression —— and retaliation — does not Now the Argentines face a choice bet- advantage may become our most serious pay if the attacker is weaker than the att- ween a national humiliation or a new att- evolutionary disadvantage. The human acked. Argentine aggression was effective ack on their working class at home or on species, in destroying all its rivals, is likely against the Indian natives in the nineteenth their Chilean enemy abroad. And other century, because they were weaker than Latin American regimes will be reconsider- the Spanish and Italian and British immi- ing their claims against various former grants, and against the left-wing militants British colonies — Guatemala against Bel- ize, Venezuela against Guyana and Trini- A-._ dad — and their relationships with each other and with the United States and Eur- ope. Meanwhile Britain has upset its rela- >51 tionships not only with Latin America 4 1.3 . u -_._ but also with its European and even its ___ American allies. But, despite these minor Ia , ‘-»_ imperialist problems and the major econ- 5 - _°'=i .= omic problems of inflation and unemploy- ment, Britain is still a relatively wealthy . tn and peaceful country. Elsewhere the symptoms of the epid- *1. emic are far more severe. In Eastern Eur- ope the nationalist resistance to Russian imperialism in Poland and Rumania may 1. #4-re‘ explode at any time, and in a place which is the traditional detonator of world wars. In South-East Asia the nationalist rivalries which have already caused millions of deaths in war and revolution are still caus- ing millions more from starvation and neg- lect, and the same is true in East Africa. But the worst site of the human disease is Iarvest/982. Continued on page 2 FREE[DM 2 from profound ideological and political ions, seems determined to destroy the is there no cure? and economic and diplomatic difficulties, power of the Palestinians for ever,forgett- and there will be more upheavals in that ing the lesson of Jewish history itself, that Continued from page 1 part of the Muslim world even if the war a nation can survive destruction and revive is not revived. Nor are Afghanistan or after two thousand years. The only word the first, in the Middle East — around the Pakistan or Turkey, all with their own to describe the actions of the Israeli state Gulf, where large-scale civilisation origin- difficulties, far away. against the Arab people of Palestine is ally appeared thousands of years ago on At the moment, however, the focus of genocide, and the only prognosis at this the basis of tyranny and conquest by attention lies further west, where there moment is terminal. Sumerians, Babylonaians, Assyrians, Pers- are more varieties of nationalism than Meanwhile Lebanon, traditionally a ians and so on to Iraq and Iran; and around there are countriesto go round. In Palestine country where all races and religions co- Palestine, where the earliest civilisations the Jews and the Arabs have been strugg- exist, is being destroyed in the national- fought backwards and forwards through ling for half a century, and the Western — istic rivalry between Jews and Christians the Old Testament, andwhere Armageddon and especially American —- support for and Muslims of all varieties. The other was prophesied as the site of the final the state of Israel has not only defeated Arab countries, and the great powers who battle between the forces of good and evil. the Arabs but driven them out of their pay and arm both sides, seem to be help- It is true that the war between Iraq own country .They concentrated in Jordan , less. Armageddon is one of the biblical and Iran seems to be over, also for a time. but were driven out of there in 1970. They names for the mountains of northern Israel. But this is only because the two sides have concentrated in Lebanon, but are being Is this the destination of the latest journey? temporarily fought each other to a stand- driven out of there as well. Israel, at the Is there no cure for our collective disease? still. Both countries are still suffering same time the oldest and newest of nat- Does the human species deserve to survive? —— for the charges to be dropped —- to publicise police methods of invest- Bomb charges inWales igation despite press fears of court actions for contempt, and the curr- DURING the past two years 13 bombs Maximum sentences on convictions are ent media obsession with the Falk- have oeen planted at political targets in 14 years for possession of explosives and lands, the papal visit and the Royal England and Wales. Until April this year 20 years for causing explosions. baby. no one had been charged with any offences The police have obtained signed state- — to co-ordinate a strong legal defense relating to these bombs. ments from two of the five prisoners. with lawyers experienced in ‘n ation- A previously unheard of goup called Other evidence listed by the police in- al security’ type trials. the Workers Army of the Welsh Republic cludes a soldering iron, pliers, wire, a cir- -— to support the prisoners and their has claimed responsibility for the last six cuit board (a free gift from an electrical families by providing for their wel- bombs. Two of these were fire bombs magazine), batteries, a circuit tester, pestle fare in and out of gaol. found at two South Wales targets during and mortar, a pencil torch minus bulb, a -— to keep the trial in Wales. the visit of Prince Charles and Lady Di last torch bulb, cotton wool, a reel of black — to oppose jury vetting. October: at the army recruiting centre at insulation tape, and small lengths of blue, WPPDC ~—- 175 Mackintosh Place, Roath, Pontypridd and at the Wales HQ of BSC brown and black insulation tape. These are Cardiff. in Cardiff. all household items which can be found THE SECRETARY in various combinations in many homes, Cardiff At the beginning of Jan 1982,explosive as can sodium chlorate (weed killer) and devices damaged windows at the Severn- hexamine (fire lighters). Trent Water Authority offices in Birming- It seems likely that the DPP may initiate ham, and at the NCB pensions and invest- PS: proceedings for conspiracy charges against Dafydd Ladd is languishing in Cardiff Pris- ment offices off Fleet Street in London.