MUNDO OBRERO ¿Qué pasó en Colombia? 12

july 24, 2008 Vol. 50, No. 29 50¢ Fed payouts to mortgage banks are a crime Workers need bailout plan By Jaimeson Champion Why Workers World is endorsing Desperate times call for desperate measures. The capi- INDYMAC: More gov´t talist class and its state are getting increasingly desper- handouts to the rich 5 ate as they attempt to stave off a global collapse of the financial system. MuMIA ABu-JAMAL Cynthia McKinney On July 13 the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Federal Reserve unveiled a hastily devised plan aimed on the foreclosure crisis 3 for president at rescuing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage lending behemoths, from the brink of bankruptcy. financial institution. Roosevelt’s aim was to resuscitate Workers World newspaper in Combined, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own or the ailing Depression-era housing market by having the the past has supported the can- insure half of the more than $12 trillion mortgage debt government back low-cost, fixed-rate mortgage loans. didates of Workers World Party in the U.S. Bonds issued by Fannie and Freddie are held Fannie operated in this form until 1968. running for national office in the in massive quantities by governments and institutional That year, President Lyndon Johnson, who was grow- U.S. presidential elections and investors around the globe. ing increasingly worried about the escalating costs of who have put forward a revolu- The bailout plan is essentially a promise by the capital- the Vietnam War, pushed to have Fannie taken off the tionary socialist program. This ist state to help finance Fannie and Freddie for the fore- federal books. Johnson didn’t like having to devote part time we are taking the unusual seeable future. of the budget to mortgages for working families; instead step of endorsing the candidacy Officials from the Treasury and the Fed have been in he preferred to spend it on imperialist war in Southeast of Cynthia McKinney because ww Photo: John CatalInotto constant contact with Wall Street in recent days in pan- Asia. From that point forward, Fannie became a quasi- these are unique times and this is a unique candidate. icked attempts to persuade investors to stop dumping private institution known as a Government Sponsored McKinney, a courageous Black woman and former Fannie and Freddie stock and to continue purchasing Entity. U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia, has become one of bonds issued by the once-hallowed financial institutions. GSEs are shareholder-owned companies, but they the most militant leaders and voices for the U.S. left, pro- The story of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac begins back have the expressed backing of the capitalist government. gressive and Black movements. in the Great Depression. In 1938 President Franklin GSEs are owned and operated like private companies Because of her militancy in the struggle against the Roosevelt initiated the creation of Fannie Mae as a public Continued on page 5 Continued on page 10

`LoNgest WaLk 2´. Clean up mother earth .

RACISM & U.S. ELECTIONS  Barack, Michelle obama under attack  new Yorker graphic an outrage 8

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Photo: laura aYers Two thousand people joined the longest Walk 2 in Washington, D.C., on july 11. See page 4. Name PhONe email U.S. OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST SuDAN address  Iran Politicized charges an act of war 9 City/state/ZiP  afghanIstan Workers World WW IN 1978 55 W. 17 st. Ny, Ny 10011 212-627-2994 www.workers.org  gI resistance 6-7 Beat back Bakke! 2 Page 2 July 24, 2008 www.workers.org

Historic advance in struggle against racism

H In the U.S. 35,000 march to ‘Beat back Bakke!’ Workers need bailout plan...... 1 WW in 1978: ‘Beat back Bakke!’...... 2 Workers World is in its 50th year of publication. spontaneous chants of the demonstrators that they knew Legal update on Mumia Abu-Jamal...... 3 We reprint this article from the April 21, 1978, issue their protest marked a significant advance in the strug- Mumia on foreclosures ...... 3 of the paper as part of our special archival series. gle against racism. “We say no to racism, we say no to sexism, Actions challenge criminal injustice system...... 3 By Jaime Veve we say no to Bakke, we say no to Carter!” With Lucasville prisoner speaks on police roundup ...... 3 WASHINGTON, D.C., April 15—In one of the these words Jimmy Garrett, co-chairperson of the 'Longest Walk 2' demands Native rights...... 4 most militant and massive demonstrations held Washington, D.C., NCOBD, greeted the marchers as WW Pilots protest DHL's job cuts ...... 4 anywhere in the United States since the civil rights they gathered at the steps of the Capitol where the Reproductive rights under further attack...... 4 struggle of the 1960s, over 35,000 people, the major- in1978 final rally was held. Failing banks line up for gov’t handouts...... 5 ity Black, Asian and Latin youth, came to Washington, Hilda Mason of the Washington, D.C., City Council D.C., today to voice their total opposition to the racist opened up the rally by voicing the feelings of everyone Army court-martials resister for blowing whistle . . . . . 6 Bakke case now pending before the Nixon-packed U.S. present at today’s historic march. “Today we are march- Behind the attacks on Michelle Obama...... 8 Supreme Court. ing, we are marching for justice. We are marching to stop Is it ‘satire’ or racism?...... 8 Chanting “We won’t go back, send Bakke back,” the the oppression against minorities, against the denied, New Yorkers protest racist magazine cover...... 8 angry voices of thousands of youth from the oppressed against the have-nots.” Confronting the corporate media...... 10 com­munities demanding the overturn of the notorious Bill Simons, president of the Washington Teachers Bakke decision, an end to racism and upholding of affirma- Union and secretary of the Coalition of Black Trade H Around the world tive action programs were undoubtedly heard in the hal- Unionists, denounced the Bakke decision as a racist Afghan resistance grows in response to U .S . war crimes. 6 lowed halls of the Supreme Court and the White House. offensive against affirmative action. He added, “We will Canadian government deports U .S . war resister . . . . . 6 Three hours before the march was to begin, people continue to march until we get what we were promised— U .S . and Israel prepare for attack on Iran...... 7 were already arriving at the assembly site, reflecting the equality and justice for all.” Czechs protest Rice visit over radar base treaty. . . . . 7 tremendous response among the oppressed youth to this Antonio Rodriguez of CASA-General Brotherhood demonstration against racism, called by the National of Workers, a Mexican workers’ organization based in UN court indicts Sudan leader...... 9 Committee to Overturn the Bakke Decision. Buses and car- California, said, “There is no greater proof that the peo- International assaults on Zimbabwe foiled ...... 9 loads of demonstrators began arriving from places as dis- ple make history, make social change, than today here in Cynthia McKinney speaks on ‘free trade’ in Mexico. . . . 11 tant as Detroit, Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, North Carolina, Washington, D.C. We say that affirmative action, we say Two Haitian militants killed in mob attack ...... 11 Philadelphia, Baltimore, Rochester and Newark. that special admission programs are the only concrete Youth defy U .S . blockade of Cuba ...... 11 Over 100 buses came from New York City, including 35 ways toward those goals when they talk about equality in from the various campuses of the City University of New the abstract.” H Editorials York. In no time, the Ellipse became a sea of people hold- Other speakers at the rally were Grantland Johnson Cynthia McKinney for president...... 1 ing up hundreds of bright yellow banners and flags made from the NCOBD, Aimee Cruz of KDP, Digna Sanchez H Noticias En Español by the NCOBD with slogans that proclaimed “Say no to of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, Betsy Gimbel of ¿Qué pasó en Colombia?...... 12 racism, overturn the Bakke decision,” “Bakke—apartheid Disabled in Action, Reverend Bob Pruitt, Joe Malloy, in jobs, housing, and education,” “Fight for education, a coal miner and member of the United Mine Workers overturn Bakke,” and “If Bakke wins, we all lose.” Union, and Claudette Furlonge of the Women’s Focus of At the assembly point, the crowd enthusiastically the NCOBD. waved their flags in the air as Dennis Serrette, chairman ‘A Turning Point in the Struggle’ Workers World of the New York NCOBD, and Belinda Lightfoot, co-coor- 55 West 17 Street Larry Holmes, New York City mobilizer of the NCOBD, dinator of the Washington NCOBD, chaired the first rally, New York, N.Y. 10011 received a tremendous cheer as he opened his remarks with which heard from a number of individuals active in the Phone: (212) 627-2994 the chant “Down with Bakke, up with Soweto.” He then struggle against racism and the Bakke decision. Some of Fax: (212) 675-7869 went on to express the sentiments of all those parti­cipating­ the speakers represented were Alice Jennings, co-chair- E-mail: [email protected] in today’s demonstration when he said, “Today we have a woman of the Detroit NCOBD; Arthur Kinoy, progressive Web: www.workers.org constitutional lawyer; Frank Schaefer-Corona, a mem- meeting of organizers, a meeting of anti-racist activists. We ber of the Washington, D.C., School Board; Odette King have to be about continuing the struggle. Our presence Vol. 50, No. 29 • July 24, 2008 of the Asian Focus of the NCOBD; and Bernard Hughes, here today is making history, making April 15 a turning Closing date: July 16, 2008 East Coast regional coordinator of the NCOBD. point in the struggle to liberate the oppressed people.” Editor: Deirdre Griswold Today’s action was a revival of the spirit of struggle on Finally the march surged out of the gathering site led by Technical Editor: Lal Roohk a contingent from the Black community of Washington, the part of oppressed youth. This was reflected in the tre- D.C. The contingent was composed of students from local mendous outpouring of people to today’s demonstration Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, high schools and colleges, such as Howard University, with a determination and militancy which have not been Leslie Feinberg, Monica Moorehead, Gary Wilson and trade unions, especially the American Federation seen since the struggle of the 1960s which culminated West Coast Editor: John Parker of State, County, and Municipal Employees and the in many gains, including affirmative action and special Contributing Editors: Greg Butterfield, G. Dunkel, American Federation of Government Employees, both of admissions programs. Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, which have many Black members. This point was not lost on the powerful ruling circles David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash, Chanting “We’re fired up, send Bakke back,” the march- behind the racist Bakke offensive, as evidenced by the Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Minnie Bruce Pratt boycott by the capitalist press of this significant event. ers moved 10 to 15 abreast slowly down Pennsylvania Ave. Technical Staff: Shelley Ettinger, Bob McCubbin, The struggle against Bakke goes to the heart of the strug- in a massive procession covering over 20 city blocks Maggie Vascassenno with a continuous chorus of chants such as “Up with gle against racism in this country, racism which is such a Soweto, down with Bakke,” “We say no, we say no, we divisive weapon against the whole working class. Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, say no to racism,” and “Reverse discrimination is a sham, The tremendous success of April 15 was due to the Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, affirmative action is our demand.” fact that those most affected by the Bakke decision, the Carlos Vargas As the marchers passed the offices of the reactionary oppressed from the Black and Latin communities, did not Internet: Janet Mayes Supreme Court, their angry voices rang in unison with boycott the event and instead came by the thousands to Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator the chant of “We’re gonna beat back the Bakke decision.” participate in a historic march which has contributed to Copyright © 2008 Workers World. Verbatim copying One could sense in the uninterrupted enthusiasm and moving the struggle against racism forward. n and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium JOIN US. National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Houston Richmond, Va. without royalty provided this notice is preserved. Workers World Party 55 W. 17 St., 367 Delaware Ave. P.O. Box 595 P.O. Box 14602, Workers World (ISSN-1070-4205) is published week- New York, NY 10011 (WWP) fights on all Buffalo, NY 14202 Houston, Richmond, VA 23221 ly except the first week of January by WW Publishers, 212-627-2994; 716-566-1115 TX 77001-0595 [email protected] 55 W. 17 St., N.Y., N.Y. 10011. Phone: (212) 627-2994. issues that face the Fax (212) 675-7869 [email protected] 713-861-5965 working class and Rochester, N.Y. Subscriptions: One year: $25; foreign and institutions: [email protected] Chicago [email protected] oppressed peoples— 585-436-6458 $35. Letters to the editor may be condensed and edited. Atlanta 27 N. Wacker Dr. #138 Los Angeles [email protected] Black and white, Latin@, P.O. Box 424, Chicago, IL 60606 111 N. La Brea Ave., #408 Articles can be freely reprinted, with credit to Workers San Diego, Calif. 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Legal update on

July 10 rally demands Mumia Abu-Jamal indictment of racist vigilante Joe Horn. On July 7, the United States Court of Appeals Photo: Jon Axford for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia filed a peti- tion on the case of death-row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. Robert R. Bryan, lead counsel Houston,. for Abu-Jamal, submitted the petition on June 27 focusing on the racist exclusion of Black jurors we have a problem! during Abu-Jamal’s original trial in 1982. Abu-Jamal was convicted of first degree mur- der of a white police officer on July 3, 1982, and has been fighting for the right to a new trial to Actions challenge prove his innocence. He was denied the right to legal representation at his trial and was railroad- ed to Pennsylvania’s death row due to his revolu- criminal injustice system tionary politics. If the Third Circuit rules against the petition, By Gloria Rubac indicted for murder. Sadiyah Evangelista with the Millions the next appeal will be sent to the U.S. Supreme Houston Horn is the Pasadena, Texas, man More Movement; Marcario Ramirez, Court. Visit www.millions4mumia.org for more who made national news for shooting a long-time Chicano activist; a repre- information. The Harris County criminal justice the two alleged burglars in the back. sentative of the Texas Death Penalty —Monica Moorehead system here has historically been rac- Despite a 911 operator telling Horn Abolition Movement; and Don Cook ist and targeted the poor, with justice to stay inside his home, Horn was with the Harris County Green Party. denied for untold generations. Within recorded telling the operator: “Well, Minister Quannell X with the New From Mumia Abu-Jamal on death row the last year, the struggle against this here it goes, buddy. You hear the Black Panther Nation introduced system has intensified to the point shotgun clicking and I’m going. Move Stephanie Storey, the fiancée of one that ruling-class politicians have been and you’re dead.” The sound of him of Horn’s victims. Saving bankers while challenged to examine its violent and cocking his shotgun and then firing Kofi Taharka, chair of the National racist practices. can be heard on the 911 recording. Black United Front, Houston chapter, Recently the federal Department A Harris County grand jury cleared asked the crowd to raise their hands if home owners fail of Justice did a five-day examination Horn of all charges on June 30, they planned to attend the next meet- Excerpts from a June 29 audio ­column. Go to of the Harris County Jail, a massive enraging many in Houston’s African- ing of the Coalition for Justice on prisonradio.org to hear Mumia’s commentaries complex of detention centers where American community as well as many July 15, at 7:00 p.m. at the S.H.A.P.E. and millions4mumia.org to get updates on his more than 100 prisoners have been others of all nationalities throughout Community Center, 3815 Live Oak. legal case and activities demanding a new trial. “found” dead. the metropolitan Houston area. Almost the entire crowd lifted their A Houston Chronicle review of state At the rally, the speakers berated hands into the air and cheered. Throughout the presidential primaries, while and county records reveals that from the racism that is systemic in Harris Taharka stressed that this ongoing politicians amass millions from both corporate and January 2001 through December County’s criminal justice system and struggle for justice in Harris County private sources, how many times did you hear the 2006, at least 101 inmates—an aver- demanded that Horn’s shooting be was open to all. “This is not a Quannell sub-prime lending disaster discussed? age of about 17 per year—have died taken before another grand jury, one X thing. This is not a Black thing. This Over a million homeowners, while in the custody of the jail. In representative of all the nationalities is for ALL those who want to fight for most of them Black or Brown, 2006 alone, after three consecutive that make up Harris County. justice!” he said. “Our community has faced foreclosure and the years of failing to comply with state Nation of Islam Minister Robert allies in the Hispanic community and loss of their most valuable standards, the jail recorded 22 in- Mohammad outlined the five points we need them. And we don’t hate all financial asset, and most custody deaths. that the Coalition for Justice, which white people. We have some whites politicians passed over At the times of their deaths, at organized the protest, had agreed here today and they are working side it in relative silence, while least 72 of the inmates—more than upon. They were: by side with us. If we all work togeth- they begged or lied for votes. 70 percent—were awaiting court 1. We oppose criminal activity in er, we can win!” How can this be unless they, hearings and had yet to be con- the streets of Harris County and in the The day after the rally, the two like most pols, were the paid-for victed of the crimes that led to their suites of Harris County government. Harris County jailers responsible property of corporations? incarceration. 2. We call on the DA, Kenneth for the Jan. 10 death of Clarence When the sub-prime mess hit, in a matter of U.S. Congressperson John Conyers Madgison, to take Horn’s case before Freeman, a prisoner, were fired. hours, the Federal Reserve Board’s head, Ben (D-Mich.), who heads the House another grand jury with the same vig- Taharka said, “This is the beginning Bernanke, slipped $200 billion bucks in govern- Judiciary Committee, will hold a or used to indict Blacks, Latinos and of justice for Freeman. The end will ment guarantees to keep the mortgage loan indus- hearing at Houston City Hall in mid- the poor of all races. be when the jailers are charged and try afloat. Thus, the U.S. government used its power July to take testimony from victims 3. We want the racial makeup of convicted of his murder.” to back the banks’ hustling of what were essentially of Harris County injustice and from the grand jury that no-billed Horn Cherry Bradley-Freeman, Free­ junk bonds. family members of those who did not to be revealed and call for all grand man’s spouse, who had spoken at the A fifth of a trillion dollars to back those who survive. juries to reflect the racial diversity of rally, said the firings give her hope ripped off a million people with loans designed to Harris County. that the people responsible for her fail; and for those who got ripped off, nothing. Rally demands indictment 4. We call for the immediate and husband’s death will face justice. “I’m of racist vigilante Indeed, the only politician who was attacking this unconditional resignation of Sheriff glad that they have come forward practice was New York’s former Attorney General On July 10, a week after vigilante Tommy Thomas and his command and admit what I already knew,” she (and later Governor), Eliot Spitzer. But once he was Joe Horn was no-billed for killing staff. said. caught in the hooker scandal, this threat melted two Afro-Colombians last November 5. We call on local, county, state and The firings came three days after slowly away. who he said he believed had broken national elected officials to endorse the U.S. Department of Justice These sub-prime loans, saddled with balloon- into his neighbor’s home, a militant the request made by Congresswoman launched what was expected to be a like expanded repayment rates, were designed to rally was held. Hundreds of out- Sheila Jackson Lee for an inquiry by five-day inspection of the downtown fail, and these legalized hustles were steered at an raged and energetic people gath- the Department of Justice into the county jail facilities to determine astonishing rate—to 73 percent of high-income ered in front of the Harris County entire legal system of Harris County. whether they are operating under African-American and Hispanic families. Among Courthouse to demand that Horn be Other speakers included attorney “lawful” conditions. n white high-income homeowners, only 17 percent were recipients of subprimes. This greed riot has sent shivers throughout the Lucasville prisoner speaks on police roundup economy, not just in America, but overseas as well, because foreign companies and governments Mosi Paki is one of the prisoners We both know the system makes corporate patrollers is based on race, invested in these junk mortgage bonds. who has been in solitary confine- mass arrests to blame the victims, class and mass profits per individu- The foreclosure crisis has slowed housing con- ment for the past 15 years for the just to load up their prison/industri- als incarcerated in the name of being struction; loans are almost impossible to get; and uprising in the prison in Lucasville, al complex for desired mass profits. “tough on crime,” as worded by the the International Monetary Fund estimates banks Ohio, in 1993. He is the only one of For the supply of prisoners to grow, politrickers. ... and investors will lose some $1 trillion. the Lucasville uprising prisoners who criminal justice policies must ensure The E. 116th roundup they say was But for nearly a million families their losses will did not receive a trial, but merely a a sufficient number of incarcerated related to robberies in the Mount be infinitely greater. They lose their dreams, their ticket (rules violation) by the Rules poor, regardless of whether crime is Pleasant area. I see many businesses homes, and perhaps their families. How many Infraction Board. The following is rising or not. have installed security cameras and divorces have they birthed by these foreclosures? an excerpt from Paki’s letter to a Also, the poor are sent to prisons are now hiring security personnel— How many families have been split asunder? How member of the Cleveland Lucasville not so much because of crimes they off-duty cops [receiving] double pay many suicides? 5 Defense Committee in response may have or may not have commit- for what tax dollars pay them to do These non-economic losses can be traced to pure, to news about police arrests of 90 ted, but largely because their com- on the clock. Wow, what a politricker unmitigated greed of bankers, investment houses, youths in the area of East 116th Street munities have been criminalized. brainstorm on people in that area. n and the willing blindness of a government. n and Buckeye Road in Cleveland. Mass arrests or other profiling by Page 4 July 24, 2008 www.workers.org `Longest Walk 2´demands Native rights, respect of earth By Johnnie Stevens and Sara Catalinotto Delegations participated in Washington from the Leonard Peltier Defense Two thousand people joined the Committee, Black Left Unity, Katrina Rita Longest Walk 2 at the White House in Diaspora Solidarity Caravan, American Washington, D.C., on July 11. This mobi- Indian Community House of New York lization marks the 30th anniversary of the City, All African Peoples’ Revolutionary original Longest Walk, when thousands Party, D.C. Peoples’ Media Center, Black of Native Americans converged on the Talk Radio and WBAI. Capitol to defeat eleven pieces of legisla- After a militant rally led by Longest tion that would have terminated Native Walk veterans, including dances and American tribal rights. songs, Dennis Banks, founder of American LW2 began in San Francisco on Feb. Indian Movement, thanked everyone for 11, raising environmental injustice and their help throughout the walk. Dennis global warming, protection of sacred sites, repeated the slogan, “All life is sacred. sovereignty, health concerns and cultural Clean up mother earth,” referring to walk- survival. The walk toured 8,000 miles, 26 ers who had picked up thousand of bags of states and 35 Indian nations. LW2 took trash along the route. two routes, northern and southern. The The crowd grew as the walk picked up northern route was attacked by police tourists and D.C. workers. At the Capitol, while in Ohio last month. The south- LW2 held a press conference featuring Longest Walk 2, July 11. photo: Laura Ayers ern route visited sites hit by hurricanes Banks and delegations from each nation Katrina and Rita. on the walk, artist/activist Harry Belafonte communities across Turtle Island. stepped on by the U.S. government. When Indigenous people from North, South and House Judiciary Chairperson John One of the sixteen resolutions attached Conyers said he would hold hearings on and Central America and the Pacific Conyers. to the manifesto calls on the U.S. govern- the LW2 manifesto in a full congressio- Islands, as well as people from South Banks presented Rep. Conyers with ment to free Native American political nal session, the crowd erupted. Banks Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia, joined a Manifesto of Change along with the prisoner Leonard Peltier, whose frame-up thanked Conyers, saying, “This is the first the walk. All generations were present, original manifesto from the 1978 Longest was also an issue in the 1978 Longest Walk. time that anyone from the U.S. Congress with youth visibly leading various aspects Walk, which Congress had refused at the The section titled “Ongoing Colonization of has acted on any Indian manifesto. This is of the mobilization such as security and time. The LW2 manifesto is a collection Mother Earth’s Sacred Places” addresses already a victory!” press work. of voices the organizers had heard from in detail the abuse of the land by military Banks then introduced Belafonte as testing and by multinational corporations one of Martin Luther King’s confidantes who take out uranium, coal, copper and and a longtime friend of Indian people. Reproductive rights trees from predominantly Native terri- Belafonte thanked Banks for inviting him tory and leave behind contaminated water to both Longest Walks, 1978 and 2008, and nuclear waste dumps. Another section and pledged to do all he can to support under further attack rejects “the occupiers’ borders imposed on the LW2 manifesto. this land,” as well as “NAFTA and other LW2 continued July 12 at the Lincoln By Kris Hamel patients.” (Star Tribune, July 1) policies [which] force our people from Monument with a Pow-Wow, welcoming South Dakota already has some of the their land.” all who were a part of the walk to join in In Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel, “The most restrictive laws on abortion in the Rep. Conyers thanked all who had a victory dance. Organizers ask that sup- Handmaid’s Tale,” the lives of women country, as well as a low rate of abortion joined the walk, saying, “This is the first porters stay in touch with their website and their reproductive capacity are con- among pregnant women. There is but one struggle—the Indian people.” He acknowl- (www.longestwalk.org) as the walkers trolled by a totalitarian, theocratic and clinic providing abortions in the entire edged that past treaties have always been return to their homes. n male-dominated state. In the Republic state. of Gilead, women are not allowed to read The same forces behind the “informed or be educated, and they are classified by consent” law were the ones who passed their subordinate role to men and procre- a law in 2006 outlawing all abortions Pilots protest DHL’s job cuts ation. Handmaids are fertile women who in the state. That draconian legislation Members of the Air Lines Pilots security commitments. DHL, which owns have been rehabilitated after breaking was overturned by a vote of the people Association crashed DHL’s All-Star 49 percent of ASTAR, endorsed these strict social and gender laws. Their func- in November of that year. Now, another FanFest baseball show at New York City’s commitments and never mentioned any tion in society is to be impregnated and measure will appear on this year’s ballot Jacob Javits Convention Center on July 14 negotiations with UPS. bear children for wives, the spouses of the that will criminalize all abortions except and 15. They traveled from Wilmington, The stream of DHL workers driving ruling male commanders. Lesbian, gay, bi in cases of pregnancy resulting from rape Ohio, to protest DHL’s plans to cut 10,000 trucks to a nearby facility eagerly accept- and trans people and women of color are or incest or which may endanger a wom- jobs. ed the ALPA brochures. DHL is a wholly among the very lowest social castes. an’s health. The rules regarding these ALPA members distributed a colorful owned subsidiary of Deutsche Post World While Atwood’s dystopian future is the exceptions will be difficult for women to brochure that tells the truth: “DHL is now Net, whose revenues exceeded 63 billion fruit of the author’s imagination, has the comply with and require extreme intru- proposing to give all of its North American euros last year. ruling class here already begun imple- sion by the state. air cargo to UPS—one of its biggest com- Among the supporters who came out to menting a terrifying version of Gilead Another blow to First Amendment petitors. This agreement, if put into effect, the picket line was Daniel Vila, an orga- when it comes to women’s reproductive rights was dealt by the Ninth Circuit will eliminate over 10,000 jobs in Ohio nizer with the American Postal Workers capacities and roles in class society? Court of Appeals in California on July and effectively close down ASTAR [for- Union who’s organizing DHL workers On June 27, the Eighth Circuit Court of 2. The court gave the go-ahead for an merly DHL Airways].” The giving away of in Allentown, Pa., and Johnnie Stevens Appeals overturned a 2005 district court anti-choice group to drive a truck with DHL’s air cargo to UPS also violates anti- from the Katrina Rita Diaspora Solidarity injunction, ordering South Dakota to start giant photos of supposed aborted fetuses trust laws. Caravan. around the streets near middle and high enforcing its “informed consent” law. This This job-cutting scheme was announced —Stephen Millies schools. A panel of “liberal” judges ruled benign-sounding law is anything but. It just three months after ALPA members at Member, Transportation will force physicians to issue a state-man- Continued on page 8 ASTAR signed a new contract with job Communications Union, Local 1402 dated written statement to women seeking abortions that the procedure will “termi- nate the life of a whole, separate, unique living human being.” It states a woman has Labor-Community an “existing relationship with that unborn human being and that the relationship Forum on Foreclosures enjoys protection” under the law and that n Topics to be discussed.. abortion will terminate such a relation- n Foreclosure Epidemic 1-5 p.m., Sat. ship. It requires the statement to include Nationwide unproven “facts” that abortion causes n Effects on People of California th depression and suicide among women. n How is the Economy July 26 Sarah Stoesz, the CEO of Planned Worsening the Crisis Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota n Legal Advice to Protect Yourself and South Dakota, called the court’s n Building a Fight Back Campaign opinion “unprecedented in scope and to Stop Foreclosures unmatched in its intrusion on First Panelists repersenting: SEIU Local 721 Amendment rights.” She stated further, SEIU L. 721 Latino & African American Cmts 500 S. Virgil Ave, “Planned Parenthood challenged the 2005 Mich. Moratorium Now Cltn. to Stop Foreclosures Los Angeles, CA law because it violated the constitutional & Evictions•Harvard Blvd Block Assoc.• St. rights of doctors and patients by forcing Asmby. Mike Davis•Int'l Action Ctr •May Day Please RSVP at: doctors to give ideologically charged, non- Unity Cltn for Immigrant Rights•BAYAN- 213.494.8314~Rosie USA•Housing LA•Religious Community 310.677.6407~John scientific and inaccurate messages to their WW PHOTO: STEPHEN MILLIES www.workers.org July 24, 2008 Page 5 Failing banks line up for gov’t handouts By Milt Neidenberg Stanley and Goldman Sachs were battered cover two major areas before any other collapse that followed. The banking crisis, following the run on IndyMac. National disbursements are made. What do they which first developed during the “roaring Panic is spreading among Wall Street City Bank stopped trading after its stock consider the top priorities? All interest twenties,” was cataclysmic. The banks investors. Have their dreams of an ever- plunged 20 percent, but started up later payments must be made to the banks and were falling like trees in a tornado. lasting, profit-driven capitalist economy in the day. “Washington Mutual fell 27 all military expenditures must be covered. The first act of Democrat Franklin D. à la Goldilocks—not too hot, not too cold, percent, Wachovia dropped 12 percent. If anything is left over, maybe the govern- Roosevelt when he took office as presi- just right—become a nightmare? M&T Bank, which reported a 25 percent ment will meet some of its obligations to dent on March 4, 1933, was to proclaim a After having reached dizzying heights drop in its second-quarter earnings ear- the people whose taxes keep it going. “bank holiday.” He shut down the entire of optimism, the transnational banking ly Monday, fell 15 percent.” (Wall Street Bank bailouts involve considerable risk banking system for four days—an unprec- empires, financial satellites and corporate Journal, July 14) for the government. The Federal Deposit edented act that literally stopped the daily boardrooms—which have gathered riches Banks—large and small—feed the arter- Insurance Corp., which guarantees inves- functioning of the capitalist system. Thus beyond belief at the expense of the mul- ies of the capitalist state. Is their acceler- tors/depositors up to $100,000, has $53 he began his dramatic restructuring of tinational working class and oppressed ating meltdown leading to a government billion set aside for this purpose. IndyMac capitalism to save the system. And save nationalities—are now gripped by fear. bailout for which the worker/taxpayer will alone will eat up at least $4 to $8 billion capitalism he did. “Many investors are on edge after feder- have to pick up the tab? of that fund. The Federal Reserve has The banking system is in crisis and is al regulators seized the California lender, That’s what happened when Bear nearly $600 billion of debt on its books, demanding the government put out the IndyMac Bank, one of the nation’s larg- Stearns, the fourth-largest investment based primarily on the global mortgage money to rescue the banks. Facing huge est savings and loans, last week. With $32 bank, went belly-up in March. The Federal collapse. And under its legal statutes and budget deficits in coming fiscal years, the billion in assets, IndyMac, a spin-off of Reserve Bank and the Treasury cranked obligations, it must provide funds to the government, whether led by Democrats the Countrywide Financial Corporation, out $31 billion, accepting subprime mort- government. or Republicans, will cut social programs was the biggest American lender to fail gage paper and other debt as collateral so Printing money is one path to salva- to the bone—while health care is denied, in more than two decades.” (New York JPMorgan Chase could buy Bear Stearns tion but it debases the currency, caus- jobs disappear, pensions are wiped out, Times, July 13) for peanuts. ing hyper-inflation and driving down the and food and energy costs rise at an astro- IndyMac, the giant mortgage lender, value of the dollar in the global market. nomical rate. had gone bankrupt and was bought at a Public money down the rathole Letting banks and other capitalist entities The prospects are for the capitalist cri- fire sale by the Bank of America. Can the U.S. government assume the fail is another path. That is also happen- sis to grow deeper and more profound. It The article continued: “Time may be humongous private sector debt incurred ing now. will propel the exploited and the down- running out for some small and mid-size by a period of hyper-speculation, infla- These are dangerous times for the trodden masses into struggle and has the lenders ... but the troubles are growing so tion and economic stagnation? The gov- multinational working class and the potential to unleash worldwide revolu- rapidly at some small and mid-size banks ernment is already burdened with a $9.5 oppressed nationalities. Even the 15 mil- tionary forces. that as many as 150 out of the 7,500 banks trillion public debt, thanks primarily to lion union members are victims of stag- This is a profit-driven class system that nationwide could fail over the next 12 to debt service owed the banks and borrow- flation and the vicious boom-and-bust enshrines the private ownership of the 18 months, analysts say. Other lenders are ing for costly imperialist wars and other cycles endemic to the capitalist system. means of production. Yet it has developed likely to shut branches or seek mergers.” military spending. The bankers and the banking system these same productive forces to such a Many more banks are on the hit list as This is only a portion of the public debt. itself are a leading cause of this capital- vast extent that they have outgrown the the credit/debt crunch deepens. They are The government has already robbed $12.8 ist crisis, responsible for the significant limitations of private ownership and holding fictitious capital—like collateral- trillion from the Social Security Trust rise in hyper-speculation. No large-scale become social in character. ized debt obligations, structured invest- Fund and replaced it with IOUs. The speculation in stocks, bonds and com- The scientific-technological revolution ment vehicles, hedge funds, derivatives combined total is therefore $23 trillion. modities like oil can take place without has brought the means of production to and other incomprehensible financial It is growing daily by $1.72 billion. The the banks. The banks supply the loans for such a level of development that they instruments that are becoming nearly debt has reached a staggering 160 percent speculation and accept all kinds of stocks could feed, clothe, house and provide joy- worthless paper. of the $13.9 trillion U.S. gross domes- and mortgages as collateral. ful lives for all of humankind. But a new Larger institutions will present finan- tic product—the total annual value of all system that socializes the ownership of cial reports in the third week of July and goods and services. (National Debt Clock) Déjà vu all over again? the means of production must replace multi-billion-dollar write-offs are expect- The government debt is concealed in The banks were the fundamental agent capitalism before they can be in synch ed. The stocks of investment banks like a general fund, which is the recipient of of the hyper-speculation that preceded the with human needs. That system is social- Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Morgan all tax monies. The fund is guaranteed to 1929 crash and the devastating economic ism and it is objectively within reach. n

ground. Why should the workers, whom the bailout plans being concocted by the they daily oppress, be forced to provide Treasury and the Fed. Workers need bailout plan them with lifeboats? The working class, long subject to the In any bailout of Fannie and Freddie, divisive prejudices deliberately sown Continued from page 1 profits for their shareholders during the the money should go directly to workers among us by the ruling class, must unite but are promised public funds if they should bubble years, but, like seemingly every who have faced or are facing foreclosure, in our own common class interest and take ever get into financial trouble. Freddie Mac other financial institution, insatiable or the workers who have suffered when the offensive against the capitalist class. was established in 1970 to operate as a sib- greed led them to become increasingly their pensions and retirement savings were Private ownership of the means of pro- ling company to Fannie Mae. leveraged and loaded down with fictitious invested in these companies. But the capi- duction is at the root of this deepening Since decoupling from the federal books capital. talist state would never truly get behind economic crisis. The abolition of private in 1968, Fannie and Freddie have taken on Around the globe, banks—the heartbeat that kind of a rescue plan. The state’s only property and the development of socialism an ever-increasing role in the U.S. housing and lifeblood of modern monopoly capi- loyalty is to the capitalist class. can provide the way out of this crisis, and market. The two companies have moved talism—are steadily becoming insolvent. It is painfully clear that the growth and ensure that the kind of economic suffering steadily away from Fannie’s once chartered Banks of all shapes and sizes are going expansion of free markets, which took this crisis has wrought never occurs again. role of providing low-cost, fixed-rate mort- belly up. place in the wake of the dissolution of While the abolition of private property gages. They have increasingly assumed the From investment banks like Bear the Soviet Union, have been an unmiti- sounds like a daunting task, the reality is role of massive banks for the vast network Stearns, to commercial lenders like gated disaster for workers and oppressed that the ruling class has already laid the of financial institutions involved in the IndyMac and Northern Rock, and now to around the globe. foundations for its own demise. U.S. housing market. the GSEs like Fannie and Freddie, it has In the past two decades, proponents of By organizing billions of workers into Fannie and Freddie facilitate lending in been one bank-run after another. There is free-market economics have denounced a vast productive network, where every- the U.S. housing market by issuing bonds no end in sight as the largest housing mar- socialism as inefficient and utopian. They thing from the extraction of raw materi- to investors and then using the money ket collapse since the Great Depression claimed that the growth of “democracy als to the sale of the final commodity is from the bond sales to buy blocs of mort- continues to drag a multitude of large and free markets” would bring about a linked, the ruling class has already social- gages from banks. In this way, they grease financial institutions to the brink. post-Cold-War era of global prosperity. ized the productive capacity of society. An the wheels of lending in the United States Yet with the global financial system organized army of workers already has the by taking illiquid assets off the banks’ Capitalism: exploitative, crisis- on the precipice of collapse, millions of reins to the productive apparatus. hands and pumping money capital into prone and not worth saving workers forced from their homes by fore- In this period of extreme economic cri- the system. As with the Bear Stearns collapse in closure, skyrocketing energy prices and sis, the capitalist class would find itself in During the housing bubble of 2002- March, the capitalist-controlled media nearly 1 billion people going hungry every even bigger trouble in the face of concert- 2006 Fannie and Freddie grew astronom- have been pumping out the message that year, the idea that “democracy and free ed and well-organized strikes, walkouts, ically as they became the two largest play- the bailout of Fannie and Freddie is nec- markets” will bring about an era of global plant takeovers and militant resistance to ers in the unprecedented housing market essary because the institutions are “too prosperity seems ridiculously utopian. the banks that are seizing our homes. A boom. The ability of Fannie and Freddie to big to fail.” The refrain goes that if Fannie Capitalism is clearly failing, but what is united working class could quickly bring purchase massive blocs of mortgage loans and Freddie go down, the systemic dam- the alternative? The answer lies in the devel- the vast machinations of global capitalism from the banks helped set the stage for the age their collapse would unleash would opment of working class consciousness and to a screeching halt. proliferation of a host of dubious mort- cause even greater economic suffering. the renewed struggle for socialism. In the coming period, which will be gages with untenable rates. The ability of How many companies need to be Karl Marx wrote that the capitalist state marked by ever-increasing economic insta- mortgage holders to pay their mortgages bailed out with public money before it is set up to manage the common affairs bility, it is incumbent upon the entire revo- was no longer important to many lenders, becomes clear that this rotten, exploit- of the capitalist class. This fact is evident lutionary left to do everything possible to as they knew they could easily, and quick- ative and crisis-prone economic system is today as Republicans and Democrats help foster militant working-class solidar- ly, sell the loan to a larger institution. not worth saving? The capitalist bankers hastily put aside their manufactured elec- ity and to renew and reenergize the global Fannie and Freddie raked in massive and bosses have run their ships into the tion year differences in order to legislate class struggle. There is a world to win. n Page 6 July 24, 2008 www.workers.org Afghan resistance grows in response to U.S. war crimes By Deirdre Griswold inflict casualties on the occupiers and the Afghanistan, was derisively known in his ideological terms—a “war on terror.” This puppet forces allied with them. country as “the mayor of Kabul,” meaning phrase has been wearing thin for a long Having rendered much of the coun- The latest attack, however, was different. that his influence extends no further than time with the U.S. public, as it has been try of Iraq virtually uninhabitable, the It was, according to the U.S. military, a the privileged enclaves set up for him and used to justify the most atrocious war destructive forces of U.S. imperialism coordinated assault by some 200 “Taliban” his apparatus in the capital city. crimes and assaults on human rights. are now being focused more intensely on and their supporters on a recently built This contempt among the people for There is a much more plausible reason. Afghanistan and Iran. U.S./NATO base in Kunar province, near those selected by the invaders to rule over Those who cannot entertain the notion The pressure against Iran is still in the Pakistan. The insurgents actually pen- them has only deepened as the pain and that the U.S. world empire is declining and threat stage, but Afghanistan has been etrated the base, killing the soldiers and suffering caused by this war have spread. who feel that military force is justified see suffering terrible devastation delivered wounding 19 more, 15 U.S. and four from Tamim Nuristani, the former governor Afghanistan as occupying a key location. by high-tech weaponry against small vil- the so-called Afghan army. of Kunar province, “said some local peo- It is near the oil-rich Middle East and lages. The attacks by the U.S./NATO forc- According to Western accounts, the ple might have joined the militants since a Iran. Near former Soviet republics that es are now spilling over into the border insurgents had covertly occupied the ham- group of civilians were killed in American also are rich in natural resources to exploit. areas of neighboring Pakistan. The most let of Wanat next to the base, first sending airstrikes on July 4 in the same area. ‘This Near the South Asian subcontinent, where atrocious acts of aggression are being the inhabitants to other towns, and then made the people angry,’ he said. ‘It was the hundreds of millions of impoverished peo- committed against rural people in the launched their attack from there. The bat- same area. The airstrikes happened may- ple in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and name of fighting “terror”—a formulation tle lasted for hours. They were repulsed be one kilometer away from the base.’ other countries may take their destiny into that could have come right from Nazi pro- only after the base called in strikes from “Mr. Nuristani strongly criticized those their own hands. And near the People’s pagandist Joseph Goebbels. U.S. warplanes, attack helicopters and airstrikes, saying that 22 civilians had Republic of China, which has become a The corporate media are virtually silent long-range artillery. been killed. … Days after his comments, dynamo of economic development and is on the immense suffering being inflicted “American ground commanders imme- Mr. Nuristani was removed from his post.” therefore seen as more and more of a chal- on the Afghans. It is only when U.S. troops diately called in artillery and airstrikes (Times) lenge and a competitor by the corporate are killed there that the war in Afghanistan from a B-1 bomber, as well as A-10 and In May and June, some 69 U.S. and ruling class in the U.S. makes it into the headlines here—as hap- F-15E attack planes. Apache helicopter NATO soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, In other words, Afghanistan has enor- pened in mid-July, when nine U.S. sol- gunships and a remotely piloted Predator making it the deadliest month since the mous “geostrategic” value to the imperi- diers were killed in eastern Afghanistan, aircraft fired Hellfire missiles at the insur- war began and higher than the casualties alists, in addition to its own exploitable near the Pakistan border. gents, military officials said.” (New York the U.S. “coalition” sustained in Iraq. resources. Until now, the war in Afghanistan has Times, July 15) None of this will help the working people been one in which the forces of resistance The daring shown by the resistance What do they want of the U.S. in their struggle for jobs, decent to foreign intervention have not been fighters in actually attacking a U.S. base from Afghanistan? wages and conditions, or social justice. On strong enough to take on frontally the must have shaken up not only local U.S. What makes the U.S. military and the the contrary, opposing imperialism’s dirty U.S. and NATO troops. These intruders commanders but the top brass back at politicians of both capitalist parties think wars everywhere will elevate the struggle are armed to the teeth with high-powered the Pentagon. However, what makes this that, by sending more troops there, they at home against the evils right here. weapons, night-vision equipment, satellite battle a much bigger nightmare for them is can subdue Afghanistan, whose fierce Former Congresswoman Cynthia communications and guidance systems, that it proves conclusively that the people resistance to Western domination has McKinney, now running for president and death-dealing aircraft that they call in of Afghanistan are overwhelmingly with been recognized ever since the British on several independent tickets, recog- to launch missiles or bombs whenever the the resistance and opposed to the Western tried to conquer them in the mid-19th nized this when she said recently about forces on the ground feel threatened. occupiers. century and finally left with their tails her congressional record: “I consistently The resistance, on the other hand, has Some time ago, it was first mentioned between their legs? opposed every regular and supplemental relied mainly on “suicide bombers”—that in the corporate media that Hamid Karzai, The rhetoric coming from the U.S. gov- appropriation meant to fund the wars in is, individuals so motivated that they the Afghan hand-picked by Washington ernment and foreign policy establishment Afghanistan and Iraq.” knowingly sacrifice their lives in order to to become the U.S. puppet president of explains this huge military operation in E-mail: [email protected] Army court-martials resister for blowing whistle on ‘bait & kill’

By Dee Knight dren.” (Eugene Weekly, May 22) daily hearing the gunfire and explosions. In Iraq, Burmeister had been knocked He has been prescribed a dangerous cock- Private First Class James Burmeister unconscious and his face filled with tail of anti-psychotic drugs and sleep aids faces a Special Court Martial at Fort Knox shrapnel when his Humvee was hit by a by Army doctors, while the command on July 16. The charges are AWOL and roadside bomb. The shrapnel wounds left decides if they want to send him to pris- desertion. He returned to Fort Knox vol- him with a traumatic brain injury, and on, as a coward, a soldier who faced death, untarily in March, after living 10 months he suffers from severe Post-Traumatic and followed orders to ‘shoot to kill.’ The in Canada with his spouse and infant Stress Disorder. His parents insist that he cowards—George Bush and Dick Cheney, child. He refused redeployment to Iraq urgently needs medical and psychological those in Congress and the generals with while on leave in May 2007. help, not jail time. the blood on their hands—why are they In most such cases at Fort Knox, the His parents have waged an unceas- the punishers instead of the punished?” Army has in recent years quietly dis- ing struggle for the Army to release (couragetoresist.org, May 12) missed the resister with a less than hon- him. They called on their representative, Supporters can contact the Fort Knox orable discharge “for the good of the mili- Peter DeFazio, to launch a congressional post commander, General Campbell, to tary.” This time it’s different. The brass inquiry into James’s case, but have so demand a speedy discharge and no fur- “offered” Burmeister a year in military far heard nothing. James’ mother, Helen ther punishment for James. Send email prison and a dishonorable discharge if he Burmeister, flew to Fort Knox in June, to [email protected], or call the with help from anti-war ex-Colonel Ann agreed to plead guilty. PFC James Burmeister exposed the Fort Knox public affairs office at 502-624- Burmeister refused the offer. His Army's “bait-and-kill” program, and Wright. Helen spoke directly to the base 7451. Ask that they discharge PFC James father, Erich, says the Army is making an is now being punished for it. commander there, demanding that her Burmeister now so that he can get the help example of James for denouncing a secret son be discharged in lieu of a court martial. that he needs. n “bait-and-kill” program he was forced Military Justice, said such a baiting pro- She then joined supporters from Veterans to participate in while in Iraq. In media gram … raises troubling possibilities, such for Peace and Vietnam Vets Against the interviews last year in Canada, James as what happens when civilians pick up War demonstrating outside. On July 8 the Army invited Helen to Canadian government deports U.S. war resister described the program as a war crime he the items. ... ‘You might as well ask every was forced to commit. Shortly afterward, Iraqi to walk around with a target on his attend her son’s court martial on July Special to Workers World the program’s details came out in the back,’ Fidell said.” (Sept. 24, 2007) 16. This time both she and her husband Washington Post. James had asked to be classified as Erich are going. They’re determined to The minority Conservative govern- “Baiting is putting an object out there a conscientious objector following his keep James out of jail. “I bought a one- ment of Canada moved July 15 to deport that we know they will use, with the training in Germany, but his request was way ticket,” Erich told Workers World. 25-year-old U.S. war resister Robin Long, intention of destroying the enemy,” the ignored by his commander. Instead, he “I’m not leaving without my son. If I have who would not fight in Iraq. Despite polls Post quoted Capt. Matthew Didier, lead- became a machine gunner. “Our unit’s to sit outside the base and wait for him, showing that 64 percent of Canadians er of an elite sniper scout platoon. “We job seemed to be more about targeting I’ll do it. Even if I have to go on a hunger want to grant sanctuary to Iraq War would put an item out there and watch it. a largely innocent civilian population or strike, that’s what I’ll do. My son does not resisters and the passage of a parliamen- If someone found the item, picked it up deliberately attracting confrontation,” he deserve another day in jail.” tary motion that would allow them to and attempted to leave with the item, we wrote in his deposition seeking asylum In an interview with Courage to Resist, immigrate to Canada, the Federal Court would engage the individual.” in Canada. “These citizens were almost Erich said: “[James] struggles with PTSD, of Canada dismissed a last-ditch attempt The Post reported that “Eugene Fidell, always unarmed. In some cases the Iraqi yet he is quartered within earshot of the president of the National Institute of victims looked to me like they were chil- shooting range and tank training area, Continued on page 7 www.workers.org July 24, 2008 Page 7

Afghan resistance grows Anti-war group calls actions as in response to U.S. war crimes U.S. & Israel prepare for attack on Iran

By Dustin Langley airbases in the country as a preparation Straits of Hormuz, which are 21 miles Iran. These operations include providing for a potential strike on Iran.” wide at their narrowest point. support to armed groups opposed to the President George W. Bush has given the Once again the most powerful forces These two resolutions have received Iranian government, kidnapping members Israeli military the go-ahead to prepare of U.S. corporate power—the military- widespread bipartisan support from of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and for an imminent attack on Iran. Israel is industrial-petroleum complex—are using members of both houses of Congress, and taking them across the border to Iraq for also using U.S. bases in Iraq to prepare for Israel as their proxy to threaten war on are expected to pass without debate or interrogation, the manipulation of Iran’s the attack. surrounding countries in the region. Israel vote. A staffer in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s currency, and other acts intended to desta- The British Sunday Times of July 13 is armed, financed and politically and dip- office said that once the House resolution bilize the regime. reported: “Despite the opposition of his lomatically supported by Washington. It hits the floor, it will “pass like a hot knife Hersh reports that these types of opera- own generals and widespread skepticism cannot act on its own or without explicit through butter.” Some have speculated tions have been ongoing at least since last that America is ready to risk the military, permission from Washington. that the bill will be put on the floor “under year, but the recent congressional appro- political and economic consequences of an At the same time that the White House suspension”—meaning it will pass with- priation signals a significant expansion of airborne strike on Iran, the president has is giving the Zionist military a go-ahead to out even a vote. these actions. given an ‘amber light’ to an Israeli plan to bomb Iran, the U.S. Congress is moving Both resolutions accuse Iran of devel- It is clear that the Bush administration attack Iran’s main nuclear sites with long- ahead to escalate tensions in the region oping nuclear weapons, despite the fact is determined to push forward with its range bombing sorties, [a Pentagon] offi- and possibly provoke an incident that that Washington’s National Intelligence agenda of endless war to control the oil cial told The Sunday Times. would “justify” U.S. military action. House Estimate report last December made it reserves of the Middle East. It is equally “‘Amber means get on with your prep- Resolution 362 and Senate Resolution clear that every major U.S. intelligence clear that members of Congress—both arations, stand by for immediate attack 580 both require that the president begin agency believes Iran does not have a Democrats and Republicans—are on and tell us when you’re ready,’ the offi- a blockade of Iran. nuclear weapons program. board, just as they collaborated in autho- cial said. But the Israelis have also been The House resolution “demands” that Nor do the resolutions refer to the real rizing the invasion and occupation of told that they can expect no help from the president impose “stringent inspec- nuclear threat in the region: the U.S., the Iraq. American forces and will not be able to tion requirements on all persons, vehicles, only country that has used nuclear weap- It is imperative that progressive activ- use U.S. military bases in Iraq for logisti- ships, planes, trains and cargo entering ons and currently has a massive nuclear- ists and organizations, particularly in the cal support.” or departing Iran.” Enforcing this would armed naval armada in the region. It also U.S., mobilize to stop another brutal war No U.S. support? The Jerusalem Post require a U.S. naval blockade of the Straits does not mention the apartheid settler and demand an end to the illegal sanctions reported on the same day: “On Friday, of Hormuz, which is an act of war accord- state of Israel, which is thought to have at and covert operations targeting Iran. sources in the Iraqi Defense Ministry told ing to international law. Approximately least 200 nuclear weapons. Stop War on Iran, an international a local news network that IAF [Israeli one-fourth of the world’s oil, including At the same time, two leading sena- grassroots campaign, has issued an Emer­ Air Force] war planes were practicing in that from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, tors announced on July 15 that they had gency Call for protests, marches and other Iraqi airspace and were landing on U.S. Qatar and Bahrain, passes through the reached a bipartisan agreement to expand actions on the weekend of Aug. 2. Local economic sanctions targeting Iran. organizers are planning events in more Senators Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), than 50 cities, including Los Angeles, NOT ANOTHER WAR! NOT ANOTHER WAR! NOT ANOTHER WAR! NOT ANOTHER WAR! chair of the Senate Banking Committee, Tucson, San Diego, San Francisco, Den­ and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) called Iran “a ver, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Balti­ An Emergency Call to Action threat to U.S. interests.” Dodd, a former more, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Jersey candidate for the Democratic Party nomi- City, Albuquerque, Buffalo, New York, nation for president, said: “This biparti- Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham, Cleveland, san bill strengthens economic sanctions Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Houston, against Iran, and authorizes divestment Salt Lake City, Virginia Beach, Washington STOP WAR from companies that do business with and more. An updated list is available at Iran’s key oil sector.” www.StopWarOnIran.org. Meanwhile, the U.S. is involved in “covert Now is the time to take to the streets. operations”—acts of terrorism—inside Only a massive grassroots mobilization Iran. In the July 7 New Yorker, Seymour can stop another bloody and illegal war. on Hersh revealed that Congress has approved To get involved, or for more information, IRAN $400 million to fund covert operations in see www.StopWarOnIran.org. n

• An Attack could be Imminent Czechs protest Rice visit • We Can’t Afford to Wait • Take It to the Streets This Summer over radar base treaty • U.S. Out of Iraq, Money for By John Catalinotto The Communist Youth Union (KSM), human needs, not war! which has been actively campaigning U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza against the bases, was one of the groups

Actions in Times Square in NYC Rice’s idea of the Czech Republic’s “mov- mobilizing July 8 against Rice’s visit.  Los Angeles  San Francisco ing to democracy” is for the rightist Czech The rightist Czech government has been Actions in 50 cities  Boston & several other cities in regime to sign a treaty allowing U.S. radar using repressive measures to try to ban New England, multiple cities in To Endorse, list your local action, or to  N. Carolina  Colorado  Ohio bases that 70 percent of the Czech popula- the KSM, but the young communists are find out how to get involved:  Oklahoma  Montana  Michigan tion reject and for Czech troops to follow fighting not only to stay in existence but � go to www.StopWarOnIran.org  Louisiana  Arizona  Indiana the U.S. lead in occupying countries all also in anti-imperialist action. � call 212-633-6646  Florida and many other states. over the world. According to a July 15 KSM statement, � or drop by the Solidarity Center 55 W. 17th St. 5th Fl. NY NY 10011 To list your local action or The Czech people disagree. When Rice signing the treaty contradicts “the opin- find more information go to was in Prague July 8 to sign the treaty, ion of the majority of the people in Czech Volunteers needed Volunteers urgently needed! www.StopWarOnIran.org people were out in the street protesting Republic and is a clear expression of the Name______her visit. The Czech parliament has not fully pro-imperialist policy of the govern- yet approved the treaty, and Communist ment of the Czech Republic.” The KSM Address______Party and most Social Democratic mem- sees the base as developing “the domina- Canadian governmentPhone______deports U.S. war resister bers of the parliamentary opposition have tion of the U.S. imperialism not only in email ______pledged to vote against it. Even some Middle Europe but … far to the east.” to delaywww.StopWarOnIran.org the deportation process. Long is expected to be imprisoned at Fort Green Party members, who are in the gov- “The petition against the placement of “I was just shocked at [the] ruling,” said Knox, the same base where PFC James ernment coalition, oppose the treaty. the U.S. military base in Czech Republic Bob Ages of the Vancouver War Resisters Burmeister faces court martial this week The radar base is part of a U.S. weapons launched by the KSM has been signed by Support Campaign. “It just flies in the face (see accompanying article). system that includes interceptor missiles more than 180,000 people so far,” the of everything that we and every Canadian “This is a gift from [Canadian Prime to be located in neighboring Poland, where KSM statement continues. know.” (Globe and Mail, July 15) He said Minister] Stephen Harper to George the population also opposes the bases and “The Communist Youth Union togeth- the court misunderstood the situation Bush,” said Gerry Condon of Project Safe where the rightist government is demand- er with other progressive and democratic facing Long. “I do not think there is any Haven. “And it is a gift to the headline ing billions in military aid before signing organizations expressed its clear ‘No’ to doubt someone being up in Canada, and a writers, who will trumpet that Canada is on. The U.S. claims the task of the mis- all these steps of the state pro-imperialist vocal opponent to the war, will be treated no longer a safe haven for AWOL GIs. sile system is to intercept nuclear missiles policy including the presence of the Czech harshly by the American military. ... There “But it is an illusion,” he added, “because from Iran aimed at Europe. The Russian troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, in the Balkans is no question he will be court-martialed this is not the first of many deportations. government has called the bases a threat and possibly in African Chad.” n and will receive severe punishment.” Continued on page 8 to Russia. Page 8 July 24, 2008 www.workers.org Proud to be an 'American'? Behind the attacks on Michelle Obama

By Dolores Cox this racial hatred and violence have been hatred toward people of color. This dates Recently, Michelle Obama was com- praised, celebrated, made heroes, respect- back to the arrival of the first Europeans pelled to clarify her statement, saying that Recently, mainstream corporate media ed and held in high esteem. Notably, there and their refusal to peacefully co-exist she was referring to having pride in the pounced all over Michelle Obama when has never been any collective shame for with the indigenous Native Americans. country being so engaged in the political she stated that for the first time in her the evil deeds of the evil doers. That’s the Their value as human beings was (and process; that she was proud of her father’s adult lifetime she’s really proud of her real “American” way. Exploitation and remains) dispensable, so they were wiped working class achievement and ability to country. They voiced their outrage and oppression remain the name of the game out or confined to reservations. send her and her brother to college. And indignation. They were insulted. and order of the day. And during the hundreds of years of the that her parents feel pride for their hard How dare she be so un-American, One’s skin color has always been a U.S.’s horrendous legacy of slavery, fol- work and sacrifice. She also graciously un-patriotic, they responded from their strong determinant of one’s social and lowed by 100 years of Jim Crow (legalized handled the ridiculousness surrounding privileged perches. What an ingrate, they economic status; being a person of color apartheid), the psychic and physical lives the “controversial” fist bump. insinuated. How dare she cast aspersions means being kept at the bottom of soci- of Black people were and are still irrele- It’s yet to be seen if in November we on the integrity and character of this ety or “in one’s place.” Although the back- vant. This inequality and injustice persist see a racist white backlash to the nomina- country, past or present. And how dare breaking and killing free labor of African to this day. There’s still no leveling of the tion of Michelle Obama’s spouse. Many of she infer that this has not been a country slaves has contributed in large part to playing field. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s white women that every U.S. citizen can be proud of. making this country the wealthiest and Black people here are born into a caste- supporters stated they are planning to It seems we’ve gone from my country most powerful country in the world, the like system from which there is no escape. throw their support to the presumptive right or wrong, to my country can do no descendants of these slaves have been Skin color is permanent. The one drop of Republican presidential candidate, John wrong. Truth telling and honesty have deliberately and systematically—by all “black blood” rule was created to establish McCain, or stay home. McCain has begun long been frowned upon. And any messen- means imaginable—kept from benefiting and maintain the “purity of whiteness.” courting them, even though it’s been ger of truth is disparaged or even assassi- from the fruits of their ancestors’ labor. Anyone of heritage mixed with Black shown that he is no true friend of the fem- nated, physically and verbally. That’s how This has resulted in centuries of depri- blood is considered Black. The offspring of inist movement. we roll here in “America the beautiful.” vation and exclusion. Descendents of the a white parent and a Black parent equals In addition, racist hate group websites The media felt Michelle Obama was perpetrators of slavery continue to be one Black child. Thus, we have Barack are feverishly alive and well on the issue attacking U.S. culture, morality, ethics privileged, to benefit and prosper, refus- Obama as the U.S.’s first Black presiden- of Obama’s possible election. It should and values. They practically suggested that ing to acknowledge the extent of racism tial nominee. The white parent’s “blood” be remembered that a few years after we all should be wearing a flag pin as we now and ignoring the past. and ancestry is historically ignored. Even the ink had dried on the Emancipation pledge allegiance with our hand over our In this country, the term “minority” if a mixed child physically looks white Proclamation in 1863, the present-day Ku heart and chest swelling while we recite is often a code name for “inferior or less they’re treated as Black—tolerated at best, Klux Klan began forming, representing the immortal words, “with liberty and jus- than,” regardless of numerical count. but not acceptable. the white supremacist backlash. tice for all.” And let’s not forget the other Black people and other so-called minori- Capitalism by nature is a destructive We’re hearing now that the matter of declarations that “all men are created ties have always had to fight for their civil and dehumanizing social system, divid- race is being put aside, as indicated by equal”; that they are “endowed with cer- and human rights as citizens by birth or ing labor by class. Adding race to class Obama’s presumptive nomination, that tain inalienable rights”; among them “life, naturalized, whether here for generations structure, this system pits the Black work- we’re now a post-racial society. Yet there liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” And or newly arrived. They are denied basic ing class against backward white workers continue to be widespread racial dispari- of course, “we hold these truths to be self- essentials of life—the rights and privileg- and a white-dominated corporate power ties in health care, housing, education and evident.” es accorded to whites in general at birth structure. The ruling class has deliberately employment—all important areas that But evident to whom? Aren’t these under class society. created, and thus ensured, a permanent determine one’s quality of life. words more myth than reality? Hasn’t White U.S. citizens, for the most part, underclass by this racial division. The Does the nomination of Barak Obama experience shown us that some “men” are have historically been desensitized and notion of there being different “races” of or even his election as president trans- presumed to be more equal than others, indifferent to the suffering, degradation human beings was constructed to create late into the U.S. being beyond race? Or not to mention women? and dehumanization of Black men, women these social divisions: a them-against-us does it reflect something yet unnamed and children, in particular, and to persons mentality. and masked that may be coming down Uncovering the myths of color in general. Much sense of responsi- the pike? It’s yet to be seen what it does In this so-called great “American” bility is absent and eliminated from public The elections and beyond signify. The real explanation for Obama’s democracy, victims and targets of racial consciousness; that is convenient amnesia. Michelle Obama is seen as the stereo- ascension is complex. But as long as there hatred are stigmatized and vilified by Unresolved issues remain dormant. typical angry Black woman, in need of is chronic racism in this country there can virtue of their birth and heritage. At the It’s always been fashionable and accept- an overhaul and of having her image and be no true democracy, so we must remain same time, victimizers and perpetrators of able to discriminate and express one’s reputation softened. This past May, Time vigilant. The struggle continues! magazine’s cover asked, “Will Michelle The writer is an International Action On July 15, community Obama Hurt Obama’s Chance?” Center activist in New York City. members and activists New Yorkers protest racist magazine cover gathered in front of the offices of the New Yorker magazine to denounce the offen- Reproductive rights under further attack sive, racist depiction Continued from page 4 courts. And it will further endanger the of Barack and Michelle Obama on the front that the First Amendment protects such right of women to choose abortion that cover of the maga- activity: “The government cannot silence was codified in the court’s 1973 Roe v. zine's latest issue. The messages simply because they cause dis- Wade decision. rally and press confer- The right-wing anti-woman agenda ence was organized comfort, fear or even anger.” seeks to outlaw all abortions as well as by State Senator Bill The court did not mention the 2006 Perkins, pictured U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld contraception for women. If it succeeds, speaking to the press. a decision by a high school principal in forced pregnancies and unsafe illegal —Report and photo Alaska to punish a student who unfurled abortions will take their toll on women’s by Sara Flounders a “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” banner outside and children’s lives. Will the future for a school. One wonders if this appellate women be the one envisioned in Atwood’s court would also uphold the right of anti- Republic of Gilead? Or will women fight Is it ‘satire’ or racism? war and anti-imperialist organizations to back to demand full reproductive rights, drive around schools with photos of tor- freedom and justice and an equal role Does “race” still play a major role in figures are standing in the Oval Office ture victims from Abu Ghraib or the U.S. in capitalist society? Better yet, why not the upcoming presidential elections? doing a fist bump, alluding to a pre- detention camps at Guantánamo. overturn this rotten system altogether? n You bet your life it does. Consider the vious attack on the Obamas by Fox These appellate court decisions regard- July 21 cover of the New Yorker maga- News while they were campaigning in ing abortion come on the heels of the Canada deports resister zine that depicts the Obamas as “ter- Minnesota last month. On the wall is April 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling rorists” using a multitude of racial ste- a picture of Osama Bin Laden, while a that outlawed certain types of abortion Continued from page 7 reotypes. Calling it “satire,” editors of U.S. flag is burning in the fireplace. procedures. That ruling was universally It may be the first and the last. A minor- this magazine approved a horrendous The Obama campaign released a condemned by women’s rights and repro- ity government that ignores the will of racist graphic showing the presump- statement calling the photo “tasteless ductive rights activists for its demeaning its people and its Parliament will not be tive Democratic presidential nominee, and offensive.” Regardless of how the and paternalistic ideas concerning women allowed to rule much longer.” Federal Barack Obama, with a large nose, New Yorker defends this cover, the and women’s role in society. The ruling, elections are expected to take place in dressed in a tunic and sandals, with underlying message is meant to scare off written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, was Canada this fall. (press release, July 15) what is perceived as a Middle Eastern U.S. citizens, especially if they are white, a highly reactionary political document Project Safe Haven, a war resister advo- turban on his head. from voting for Barack Obama as the that adopted and embraced the language cacy group based in Seattle, called on war His spouse, Michelle, is depicted first Black president in a country that of anti-choice rhetoric and unproven, resister supporters to gather on July 15 with a large Afro, dressed in fatigues, reinforces institutionalized racism and unscientific notions regarding women at Peace Arch Park on the U.S.-Canada with a gun over her shoulder. Both xenophobia daily. and abortion. It gave the green light for border at Blaine, Wash. There they will be —Monica Moorehead rulings like those of the recent appellate joined by Canadian supporters. n www.workers.org July 24, 2008 Page 9

Africa under attack U.N. court indicts Sudan leader— thousands protest Sudan has proclaimed that this move against its top governmental officials will inevitably sabotage efforts By Abayomi Azikiwe America and Israel tell it to do.” They also Editor, Pan-African News Wire delivered a statement to this effect to U.N. to reach a lasting peace agreement with rebels based offices in the Sudan. In a move that can only be interpreted in the western Darfur region of the country. as an act of war, the International Criminal ‘Indictment will sabotage peace Court on July 14 indicted Sudanese efforts’ President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for In addition, Sudan has proclaimed that This action by the ICC, which is based to impose pressure on the Sudanese gov- alleged crimes, including genocide and this move against its top governmental in The Hague, represents the first ever ernment for their own interests.” crimes against humanity. The global cor- officials will inevitably sabotage efforts to indictment the ICC leveled against a sit- Ismail continued: “To that effect, a porate media, which have never favored reach a lasting peace agreement with rebels ting head of state. The International number of media outlets in the West have Sudan’s present government, have given based in the western Darfur region of the Criminal Tribunal on the former distorted the role of China in the Darfur widespread coverage to the indictments. country. Two senior Sudanese officials told Yugoslavia (ICTY)—a special court that issue, while some politicians have threat- On the website for the International Reuters news agency that they would solic- predates the ICC—had indicted Yugoslav ened to boycott the Beijing Olympics. We Criminal Court it states: “The International it Chinese, Russian and African support President Slobodan Milosevic in 1999 in should know their tactics.” Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent, through the U.N. to obstruct the issuing of the midst of U.S.-NATO bombardments Ismail also mentioned that, “China’s permanent court that tries persons accused an arrest warrant for President al-Bashir. of that country. achievements in the Sudan peace process of the most serious crimes of international The U.N. Security Council has the Other developments surrounding this stems largely from its pure and transpar- concern, namely genocide, crimes against power to pass a resolution that suspends attempt to prosecute the Sudanese presi- ent motive. China does not have an ulte- humanity and war crimes. The ICC is based an ICC-issued warrant. However, many dent, saw the Arab League warning on rior motive for being involved in the peace on a treaty, joined by 106 countries. agree that since al-Bashir has already been July 12 that the “politicizing” of the ICC process. It is doing so for peace itself, “The ICC is a court of last resort. It will mentioned in the indictments, the dam- had prompted the call for an emergen- which has won great trust both from our not act if a case is investigated or prose- age will be done in regard to any potential cy summit of Arab foreign ministers to government and from the Sudan People’s cuted by a national judicial system unless improvement of relations between Sudan discuss these charges against al-Bashir Liberation Movement,” Ismail said, refer- the national proceedings are not genuine, and the Western countries. among member countries. ring to the leading organization in the for example, if formal proceedings were On July 12, the African Union said that The spokesperson for the Arab League, south of the country that reached a com- undertaken solely to shield a person from ICC’s threat to prosecute the head of state Hesham Yussif, said to journalists that prehensive peace accord with Khartoum criminal responsibility. In addition, the of Sudan could jeopardize peace efforts in Secretary-General Amr Mussa was in close during 2005. ICC only tries those accused of the gravest the Darfur region. A statement issued in discussions with various foreign ministers The People’s Republic of China has crimes.” the aftermath of a meeting at the AU head- throughout the Arab world and Africa in provided over $15 million in humanitar- ICC member countries include those quarters in Ethiopia through its Peace and regard to this issue. ian assistance to Sudan. The Sudanese in Latin America, Europe, Canada, Africa Security Council of the continental orga- During 2007, the ICC judges issued presidential adviser expressed appre- and Asia. The United States is not a mem- nization, composed of all African states warrants for two other Sudanese officials, ciation for the assistance given by the ber of the court because it rejects the right “expressed its strong conviction that the the minister Ahmed Harun and the mili- Chinese government including the 10,000 of any other state or international body to search for justice should be pursued in a tia commander Ali Kushayb. The govern- peacekeeping forces deployed in Darfur, exercise legal sanctions and prosecution way that does not impede or jeopardize ment has stated emphatically that it will which Ismail claims are “doing a great against its soldiers or political figures. efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace.” not hand over these nationals to the ICC. job by providing technology and experi- In response to the prosecutor’s charges, The AU Peace and Security Council Meanwhile in China, a senior Sudanese ence to the United Nations-African Union thousands of people in Sudan have gone stated that it had been advised of the official, Mustafa Ismail, who is a senior (UN-AU) mission charged with providing into the streets to demonstrate against the plans to indict the Sudanese leader on advisor to President Omar Hassan al- humanitarian aid.” decision to prosecute President al-Bashir. July 12 and “reiterated the AU’s concern Bashir, stated that this close ally had done Ismail, who is a leading official of the The indictments imply that a warrant will with the misuse of indictments against more to bring peace in Sudan than any ruling National Congress Party, was in be issued at some point for his arrest. African leaders.” other country had. China on a five-day, inter-party visit to Demonstrators in the capital of Also the Peace and Security Council Ismail said to the Xinhua press agency: Beijing at the invitation of the Communist Khartoum on July 14 chanted, “Down, of the AU pointed out that the United “In my opinion, China has played the Party of China. He stated that the Chinese down, USA!” They also exclaimed, “With Nations Security Council has addressed most positive role in Sudan among coun- government’s involvement “greatly influ- our souls, with our blood, we die for the issue in a March 2005 resolution tries outside the region. In sharp con- ences the Darfur peace process. We Bashir.” The demonstrators also said dur- which “emphasized the need to promote trast, some Western countries have been believe the Darfur issue has entered the ing the protest: “The ICC does just what healing and reconciliation” in the western playing up the Darfur issue as a conflict road to settlement,” Ismail said. the European Union, the United States of region of the country. between the Arab and the African groups, See panafricanews.blogspot.com International assaults on Zimbabwe foiled

By Abayomi Azikiwe tinued support and for the work they have ed resistance and reluctance to these leaders demonstrated the real agenda of Editor, Pan-African News Wire done before, during and after indepen- attempts to further threaten Zimbabwe, the imperialist states. Even though they dence. They continue to support us even the G8 leaders issued a special resolu- have targeted Zimbabwe and Sudan (see during these difficult times,” said Bright. tion on the situation inside the southern article this issue) for destabilization and Russia, China double-veto “We are very grateful for their support.” African nation. regime change, no mention was made sanctions The resolution on Zimbabwe reads in of the continuing wars of aggression by A new round of post-elections destabili- G8 Summit pressures African part: “We express our grave concern about the U.S., Britain and their allies against zation attempts by the Western imperialist leaders to condemn Zimbabwe the situation in Zimbabwe. We deplore the peoples of Iraq, Afghanistan and countries suffered a monumental defeat At the recently held summit of leading the fact that the Zimbabwean authori- Somalia, let alone the growing threats of when the U.S. and British-sponsored vote capitalist countries in Japan, the Western ties pressed ahead with the presidential military action against the nation of Iran to impose additional sanctions against nations invited several heads of state from election despite the absence of appro- by both the U.S. and the state of Israel. Zimbabwe in the U.N. was double-vetoed the African continent including Presidents priate conditions for free and fair voting With the deepening economic crisis by Russia and China on July 11. Thabo Mbeki of the Republic of South as a result of their systematic violence, in the imperialist states, resulting in the In an article published in the July 14 Africa and John Kuffour of Ghana. obstruction and intimidation.” increasing loss of jobs, rising energy and issue of the Zimbabwe Herald, the gov- The African heads of state questioned This statement refused to acknowledge food prices, home foreclosures, evic- ernment thanked various countries for the G8 leaders about the delivery of at least the work already done by South African tions and the increased levels of politi- their assistance in preventing the passage $25 billion that was promised during the President Thabo Mbeki in serving as a cal repression against their own popula- of such a hostile resolution by the Security 2005 summit in Scotland. This aid would mediator between the Zimbabwe gov- tions, the Western nations will continue Council. “Deputy Minister of Information ostensibly have provided assistance to var- ernment and the pro-Western opposi- efforts to exploit and oppress the peoples and Publicity Bright Matonga hailed China ious African states to increase agricultural tion Movement for Democratic Change of the former colonial and semi-colonial and Russia for vetoing concerted efforts by production, industrial development and (MDC-T). Talks resumed between the two regions. Britain and the United States to victimize tackling various health problems, includ- Zimbabwean parties, the ruling Zimbabwe The declining living standards in the Zimbabwe.” The official also commended ing the high rates of HIV/AIDS. Despite African National Union-Patriotic Front as oppressed nations provide opportuni- Libya, South Africa and Vietnam for “their the questioning, the capitalist states well as the Western-backed MDC-T, in ties for the workers and the oppressed unreserved support for Zimbabwe.” were mainly concerned about forcing the South Africa during the week of July 7. inside the capitalist states to engage in “We are grateful to our all-weather African representatives to condemn the Moreover, by avoiding a discussion solidarity actions, which will mutually friends, particularly China and Russia. We president and government of Zimbabwe. of the major concerns expressed by the benefit the masses in various regions of thank them wholeheartedly for their con- After the African leaders demonstrat- African countries in attendance, the G8 the world. n Page 10 July 24, 2008 www.workers.org

Message to readers

Why Workers World is endorsing Confronting the Cynthia McKinney corporate media care, Caleb Maupin on Che Guevara and From the editors of Workers World for president managing editor LeiLani Dowell’s article on Midwest flooding. All four authors are Last month we published an article members of FIST, a youth organization. Continued from page 1 detailing how Workers World articles are The sixth article was G. Dunkel’s on inter- war, the struggle to impeach Bush, as because they think he’s Muslim and being read, translated if necessary and imperialist rivalry in Africa. well as her struggle to expose the gov- because he’s Black. reproduced all around the world by doz- Walter Lippmann, who sends out ernment’s role in the displacement of Race, or what some of us call the ens of publications, Web site managers articles related to revolutionary Cuba survivors of Hurricane Katrina, she was national question, is central to this year’s and bloggers hungry for news from U.S.- to an extensive mailing list, distributed branded too Black and too radical to walk election. based revolutionary media that combats and praised Dolores Cox’s open letter the halls of Congress. She was pushed But then there is the negative side to the lies churned out by the corporate to Barack Obama—after the candidate’s out, not once but twice, by the leader- this contradictory development. Should monopoly media machine. This article appearance before the Miami counterrev- ship of the Democratic Party. Last year, Obama win the election (a prospect that will report some reactions and update olutionaries—for its approach in reach- McKinney severed her ties to that party. shouldn’t be considered certain), the U.S. that report. ing a broad audience. He also lauded a On July 12, McKinney and her run- imperialist ruling class will have a gifted We are not disinterested reporters. That podcast talk by Deirdre Griswold on the ning mate, activist Rosa Clemente, won Black politician to help them save their so many people in so many places want to earthquake in China for its attention to the Green Party’s nomination to run for troubled empire. An Obama presidency read, translate and publish what we have factual detail. president and vice-president, respec- as the face of an imperialist state will not written tells us we are succeeding—up to Another open letter, the one that Larry tively. The Green Party’s nomination change anything fundamental, but on a point. If we can encourage others to help Hales wrote to Branford Marsalis urging will put McKinney on the ballot in about the surface it will mark a change, a new promote these articles and analyses, we him not to perform in Israel, was emailed 20 states, which is no small thing in the situation. can get beyond that point. extensively and picked up by www. U.S. where the ruling class has made it The U.S. capitalist class desperately We know ours is a minority opinion odsg.org. Berta Joubert-Ceci’s article very hard for any electoral formation needs to try something new to help them within the United States. Now. We are on Colombia and the so-called rescue of independent of, and even slightly to the with their overlapping crises of deepen- equally sure we speak to the needs and Ingrid Betancourt appeared on the work- left of, the two major ruling-class par- ing economic turmoil and imperialist interests of the vast majority of workers ers.org site July 14 and reappeared later ties to get ballot status. The Green Party war. In the board rooms of Wall Street, and oppressed people. that day on plurmentalchaket.blogspot. is not the reason why we are supporting some are, no doubt, hoping that someone The most-read and -discussed recent com, a Mexican site. McKinney. like Obama can delay or derail an upris- article has likely been Larry Holmes’ It helps to be on time and on target. McKinney’s “Power to the People ing against widespread depression-level analysis of the Barack Obama candida- Tobias Grace, editor of Out in Jersey Campaign” gets most of its program social conditions, or at least be the scape- cy. Holmes explains, without flinching, magazine—“New Jersey’s largest queer from the draft program of the still-in-for- goat for the unbearable misery that the both sides of the contradictory Obama publication”—emailed us that it was only mation Reconstruction Party. Activists in ruling class has in store for workers. phenomenon. His writings have been by picking up a WW at the New York Pride New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, togeth- The Obama phenomenon is more reproduced on U.S.-based blogs and Parade that the magazine staff learned of er with supporters nationwide, have than anything else a sign that the period have opened online discussions. They the court victory of two of the Jersey 4 been developing a Reconstruction Party of political reaction, which has held the have also been translated for the presti- lesbian political prisoners. Out in Jersey as a mass political vehicle to fight for the working class back and weakened revo- gious Portuguese magazine, Seara Nova. quoted LeiLani Dowell’s article extensive- reconstruction of the Gulf and justice for lutionary movements, organizations and The newspaper of the Workers Party of ly in their next edition (outinjersey.net), Katrina survivors. their revolutionary ideas, is coming to an Belgium (ptb.be) interviewed Holmes for with WW’s permission and solidarity. The draft program of the end. a major in-depth article on Obama, along A Google search found that other WW Reconstruction Party is inspired by the No matter who wins the election, the with Mick Kelly from the Freedom Road news articles have shown up on sites with program of the original Black Panther magnitude of the spiraling crisis of world Socialist Organization. specific interests, such as a particular Party. The Reconstruction Party draft imperialism, centered here in the U.S., Abayomi Azikiwe’s articles analyzing the political prisoner or a labor organization. program calls for, among other things: is going to challenge all the forces who U.S.-British attacks against Zimbabwe’s Sites we found are Amerikanka.net, pal- self-determination for Black people, share an anti-imperialist, working-class- government have confronted ruling class estinethinktank.com, bintjbeil.com, war- the relocation of displaced survivors of centered socialist orientation to put aside opinion head-on. The monopoly corpo- resisters.blogspot.com, queerswithout- Katrina back to the Gulf, jobs, healthcare narrow views, sectarian habits and small rate media have been so overwhelming borders.com, newstrust.net, opednews. and housing, reparations for Black peo- differences that have festered during a in their lies that even progressive and/or com, nwo101.com, Itsabouttime.com, the- ple, an end to racist terror and political long and demoralizing period of world social-democratic media have wavered or peoples-forum.com, soldiersofsolidarity. repression, an end to the prison-indus- reaction. succumbed to the pressure by insulting com, abpnoticias.com, and tongilkorea. trial complex and an end to the war. The material conditions for resurgence Zimbabwe’s government and President net. The San Francisco Bay View also McKinney’s campaign is laying the of the working class may sooner than Robert Mugabe. picked up a WW article. foundation for a radical coalition of later reach levels not seen in this country Azikiwe’s articles provide relief from We also acknowledge axisoflogic.com, Black, Latin@, Asian and Indigenous since the 1930s. In order for the working- this drivel, and have been emailed wide- The New Worker in Britain and the Pan activists, trade unionists, progressives class movement to grow politically and ly from the workers.org site. Because of African News Wire, which regularly repub- and revolutionaries. This is important organizationally, it will take time, experi- Azikiwe’s reputation as editor of the Pan lish WW articles, and Michel Mounayer in and timely. ence in the class struggle, and the assis- African Newswire (panafricannews.blog- Damascus, who for years has translated We have no illusions regarding the tance of conscious political forces who spot.com), many sites have reproduced many WW articles on the Middle East difficulty that McKinney’s campaign will are dedicated to reviving the struggle. his articles, including edstrong.blog-city. for republication in The Ba’ath and other face, because this presidential election is What is required of all of us who con- com, indymedia.org.uk, blackstarnews. Syrian newspapers. like none other before it. sider ourselves among the dedicated? At com and assatashakur.org. A future report to readers will discuss a minimum it is a higher level of clarity, Some WW analyses lead to action. For The economic crisis and Mundo Obrero, our Spanish-language seriousness, confidence, solidarity and example, Sara Flounders’ article, “U.S. prospects for class struggle edition. If you can report on other sites coalition building. behind Israel’s war threats on Iran,” has that use WW articles or have ideas on Barack Obama is the first Black person McKinney’s campaign is Black-led, helped impel the mobilization for protests how to reach out, write to jcat@workers. to be the nominee of a ruling-class party, anti-imperialist, working-class-centered next Aug. 2 called by the stopwaroniran. org. n and he could be the first Black president and has a multinational radical base with org site. This article has not only been of the U.S. Many are understandably the potential of unlimited growth. published on many U.S. excited about Obama’s candidacy, espe- Of course, we believe that the struggle sites, but was translated cially Black people. should not be confined to the electoral into Portuguese for the Marxism, No matter how far Obama moves to arena, especially as the capitalist ruling resistir.info site and into Reparations the right, most likely Black people are class completely dominates the elec- French for michelcollon. & the Black Freedom Struggle going to come out in unprecedented toral process. We must be in the streets info and ptb.be. The following sections present an outline of the contents numbers in November in the hopes fighting the war, fighting foreclosures Our last report got a beginning with the Introduction: of achieving something that very few and evictions, fighting in solidarity response from the edi- • Blac k liberation thought possible a year ago. Apart from with immigrant workers, etc. However, & the working-class struggle tors of the Workers Action • The material basis Black voters, many others will vote for Workers World believes that supporting newspaper in the Ukraine, for reparations in the U.S. Obama in November for reasons that are the McKinney campaign is a step forward letting us know they had • Brief overview of racist oppression historically progressive. And some will towards the path that the movement & heroic resistance translated six of our articles • What Hurricane Katrina exposed not vote for Obama because of his name, needs to take. n in June into Russian for to the world publication on their site, • Africa: A battleground against colonialism and for sovereignty proletar.org.ua. The articles • Justice for the Caribbean Subscribe to Workers World Newspaper included two by Jaimeson • A salute to women revolutionaries Champion on economic • Why fight-back is inevitable • Black labor and class solidarity 4 weeks trial subscription: $1 One year subscription: $25 questions, part one of David Order online from Workers World Newspaper 55 W. 17 St. 5 Fl.,NY, NY 10011 Hoskins’ series on health Leftbooks.com www.workers.org July 24, 2008 Page 11 Cynthia McKinney speaks on ‘free trade’ in Mexico

The following excerpts are from a T-shirts and kerchiefs, so committed to formed a shadow government. political and economic upheaval in recent talk made by Cynthia McKinney, their country, their nation, their identity. The issue in the 2006 Mexican elec- Mexico, aside from its human rights Green Party presidential candidate To them, that’s Mexico’s oil, natural gas, tion was privatization of Mexico’s oil. implications, be important to us up here in the United States. The statement electricity, land and water, and it ought to Teachers on strike at the same time as the in the United States? was sent out on June 27th by the be used by the Mexican people first and presidential elections in Oaxaca, one of Because the sad truth of the matter is International Liaison Committee of foremost for their own national devel- the poorest states in Mexico, began their that, in many respects, it is our military Workers & Peoples (ILC) based in San opment. But, sadly, it’s the public policy political movement as a call for increased and economic policies that are causing it. Francisco. Go to www.organicconsum- emanating from Washington, D.C., that teacher salaries and against privatization Of course, I recognize that all the way back ers.org to read the statement in its threatens that. of schools. Tens of thousands of citizens to the practice of Manifest Destiny and the entirety. According to Greg Palast, the U.S. cor- joined them and took over the central declaration of the Monroe Doctrine, U.S. poration involved in the Mexican move city of that state. Today, after Mexico has policy decisions have at times sent shock In early April 2008, I participated in the was none other than that now infamous added teachers and those who support waves to places outside our borders. You Second Continental Workers’ Conference Georgia-based company: Choicepoint.We teachers to its growing ranks of “political could say that the modern version of that in Mexico City. I was honored to have been know that in Florida, Choicepoint, then prisoners,” teachers are still protesting is NAFTA. a keynote speaker at the conference’s open- doing business as DataBase Technologies, their conditions and the reprisals taken In 1993, the Democratic majority in the ing night rally at the hall of the Mexican constructed an illegal convicted felons list against them for striking, and now the United States Congress supported then- Electrical Workers Union (SME). of 94,000 names, many of whom were nei- teachers’ union is a committed part of the President Bill Clinton’s push for pas- I learned that a powerful united front ther convicted nor felons. But if your name national mobilization against privatiza- sage of the North American Free Trade now exists in Mexico against the NAFTA- appeared on that list, you were stopped tion of PEMEX. Agreement. The stated purpose of the leg- inspired privatizations that will result in from voting. Greg Palast tells us that for I was invited to participate in the islation was to remove barriers to trade the theft of Mexico’s patrimony in natural most of the names on that list, their only Second Continental Workers Conference. and investment that existed in North resources. crime was “Voting While Black.” The first meeting was held in La Paz, America. The objective was to lift all boats The Mexican Congress was shut down Under a special “counter-terrorism” Bolivia. And so people from all over in Canada, the United States, and Mexico by the real opposition that they have in contract, the U.S. FBI obtained Mexican Mexico and eight different countries told through trade and investment. But the Mexico. The PEMEX Privatization bill was and Venezuelan voter files through of their struggles, their hopes, their ide- result has been the stripping away and supposed to have passed by now. Mexico’s Choicepoint of all the countries that have als, their values, their patriotism, their transfer of Mexico’s patrimony in terms Congress adjourned without passing it. progressive presidents. Many Mexicans desire for peace/no more war. of its natural and human resources. And Score one for the people. went to the polls to vote for their President, Representatives from Chiapas, another the Mexican people are taking a stand One of the leading papers in Mexico City only to find that their names had been one of Mexico’s poorest states, told us of against it. They are taking the same stand had a photo of the Chamber of Deputies scrubbed from the voter list, and they the indigenous struggle for land and self- that the little people in Haiti, Venezuela, of the Mexican Congress with an unfurled were not allowed to vote. So now, not only determination, the low-intensity war- Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador banner covering the Speaker’s Rostrum, in the United States, but in Mexico, too, fare waged against them, and how now and Argentina have taken. proclaiming the Chamber “Closed.” The one can show up to vote and not be sure they, too, count themselves a part of the I happened to vote against NAFTA, banner was hung by elected members of that that vote was counted, or worse, one national mobilization against PEMEX and I’m glad for that. Imagine if we in the Mexican Congress who constitute the can show up duly registered to vote and privatization. the United States were as certain of the Frente Amplio Progresista that has dared not even be allowed to vote. While I was there, mine workers had possibility of peaceful change through the to draw a line in the sand against U.S.- I guess this is the way we allow our taken over the mines, and so could only vote as were the people of Haiti, Mexico— inspired legislation introduced to allow country to now export democracy. send a handful of inspiring representa- despite having their election stolen from foreign corporate ownership of PEMEX, Unlike in the United States in 2000, tives. They are pressing for the right to them—Venezuela and the rest. Then we Mexico’s state-owned oil company. Mexico City was shut down for five months unionize, denied to them by the govern- would vote members of Congress out of I wrote my Master’s thesis on the “Idea in 2006 when Lopez Obrador, Mexico’s ment. And the mine workers are part of office who support Plan Colombia. We of Nation.” And to see the women, in their Al Gore, refused to concede and, instead, the solid front forming in Mexico to pro- would vote members of Congress out of tect this powerful idea of nation. office who support Plan Mexico—which, Today’s front page of La Jornada says like its Colombian counterpart, is the that the women, who marched 10,000 military answer to the cry of the people strong on the day that I was there, have for dignity, self-determination and that renewed their protests and civil disobedi- idea of patria. ence. The threat of violence and blood- Cynthia McKinney is a former shed is very real. six-term member of the U.S. Congress Now, why should this massive social, from the state of Georgia. Two Haitian militants killed in mob attack By Brenda Ryan death was unknown. “What group of zenglendos [thieves] A mob killed two leading militants of organized the attack on the credit union?”

WW photo: Ellie Dorritie Haiti’s National Popular Party, whose PPN’s assistant Secretary General Georges ‘Free the Cuban Five,’ chant the travel ban challengers of the 39th Venceremos (We Creole acronym is PPN, outside the town Honorat asked in a press release. “Who Shall Overcome) Brigade, the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange and the African Awareness of St. Raphael on June 26. The two men, accused these two militants of being a part Association on July 14 in Buffalo, N.Y. Prad Rémy Jean Vernet and Adriene of a zenglendo team causing them to be Michel, were also journalists with PPN’s lynched on the spot? These are the ques- Haiti Progrès newspaper. Vernet, known tions that must be clarified.” Youth defy U.S. blockade of Cuba as Ped, was the administrator of the publi- The Associated Press quoted a U.N. cation, and Michel was the paper’s north- police spokesman who said witnesses Chanting, shouting and raising their see socialist Cuba for themselves, the gov- ern correspondent. reported that the thieves were wearing fists in triumph, the travel ban challengers ernment has backed off. For the moment, The mob had been in pursuit of six Haitian National Police uniforms when of the 39th Venceremos Brigade, the U.S./ he said, an end to individual enforcement thieves who had robbed a small coopera- they robbed the bank. Cuba Labor Exchange and the African of the travel ban has been won. tive bank in St. Raphael of about $1,800. PPN said Vernet and Michel had been Awareness Association marched across After a two-week work and study pro- The mob followed the thieves into the in St. Raphael to mobilize support for the the Peace Bridge from Fort Erie, Ontario, gram in Cuba, the challengers came back mountains where they came upon Vernet party’s candidates in upcoming Senate into Buffalo, N.Y., in open defiance of the bursting with determination to heighten and Michel. elections. Ives noted that according to U.S. blockade of Cuba. the call for freedom for the Cuban Five, “With machetes, the mob killed Ped on local reports, police are looking for other They returned to the U.S. on the same political prisoners serving long prison the spot but led Adrien to town and turned PPN members in the area. morning that Pastors for Peace travel terms in the U.S. for trying to prevent him over to the police,” Kim Ives report- The National Popular Party is a nation- challengers came back from Cuba across terrorist acts against Cuba committed ed in the July 9 issue of Haiti Liberté. A al, revolutionary, anti-imperialist party the border from Mexico into Texas. by right-wing Cuban exile organizations judge ordered Michel to be jailed in the based in the peasantry. It evolved out of A spokesperson for the Venceremos based in Florida. nearby town of Grande Riviere du Nord the mass movement known as the National Brigade pointed out that because of the While the group was in Cuba, 56 mem- and sent back to St. Raphael for trial on Popular Assembly. The PPN is fighting for determination of travel challengers, bers of Canada’s parliament signed a let- June 30. However, Ives reported that over Haiti’s national independence and against groups organizing the challenges and ter demanding justice for the Cuban Five. the weekend Michel died in Cap Haitien’s imperialist domination. n people in the streets asserting the right to —Report and photo by Ellie Dorritie Justinien Hospital and that the cause of Mhndo Obrero ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Un retroceso en el Proceso de Paz ¿Qué pasó realmente en Colombia? Por Berta Joubert-Ceci tas de inteligencia, y gastó $250 millones mantuvieron el montaje hasta que tod@s en el pasado, en relación a otros retenidos en el intento”. l@s retenid@s estuvieran dentro de los por las FARC, no han mostrado intención Colombia estuvo en los titulares alre- Luego citó funcionarios de EEUU helicópteros. de obtener su libertad. Después de que las dedor del mundo el 2 de Julio como quienes hablaron “con la condición de Esto ciertamente explicaría por qué el FARC liberaron unilateralmente a siete nunca antes. Nos enteramos que la ex mantener su anonimato porque no esta- resto de los guerrilleros entregaron a l@s prisioner@s a fines del año pasado, Uribe candidata a la Presidencia de Colombia, ban autorizados a hablar oficialmente y retenid@s sin hacer un solo disparo. bombardeó un campamento de las FARC Ingrid Betancourt, había sido liberada la Administración Bush estaba decidida a en Ecuador, donde Raúl Reyes estaba pre- de un grupo guerrillero marxista, junto darle todo el crédito a los colombianos”. El papel de Israel parando la liberación de Ingrid Betancourt, con tres estadounidenses contratistas del Estas fuentes dijeron, de acuerdo con Varios reportes comentaron acerca de junto con el Gobierno Ecuatoriano. Este Pentágono —Tom Howes, Marc Gonsalves MSNBC, que “el Comando de Operaciones lo “efectiva” y “libre de incidencias” que bombardeo, llevado a cabo con asistencia y Keith Stansell— y 11 miembros del Especiales de los EEUU ayudó con la vigi- fue la operación. Ingrid Betancourt, al lle- técnica de EEUU, mató a Reyes y a otras Ejército y la Policía de Colombia. lancia en el último año, que localizó a los gar a Francia, habló de “los israelitas” y su 23 personas, incluyendo a un ecuatoriano Habían sido capturad@s por las Fuerzas retenidos, usando satélites, reconocimien- “fama que tienen ellos de esos comandos y a cuatro estudiantes mexicanos. Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia to aéreo y terrestre, y que los había ras- operativos tan extraordinarios, de pronto La madre de Betancourt, Yolanda (FARC-EP) en distintas ocasiones, en un treado desde entonces”. esos pueden asemejarse al golpe que se Pulecio, declaró en ese momento: “ruego esfuerzo por presionar al gobierno para lle- Una segunda versión de los eventos dio hoy”. que Uribe no encuentre a mi hija” porque var a cabo una negociación política que ter- viene de Francia. De hecho, Israel es parte del Plan podría “ordenar operaciones militares que mine con el conflicto colombiano, que lleva La página francesa de noticias por Colombia, la estrategia de los EEUU para podrían matarla y luego justificar la guerra ya 60 años. Las FARC habían propuesto Internet MediaPart y la Radio Suisse controlar Colombia. Hay amplia docu- diciendo que la guerrilla la mató”. intercambiar a varios cientos de retenid@s Romande, reportaron por separado que mentación de cómo los Servicios Secretos La tragedia humanitaria por ellos, por 500 de sus miembr@s encar- la operación no fue un rescate sino más Israelíes Mossad y Shin Beth han brinda- en Colombia empeora celados en prisiones colombianas (y tres en bien una “transacción por 20 millones de do asistencia al gobierno de Uribe en terri- En este año ya son 30 los líderes sindi- cárceles federales en los EEUU). dólares” y que el Gobierno Colombiano torio colombiano. El diario israelí Maariv cales asesinados. Los paramilitares que Más importante aún, la solución nego- pagó ese monto (proporcionado por reportó en 2007 que el General Israel Ziv, Uribe dice están “desmovilizados” sim- ciada incluiría un acuerdo en el que los EEUU) para la liberación de los tres quien había comandado las fuerzas israel- plemente han cambiando su nombre las FARC se reunirían con el Gobierno contratistas­ del Pentágono. íes en Gaza, fue consultor de “seguridad” de “Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia Colombiano para buscar avenidas para Supuestamente, negociaciones secretas para el Gobierno Colombiano. (AUC)” a “Las Águilas Negras”. Continúan una paz verdadera, con justicia económica se llevaron a cabo mediante la esposa de De acuerdo con un reciente repor- sembrando el terror a lo largo del país, con y social para la mayoría del pueblo colom- uno de los hombres encargados de vigilar taje en TeleSur, el Ministro de Defensa completa impunidad. biano, que vive en la pobreza. a Betancourt. Esta mujer habría sido cap- Colombiano Santos viajó a Israel en febre- La situación actual en Colombia es deses- turada por el Ejército Colombiano y forza- ro de 2008, para reunirse con la cúpula de perada para el movimiento progresista, el Libertad en tres versiones da a hacer cambiar de bando a su esposo, Mossad (equivalente israelí de la CIA). cual valientemente continúa protestando Sin embargo, los titulares fueron una y a aceptar un soborno. No hace falta decir Durante el mismo viaje, fue a los EEUU e intentando construir alternativas de paz distorsión de la realidad, llevada a cabo que el Gobierno Colombiano rechaza vehe- para reunirse con el Secretario de Defensa y justicia frente a la represión criminal por por el Gobierno Colombiano, el cual tiene mentemente esta versión, pero admitió Robert Gates, quien había sido Director de parte del Estado y a la horrible violencia una amplia experiencia en dar a conocer que paga por recibir información. la CIA con anterioridad. medias verdades y falsas propagandas. Dos Enviados Especiales europeos, el de las fuerzas paramilitares. Bautizó la acción “Operación Jaque”. diplomático francés Noel Sáez y su con- El Beneficiario: ¡Uribe! La pobreza continúa y aumenta; la priva- tización de servicios esenciales impide que De acuerdo con el Ministro de Defensa traparte suizo Jean Pierre Gontard, esta- Algo está claro como el agua. La persona las mayorías tengan acceso a la educación Juan Manuel Santos, l@s 15 retenid@s ban en Colombia en ese momento. Ellos quien más se ha beneficiado de esta oper- y atención de la salud. Millones de niños y por las FARC fueron entregad@s a efec- habían solicitado permiso al Gobierno ación, es el mismo Presidente Álvaro Uribe. niñas deben trabajar para poder sobrevivir. tivos militares que se hicieron pasar por Colombiano para profundizar las negocia- Hasta el cuello en escándalos de corrup- Las comunidades campesinas, indígenas, y una “misión humanitaria”. El Gobierno ciones con las FARC para obtener la liber- ción y parapolítica, necesitaba una cortina afrocolombianas continúan siendo despla- enfatizó que fue una operación pacífica en ación de Betancourt (quien tiene ciudada- de humo. Con la ayuda de los medios capi- zadas. Líderes progresistas continúan sien- la que ninguno de los dos bandos disparó nía colombiana y francesa) y de los demás. talistas de todo el mundo, pero en particu- do víctimas de asesinatos y desapariciones. un sólo tiro. Su explicación fue que era una El Gobierno Colombiano les concedió ese lar de los medios oligarcas colombianos, la Mientras estas condiciones existan, el operación encubierta llevada a cabo “infil- permiso y se comprometió a colaborar con Administración de Uribe ha montado una movimiento guerrillero también existirá. trando altos niveles de las FARC” y hacié- este intento, el cual era ampliamente cono- campaña para presentarlo como un héroe ndoles creer que l@s prisioner@s iban a cido (el mismo Gobierno lo había divulga- y el más grande defensor de la paz. Sin Necesidad de solidaridad reunirse con Alfonso Cano, el actual líder do previamente). También se reportó en embargo, hasta sus más cercanos aliados internacional de las FARC, quien supuestamente había Francia que ambos ya se habían comuni- en el gobierno están siendo implicados en No es sorprendente que l@s retenid@s enviado el helicóptero para recogerles. cado con la cúpula de las FARC. masacres y otros crímenes perpetrados por las FARC-EP fueran “liberados” el mis- Con esta historia, presentaron a la insur- Narciso Isa Conde, un líder izquierdista por paramilitares. Muchos de ellos inclu- mo día en que el Candidato Presidencial gencia armada como un grupo en descon- dominicano, ha presentado una tercera so han sido condenados a prisión y están John McCain visitara Colombia para cierto, después de las recientes muertes de versión de los hechos. Isa Conde es miem- cumpliendo sus sentencias. reafirmar a Uribe su apoyo al Tratado de tres de los miembros de su Secretariado: bro del grupo “Coordinadora Continental Realmente necesitaba esto, y los EEUU Libre Comercio, actualmente paralizado Raúl Reyes e Iván Ríos (quienes muri- Bolivariana”, y tiene autoridad para hablar se lo dieron. en el Congreso de los EEUU. También fue eron en operaciones militares), y Manuel sobre el tema, ya que participó en pre- Su reelección en 2006 ha sido declara- un día después de que la infame Cuarta Marulanda, fundador de las FARC, quien vias negociaciones para la liberación de da ilegal por la Corte Suprema de Justicia Flota de la Armada de los EEUU iniciara murió por causas naturales. Betancourt. En un artículo ampliamente Colombiana porque ofreció puestos políti- su merodeo en las aguas del Caribe y de La elogiaron como una operación per­fecta divulgado escrito el 3 de julio y titulado cos y favores a una congresista quien dio América Latina. que marca el fin del grupo guerrillero. “No hubo tal rescate”, escribe que la oper- el voto crítico aprobando su reelección, la El movimiento progresista en los EEUU Mientras Santos enfatizaba que fue una ación fue en verdad “una iniciativa robada cual tenía una prohibición constitucional. tiene una enorme deuda con los pueb- operación 100% colombiana, sin la par- a las FARC”. A pesar de eso, Uribe ahora está propo- los al sur del Río Grande. Wall Street y ticipación de gobiernos u organizaciones Isa Conde explicaba que las FARC esta- niendo un referéndum para cambiar la Washington son la amenaza más grande extranjeras, la portavoz de la Casa Blanca, ban a punto de liberar a los 15 al equipo Constitución para que pueda optar por un para la estabilidad de la región y para el Dana Perino declaró el 3 de julio que fue franco-suizo, por lo que tenían que ser tercer término en 2010. desarrollo de los procesos progresistas “concebida por los colombianos y eje- llevados a un solo punto desde tres difer- Su Jefe del Ejército, General Mario que están ocurriendo allá. cutada por los colombianos, con nuestro entes partes de la selva. Los retenidos iban Montoya, quien recibiera una medalla del Sería un enorme retroceso para las fuer­ completo apoyo”. El Embajador de EEUU a ser transportados en helicópteros civiles Ejército de los EEUU, fue implicado en la zas progresistas y revolucionarias del mundo en Colombia, William Brownfield, habló a un lugar donde se reunirían con el lider- creación de una unidad terrorista clan- que este brutal gobierno que le hace el tra- con CNN acerca del “apoyo técnico” que azgo de las FARC en una ceremonia para destina dentro del Ejército Colombiano. bajo sucio al imperialismo estadounidense, los EEUU brindaron en la operación. entregarlos a los europeos. Esta “Alianza Americana Anticomunista” pudiera enraizarse en Colombia, y amenaz- ¿Cuál fue este “apoyo”? MSNBC reportó Sin embargo, el Ejército Colombiano, atacó, asesinó, y secuestró activistas de ar a la Revolución Boli­variana de Venezuela, el 3 de julio que “el jueves, el Coronel con la ayuda de la vigilancia de los EEUU, izquierda. Montoya tiene un largo histo- a Bolivia y a Ecuador.­ Es extremadamente William Costello, portavoz del Comando localizó los helicópteros y sus tripulantes rial criminal, incluso cuando lideró la importante dar muestras concretas de soli- Sur de los EEUU, declaró que el Comando fueron reemplazados por pilotos militares “Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta del Sur” entre daridad con el luchador pueblo colombiano hizo 3600 vuelos de inteligencia, vigilan- disfrazados como miembros de las FARC 1999-2001, financiada por los EEUU. que está deteniendo la mano de una dicta- cia y reconocimiento, producto de 175 pis- (usando camisetas del Ché), quienes Las acciones llevadas a cabo por Uribe dura fascista. n