W(JRKERS IIIINfJlJlIRIJ soc No.SSO ®€Q9u~C'701 • 10 June 200S Occupation of Iraq and the "War on Terror" ies, orlure • • an - - moerla Ism In the year since the Abu Ghraib Thomas Friedman argues to close tortures came to light, one expose down Guantanamo because "I want after another has confirmed that the to win the war on terrorism," adding policies of torture and humiliation that the deaths of over 100 detai­ have come from the top of this gov­ nees in American custody "is not just ernment. The official use of torture deeply immoraL it is strategically extends well beyond Abu Ghraib­ dangerous'-' He concludes his col­ into other prisons in Iraq. Afghani­ umn by quoting the executive direc­ ,tan and the notorious concentration tor of Human Rights First: "If we camp in GuanUinamo Bay. Cuba. are going to transform the Middle where some 500 prisoners continue East, we have to be law-abiding and to be held with('c:t charge or trial. uphold the values we want them to The line of the Bush administration embrace-otherwise it is not going to ha~ been to deny every new report work'-' Meanwhile. in its recent report that comes out documenting more on Guantanamo. Amnesty Interna­ torture and brutality. When Amnesty tionaL too, is concerned that "the rule fnternational released its report last of law. and the:efore, ultimately_ month condemning the U.S. for its security. is heing undcrmincd. a.' j" mass detentions, torture, disappear­ any moral credibility the USA claims ances and elimination of the right to to have in seeking to advance human trial for those caught in the web of its rights in the world." "war on terror," President Bush and While the Bush administration is a Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice particularly arrogant and demented called it "absurd," while General Gambarini/EPA regime, what has really offended its Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint bourgeois critics, particularly liberals Chiefs of Staff, called Guantanamo a and Democrats, is that it has made "model facility." shamelessly overt what is normally ~ N At the same time, a growing sector • carried out behind closed doors. As ~ , ~/O\,~ of the bourgeoisie is worried that the :',;'~' we wrote in "U.S. Imperialism's Tor­ impact of one torture scandal after ~.pI~V/ ture, Inc." (WV No. 826, 14 May another is hurting U.S. imperialism's .. ... 2004), state terror and torture are not interests abroad. When Newsweek "aberrations": 'They are the con­ (9 May) published an article report­ scious policies of imperialist and ing that a Koran had been flushed neo-colonialist ruling regimes, who down a toilet at Guantanamo, pro­ routinely and necessarily use terror tests erupted throughout Muslim and degradation as tools to maintain countries, leaving 17 people dead. their power." As death row political Swearing on a stack of Bibles that it prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal wrote in wasn't true, Bush & Co. twisted arms a 3 May 2004 column, "In the Shad­ to force Newsweek to retract the arti­ ows of Abu Ghraib Prison": 'The cle as a warning to any other publi­ Iraq Adventure is not, and never has cation that might report on policies been, about 'liberating' an oppressed the government wants concealed. people .... Americans may call it 'lib­ Having faithfully reported the gov­ eration,' but they are bringing torture, ernment's lies of Saddam's "weapons humiliation, and domination .... Now, of mass destruction" to encourage Saman/Newsday let us prepare for the inevitable "rally 'round the flag" patriotism in Top: U.S. Marines terrorize Sunni family in Ramadi. Above: Mother of Abu Ghraib whitewash." the buildup for war, the capitalist prisoner weeps at protest, May 2004. Banner demands: "Occupiers Leave Our Country." In the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, news media continue to kowtow to the Spartacist League took a side for their White House masters with apologies off. A guard had not thrown the Muslim American by Any Name," a New York the military defense of these countries for occasionally leaking a bit of truth. In holy book in the toilet-he urinated on it. Times (5 June) editorial complains that against U.S. imperialist attack. At the so doing, the bourgeois media help chill Now, a number of bourgeois politi­ the administration's policy has not "been same time, we stood in irreconcilable polit­ free speech and assist the government's cians and commentators are calling on effective in finding and prosecuting the ical opposition to tl1e reactionary Afghan assault on civil liberties and the right to the Bush administration to shut down most dangerous terrorists, and it has Taliban and the capitalist regime of Sad­ dissent. Guantanamo. What these forces are try­ been a disaster in undermining Amer­ dam Hussein, both former allies of U.S. In fact, when the Pentagon's own report ing to do is refurbish the image of Amer­ ica's reputation for fairness." imperialism. Today, we demand the imme­ on GuanUinamo was finally released, it ican imperialism in order to maintain its In a 27 May piece in the New York diate and unconditional withdrawal of all was clear that Newsweek didn't have it far effectiveness. Under the headline, "Un- Times, "Just Shut It Down," columnist continued on page 7 23 Defend, Extend the Gains of the 1949 Revolution! SEE PAGE 8 ,1,"25274"81030 7 Letter Klan Terror in North Carolina 3 June 2005 members are black. The city was once Dear Wv. home to a thriving "Black Wall Street." When crosses were burned in three and Durham's NC Central University was very visible locations in Durham, NC, the first state-funded liberal arts college on May 25, many residents were shocked for blacks. There's also a sizeable Jewish and puzzled. The seven foot tall and population and an active gay and lesbian four foot wide, kerosene-drenched crosses community. (The city is the site of the Candlelight vigil in were erected and set afire where they largest "pride day" festival in North Car­ Durham, May 26, would most clearly target the race ter­ olina.) It's the kind of place that one following fascist rorists' intended victims. One was burned may think would be inhospitable toward 'Klan provocation. in a predominantly black neighborhood: the Klan, a cowardly lot who prefer to another at <l church at which supporters of practice their nightriding terror where ifjI " ... RlchardsonlNews & Observer fascistic anti-gay bigot Reverend Fred there's little chance of getting their noses Phelps protested the showing of a play bloodied. wouldn't have stuck around long.) crime is black. The• story goes: young about murdered gay youth Matthew Shep­ Indeed, in February 2004 when a The "progressive" face of Durham black men go to jail for petty drug ard: and the third at Martin Luther King Jr. handful of Klan and Nazi scum wanted hides a bit of reality. however: despite offenses. then after "rehabilitation" come Parkway, a prominent intersection. At one to make hay out of the release of "Wel­ the sizeable black middle class and the out and commit violent crimes. This cross, racist flyers signed "KKK" were come to Durham," a documentary about black faces in high places, there is plenty plays on existing racism and fear in left. gang violence in the city, they chose to of desperate poverty here. much of it order to get the white population to agree Much is made here of Durham's repu- . stage their rally about 25 miles away in black. There are several integrated neigh­ to almost anything in the name of fight­ tation as a "progressive" place with a di­ Raleigh. (The fascists were met by a borhoods. but most of the city·s black ing crime. The Klan is the logical next verse population and a history of blact; vociferous, multi-racial counterdemon­ poor are crammed into bleak areas full step, in that they offer a final solution. economic and political progress. Durham's stration of about 1500 people and if it of decaying old houses or failed and They want a race war, and you're not current population is roughly half black weren't for the huge turnout of local crumbling public housing projects. Gangs going to have a race war in Utah. Wel­ and also includes a growing Latino pop­ cops, county sheriff's deputies, state and drug-dealing appear to be a growth come to Durham. ulation, and the majority of city council troopers and U.S. marshals they probably industry-one of the few opportunities to The day after the cross-burnings in make a buck in the eyes of poor kids Durham about 600 people came out for with no future. vigils near the different sites. The news While the "progressives" of Durham photos and footage of teary eyes attest to Marxism vs. Pacifism gloss over these contradictions. the fas­ the pain and outrage felt by decent peo­ cists haven't missed them. They know ple over the fascist threats. but the best a In tbe lead-up to the March 2003 US.­ that the existence of gangs and crime candlelight vigil can do is to make some led imperialist inl'asion of Iraq. reformist brings with it a real racial fear among people feel better. Candles and tears will socialists in the US. and internationally whites that the Klan can tap into. So. not stop Klan terror. What's needed is a organi;:ed massive demonstrations around while on the surface it seems a sur­ mobilization using the social power of pacifist slogans such as "No War" and prise that fascists would choose an inte­ the organized, multiracial working class.