· SWEDEN KR15 · UK £1.00 · U.S. $1.50 INSIDE Speech by Raul Castro on Cuba's role in Africa THE -PAGES8-9 A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE VOL. 66/NO. 9 MARCH 4, 2002 Capitalists Post-9/11, Bush builds in Venezuela case for new war moves step up drive With earlier momentum exhausted, U.S. rulers shift course to topple BY JACK WILLEY With the momentum of September 11 government exhausted for the U.S. imperialist rulers, the March of 1,000 backs Bush administration has begun building a BY JACK WILLEY case for a new round of military aggression AND ROGER CALERO in the world. striking nurses in New York The capitalist class in Venezuela is pre­ The U.S. president took his campaign paring to attempt to overthrow the govern­ against north Korea, Iran, and Iraq as the ment of Hugo Chavez and deal blows to the "axis of evil'; in the world on the road last working class and the peasantry in the pro­ week, with a tour of Asia. The administra­ cess. This drive is setting the stage for a tion, searching for a way to justify a renewed possible civil war in the South American course toward war, is trying to raise a scare country. around the ability, or potential ability, of The employers' offensive takes place in those countries to build and deploy weap­ the midst of a deepening economic crisis ons of mass destruction. aggravated by a drop in oil prices, a world In Japan, Bush said at a press conference recession that has hit semi colonial countries that "there are some nations in the world particularly hard, especially in Latin which want to develop weapons that will America, and a massive flight of capital that hurt the United States and/or our friends and has shaken the confidence of the capitalist allies, and we've got to stop them from do­ rulers. ing so." Another purpose of the U.S. On February 18, in open defiance of the president's trip was to pressure the Japanese Chavez government, Vice ~dmiral Carlos rulers to carry out major economic reforms Molina, the country's ambassador-designate to try to head off a collapse of the country's to Greece, called on the "armed forces and banking system. • the people to publicly show their opposi­ "Make no mistake about it," said Bush, tion to Chavez's unpatriotic stand," and for "we will defend our interests and I will de­ the Venezuelan president to step down. fend the American people." He later said Molina is the fourth high-ranking officer in Washington is "more committed than ever two weeks to publicly call for Chavez's res­ to a forward presence in this region," speak­ ignation. ing of the massive U.S. military forces Echoing the condemnation of Chavez's armed with nuclear and other weapons of "authoritarian" style of government, the mass destruction that are stationed in Japan, military officers are attempting to discredit south Korea, and on warships in the Pacific. him and present themselves as true defend­ "We will continue to show American power Nurses lead march in New York, February 16, to protest mandatory overtime. ers ofVenezuela's "democratic system" and and purpose in support of the Philippines, Continued on Page 5 Australia, and Thailand,." and "will press on with an effective program of missile de­ BY SUSAN ARMSTRONG from all over the New York area took part, fenses," he said. SMITHTOWN, New York-Striking as well as a broad array of union locals. The walkout by the 475 nurses is di­ Bush also aimed his fire at remarks by nurses here mobilized 1,000 people in a 'Defense of several leaders of imperialist governments spirited march and rally February 16, rected at St. Catherine's of Siena Medi­ Continued on Page 5 in Europe who have questioned Wash­ their 83rd day on the picket lines. Nurses Continued on Page 2 workers' rights is crucial,' says Havana book fair celebrates two titles fired socialist BY STEVEN WARSHELL on struggle for women's liberation HOUSTON-As part of a nationwide tour in his fight to be reinstated at his job as BY BRIAN TAYLOR Equality and the Social Participation of rican Freedom Struggle, a March 1987 a sewing machine operator at Goodwill In­ AND YONATAN MOSQUERA Mozambican Women, published by speeeh by Thomas Sankara, leader of the dustries in Miami, socialist worker Michael HAVANA-A meeting to celebrate the Tricontinental Editions, was presented by 1983-87 revolutionary government in the Italie spoke to a meeting of 40 people here publication of two Spanish-language books author Vi tori a Afonso Langa de Jesus. Mary­ WestAfrican country ofBurkina Faso. Ulises February 9. Goodwill CEO Dennis Pastrana on the struggle for the liberation of women Alice Waters, president of Pathfinder Press, Estrada, director of Tricontinental Editions, says the nonprofit company fired Italie last in Africa was one of the features of the 11th introduced Women's Liberation and the Af- Continued on Page 10 Havana International Book Fair, held here February 7-17. Socialist garment worker Michael Italie fights You are invited to another political firing in Miami Red Weekend special event Sat. February 23 October for political views he expressed at a televised candidates forum. Italie ran for Dinner: 6:00 p.m. mayor of Miami on the Socialist Workers Program: 7:00 p.m. Party ticket and was on the ballot in the at the Pathfinder Building November elections. Italie is encouraging his supporters to 165 Charles St. focus their efforts on informing co-workers (one block north of 1 Oth@West St.) about the case and winning their backing Translation to Spanish and French for the fight. "We want to sign up thousands of workers for this fight. Defending work­ Sponsored by the New York and Newark ers rights against employer and government branches of the Socialist Workers Party assault is crucial for the labor movement and and the Young Socialists. Call numbers Joyce all working people. It is the only way to listed on page 12 for more information. From left to right, author Vito ria Afonso; Ulises Estrada, director ofTricontental Edi­ defend our ability to organize, discuss, de­ tions; and Mary-Alice Waters, president of Pathfinder Press speak at Cuba event. Continued on Page 4 Communists respond to political openings- page 6 Bush builds case for new war moves Continued from front page One of the unspoken differences between ington's new campaign. He told them not Paris and Washington is the debt that the to fear "a state of war tomorrow," and in the Iraqi government owes to France. Paris also same breath, added; "Let's not swoon." At sees the country as a potential source for the same event Prime Minister Junichiro investment of tremendous exploitable Koizumi endorsed the "axis of evil" cam­ wealth. paign, even though Japan has formal rela­ After Christopher Patten, the European tions with Iran. Union's foreign affairs commissioner, ac­ Vice President Dick Cheney voiced with cused Bush of taking an "absolutist" ap­ particular clarity and arrogance the strength proach to the world, Powell retorted, "I shall ofU.S. imperialism vis-a-vis its rivals across have a word with him, as they say in Brit­ theAtlantic. During a February 15luncheon ain." of the Council of Foreign Affairs he said, The German foreign minister accused "America has friends and allies in this case, Washington of treating "coalition partners" but only we can lead it. Only we can rally like "satellites," implicitly comparing it to the world in a task of this complexity against the former Soviet Union and the Eastern an enemy so elusive and so resourceful. The Bloc countries. United States and only the United States can The governments in the workers states of China and Russia have also raised concern. see this effort through to victory." U.S. and south Korean troops conduct military exercise on floating bridge in 1997. While administration officials have Four days later, Cheney appeared at the Washington maintains 37,000 heavily armed soldiers in the south alongside the 650,000- matched their arrogant tone with sugar coat­ Richard Nixon Presidential Library and on man south Korean army-a sign of its aggressive intentions toward north Korea, whose ing by making offers to negotiate with the the Jay Leno show as part of a tour through army helped to deal U.S. forces their first major defeat in the 1950-53 Korean war. California. "A few of our friends in Europe governments of Iran, Iraq, and north Ko­ are hesitant to join in condemning what the rea-but under conditions that would vio­ president has called the 'axis of evil' states late their sovereignty and dictate what they overhaul regulations of the banking sector, Economist reports that many companies will and terrorist allies arming to threaten the can use to defend themselves-the admin­ and address deflation, the spiral of falling never make a profit, but the banks continue peace in the world. But evidence is compel­ istration is seeking to build bipartisan sup­ prices and falling wages. to prop them up to avoid bankruptcies, pray­ ling," he said. He had earlier made the point port for an assault on Iraq. The Japanese economy-facing its fourth ing that one day they will see some of the that once Washington starts military action Several big-business commentators have recession in a decade-is in the midst of an money and accompanying interest on bil­ somewhere, the "friends" will have little pointed to the 1980 raid by Israeli forces accelerating deflationary spiral, a contrac­ lions of dollars in loans.