Some superficial pie-in-the-sky whining in the Guardian about undemocratic control orders in Britain. No call for action, no call for a system that won't spawn this kind of repression, no attempt to look at the brutal reality of the interests the politicians are defending.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/02/control-orders-human-rights-coalition-review
My comment:
Everyone seems to think that there is some scientifically based justification for the orders. But just look at the war on terror itself. The only logical justification for it has nothing to do with children's debates about principles of human rights or defending democracy or international law.
It's pure self-interest on the part of the ruling bourgeoisie mediated through its lackeys in the official political bodies of the state.
Now how can such apparently bone-headed irrationality serve the interests of a state? Well, if it's an imperialist state it has to keep its power to coerce its enemies, most visibly hostile rival states but fundamentally including the national and international working class. And how does it keep its power? First of all by arming its military and police to the teeth and using them to kill, break, cripple and intimidate to the greatest possible extent. And second by using a strategy of divide and rule.
The arming is proceeding (let's focus on the US and Britain) full tilt flying in the face of democratic values and natural justice. Police are used as militias and trained to be as brutal as possible to increase the intimidation. If the police fail, the army is called in. If the army fails, a fascist regime is brought in for some no holds barred defence of the state. Bugger the regime (democracy etc), it's the state that matters.
Overt murder, breaking and material destruction is a US speciality. It deters rivals and enemies from confrontation. It wins no hearts and minds, but it's not intended to. Deeds are what matter, not words.
Divide and rule is a British speciality. Weaker than the States in material terms it's way ahead in diplomacy and strategy. It knows it's fighting a rearguard war on a road to nowhere, so it aims to survive as long as possible. Hence it balkanizes everywhere it loses direct control. Nation against nation, "race" against "race", cultures and religions against each other. It's good at making the victims of its policies do it's dirty work and making them look like ruthless aggressors out to slaughter innocent bystanders.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka; Nigeria; Cyprus; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi; Malaysia, Singapore; Yeman, Aden; the whole Middle East with Israel as the jewel in the crown (Balfour was British); white colonists vs Indians vs various black ethnicities; Christians vs Muslims vs Hindus; etc etc.
And that's just the old colonies.
Ireland is the gold standard of British strategy. 90 years of divide and rule since nominal independence, and still going strong. Who cares about mayhem and national prostration - Ireland is crippled and fettered still.
Foreign policy is the same - throw spanners into the works every chance you get - France vs Germany is the big one there, updated into sabotaging the EU (as if that was needed!).
And the war on terror? Scare the shit out of people with a scape-goat bogeyman - the Mau-Mau de jour - and fill the media with one-sided tales of demons and dragons. Kettle public opinion. Be as over-the-top as you like - surround Heathrow with half the army!
So, there's no way these creatures of the capitalist class dictatorship will ever be converted or even enlightened. They must be removed and their state replaced with one backing and protecting the working majority of the people. Till then we'll live in chains and so will our kids and their kids to the 10th generation.
A good start is getting up off our knees and saying a resounding NO.
1 comment:
Diplomacy is the real weapon of mass destruction for imperialism. One crippling sanction can do more damage than an entire battalion of tanks. one unjust treaty can cripple a nation beyond repair. Compare the diplomatic war of India against Pakistan (the indus water treaty starving out the pakistani population) paving the way for its future enslavement by Indian sub imperialism to the hasty quixotic failure of a policy of total war waged by the United States. It failed in Korea, failed in Vietnam, its failing in Afghanistan, failed in Iraq and sure as heck will fail in Latin America if the US policy makers are stupid enough to invade any of the LAm countries :P. Britain has divide and rule ( which is paying off huge dividends ) and India has the policy of Pacify and dominate. It will be potentially even more paying than divide and rule. You won't need to cut up the cake to eat it bit by bit and run the risk of losing a bit to a rival. You can eat the cake whole ;-) . Now how's the for cunning ! :D .
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