The following is excerpts from
an article that appeared in Revolution, newspaper of the Revolutionary
Communist Party, USA.
By Larry Everest
Obama claimed he had already
decided to attack Syria, and that he had the authority to do so, "But
having made my decision as commander-in-chief based on what I am convinced is
our national security interests, I'm also mindful that I'm the president of the
world's oldest constitutional democracy. I've long believed that our power is
rooted not just in our military might, but in our example as a government of
the people, by the people, and for the people. And that's why I've made a
second decision: I will seek authorization for the use of force from the
American people's representatives in Congress."
But Obama’s very double-talk, his
own words, expose the lie of "by the people, for the people." He says
straight out it would be better for his plans if he went through the charade of
democracy to enlist the people: "Yet, while I believe I have the authority
to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization,
I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our
actions will be even more effective." In other words, this delay is about
strengthening the U.S. military's hand against Syria and other global rivals.
What is going on here is an
exercise in democracy – but it is an exercise in capitalist-imperialist democracy, which is in
essence the dictatorship of the imperialist ruling class. The Obama team felt
it had the freedom, but also the necessity, given the widespread public
cynicism about yet another case of "slam dunk" evidence, yet another
U.S. military adventure, and unresolved concerns in the ruling class over where
an attack on Syria would lead, to give this speech and launch this process he
calls for, along with a need to make a case to an international audience and
push allies into line and deal with a complex international alignment of
forces.
But this is not the government
soliciting the people's views and listening to them. It's the imperialist
rulers setting the terms and framework of discussion, insisting people confine
their thinking to that – in order to build public support and acquiescence in
the crimes they have already decided to carry out.
None of that is any good. This is
NOT about allowing public input into the strategic moves of U.S. imperialism –
it is about ENLISTING the public in terms set by the ruling class. It is about
SELLING not just this attack, but a whole upside-down, warped framework.
The LAST thing people should do right now is breathe a sigh of relief.
Instead, this is a moment to SEIZE to organize protests and teach-ins, and to
bring forward a visible force within the U.S. that rejects the whole framework
and agenda in Obama's speech.
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