The Other America
Left Reactions to the War
Canada could be very grave for a country which, in the past, has been best known for its role in defending
"Nine years ago, when in opposiinternational law, and for its role as tion, Lloyd Axworthy opposed mediator. Yet it is still not too late military action against Iraq without to think of switching hats." * the backing of the United Nations.
Yet now, as Foreign Affairs minister,
Pierre Baudet, Alternatives he is fully supporting a war without
UN sanction, as are all five major
Action and communication network for international
Canada has compolitical parties.
development, 3680 Jeanne-Mance Street Suite 440
Montreal (Quebec) H2X 2K5 mitted 12 CF-18 Hornets to the www.alternatives-action.org/docs/ejourn.html bombing mission. As Belgrade burns under the impact of the bombing Canada's self-promoted
Mexico image as a "peacemaker" is going
The oligarchy of North American up in flames too.
"The Canadian state stands finance—so sensitive to the military revealed as of Western and armaments industry-has part imperialism pure and simple.
brought to their knees not simply the people and governments of the
"Perhaps most disappointing has
Balkans, but the governments of been the capitulation of the New
Democratic Party to NATO's war western Europe too.
The government of Clinton, the effort. In 1991 NDP leaders waffled government of the financial while Western military forces devastated Iraq, killing tens of thousands.
oligarchy, is sending a message to the world. There is no problem, big
"Even some in the peace moveor small that is beyond the reach of ment have responded in the same the United States.
way as the NDP. These people forget that Western bombing is no
Clinton is sending a warning to
Europe: any process of European more a solution now than it was in
Iraq. NATO's intervention has only integration must be subordinate to the US foreign policy. In this sense, strengthened the hand of the ethnic nationalists on both sides of the main losers in the current war will be France and Germany. Before the conflict.
The only real solutions in the it is even born, the new European region will come from people there pole which could compete with the who are struggling for peace, social
United States has been subjugated justice and democracy-including to US interests * the democratic right of the people
Zapatistas (FZLN), Mexico of Kosovo to independence." *
New Socialist Group
Box 167, 253 College St., Toronto M5T 1R5
Tel: 416-969-3209
Email: <newsoc@web.net
Homepage: <www.web.net/~newsoc>
Quebec
"There have been huge demonstrations in European countries, where many people refuse to believe that war will lead to peace!
In Canada, though, little serious debate has taken place. However, the government of Canada needs to reflect on what it has been doing.
Our image as "peacemakers" has been dealt a severe blow. Our blue berets have been replaced by the F-
18s which participate in destructive action.
"Without doubt, US pressure is influencing decisions made in
Ottawa. But the consequences
14 International Viewpoint #312 June 1999 best, and (probably for that reason) vastly overestimated its prospects for military success against Milosevic's army. But it is fighting a justified war for independence and against a threatened genocide.
We demand that all the Kosovar refugees receive immediate asylum wherever they wish to come. For those who choose refuge in the United States, that means the right to come here—with unconditional rights to permanent residency or citizenship or return to their homeland whenever they may choosenot the unspeakable plan to put them in detention in Guam or Guantanamo.
Equally important, we must do everything in our power to reach out to the doubly besieged democratic opposition activists in Serbia, who are being bombed from the air by NATO and hunted down by the regime on the
L ground, in some cases threatened with being dratted into the Serb army or the ethnic-cleansing paramilitaries for duty in Kosovo.
The imperialists and the Milosevic regime will seek to exploit, by blaming
Si each other for, the suffering of the ordiha nary people of Serbia and the destruction th of democratic forces. Thanks to the
B internet and to the distribution the international progressive media can provide, dissidents in Serbia have some chance to continue to speak for themselves.
Their uncensored voices must be heard, and all possible material and political solidarity must be extended as they seek to rebuild a democratic opposition that will be neither a tail to Milosevic or a pawn for imperialist occupiers.
Finally, in the military conflict that now dominates the ruins of former Yugoslavia, let's be clear: There is no side to support, neither Milosevic's genocidal op post-stalinism nor NATO imperialism.
Neither side is a lesser evil. Freedom for
Kosovo! Abolish NATO! * to
----- photo credits and running heads -----
=ogeog<
Costruire l'alternativa
RIPARTIAMO DAI BISOGNIS
Italy * government hoped to replace Italy's proportional electoral system with a "first-past-the-post" system. This would remove any chance of electoral representation for the PRC, even if it won
10-12% of the vote.
Concerning the municipal, regional and European elections in June, Bertinotti argued for the PRC to form agreements with the centre-left, but excluding any centre or centre-right parties. Programmatic convergence was possible, he
Some left currents in the party argued