In 1948, certain members of the Jewish faith, those who refer to themselves as Zionists, managed to create a separate state for themselves, referred to as Israel. It is their belief that God gave them the ‘’Holy Land’’, otherwise known as Palestine, and that all non Jewish people should ‘’vacate the premises’’.
Prior to this, within Palestine, for hundreds of years, people of various religions had lived there, largely in peace, respecting the beliefs of one another. The creation of the state of Israel, brought that mutual respect to an abrupt end.
The geographical area of the state of Israel increased in 1967, as a result of the ‘’Six Day War’’, in which Israel went to war with the Arab states of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. This resulted in the capture of the Sinai Peninsula, Golan Heights, Old City of Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The people of Palestine consider all of Palestine, to be ‘’Occupied Territory’’, which is to say, occupied by that which they refer to as the ‘’illegal state of Israel’’. Most Arab states are also of that opinion. Yet the mainstream press refers to the West Bank and Gaza Strip as the ‘’Occupied Territories’’, so that the title is wide spread. For that reason, for the purposes of this article, I have chosen to use those titles.
The state of peace and mutual respect, which existed in Palestine before 1948, changed dramatically, at the time of the creation of the Zionist state of Israel. All of those who were not of the Jewish faith were removed from their homes. The polite term for this is ‘’ethnic cleansing’’. Most of the ‘’Displaced People’’, or ‘’Palestinians’’, were forced into tiny, overcrowded enclaves, or ‘’Occupied Territories’’, currently referred to as the ‘’Gaza Strip’’ and the ‘’West Bank’’. These ‘’Territories’’ are ruled by the government of Israel.
Many of these ‘’Displaced People’’ were formerly farmers, proud people, growing their own crops. Now they are confined to the Occupied Territories, largely degraded, without land, reduced to the level of beggars, relying heavily on ‘’hand outs’’. Of course they are resisting!
Various political groups have taken shape, both within and without the ‘’Occupied Territories’’ of Palestine. All are united in their determination to destroy the state of Israel, which they maintain is an ‘’illegal state’’. In this way, they are determined to achieve the liberation of the people of Palestine.
Perhaps the most well known is the Palestinian Liberation Organization, the PLO. Then there is Hamas, mainly active in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah is mainly based in southern Lebanon. The Houthis are mainly based in the state of Yemen. Together they form the ‘’Axis of Resistance’’, although the Israeli’s tend to refer to them as the ‘’Axis of Evil’’.
The experience of the Six Days War, has taught all of these various groups, a valuable lesson. The Israeli military, referred to as the Israeli Defence Force, the IDF, is very powerful. Not to be under estimated. It is supplied with the latest American made arms and equipment. The troops are also well trained. Yet they can be beaten.
It was the Vietnamese who defeated the Americans, through the use of ‘’guerrilla warfare’’. This is a reference to ‘’irregulars’’, or ‘’civilians’’, those who are not part of an official army, but specialize in ambushes, traps, raids, sabotage, as well as ‘’hit and run’’ tactics. The use of tunnels is an integral part of guerrilla warfare.
For a great many years, those who are ‘’Anti Zionists’’, opposed to the state of Israel, have been preparing to go to war with that state. This includes the arming and equipping of various ‘’irregulars’’, as well as the digging and utilization of countless ‘’under ground bunkers’’, or tunnels.
As well, the state of Iran is well aware of the fact that the Israeli air force is armed with the latest American aircraft. The Iranian aircraft are old and out dated, no match for the modern F35’s. So they are not about to challenge them, or at least, not in aerial combat.
Instead, the Iranians have focused on developing missiles. Quite successfully too, as the events of October 1, have proven. On that day, almost two hundred missiles were launched from Iran, onto the military targets in Israel, hundreds of kilometres away. Many of those missiles hit their targets! Long range, powerful and accurate! Most impressive!
Some of these missiles were ‘’intercepted’’, or ‘’shot down’’, by the Israeli defence, the so called ‘’Iron Dome’’. This is a reference to a very elaborate, ‘’high tech’’, radar controlled, computer activated, missile defence system, in which missiles are used to intercept missiles. On that day, the Iron Dome was largely ineffective.
The Iranians were able to ‘’pierce’’ the Israeli air defences, with the use of ‘’hyper sonic’’ missiles, those which are able to travel at over five times the speed of sound, or greater than ‘’Mach 5’’.
Bear in mind that ‘’Mach’’ is a reference to the speed of sound, so that Mach 5 is five times the speed of sound. Technical jargon!
The precise amount of damage, of this missile strike, is not clear, but it is widely considered to be considerable. It is very likely that a great many American made, F35 jets, were destroyed.
Now the Israeli’s are faced with war on ‘’numerous fronts’’, to use the jargon of the military. On the one hand, they are faced with the guerrilla warfare of Hamas and Hezbollah, and on the other hand, the conventional warfare of Iran, in the form of missiles.
As I write this, the mainstream press is focused on the ‘’response’’ the Israeli’s will take, to this missile strike. All journalists are agreed that the only question is the ‘’form of the retaliation’’, as Israel ‘’goes up the escalation ladder’’. Journalist jargon!
Most of them are of the opinion that Israel will not strike the nuclear sites of Iran, partly because they are so well defended. Besides, they are largely deep underground, or buried in mountains.
As well, President Biden has expressed his disapproval. Not that the Israeli’s pay much attention to that which Biden says. A mere ‘’barking dog’’!
Most of those journalists are agreed that Israel will likely strike the Iranian oil sites, including refineries, storage facilities and oil fields. These are referred to as ‘’soft targets’’, less well defended, easily struck, with a minimum of risk, and maximum damage.
In particular, Kharg Island has been mentioned, as a likely target of ‘’Israeli aggression’’. It is a huge oil terminal, described as being ‘’critical for the oil exports of Iran’’.
If indeed Israel does choose to retaliate, in this manner, then it is reasonable to assume that Iran will respond, in a similar fashion. In fact, numerous oil facilities, through out the Middle East, including within those countries which are allied to America, may soon find themselves engulfed in flames! One good turn deserves another!
Those same journalists are concerned that this will ‘’have a catastrophic effect on the world economy’’. Typical! A war, in which countless people are being killed and wounded, in danger of expanding and becoming a ‘’Regional War’’, and all they can think about, is the ‘’world economy’’! They are merely concerned with the profits of the capitalists!
This ‘’Local War’’, which could soon escalate into a ‘’Regional War’, has further implications. After all, reliable reports are that Iran and Russia may soon enter into a ‘’Mutual Defence Act’’.
Bear in mind that Iran is suspected to be within six months, of developing no less that ten nuclear weapons. And they certainly have the missiles to deliver those nuclear payloads! Not to mention the fact that Russia has no shortage of ‘’nukes’’!
Perhaps a certain former American president was correct, when he expressed concern about a possible ‘’Third World War’’!
Even if those warring countries resort to ‘’nukes’’, that does not mean ‘’Armageddon’’! It does not mean that ‘’Judgement Day’’ is upon us! It does mean that we have our work cut out for us!
While we have to respect the beliefs of all common people, including those who believe that such is indeed the case, we have to encourage such people to persevere. Now is not the time to sit back and wait for the world to come to an end! Now is the time for action!
Nuclear weapons are indeed terrible. As are machine guns! Rockets! Artillery! In fact, all gun powder is capable of inflicting terrible damage! Which it does!
It is the monopoly capitalists, the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie, which are behind these wars! They are only too happy- even anxious!- to have working people fighting each other! The more butchery the better! Divide the proletariat, and increase profits! A ”win- win” situation! Their ‘’cup runneth over’’! Who cares if the weapons used are ‘’nukes’’?
This particular class of people, the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie of various countries, must be stopped. They are completely reactionary! They will not hesitate to slaughter millions of people, in an attempt to increase profits! The experience of two world wars leaves no room for any doubt, on that point!
It is up to the working class, the proletariat, to overthrow the monopoly capitalists, the bourgeoisie. It is the class which is destined to perform this noble task! Now it is a matter of making them aware of this fact. That is where conscious people, those who are aware of the existence of classes, and the conflict between the classes, comes into play. In other words, Marxists, true Communists, those who call for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, must bring this awareness to the proletariat.
As I have mentioned in previous articles, the proletariat is not aware of itself, as a class, complete with its own class interests. For that reason, in the struggle with the class of monopoly capitalists, I can only compare this to that of two boxers, one of whom is blind folded.
Of course, the boxer who is blind folded is the working class, swinging wildly in all directions, as it is not class conscious. The boxer who can see very well, the monopoly capitalist class, is supremely class conscious.
It is the duty of Communists, to ‘’remove the blind fold’’ from the working class, to raise their level of awareness, to make them class conscious. They, or at least the most advanced members of the proletariat, must be raised to the level of true Marxists, embracing the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
Now, more than ever before, the situation is most urgent. The current war in the Middle East, is expanding, threatening to become a ‘’Regional War’’, if not a ‘’World War’’.
To the people involved in these wars, the classification makes little difference. They just want these wars to end.
That which I am suggesting, is indeed a ‘’tall order’’, but completely manageable. Bear in mind that the middle class is ‘’living on borrowed time’’, as the multi billionaires have recently decided to wipe out that class. The fact is that all businesses but five, are ‘’Too Small To Succeed’’. Even General Motors is ‘’Too Small To Succeed’’!
If nothing else, even if only in the interests of ‘’self preservation’’, may I suggest that middle class people read once again, the Essential Works of Lenin. This time without the bourgeois bias, as is taught in University. You may find yourself surprised to find that everything Marx and Lenin said is true!
Perhaps even more surprising, you may find that you have a bright future under Scientific Socialism, in the form of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. As opposed to capitalism, under which you have no future whatsoever!
Rest assured, your skills in organization and in running a business, will come in most handy, after the revolution. You will be in demand, and paid accordingly.
But first is the ‘’not so little detail’’, of overthrowing the class of people who are determined to destroy you. Of course I am referring to the bourgeoisie. It may help to think of this as ‘’one good turn deserves another’’. As they are so determined to wipe out your class, feel free to take part in the destruction of their class, the bourgeoisie!
With that noble goal in mind, regardless of the motivation, feel free to focus on raising the level of awareness of the working class, the proletariat. As most working people are now cultured, complete with digital devices, that makes the task so much easier.
Feel free to flood social media- I believe that is the correct term- with calls for Scientific Socialism, for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Share your previous experience as a capitalist, and the lessons learned from this. Take part in creating Councils, also known as Soviets, in serving the working people. Your past will not be held against you!
Encourage working people to join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members. They can also run for office, as members of those parties! Take the capitalists at their word! Try to change the system from within!
Lest we forget, remind all working people that the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution, lays out the procedure to be followed in all federal elections! Encourage experts in Constitutional law to challenge the 2024 ‘’presidential election’’ as Unconstitutional!
Celebrities must become politically active! Especially Hollywood ‘’movie stars’’! Strangely enough, your adoring fans pay strict attention to you! Share your experience! That includes any possible sexual exploitation and degradation! Be creative! Entertain! That is your department! Education through entertainment!
The preceding was merely a few suggestions, concerning the manner in which we can prepare the working class, the Proletariat, for their approaching Dictatorship. The need is urgent, and the tools consist largely of the internet. With the proper application of those tools, the situation can be quickly turned around.
We will know that we are being successful, when certain expressions are wide spread, among the working people, as well as on the internet:
Dictatorship of the Proletariat!
Scientific Socialism!
Workers of the World, Unite!
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 