The mainstream press is reporting deep concern, over the possibility of the current ‘’conflict’’ in the Middle East, expanding into a ‘’Regional War’’. Their fears are well grounded!
The ‘’conflict’’, to which they are referring, is nothing other than a series of wars, which are raging in the Middle East, against the state of Israel.
For over a year, within the tiny Gaza Strip, an area occupied by Israel, the Israeli Defence Force, IDF, has been trying to wipe out the political party known as Hamas. Unsuccessfully, I might add, as the resistance continues, with over forty thousand residents killed, most of whom are civilians. These people are referred to as Palestinians.
To the north of Israel, in Lebanon, the group known as Hezbollah, has been firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israel. The IDF has responded by sending in jet aircraft, bombing suspected Hezbollah sites. As well, they recently sent troops into Lebanon.
Yet another group, known as Houtis, based in Yemen, has been active mainly in the Red Sea, firing missiles at cargo ships, disrupting the shipping in that vital Sea. There have also been reports of missiles being fired at American warships. The Americans have responded by bombing suspected Houti camps, in Yemen.
These groups, or ‘’Islamic Resistance Parties’’, are considered to be ‘’proxies’’ of Iran. They are thought to be armed and equipped by Iran, and supposedly operate on behalf of the Iranian government.
Then on October 1, the Iranian military confirmed the worst fears, of western analysts. The country launched nearly two hundred ballistic missiles, at Israel. Many of these missiles ‘’pierced’’ the Iron Dome defence system, causing considerable damage to military installations, airfields, radar sites and intelligence centres.
Without doubt, Iran has spent many years developing a most impressive arsenal of ‘’projectiles’’, drones and missiles of various sorts. Some of these drones may even have adapted ‘’stealth technology’’, in that they may be ‘’invisible’’ to enemy radar. Many of them have managed to fly into Israeli airspace, undetected.
The American military has responded to this, by sending in their own missile defence system. This is referred to as ‘’Terminal High Altitude Area Defence’’, THAAD, complete with American personnel, to man the system.
This is referred to as having ‘’boots on the ground’’. American boots, on Israeli ground, subject to attack by ‘’enemy combatants’’, which is a reference to Iran, or any one of their ‘’proxies’’. Truly, this could well lead to Regional War!
The question that naturally comes to mind, is just why America is so determined to defend Israel. In order to properly answer that question, we must first face the fact that capitalism, which came into existence with the birth of the industrial revolution, was at first competitive, and possessed certain progressive characteristics. As I have covered this in earlier articles, there is no need to repeat it here.
That changed, and changed quite dramatically, at the time that capitalism reached the stage of monopoly, around the beginning of the twentieth century. The bourgeois economists of the day, knew that something had changed, that it was no longer the old time competitive capitalism, which they had learned to know and love. This ‘’new capitalism’’ was referred to as ‘’imperialism’’, otherwise known as ‘’monopoly capitalism’’.
The task fell to Lenin, to examine this new stage of capitalism, and explain its features. This he did in 1916, and wrote a masterpiece, titled Imperialism, the Highest State of Capitalism.
There is one passage, which I have chosen to quote, as it is of particular significance. It explains the behaviour of the warring imperialist parties. In reference to the colonial policy of the capitalist countries:
‘’As there are no unoccupied territories – that is, territories that do not belong to any state….we must say that the characteristic feature of this period is the final partition of the globe – not in the sense that a new partition is impossible – on the contrary, new partitions are possible and inevitable – but in the sense that the colonial policy of the capitalist countries has completed the seizure of the unoccupied territories on our planet. For the first time the world is completely shared out, so that in the future only re-division is possible; territories can only pass from one ‘owner’ to another, instead of passing as unowned territory to an ‘owner’’’. (italics by Lenin)
The United States, America, claims the Middle East as ‘’their own’’. The country of Israel is nothing other than their ‘’proxy’’. They use Israel to ‘’exert their influence’’, throughout the Region.
Now the people of Palestine are in revolt, demanding national independence. Their friends and allies, in neighbouring countries, are offering their assistance. All are determined to wipe out the illegal state of Israel, as well as driving out the American imperialists.
The country of Iran has distinguished itself, as one of the few countries in the Middle East, to stand up to American imperialism. It has further distinguished itself, in the tactics it is using. The missile attack it launched, against Israel, focused on military and intelligence targets, rather than civilians. This is to their credit. Way to go, Iran!
There is a strong possibility that this war will escalate, to a ‘’Regional War’’, involving all of the Middle East. As there are United Nations troops in Lebanon, American troops could find themselves fighting UN troops! As well, several North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, NATO, have openly sided with Iran. This could lead to Americans fighting the very organization they founded!
Now the various countries within the Middle East, many of which are feudal monarchies, are ‘’considering their options’’. They very likely see the ‘’writing on the wall’’, that Iran is about to drive out the Americans, and that it is ‘’prudent’’ to ‘’jump ship’’, to ‘’throw in their lot’’, with the Iranians. Hence the diplomatic maneuvering.
Now it is up to American citizens, common people, both middle class and working class, to ‘’do their part’’, and not just as a show of support for the people of Palestine. After all, those ‘’local wars’’ could soon become a ‘’Regional War’’, with American troops and ships attacked. It is also entirely possible that nuclear weapons could be used.
At the risk of being accused of being a ‘’panic monger’’, bear in mind that the Korean Peninsula could also break out into open warfare, at any time. The tensions are reported to be ‘’extremely high’’, with the military forces on ‘’high alert’’. There are thousands of American troops in South Korea.
That brings us to the ‘’self proclaimed’’ island ‘’country’’, of Taiwan. China maintains that Taiwan is nothing other than a part of China, and fully intends to ‘’bring it back into the fold’’. The Americans are equally determined to keep it separate from China. The American fleet is stationed close by, in case of a ‘’Chinese invasion’’. This could happen at any time.
It is entirely possible that Americans could soon find themselves fighting a war, on three fronts! All in the interests of securing the profits of the multi billionaires, the bourgeoisie. American working people are expected go to war with people they do not even know, with whom they have no quarrel, just so that the country can control those colonies!
This is to stress the sense of urgency in the current situation. As I have documented in previous articles, there are various ways that people can become active.
Among other things, these include becoming involved in Councils, or Soviets, assisting, arming and training working people, in preparation for the insurrection. The ‘’presidential election’’ should be challenged, on Constitutional grounds. Join the two mainstream political parties, as card carrying members, and run for office. Celebrities can publish videos, calling for Scientific Socialism. Take part in the creation of a true American Communist Party, Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
As I have gone into this, in more detail, in other writings, there is no need to repeat it here. Suffice it to say that the imperialists have to be defeated, before they drag the country into a devastating war, one that could bring America to ruin.
Now that the capitalists have blessed us with the internet, and the subsequent ‘’social media’’, it is only proper that we should express our gratitude, by using this new technology, against them. We no longer have to rely on pamphlets, posters and banners, to get our message to the public. We can use emails and videos, which tend to be far more entertaining. May I suggest flooding social media with calls for:
Dictatorship of the Proletariat!
Workers of the World, Unite!
Scientific Socialism!
Prepare For Insurrection!
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 