I disagree almost completely with this article; especially with this statement:
"Peace loving Americans are few and far between. The vast majority of our citizens see nothing wrong with their government killing masses of people as long as the rationale sounds high minded and noble."
I have been traveling extensively in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan the past couple weeks and have found very little support for this war on Libya. Quite to the contrary, I find almost universal opposition among the people I have been talking to.
In fact, the anti-imperialist sentiment in this country is the reason Obama did not seek to carry out this new war as called for in the U.S. Constitution and in the War Powers Act with Congressional approval because he knows the American people would have been outraged and non-supportive.
Peace activists, peace organizations and the peace movement bear a lot of the burden for not shouldering their responsibility. We should have a united, anti-imperialist peace movement in both Canada and the United States together with a strong cross-border peace movement but we don't.
Let's get real here; we are living in imperialist countries in both the United States and Canada. Imperialist governments led by Wall Street and Bay Street are known to be prone to instigating and waging wars. We have had over a century of imperialist wars all--- with the exception of World War II--- caused mainly by Britain, Spain, Italy, France, Belgium and the United States. World War II caused by imperialist Germany, Japan, Italy and Spain.
So, why don't we have united peace organizations and movements in the United States and Canada?
We know these imperialist governments aren't inclined to listen to the voices of peace; so, what do we do when these imperialist governments won't listen to the people?
In fact, if one agrees with this nonsense that most Americans (and Canadians) are for war, there isn't even a basis for a peace movement.
The left has failed miserably in connecting these wars and militarism to the austerity budgets at home of these imperialist governments.
We should be making a case for peace by showing how these wars not only kill people; but also kill jobs and destroy social programs including education, health care and virtually every single public program which public workers now under attack are employed to maintain.
We can blame these wars on Obama and his Wall Street coupon clippers but blaming the American people who have no say in starting wars initiated by this dirty, rotten imperialist Wall Street government is like blaming workers for the economic problems created by Wall Street when we all know working people had no part in the decision-making process anymore than the American people (overwhelmingly working class) have a say over whether or not and when this country goes to war.
Even if the contention that the majority of the people supported these dirty imperialist wars it would only prove more education needs to take place and by-and-large, peace organizations and the peace movements are being manipulated and controlled by the Democratic Party in cahoots with organized labor's and civil rights "leaders." Even environmental leaders who adamantly insist what kind of light-bulbs we use has a greater impact on global warming than the military-financial-industr
The left had better take a good hard look at itself and question how it is that it has so little influence in both the United States and Canada and what the obstacle is towards creating united peace movements capable of making it impossible for Obama and his NATO (read imperialist) "partners" to carry out these imperialist wars abroad paid for with austerity measures here at home.
Why do we even tolerate those on the "left" supporting Obama's imperialist attack on Libya without vigorous opposition?
Part of a good strategy in opposing imperialist wars abroad is linking these wars to attacks of the rights, lives, and livelihoods of working people here at home. When are we going to do this? Lack of a united left remains a very serious problem and until this is corrected, we will see the imperialist governments go to war at will without any real opposition and without any accountability.
We don't even offer voters an alternative at the polls.
In fact, most Americans are strong advocates of peace; as are most liberals. We have had far too many attacks on liberals who are needed as an important component of any kind of movement capable of changing the direction of this country. The left, by itself, can be little more than a catalyst for change bringing together liberals, progressive and the left into a powerful united people's front for peace, social & economic justice. In fact, some on the left oppose this strategy which includes building an anti-monopoly people's front and they think the left can go it alone; this has been proven to be suicidal leaving the imperialists free reign to carry out their wars on people abroad as well as wars against the working class at home.
We have got to answer the question: What do we do when these imperialist governments refuse to listen to the voices of the people for peace?
Even the title of this article is wrong-headed: Freedom Rider: Attack of the Cruise Missile Liberals | Black Agenda Report
Obama and this Wall Street crowd aren't liberals; they are neo-liberals.
Are there some liberals supporting these imperialist wars and now this new war on Libya? Of course; but there are also progressives and even leftists supporting this new dirty imperialist war. It is up to the left to get involved in the struggles of the people with an anti-imperialist agenda for real change.
How many jobs does this war on Libya kill?
How many people will go without health care because of the costs associated with this war?
How many teachers will be fired?
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