Workers and poor say...

We Won't Pay For Bush And Blair's War

"I THINK it's wrong for America to take it all into their own hands and to drop bombs and kill civilians," said Nahim, originally from Afghanistan, one of 50,000 people on a huge anti-war demonstration in London on 13 October.

She told us: "While their war is with the Taliban it's just not right to kill innocent people in the process - that's terrorism in itself. So that's why we are here."

US President Bush and his 'deputy' Tony Blair are fighting a war against Afghanistan which won't end terrorism but is already killing innocent civilians in one of the world's poorest countries.

On 16 October, so-called 'pinpoint' US air strikes hit a well-marked Red Cross warehouse in the Afghan capital Kabul, destroying wheat and other humanitarian supplies. How many other civilian targets are going to be attacked?

Every day this war is making the world a more dangerous place but people are moving into opposition to it.

Over the same weekend as the London protest, there was a gigantic demonstration, estimated between 250,000 and 500,000, in Italy (see page 4) and other anti-war protests in cities around the world.

As economic recession kicks in at home, opposition to Bush and Blair's system will grow in the US and Britain alongside opposition to the war.

Look what's happening to workers' jobs. On just one day, 15 October, 12,000 jobs were lost. For instance, telecoms giant Siemens cut 7,000 jobs making a total of 15,000 jobs disappearing this year as the bosses defend their profits by sacrificing our jobs.

It's not just war against Afghanistan - capitalism is declaring war on all fronts. It's a class war by the rich against the poor. The bosses' system cannot resolve any of the problems that the working class and the poverty-stricken people of the world face.

Don't just fight on one front but join us in a battle to change the system. We will build on the huge demonstrations that have taken place already and fight for a socialist alternative to capitalism, war, poverty and terrorism.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.