THE DREADFUL carnage of the Istanbul bomb attacks clearly revealed the futility of Bush and Blair’s war on terror.
Socialists unequivocally condemn the attacks in Istanbul, which al-Qa’ida claimed responsibility for. Those who suffer most from these attacks are not the world leaders closeted in their security bubbles in London or Washington but ordinary working people in Turkey and Britain.
Hypocritically Bush and Blair seized upon these suicide bombings in Turkey (targeted because it is an ally of both the US, Britain and Israel) and to justify their actions in Iraq and to crank up the repression that their war on terror is perpetuating around the world.
They also attempted to use the bombings to belittle the massive show of protest against Bush and Blair’s global policies that took place in London on the same day.
This magnificent demonstration showed the massive opposition there is to the imperialist policies of Bush and Blair and reflected a growing mood for ‘regime change’ in Britain and the USA.
Blair’s support for Bush’s military occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq massively increased the likelihood of British people and cities being targeted. Last week’s bombings will intensify the anxieties of ordinary people about possible future attacks.
Bush and Blair’s actions, far from eradicating support for groups like al-Qa’ida, will only push more of the oppressed to take desperate measures, including suicide bombings, to try and defeat imperialism.
At the same time the terrorist methods of groups like al-Qa’ida are counter productive and play a reactionary role in allowing the imperialists to intensify their repression at home and abroad – in Iraq, the Middle East and throughout the world.
Civil liberties threatened
In the USA, according to the New York Times, the FBI is collecting extensive information on anti-war protesters. Had the Istanbul bombings occurred a day or so before the anti-war demo, the government would have intensified its pressure to get the demo stopped.
Blair’s government is apparently considering a civil contingencies bill in the aftermath of the Istanbul bombings which will see a further draconian attack on civil liberties.
The Socialist Party has consistently opposed war and terror, explaining that both are the destructive consequences of a capitalist system that exploits the working people and oppressed – the overwhelming majority – across the planet.
The terror methods of groups like al-Qa’ida allow the capitalists to breed mistrust and sow divisions amongst workers, the poor and oppressed of the world.
Socialists argue that the way to defeat imperialism is not through the methods of individual terror but through united mass movements of protest action and strikes.
The huge protests against Bush and Blair’s occupation show the potential there is for such a movement. And, many of those now protesting are looking for answers on wider issues than just why we should oppose the war and occupation of Iraq.
Many are now agreeing with the socialist conclusion; which also argues for regime change at home and abroad and the socialist transformation of society to bring peace and freedom to the people of Iraq, the Middle East and throughout the world.
