"The Opening Guns of World War III: Washington's Assault on Iraq," featured in New International no. 7, describes the reality of imperialism in the aftermath of the 1990-91 Gulf War - a world marked by mounting economic crisis, social instability, intensified political conflicts, and deepening struggles for self-determination.

"Washington's war in the Gulf is not, as the U.S. rulers pretend, the harbinger of a new world order based on peaceful solutions to strife among states," the article explains. The slaughter could accurately be described as the prelude to World War III. "That is the inexorable historic logic of imperialism in its decline - the class logic that will culminate in world war if the capitalists prevail in the decisive struggles that are ahead..

"As the political consequences of Washington's military `victory' in the Gulf continue to unfold, we need to recognize that this is not primarily a postwar period, but a prewar period," the article stated. It pointed out that the 1990-91 "slaughter in the Gulf is the first in a number of conflicts and wars that will be initiated by the U.S. rulers in the 1990s, and the opening of a new stage of accelerating imperialist preparations - at home and abroad - for those wars." That remains true today.

The U.S. war moves are not aimed only at Iraq, but primarily they are moves to prepare imperialism for its coming confrontation with Russia and the other workers states in the region. That's why U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright commends the regimes in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, who are "already behaving as loyal allies."

The tasks of vanguard workers and farmers is to take advantage of the political space to explain these developments and get books like New International no. 7 into the hands of fighters. This is the best way to answer imperialism's lies and war pressures. Take every opportunity to build public meetings and forums to talk about politics, such as the recent meeting at the City College of New York that discussed the theme of "100 Years of Struggle Against U.S. Imperialism: Africa, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines." That event highlighted the revolutionary example of the Cuban people and their intransigent resistance to the colossus to the north. It also displayed the indomitable spirit of the Puerto Rican independence fighters against the Yankee colonizers.

Socialist workers and Young Socialists around the world campaigned in February to get the Militant, Perspectiva Mundial, New International no. 7, and the booklet Celebrating the homecoming of Ernesto Che Guevara's reinforcement brigade to Cuba into the hands of workers, young fighters, and others. In March they will launch a drive to sell new subscriptions to the two periodicals and copies of the New International as they continue to campaign against imperialism.

The working class is the biggest obstacle to the imperialists' march toward fascism and World War III, upon whom the wealthy rulers would have to inflict a worldwide decisive defeat to reverse the decline of their decaying system. These battles remain ahead. The vote by the Caterpillar workers rejecting a recent contract proposal is new confirmation that the retreat by the working class internationally has halted. Toilers around the world are mounting resistance to attacks by the wealthy class on their living standards in Indonesia, Greece, Brazil, and elsewhere.

We urge our readers to join us in the effort to sell the socialist press and Pathfinder books and pamphlets, build meetings to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the struggle against the Yankee imperialist colossus, as well as protest actions that demand:

U.S. and other imperialist troops out of the Middle East!

Defend Iraqi sovereignty!

Weapons "inspectors" out of Iraq!

End the sanctions now!  
 
 
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