Imperialist Intervention Tows in the "Left" and the "Far Left"

(Statement of the Executive Committee of the International Secretariat of the

Fourth International)

Resolution No. 1973 of the UN Security Council, adopted on Thursday, March

17, fully confirms the terms of the declaration adopted by the International
Secretariat of the Fourth International on March 13, which states in part:

"Using as pretext the fierce repression of the Gaddafi regime, the U.S.
Administration has decided to anchor its ships off the coast of Libya. It is calling
for military intervention, sharpening the contradictions at the summit of the
European Union which met on March 12, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy
and British Prime Minister David Cameron hastening to respond favorably, as
did the Arab League (excepting Syria and Algeria). ...

"Behind the hypocritical references to 'humanitarian intervention' and to the "no-

fly zone," what's involved here is nothing other than direct control by imperialism
over Libya, its hydrocarbons and its people. It is a direct threat to the
revolutionary processes of the peoples of neighboring Egypt and Tunisia, but
also to the sovereignty and integrity of Algeria and Morocco. It is yet one more
attempt to set up the AFRICOM project under the United States, encircling the
continent with an integrated military system, led by U.S. imperialism."

On Friday, March 18, the media reported the escalation of the military
intervention:

"President Barack Obama has called Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister
David Cameron to co-ordinate a strategy. The European Union declares itself
ready to 'implement' the resolution, within the limits of its powers. The issue will
be on the agenda of the meeting of the ministers of Foreign Affairs scheduled for
Monday [March 21] in Brussels, then at the Summit of the heads of State and
government planned for Thursday and Friday. Also, at NATO, the
representatives of the 28 member States should meet on Friday to decide on
what should follow the UN resolution." The Arab League (excepting Algeria and
Syria) are also being called on to support this intervention.

For the Fourth International, what is at stake here is not the nature of the
Gaddafi regime -- about which we have repeatedly presented our point of view,
moreover. Loyal to the traditions of the workers' movement, we assert that it is
time for a United Front against the unleashing of the imperialist war against
peoples and nations, for an immediate stop to military strikes, for the defense of
the sovereignty of nations and for the defense of the revolutions in Tunisia and
in Egypt.

If this intervention is possible today, it is not primarily because of a relationship

of forces that is favorable to imperialism. Rather it is because, once again, the
apparatuses of the "left" and the "far left" have come together and aligned
themselves to justify, prepare, assist, and finally take charge of the imperialist
intervention. On this issue as on all the others, "the world political situation as a
whole is chiefly characterized by a historic crisis of leadership of the proletariat."

We are sending to all the sections of the Fourth International the documents and
facts to expose the duplicity of those who dare to claim to support the rights of
peoples and of socialism, only to better serve the interests of U.S. imperialism
and all its subsidiaries -- the UN, the European Union and the imperialist
governments.

The ETUC for "Social Dialogue" on both sides of the Mediterranean

On March 14, 2011, the mis-named European Confederation of Trade Unions

(ETUC) thus affirmed, "In the context of the discussions of the European Council
on its neighbors south of Europe, the European Confederation of Trade Unions
reiterates firmly its condemnation of the slaughter of civilians by the Gaddafi
regime in Libya. The ETUC equally emphasizes the need for the whole of the
European Union to be an example in supporting the 'Arab Spring,' on the basis
of our commitment in favor of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. ... The
ETUC confirms its support for the initiatives that the European Commission is
currently undertaking by way of Social Dialogue and once again requests that
the European External Action Service (EESA) be able to use sound expertise in
the matters of employment and social affairs."

This "consensus" with the imperialist outlaws found another platform for
expressing itself fully: the so-called European "Parliament."

We published, in a previous letter from the Fourth International, the resolution

proposed in common on January 31, 2011, by the near totality of the groups in
the European Parliament -- including the Social Democrat parties, and the group
of the "European United Left," which includes the Communist Party and the
former members of the CP, as well as the Left Party of Melenchon in France --
who personally endorsed the resolution. This was a resolution devoted entirely
to Tunisia, in favor of the continuation of the Agreement of Association with the
European Union (EU). which had transformed Tunisia, under Ben Ali, into a "free
trade zone."
The resolution asserts (as is underscored in the Open Letter from the European
Liaison Committee, which met on February 20) that "considering that Tunisia
and the European Union were in the process of defining an action plan for the
period of 2011-2016; considering that this process will necessitate increased
commitment on behalf of both partners ... therefore calls on the Council, the
Committee and the High Representative of the European Union [Catherine
Ashton] to thus be prepared to re-direct the funding -- and if need be, to
increase it -- of the various financial instruments of EU-Tunisia co-operation ...
and invites the High Representative and Vice President to support the coming
electoral process by sending an electoral observer mission to Tunisia ... and
asks that the Commission to favor, including financially, the support and
assistance that the European civil society can give to the Tunisian civil society,
particularly the associations in defense of human rights and social partnerships."

At the European "Parliament" consensus and more consensus

The same "logic" of pro-imperialist consensus prevailed with the virtually

unanimous vote by the European Parliament on a resolution requesting that
Catherine Ashton begin the process of recognizing the Libyan opposition,
calling, as well, on European Union governments to "be prepared for a decision
from the Security Council of the United Nations concerning further measures,
including the possibility of a no-fly zone."

This motion was defended and voted by the "Euro MPs" of the Social Democrat
parties, the Popular Party (right wing) the Liberals, and the Greens, and also by
the MPs of the parties that are members of the "Party of the European Left" (the
EL), amongst whom one can find Lothar Bisky, the former president of Die Linke
(Germany) and of the EL, current president of European United Left-Nordic
Green Left; and Jean-Luc Melenchon, who is the president of the Left Party in
France. (The "Euro MPs" of the French Communist Party happened to be
absent from the parliament that day.)

It should be noted that the Members of Parliament of the Portuguese

Communist Party, like those of the Greek Communist Party (KKE), voted against
the resolution, with the KKE correctly denouncedin a declaration, as "a
provocation by the imperialists of the United States and NATO, and by the
bourgeois governments and the EU parties."

But it should also be noted that among the European Left "Euro MPs" who voted
in favor of the resolution there are representatives not only of the more or less
"renovated" Stalinist parties of Germany, the Czech Republic, Holland, etc., but
also three MPs of the Portuguese "Left Bloc" (Marisa Matias, Miguel Portas, Rui
Tavares), and Soren Sondegaard, who represents the Popular Movement
against the EU in Denmark.

The USec and the French NPA Cross a New Threshold

The Portuguese Left Bloc is a member of the "European Anti-Capitalist Left,"
along with the NPA (New Anti-capitalist Party) in France. One of the three Euro
MPs of the Left Bloc is a member of the Unified Secretariat (USec) -- as is
Soren Sondegaard from Denmark. The USec for decades now has been
usurping the banner of the Fourth International.

At the very same time, an appeal titled, "A Call for European Union Solidarity
Intervention in the Mediterranean" was issued in France, Belgium and in
Switzerland. This appeal was signed by the NPA and by Melenchon's Left Party,
among others. This appeal includes the following language:

"Not so long ago, Europe prided itself on the fact that it was deploying 'a Euro-
Mediterranean policy'. Has this ambition suddenly burst into pieces, just when
several of the nations who were potential partners in this 'Euro-Mediterranean'
are on the way to becoming democracies? We solemnly call on all European
governments, on the EU authorities, on all political parties and in concert with
the partners around the Mediterranean, to take the emergency measures that
the situation requires."

What emergency measures were "required" was spelled out on March 18 -- that
is, the day after the shameful resolution 1973 of the UN Security Council, which
paved the way for the bombing of Libya.

On March 18, the website of the NPA (France) published a "unitary"

communiqué calling for a "Gathering for Solidarity with the People of Libya" the
next day in Paris, in the following terms:

"Since the uprising of February 17, 2011, Muammar Gaddafi has been
committing veritable crimes against the people of Libya, in all impunity, whilst the
Western governments and the dictators of the Arab world hesitate, evade, beat
about the bush, making a show of possibly being ready to agree to a UN
Security Council resolution or even 'modalities of military intervention.' A very
real and criminal counter-revolution is taking place in Libya: we need urgently to
mobilize; let us be many to bring our support to the people of Libya who are in
danger." (Besides the NPA, ATTAC, the French Communist Party and
Melenchon's "Left Party" have all partnered with this veritable act of allegiance
to imperialism.)
The purpose of this gathering was to pressure the UN Security Council and the
"Western governments" to stop "beating around the bush" and to intervene
quickly and forcefully, just when the imperialist arsenal threatened Libya with the
worst of destruction.

This appeal for imperialist intervention concludes with the "demand" for
"Recognition of the National Council for Intermediary Transition (CIT), the only
legitimate representative of the Libyan people." Putting aside the fact that this
"national committee" is made up of former cadres of the Gaddafi regime who
openly demand imperialist intervention, is this not a "demand" that Sarkozy
himself has already rushed to "satisfy" by recognizing the said CIT last week?

These are the same political forces that shamefully remain silent in relation to
the intervention of Saudi and Emirate troops against the people of Bahrain, who
have been standing up for weeks now in Shiite and Sunni unity, for a Constituent
Assembly

Up until now, the NPA -- and before them, the French LCR (the Revolutionary
Communist League) -- has been used to calling to demonstrate on more or less
equivocal demands such as "neither NATO nor Taliban." But they did also call to
demonstrate in support of initiatives that were officially against intervention. This
time, it is overtly for imperialist intervention in Libya that the NPA is calling to
demonstrate. A new threshold has been crossed.