Russia and China veto UN resolution against Syria.

Deep division at the UN

The “American Century” has been a very short one indeed. Perhaps the “American Decade” would be a more accurate description. The global situation that exists 20 years after the collapse of Stalinism when the US capitalist class triumphantly announced in the Wall Street Journal, “We Won” has been transformed.

While it is still the most powerful military force on earth with the capabilities of blowing up the entire planet, the US economy and its political system is decidedly broken and its influence on the world stage has been greatly reduced.  Capitalist globalization has helped to drive down the cost of Labor power in the domestic market and opened up new lucrative areas of investment in business friendly low cost environments.  The rise of “emerging nations” has coined a new term, the BRICS, Brazil, Russia, India and China, with China posing the greatest threat to the US.  The US is bogged down in wars it cannot win and its proxy Israel is becoming more and more isolated. With growing unrest on its home turf; the US bourgeois are on edge.

Perhaps nothing illustrates the shift in the relations between the global powers more than yesterday’s veto by China and Russia of a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad.  The resolution was “watered down” but still failed to avoid a veto as all the BRIC nations opposed it as well as South Africa and Lebanon.

The lines are clearly being drawn as the uprisings in the Middle East are weakening the influence western imperialist nations have had on these economies.  The uprisings have also further exposed the hypocrisy of US foreign policy.  After the US supported dictator Ben Ali was ousted in Tunisia and fled to Saudi Arabia, the other US flunkies in the region, the next one to go was Mubarak.  Mubarak was a trusted and loyal friend of the folks in Washington and the US refused to abandon this valuable stooge until his collapse was inevitable and the Obama administration was forced to do an about turn.

The US economic model is not the only broken item in the bag.  The Arab spring and the UN vote has also discredited US, along with French and British foreign policy further if that is possible.  Statements about peace and democratic rights from Washington, London or Paris fall on deaf ears.  The veto,  “Is disdain for the Syrian people who have fought since March against the Assad regime” said the French foreign minister. Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN called the veto “an outrage.”  “The courageous people of Syria can see who on this council supports their struggle and who does not” she added.

Nato in Libya.  Is this a no fly zone mistake

But the Russian statement will get a hearing among the working class of the Middle East.  The Russian ambassador said that they opposed the resolution and western nations’ call for the overthrow of Assad could “provoke full scale civil war”.  The objective of the US, France and Britain is clear, another intervention a la Libya and nations opposed it on this basis as well.  The resolution on Libya was supposed to be about a no fly zone and the protection of civilians but is clearly an invasion by the imperialist powers whose air power has been used in combat---they have taken sides and this is what they wish for in Syria. Their claims that there are no strings attached to the assistance is a lie. Opposing nations have accused the UN of “abuse” with regards to the Libya resolution.

This blog made it clear that we opposed Nato’s invasion of Libya.  But we cannot support the Gaddafi regime that robs state wealth and certainly was no threat to imperialist plunder of the region.  Before the uprising intervened, Gaddafi, whose security forces were trained by the British, was in the process of returning to the fold and taking steps toward increased privatization of the economy.  The dominant capitalist powers were not afraid of Gaddafi.

The other blatant hypocrisy in the Nato dominated resolution is that the US consistently veto’s resolutions that criticize Israel’s racist treatment of the Palestinians.  There are some 500,000 of these extremely right wing racist colonists from all over the world who are the Zionists’ front line in their occupation and efforts to settle in and drive Palestinians from their land.  The Obama administration’s continued uncritical support of Israeli policies and refusal to support UN recognition of a Palestinian state which in itself would change nothing on the ground, will further isolate the US and Israel in the region.

And where are the resolutions calling for the overthrow of the absolute monarchy in Bahrain?  This ruthless, regime, propped up by the US, has imprisoned, tortured and raped doctors and other medical personnel who treated the wounded when government troops fired on unarmed and peaceful protesters. Washington had its Saudi flunkies invade Bahrain and assist in the smashing of the protests for democracy, religious freedom, democratic rights and a republic.

The Yemeni regime, another ally of Washington has ruthlessly suppressed dissent there but there are no calls for the overthrow of that government from Nato powers. 

We are witnessing incredible historical events.  The Chinese economy expected to be the engine of growth is beginning to slow.  Italy’s debt has been downgraded and Greece looks like it may well default on its latest bailout leading to defaults in other weak Eurozone economies. The increased globalization of the last 30 years has cemented the integration of the economies of the separate nation states and no country can escape the crisis. US banks and investors are exposed to the defaults and sovereign debt crisis in Europe and while the protests around Wisconsin have died down, the Occupy Wall Street movement is beginning to spread to other cities throughout the country.

What is lacking in the Middle East uprisings and the protests that are occurring throughout the world is an independent working class movement that can draw all these separate and national protests together in a generalized and international offensive of our own against the capitalist system of production which is the root of the problem.  But movements do not come ready made. It is through struggle that workers learn and draw conclusions about our world.  When we are forced in to struggle by the crisis of the system there is a tendency for workers to overcome the divisions in society that strengthen the capitalist class and weaken us, racism, sexism, religious sectarianism etc. and seek class unity.

It is in this struggle to resolve the crisis that the system imposes on us that our consciousness becomes more open to change and to question these views and ideas in our minds that are the product of a racist and sexist society.  We see that unity with all workers strengthens us in this struggle for a decent life and that racism or sexism weakens that unity; it is against our class interest. Victories, a class-conscious leadership and moving forward will strengthen this process. The absence of a leadership that understands the processes at work can lead to defeats, a strengthening of our class enemies and consequently a reemergence of racial and sectarian or communalist strife----a desperate, “every man for himself” approach.  We see this in strikes, uprisings as in Libya and other social movements.

The objective situation is very favorable in that the balance of class forces has shifted significantly.  This is not only true in the rest of the world but also in the US.  Wisconsin, the Occupy movement, this will all have an effect on the US elections as the capitalist class is on the defensive and will likely throw out a bone or two.  The calls for taxing the rich from the rich themselves is due to concern, not concern for us but a concern they could lose all if things continue as they are.

It’s a good time to be alive.