Alan Woods addresses Pakistan MPs on the war

Yesterday in Islamabad, Alan Woods, editor of the Socialist Appeal and the marxist.com web site, addressed a meeting of 70 people on the question of the war against Iraq and the world situation. The majority of the audience were members of parliament - including 35 members of the National Assembly, two members of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, and one senator.

On Wednesday March 19 at 3.30pm in the Parliamentary Lodges Hall, Islamabad, Alan Woods, editor of the Socialist Appeal and the marxist.com web site, addressed a meeting of 70 people on the question of the war against Iraq and the world situation. The majority of the audience were members of parliament - including 35 members of the National Assembly, two members of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, and one senator.

This was the first time a European Marxist had addressed the members of the Pakistan parliament on any issue, let alone on such a sensitive issue and at such a critical moment in the international situation.

It was a doubly critical moment because immediately after the meeting, these MPs went into a special session of the Pakistan parliament to debate the Iraqi issue. Pakistan has been in the front line of the diplomatic war, under the intense pressure of US imperialism on the one side and the fury of the mass movement against the war on the other - a movement in which the Pakistani Marxists of The Struggle have played a prominent role.

In a speech lasting three quarters of an hour, Alan pointed out the completely reactionary role of American imperialism in the world and the rank hypocrisy of its claim to be "threatened" by Iraq. One by one, he answered the arguments of the imperialists, and showed that the real intention was to crush all resistance to US power:

"The one advantage of war is that it tears away all the diplomatic falsehoods and reveals the real state of affairs in the world. In the most unambiguous language America is saying to the rest of the world: Do as we say, or we will bomb you! Do as we say, or we will invade you!"

Alan explained that the inner cause of the war was the crisis of world capitalism and the unique situation that arose from the collapse of the USSR. "This is the most turbulent and convulsive period in world history," he affirmed.

Stressing the crushing military superiority of US imperialism, he reminded those present that the military budget demanded by George Bush - $380 billion - was ten times the total foreign debt of Pakistan.

Summing up the results of the present conflict, Alan predicted that it would not lead to peace and stability, but on the contrary, to further chaos at all levels: military, political and economic. He pointed out that the steep rise in oil prices was already having a ruinous effect on the economy of Pakistan, where the lorry drivers of Sindh are already striking against the high price of petrol.

"I come before you as a committed Marxist and advocate of socialism. Many of you will not agree with all of my views. But I ask you to think carefully about the present world situation. The future that opens up before us is a frightful one. The capitalist system is in crisis everywhere. No country can escape from this crisis. Marx said long ago that humanity faces two alternatives: socialism or barbarism. We see the elements of barbarism already. What is the answer? Half measures are no use. One cannot cure cancer with an aspirin. Capitalism has failed Pakistan and it has failed the whole world. A fundamental change of society is necessary. You do not accept Marx? Very well, then let me recommend to you a document written much nearer to home. I refer to the founding document of the Pakistan People's Party* written, I believe in 1970 (voices: "1967"). I stand corrected - written in 1967. I would vote for this document with both hands. It is time it was carried out! That is the only way forward! The only way forward is socialism in Pakistan and on a world scale!" (applause).

This speech was well received by the audience, as they commented afterwards. The mood of all those present was firmly anti-imperialist and they were enthused by a scientific Marxist explanation that placed their anti-imperialist instincts on a firmer basis. It deepened the already favourable response to the In Defence of Marxism anti-imperialist anti-war manifesto, which was distributed to the MPs before Alan's arrival.

Numerous MPs have expressed their willingness to sign the manifesto, which has been published as a pamphlet in Urdu and has also appeared in seven instalments in the biggest daily paper in Pakistan, the Jang. The impact of the manifesto was shown by the response of the readers, who have inundated the paper with letters of support for the articles.

The growing mood of radicalisation is being reflected in the PPP. A growing section of the PPP is coming to understand the need to return to socialist principles that the Party was originally based on in the revolutionary period from 1967-70, but which have been ignored by the right wing leadership, leading to the present state of disarray in the Party.

The desertion of more than 15 right wing PPP MPs, who accepted the bribery of the regime and joined Musharraf's "King's" Party after the last elections, has resulted in the exposure of the policies of the Party's right wing. The road is open to the rise of a mass left wing in the PPP in which the Marxists will play a key role in the next period.

Pakistan, March 20, 2003

[*Note: The founding document of the PPP referred to here states, among other things: "the ultimate objective of the Party's policy is the attainment of a classless society, which is only possible through socialism in our times." It calls for nationalisation of the means of production, expropriation of landed estates, and workers' control of the economy. It also demands the abolition of the standing army and its replacement by a people's militia.]