On “Behind the failed political coup against Australian PM”

A great perspective, as usual. It’s not pulling any punches, but exposes clearly and to its roots the advanced phase of the decayed ALP’s crisis.

This is even more obvious when compared to the sorry, disorienting attempt at analysis (more correctly, obfuscation) by the misnamed Socialist Alternative. In “Labor’s real crisis” they begin by boldly—and falsely—stating that: “The modern ALP is fighting over no more than personalities. It is the politics of grudges, of who will gain promotion by casting their ballot the ‘right’ way in caucus, which leader is most likely to lessen the coming electoral embarrassment.”

That being the case, today’s crisis is still somehow “A crisis not three years, but rather 30, in the making.” Capitalism is never mentioned, but the pseudo-left ever-present watchword “neoliberalism” is to blame. Never ever is the connection between regional and global political and economic events, and their manifestation on the national stage in Australia drawn for its readers.

The tiring, meandering and chloroforming article finally manages to contradict its beginnings by posturing: “It is not personalities but policies that have brought Labor to this mess. ... The true crisis in Labor is not that leadership strife is preventing it from effectively promoting and implementing its policies. It is that these policies run directly counter to the interests of the party’s historic base: the working class, the poor, the dispossessed. Labor is proving is that it is no alternative to the ruling elite, but its willing instrument. This has always been the case.”

Well, if that has “always been the case”, why not bring it up to the beginning of the article, and make it a starting point of some kind of analysis, possibly a one in which—gasp—conclusions and such are made? And if that has “always been the case” what are the working people to make of it, what should they do?

They can’t even dare pose the questions, much less answer them. Their posturing aside, the pseudo-left poses NO alternative, much less a SOCIALIST one.

Mirko L
26 March 2013

On “India: Stalinist CPM waffles over its full-throated support for Afzal Guru’s execution”

Afzal Guru became a hated figure among the Indian elite for reasons other than the attack on Indian Parliament House. Many of the critics were not even aware that he did not attack the Parliament, nor were they exactly aware of his role. India has witnessed many bigger riots and violent clashes leading to the killing in larger numbers. They did not earn so much anger. Many of them did not lead to death sentences. This incident was more communal and political in nature.

JP
India
26 March 2013

On “The strange death of Boris Berezovsky”

“The question of who had a motive to kill Berezovsky is best answered by asking, who didn’t?”

The article goes on to identify only one of the possible “dids” in this strange affair. And it may well of course turn out to be the case that the letter was a forgery and the wily Putin was out to exact revenge on an old rival. It could also be the case that the oligarch was broke, didn’t have the best of medical care and died of natural causes.

But what if the letter had been genuine?

In order to stay in Britain when he fled Russia ten years ago it wouldn’t have been quite enough for Berezovsky to be the billionaire friend of the billionaire owner of an English soccer club. Before being allowed to settle down in his various mansions, the former “Godfather of the Kremlin’ would have been “debriefed”. He would have been obliged to “buy in” to his new homeland by providing information about Russia to British intelligence. The first rule of law for the intelligence community is the mafia maxim, “once you’re bought, you stay bought”.

Had the letter to Putin been genuine, and had Berezovsky returned to Russia, on arrival he would have been de-debriefed by Russian security. That couldn’t be allowed to happen.

Joe M
Ireland
26 March 2013

On “Chinese president’s ‘historic visit’ to Russia”

Dear comrades,

Once again a lot of detail but the most crucial element is missing. As US imperialism utilises its overwhelming military power to intimidate and threaten every other country, the drive to third world war intensifies. Proxy wars are an everyday occurrence as Washington struggles to maintain its hegemony. No measure is too big or too small in its pursuit of global control of resources and thwarting any challenge.

But what does this mean for the international working class and oppressed throughout the world? Poverty, early death from disease and malnutrition and ultimately complete annihilation in thermonuclear war.

As it attempts to put profit back into the means of production by destroying much of the fictitious capital accumulated since the last major conflagration, the capitalist mode of production, in it’s death throws, resorts to the greatest ever spree of destruction, including, crucially, human labour. But to absent warning the working class of the consequences is almost tantamount to glorifying these ex-Stalinist capitalist states drive to repel the ubiquitous dominance of NATO forces, in particular the USA.

John
26 March 2013