Below we post a selection of recent letters to the World Socialist Web Site.
On the US war buildup against Iraq
I have read many of your articles and agree, shall I say, 80 percent of the time. I am greatly concerned about this US government. The country is being led by VERY DANGEROUS MEN. Unfortunately, like Hitler, they are so powerful, that when the blitz starts nothing can stop it.
HF
30 January 2003
* * *Why isn’t this administration being taken to task for all their blatant lies? When you think back on the Clinton years, when a haircut was cause for a media feeding frenzy that lasted weeks, it’s chilling to think that we now live at the mercy of corporate America, as represented by the Republican Party.
PK
2 February 2003
* * *We have reached the point where it is inaccurate to speak of “United States” interests regarding the scheduled war with Iraq. Speaking that way implies that the underlying reason for this war is in some way connected with the interests of the “American people.” This war was planned some time ago by several large American oil companies. Bush’s “accidental’ election was the perfect opportunity to set the plan in motion due to the Bush family’s involvement with big oil.
Several years ago, the Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Caspian Sea area as containing the most important oil reserves for the next several decades. The oil reserves of the Caspian Sea basin (both known and expected) are somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-20 times those of the Arabian peninsula. What’s more, the newly formed Islamic republics of the Caspian area are much more amenable to business deals with western powers than are the increasingly uncooperative Islamic states such as Saudi Arabia and the totally inaccessible Iraq and Iran.
However, the competition for contracts in the Caspian is fierce. EU oil interests are fighting it out with British Petroleum and to some extent with each other. Nearly all the existing and proposed pipelines for Caspian oil export run westward to the Mediterranean. This, along with the EU’s gathering strength, caused big American oil to view the coming decades with a distinct chill. How could big American oil not only get a piece of the pie but beyond that, maintain its self perception as the controlling entity in the coming decades?
The DOE went on to identify the most economical export route for Caspian oil to East Asia as a pipeline from Baku through Iran to the Arabian Sea. Thus “the plan.” The ultimate goal is “regime change” in Iran. The most prudent way to accomplish this was to flank Iran on both sides by occupying both Afghanistan and Iraq. Afghanistan has been secured, now Iraq. Once Iraq is secured, we will “suddenly” hear much talk on the corporate-managed news media about the “threat of Iran.” Once regime change has been accomplished in Iran big American oil’s position as the dominate player in the world market will be very secure.
Do not expect any attempt by the US to establish democratic governments in Afghanistan, Iraq or Iran. Democratic governments are far too difficult to control from the outside. Instead a kind of semi-controlled chaos will be encouraged in all three countries. This will be ideal ground on which big American oil can work its will.
28 January 2003
On “Venezuela ‘strike’: the anatomy of a US-backed provocation”
National Public Radio (NPR) continues to call the attempts at a fascist overthrow a “general strike.” They refuse to interview supporters of the current democratically elected leader and instead paint pictures of disorganization, chaos, poverty and general unrest and cleverly insinuating that things would be better if he stepped down.
PK
21 January 2003
On social conditions in the US
I enjoy receiving the electronic news from WSWS. Regarding the story on United Airlines, you forgot to mention the signing-on bonus of their new CEO ($multimillion), the farewell package to the old CEO ($multimillion), and the ongoing executive pay scale. Remember to include this when showing how ridiculous are the claims of financial ruin by big business. They seem to have forgotten what profits (and losses) are made of. The only airline people who get to be well paid are those who announce to the (corporate-owned) press that labor is BREAKING them.
How many people want to fly with pilots putting in too much time in one week? I want my pilot well rested and alert.
Thanks for the news. I really do enjoy getting the “real stuff.”
MC
4 February 2003
* * *Something is wrong with a system that helps the less fortunate but denies a person when they can’t meet a deductible. I have not had insurance in almost three years. My husband got laid off from work and draws unemployment but they say he makes too much in unemployment to qualify. I have a heart condition and I’ve had no medicine since Labor Day 2000. I may not walk much longer because of my foot and I’m told I may need surgery on my arm.
When he goes off unemployment, then I qualify. But, how do we pay our bills? What do we eat? Doctors want proof of insurance and most of the time a co-pay before they render service. I can’t afford that so what do I do? I know one thing I’m not doing in 2004. I’m not voting because I fall through the cracks and nobody will miss me, but I will not go down fighting. I just have to figure out what to do.
ML
North Carolina
31 January 2003
* * *This may seem a bit over-reactive, but I have been living in a rural area with few jobs for almost 20 years. Unfortunately I have had to depend on aid from the welfare system just to survive. Since the Republican Party has pushed through their agenda to end welfare I have seen many people lose their homes. Many have lost their children because they can’t take care of them. I can see for a while many people will be living in poverty while trying to maintain employment. I may be completely off-base, but I can envision a time when slave labor will be reinstated so people can work for food and housing. This may sound a bit paranoid, but it does sound like the next logical step.
H
28 January 2003