Posted on 5-6-2003
Test
2003
by Alan Marston
The accepted political wisdom that `the public' has a short
collective memory is being put to the test by both the US and
UK political leadership in respect of reasons for the invasion
of Iraq. The test has perhaps never been tougher as the time
between bald-faced lying and revelations as to the truth
has never been shorter.
But what's being tested? If you think its Bush and Blair, you're
right, they are or should be in the dock. But I contend the
BB's are a sideshow, a time-honored diversion, get the politician
- leave the system. The real test is always on the nature and
survival of `the system', which happens to be at the moment
so-called democratic capitalism. The global corporate inspired
propaganda says democracy's heartland is in the West where people's
freedoms are real and paramount while the feudal Easterners
need to be taught how to gain and enjoy the benefits of individualism
and freedom, even if it kills them.
On one hand, the right, the test may be stopped just in time
by dumping a politician or three, democracy-as-usual. On the
other left hand, the test may not be stopped before it throws
a beam of consciousness, narrow at first, into the shady corners
of capital's control room where with a bit of luck it will pierce
the paper-thin freedom and democracy fly-paper and illuminate
in its stead a solid superstructure of murderous neo-feudalism
controlled by the usual suspects - lying politicians in callous
cahoots with unscrupulous businessmen.
Weapons of mass destruction in Iraq my ass. The real weapon
of mass destruction is unrestrained global commerce. That latter
WMD is hidden, but the lies that support it are still strong.
Democracy the world's saviour... QED.
|