Proletarskaja Gazeta 14
Russian Marxist-Leninist Newspaper
The imperialist powers, led by the U. S. imperialism, in their propaganda present
themselves as «the civilized world». This proclamation of themselves
as «civilized» parasites allows them to portray the rest of the
world as barbarians and savages.
The kamikaze attack of September 11, 2001, crashed Boeings together with their
passengers and crew into the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York and the Pentagon
in Washington. This resulted in the destruction of the buildings and the deaths
of several thousand people, which provided bourgeois propaganda with a great
excuse to build up a mythical threat to the «civilized world»
from «international terrorism». The ruling classes of the
USA have declared their intention to strike an unprecedented military blow in
retaliation in order to «to destroy bases of terrorists»
in various countries and «to liquidate terrorists, as well as those
who shelter them».
What is behind the provocation of September 11?
The provocation of September 11 in New York and Washington created the conditions
for the U. S. to secure military control over oil routes and created favorable
conditions for the stiffening of political and military pressure on oil-extracting
countries to strengthen the pressure on OPEC and its executive committee.
The price of oil had been steadily increasing over the past years, something
that the U. S. government was not very happy with. The U. S. government has
increased its military pressure and has resorted to carrying out terror in the
region of the oil-extracting countries of the world in order to frighten their
governments by complementing political and economic pressure with military aggression.
The military blackmail and direct military aggression by the imperialists are
meant to secure low prices for oil.
Additionally, this new aggression further boosts the profits of the military
industry in the U. S.
Therefore, the provocation of September 11th,
which has taken the lives of thousands of civilians, serves the economic interests
of U. S. imperialism.
It is necessary to note that before the tragic events of September 11th, economic
data had clearly pointed to a recession that could lead to a deep global economic
crisis. This insanity about an alleged threat to U. S. national security by
«international terrorism» is meant to divert the attention of the
American public from the economic crisis and its consequences for the American
people.
The military aggression against Afghanistan had been planned before the tragic
events in New York and Washington. Many documents released by the U. S. government
and several government committees bear witness to this. The U. S. capitalist
had already calculated the economic benefits of a military occupation of Afghanistan.
The industrially developed West is not expected to increase its consumption
of oil and gas in the foreseeable future. In order to consume the oil and gas
extracted from the region of the Caspian Sea, new emerging markets are required.
International corporations expect the demand for oil and gas to grow significantly
in Asia. Specialists have emphasized that the main regions of oil and gas consumers
will be India, Pakistan and China. Due to its geographical location, Afghanistan
is a necessary transit point for gas and oil supplies to the countries of the
Far East. Afghanistan is located between Turkmenistan and Pakistan, and also
near India and other countries in the region. In order to allow gas and oil
supplies from the Caspian Sea and Bashkiria to reach the Far East, it is necessary
to build expensive gas and oil pipelines. Due to the complicated mountain geography
of Kyrgyzia and Tadzhikistan, the Afghan route is the best solution for the
construction of gas and oil pipelines.
In October 1997 the governments of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan (the Taliban),
Pakistan and an American company created a corporation and signed a memorandum
for the construction of pipelines through the territory of Afghanistan.
In particular, the Taliban regime agreed with foreign corporations and the governments
of Turkmenistan and Pakistan on the construction of a 48-inch diameter pipe
that would run 1270 kilometers along the Herat-Kandahar road to Pakistan.
However, in June 1998 the American partner (which owned 46,5% of the corporation)
pulled out, due to the continuing civil war and the unstable political situation
in the country.
During this period the U. S. government refused to recognize the Taliban government.
The U. S. government did not believe that the Taliban would ever be able to
establish a stable government in the country and become a stable partner of
U. S. imperialism in this region.
The ruling Taliban understood this and decided to fight for its own economic
interests in a different way. In April 1999, the governments of Turkmenistan,
Afghanistan and Pakistan resumed talks and revived the corporation by inviting
a major Saudi Arabian oil company. It is no coincidence that a number of U.
S. officials conceived of the possibility of carrying out «retaliatory»
strikes on the territory of Saudi Arabia. The U. S. imperialists faced the possibility
of losing control over the transit of oil and gas to the Far East through Afghan
territory, as a new potential source of profits.
The construction of a pipeline with local resources would boost the economic
independence of the countries in the area. The U. S. imperialists were adamantly
opposed to this development, as it would prevent the U. S. corporations from
controlling the new emerging markets. U. S. imperialism is aiming at establishing
political and military control in Afghanistan in order to impose its conditions
on the countries of the Far East and the countries that produce gas and oil
in the region of the Caspian Sea. The control of the transit of gas and oil
would allow U. S. corporations to impose high tariffs prices.
The prices of gas and oil provided to the emerging markets would come closer
to world prices. This would give the U. S. imperialists the ability to influence
the development of the emerging markets. This mechanism would also influence
the price of Russian gas and oil supplies to Europe. This way, U. S. imperialism
would be able to influence the economy of the European Community. The governments
of the European Community have tried to get the US government to show restraint
in its campaign of retaliation in general, and its campaign against Afghanistan
in particular. Shortly after the defeat of the Taliban, several West European
countries showed readiness to send ground troops to Afghanistan in an attempt
to secure some of the profit from the «Afghan deal».
The provocation of September 11th triggered an unambiguous reaction from the
Russian bourgeoisie. The mass media all of a sudden were filled with anti-Islamic
propaganda. All of a sudden the mass media recalled the bombing of houses in
Russia and the deaths of innocent civilians. President Putin was quick to declare
that the Russian authorities were right in declaring a crusade against the terrorist
evil. At the same time, the Russian authorities are trying to justify the atrocities
committed by the Russian military in Chechnya, leading to the deaths of thousands
of innocent civilians.
After a short period of relative stability, the Russian economy is likely to
go into a deep depression again. Even the government does not conceal the fact
that the economic situation is unstable and may significantly worsen soon. This
impending new crisis will be reinforced by the dependence of the Russian economy
on the interests of international capital that dictate the economic reforms
implemented by the president. The indignation of the popular masses is on the
rise. The reserve of political tricks played by the ruling classes and their
demagogy is exhausted. This will all lead to serious social upheavals.
The Russian authorities are trying to introduce a police regime in the country,
using the excuse of defense against the threat of «international terrorism».
The army and police have been given special powers to suppress any expression
of social unrest and political activity by the working masses against capitalism.
At the same time, the «Chechen terrorist attacks» and the war against
«international terrorism» are being used by the Russian authorities
to frighten the masses and divert their attention from the internal problems
of the country.
The Russian bourgeoisie, as a producer of Caspian and Bashkirian oil and gas
to be pumped into the Far East, is deeply interested in the construction of
pipelines in Afghanistan. In this sense its interests are closely related to
those of U. S. imperialism.
However, the actual extraction of natural resources is not the only source of
profit. The control over the transit of oil and gas towards the emerging markets
is also a source of profit. Therefore, the Russian bourgeoisie is also interested
in establishing its own monopoly control over the transit of oil and gas through
Afghan territory. In this respect the interests of the Russian bourgeoisie and
the U. S. bourgeoisie are opposed and hostile to each other. This forces the
Russian bourgeoisie to quickly take positions in this war of aggression against
Afghanistan.
Therefore, the provocation of September 11th and the U. S.
aggression against Afghanistan are politically convenient for the Russian bourgeoisie;
they help the latter in justifying its colonial atrocities and diverting the
attention of the masses from the internal social problems.
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan was supported by U. S. imperialism as guardian of its interests. However, the Taliban were not only unable to accomplish the task within Afghanistan but, on the contrary, they turned against their masters. The U. S. imperialists could not cope with the idea of losing such a lucrative source of profits as the control over the transit of oil and gas to the Far East. This is the real cause underlying the aggression against Afghanistan. The provocation of September 11th in New York and Washington created the excuse for waging this war, and possibly other future wars. The objects of these provocations were chosen in such a way as to best boost pro-war propaganda, not only in the U. S. but also in the rest of the «civilized world». The war in Chechnya waged by the Russian troops and the bombing of Russian houses served the same interests of the Russian bourgeoisie in the same way as the provocation of September 11th and the aggression against Afghanistan serve the interests of U.S. imperialism. At the same time, with this aggression U.S. imperialism wants to teach a lesson to those who serve the U.S. in other parts of the world. It is relevant to note that, at the time of the aggression, the U. S. did not have a clear and solid replacement for the Taliban government to further safeguard its interests in the area. As a result, U. S. imperialism is not interested in the creation of a stable central government in Afghanistan. At this time they prefer a weak and divided power in the territory of Afghanistan that is easier to control by military means.
The Russian bourgeoisie is avoiding a direct intervention in Afghanistan by
cunningly arguing that the defeat of the social-imperialist Soviet Union created
negative conditions for future military interventions by the Russian army. However,
the capitalists of Russia have never refused to gain a new source of profit.
The tactics used by the Russian bourgeoisie in this respect are different from
those used by U. S. imperialism. It is interesting to touch upon two main factors
that have influenced the tactics of the Russian bourgeoisie.
First, the Russian army is weak and is unable to cope with the colonial war
in Chechnya, let alone to intervene in Afghanistan. As of today, the Russian
bourgeoisie, and especially the troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs,
is only able to crush unarmed demonstrators or to humiliate citizens in the
streets.
Secondly, due to the weakness of the Russian bourgeoisie, a military action
would objectively serve the interests of U. S. imperialism. A Russian military
force would not be in a position to withstand the pressure from other competitors.
Therefore, the Russian bourgeoisie is trying to reach Kabul through the back
door, cunningly avoiding the North Alliance. It is influencing political developments
in that country to serve its economic interests. The Russian bourgeoisie is
bidding for the creation of a strong centralized power in Afghanistan that would
be friendly to the Russian government.
The statement of the Russian bourgeoisie supporting the war
against «international terrorism» is no more than a cunning propaganda
trick. The Russian bourgeoisie is trying to secure an additional source of profit
in Afghanistan, i. e. it is pursuing its own economic interests.
An analysis of the causes of the aggression by the U. S., Russia and their
accomplices against Afghanistan bears witness of the fact that in the territory
of Afghanistan the imperialist predatory interests of various countries are
overlapping. The struggle over the control over the transit of oil and gas will
last for a long time. In any case it is the Afghan people who will suffer the
most. The Afghan people have no choice!
In the '80s of the XIX century, the heroic Afghan people defeated the expansionism
of British imperialism in its quest for world domination and blocked its advance
towards Central Asia and Russia. A century later, the Afghan people resisted
a new aggression and defeated the social-imperialism of the revisionist Soviet
Union.
Today the Afghan people should
take up arms
and lead the national liberation of their homeland
to a real Victory!
Netavisen 25. januar 2002