By James Thompson

Although details are sketchy at this point, it appears a third war is now underway with full U.S. support in spite of the wishes of the U.S. people.

Fidel Castro predicted it. U.S. Department of Defense secretary Gates argued against it. The U.S. people will surely oppose it once they understand it. However, once again, the wealthy elite are having their way. Apparently, the U.S. is participating in aggressive action against Libya which is a violation of our constitution since Congress has not authorized war. Secretary Gates has indicated aggressive action towards Libya will be an act of war. Congress has not authorized such aggressive action so this is a violation of our constitution.

All people in this country should oppose this aggressive military action which will only be in the interest of the wealthy, but not the working people of this nation.

The world is in crisis. We have a catastrophe in Japan brought about by profit driven corporations who put more value on profits than on the safety of humanity and the other inhabitants of our planet. One of my friends pointed out that very little is being done to help the working people of Japan who are suffering from this three pronged catastrophe (earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown), and yet the U.S. and its puppets are embarking on yet another military adventure in Libya which has probably already resulted in the deaths of untold numbers of working people.

We are part of a world economic crisis. Unemployment is still extremely high. Republicans are fighting to chip away every advance gained by working people since the Roosevelt administration.

Untold billions of dollars are being spent every day on the first two wars (i.e. Iraq and Afghanistan) and yet there are calls to dismantle our basic public services such as public education, police and fire departments. We don’t have enough money for our people and children, but we have plenty of money to slaughter working people in foreign countries.

This third front in the class war, (for this is very clearly a war against working people), may have some positive, but unintended consequences. It may serve as a lightning rod for working people and may mobilize them and reinvigorate the moribund left and peace movement throughout the world.

Clearly the election of Obama in 2008 signaled a massive outpouring of U.S. people yearning for peace and believing that the first African American President would lead them out of war and into peace. As it turns out, our President is so beholden to the powerful ruling class dominated by the ultra-wealthy that he must fight for the interests of the ruling class and abandon those who elected him. It is clear without a doubt that Obama has chosen to stand with the interests of the wealthy and sell the working class down the river.

So, the questions now develop which will set the stage for the next level of struggle. “Which side are we on?” “Will working people stand up and fight for basic human services and oppose aggressive, imperialist wars?” “Will the peace movement get back up on its hind legs and fight for justice and against war?” “Will the Communist Party oppose imperialism or will it capitulate to the interests of the ultra-wealthy?” “Will progressives sit this one out?” “How will the working people of the world respond to this outrageous intervention in a sovereign nation?” “How is it that the imperialist powers did not intervene in all the other middle eastern and African uprisings, but chose military intervention in Libya?”

The fate of the world depends on working people now more than ever. Only working people can restore sanity in a time dominated by capitalist distortions, lies and outrages. If we working people are not united then we shall surely be divided and conquered!

PHill1917@comcast.net