Iraq Vets Rage Against the Machine in Denver

The pro-socialist punk band Rage Against the Machine staged a free concert in Denver the night of August 27th. Attended by nearly 10,000 people, thousands of protesters, led by Iraq war vets marched on the Democratic National Convention to demand an end to the war.

From Rocky Mountain News:

BRIGHTON AND 44TH -- A massive group of at least 2,000 chanting, shouting, sign-waving protesters are marching down Brighton Boulevard escorted by police in what is easily the largest such protest Denver has seen during this convention.

Employees at the Coors Field reportedly were told after 4 p.m. to evacuate because a protest was approaching.

The march, organized in conjunction with a free Rage Against the Machine-headlined music festival at the Denver Coliseum, is cosponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War and Tent State University.

About 50 Iraq veterans are leading the march to the Pepsi Center, followed by thousands of mostly young protesters carrying signs denouncing the war. More protesters continue to stream from the coliseum, where nearly 10,000 watched Rage urge them to join the march.

From CommonDreams:

DENVER - August 28 - Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) led a non-violent march of 8,000 allies, including members of Rage Against the Machine, to the front entrance of the Pepsi Center. There they delivered a letter containing their three points of unity to the Obama campaign's veteran staff. IVAW's three points of unity are:

1. Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq
2. Full benefits and healthcare for returning veterans
3. Reparations to the Iraqi people
   

IVAW is calling on Senator Obama to allow an IVAW representative to read the letter to the delegates.

Senator Obama's veterans' liaison, Phil Carter, told IVAW that they could expect a response from the Senator's campaign staff regarding their request. IVAW plans to hold Senator Obama's campaign team to their word.

*IVAW members Jared Hood, Jeff Key and Josh Earle are available for comment throughout the day.

Jared Hood, who lives here in Denver, served as a specialist in the Colorado Army National Guard from 2004-2007. During that time he served in Camp Navistar, Kuwait and Vilseck, Germany.

Josh Earl served as a Military Police Specialist in Iraq from 2003-2004 with the Denver-based 220th Military Police Company of the Colorado Army National Guard.

Jeff Key, a former Marine Corp lance corporal, served in Iraq in 2003. Mr. Key currently performs his one-man show, The Eyes of Babylon, which tells his story as a Marine in Iraq, in theaters across the country. He was also one of the IVAW members to speak with Obama's veterans' liaison on Aug. 27.

Unions on the offensive

This election cycle is the most positive for unions in the US in recent memory. Candidates for president, notably John Edwards, are actively courting unions:

An effort to unionize dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino got a boost Monday from members of Connecticut's congressional delegation and top elected officials.

They attended a rally at the state Capitol to back the United Auto Workers, which has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board seeking an election to form a union for about 3,000 dealers at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

[...]

"Isn't it great to be on the offense again?" Rep. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., asked participants at the rally.

Elected officials endorse UAW organizing drive at casino. The Advocate. 23-Oct-2007.

Betrayed!?

The title of Cindy Sheehan’s statement on the vote is: “Betrayed! How the Democratic Congress betrayed American voters, the troops in Iraq and extended the occupation for at least another 18 months.” Cindy is a true American hero, by the way.

But did the Democrats really betray anyone? Did this powerful US political party behave in a way that runs counter to its historical role? Did they break any promises or fail to live up to the limited expectations that the American people have for their political parties?

I think not. As Eugene V Debs explained while running for US president as head of the Socialist Party in 1912 (yes m'am, this was written nearly 100 years ago!):

There are but two parties and but one issue. There is no longer even the pretense of difference between the so-called Republican and Democratic parties. They are substantially one in what they stand for.

They are opposed to each other on no question of principle but purely in a contest for the spoils of office.

To the workers of the country these two parties in name are one [party] in fact. They, or rather it, stands for capitalism, for the private ownership of the means of subsistence, for the exploitation of the workers, and for wage-slavery.1

The peace-loving Left cannot be blamed for hoping that the liberal Democratic party would make the war end. Any change from the blind leadership of George W Bush and his Republican party is welcome. But despite the rhetoric of specific and very well intentioned Democratic congresswomen and men, the party itself made no promises about ending the war.

In fact, the Democratic party has never been and never will be an anti-war party. The class interest of the US demands that the foreign policy of the government be imperialist. It goes without saying that imperialism is impossible without war. Since the Democratic party is part and parcel of the ruling mechanism of US capitalism, it is impossible for the party to act against its own perceived interests, that is, the interests of the ruling classes.

Certainly the war will end at some point. This will only happen when the ruling classes decide it is in there interest to do so. There are a variety of ways this can happen. A continued mass movement against the war by the working class, students and others has had a very positive effect and will continue to. Otherwise there would be no concessions from even the Democrats.

Supporting our troops means bringing them home. Stability will not be brought to Iraq by United States or any other imperialist adventurers. The opposite is the case. Our military has yet again been turned into a mercenary army in the service of a small cadre of extremely powerful capitalists. It saddens me to think that, even after the end of the war, troops will stay in Iraq in some form on a permanent basis to consolidate and protect the oil interests now under the control of these capitalists.

See also: Why the anti-war democrats folded, Socialist Worker, 30-Mar-2007