- The Tories: Neanderthals have it DO THIS WAR? Because it can be done.
Ask yourself a simple question: is this government a strong The opinion polls show it sweeping the newspapers report it surging to military victory. — and the lies — there is rhetoric desperation.
Why are the Tory Party, the Commons and the press followbreakdown in the countdown for Argentina is therefore only days away.
Why has Thatcher so insisted on a bloody show down did she reject the Argentine concessions on sovereignty made the middle of last week? Simpbecause any solution amen does not our brusn imperialism in a stronger position than Dence lie retrieval of the Malvinasramanes tines would be a disaster tor the future of British The facts are that BritaIn s economic operations are far too bloated for the present strength of the home conomy lo sustain. ior this reason that Thatcher has defeating the working wlass at home the sledgehammer of unemployment. She realised that to maintain BriCabilalisl conal holdings and operasomething quick and dramatic be done to bring the domestic But the contradictions the British economy and its international role are there for everyone to see. This is why Galtieri knew he had every chance of pulling off winner the justifiably popular reclaiming the for Anything short of imposing iron-clad below Name..
Address Age..
Socialist Challenge 21 May 1982 page 2 Tory tions when country. The in to her demands?
These But behind the government AS WE go to press, it seems that Britain has negotiations at the United Nations that it wanted and has started the invasion of the Malvinas-Falkland islands. An all-out war with rule on these islands thereore a massive body •lOW Brinch imperialism. It would only be orate others followed the Argentine road. Not so much the e-appropriation of direc colonies like Gibraltar, but the restrictions the vuciallull of apital, the closing u of protected markets and, ir alsonnes, the propriation assels. I his Is ine tear.
All sections of the Tory party rallied to Thatcher's war aims (as did the SDP-Liberal Alliance and the Labour leadership). But the weakness of British imperialism and that of the United States gives no one great confidence that a British push for its own interests will not proOUCE counter reaction which will get out of contol - in Argentina, inen the rest of Latin elsewhere. Will America and Britain's unet bluff. for this is basically actually be capable of being carried oll, reason several or britain's allies in the Common Market. This is why Common Market backing condoscu These fears also touch oft a uncertainty amongst secLUIS Party But to suggest that there is eye-ball to eye-ball conflict between Thatcher and her foreign secretary Party? Why has hysteria did Thatcher have to stall negotiaArgentinian une government was virtually giving are signs of yet strength, but of weakness. Only a driven by desperation born of hopelessness would proceed so audaciously.
Why does it get away with it? URE Francis Pym is ludicrous.
As Peter Jenkins put it in Although ostensibly the leader "peace party' wildle me government he may have pressed as boldly or decisively along the road as nis knee-jerk suspect' The reality is that the main critics of Thatcher's the This tune that Thatcher is Tory right It is to dancing.
Thatcher taking incredible risks. In all N. St. John Stevas - a Tory wet. of its strength • but because of our weakness. It is because Foot has backed Thatcher to the hilt; because the Labour Party Front Bench has. stayed silent; because, faced with this paralysis, the labour movement has not acted to deal government.
But it can be done. When America went to war against Vietnam, it was stopped by a mass movement of opposition.
T likelihood the impact of an invasion ana probable bombing of the Argentine mainland will provoke wide sympathy for Argentina and throw imperialist solidarity disarray The loss of British life and those of the islanders not to mention the lives of Argentine soldiers will turn the tide of support for Thatcher in Britain. Her government will therefore be in serious jeopardy But she and the British ruling class have very little choice. Such is the proCND brought 250,000 people out on the Missiles. take to the people who came on and that demonstration is present war is an even more deaa• ly threat than the Cruise Missile. the continue the rallies, the statements. must lead to action. Marches -small, but growing beginning e Wild Bunch.
blem that imperlalisit faces in the present relationship of LUCC world scale.
If, however, Thatcher is successful, this will bring the threat closer. Will lead to a firmer alliance of other imperialism's Reagan's war drive. alrect interventon will a once be made more accessary _because o the crisis of its proxies -but also more possible.
These are the stakes. One and a half years ago, the Cruise demonstration The message we have to 23. This, tional this: the Reagan We appeal to our readers: insane resolutions, the government.
But these - are now all over the country. war May/home US Darwin, £10 air.
London has seen a demonstration every Sunday, a national planned for May and 6 June - the na. demonstration against must be turned into huge demonstrations of the real feeling in the country about this war, and this insane ALL OUT ON 23 MAY!
ALL OUT ON 6 JUNE!
May issue now out!
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grown so far that the left finds itself defending the BBC? Why
Volt Not GOES TO WAR