Almost a week ago the Whitehouse announced that it had successfully conducted a drone attack in which general Quasem Soleimani, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, was killed. Just a few days ago, national outlets from Iran stated that the country’s air forces launched numerous ground to ground missiles targeting two American bases in Iraq. The attack has been confirmed by sources from the Whitehouse declaring that they will monitor the situation and conduct damage assessments.
Now, these two actions are more than sufficient motives for an all out war to be declared between these two countries. The heads of these two states, Trump and Khamenei, these masters of war, but in reality two overgrown children wielding enormous power, have threatened one another on social media platforms from their safe hiding holes, bragging and boasting how their armies can quickly and decisively destroy that of their adversary’s.
The reaction of most of the Iranian population has been fanatical and military action is strongly supported and wanted. So they have fallen prey to state and religious propaganda – let’s not forget that Iran is a theocracy. Opposing views against an all out war may exist, but in such and authoritarian state expressing it may prove a dangerous move.
If an all out war will be declared I believe that most Americans will support it, as statistics from recent wars have shown, and as national media outlets will strive to manufacture the consent needed for a military intervention. In a sham republic that mimics democracy as in the USA opposing views may exist, maybe even protest movements will occur, but they will be ignored, ridiculed by handsomely paid “experts” or repressed by riot police.
So who will bear the brunt of such a war? The working men and women will have to suffer displacement again, shortage of water and food, and above all, the thing that will have the most long lasting effect on them, the trauma of war. Just a few days ago a plane carrying civilians was shot down by the Iranina army, taking the lives of more than 170 people. The Iranian government has only just admitted today that it is responsible for this attack.
So what are we, the ones who will not be directly involved in this possible war, supposed to do? We must continue to organize in our own region and force military forces and politicians to abstain from joining the war, we must stand in solidarity with the men and women that may suffer in Iraq, Iran and other countries involved, we must support our comrades from the USA and across the world to put pressure on the vile power hungry cast of people that may want to force this war to happen. Most of all, we must recognize, once and for all, that the national state, as an organism for social security is not an option anymore and strive towards new and more democratic social organisms that may be able to dismantle the economic and political hierarchies which sometimes lead to wars.
A.P.
