Podcast: Richard Becker, ‘Iraq and the anti-war movement’

Richard Becker spoke to the ANSWER Coalition in LA on Aug 12 on “Iraq and the Anti-war movement.” He is West Coast Director of the ANSWER Coalition and a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a coalition member of ANSWER.
He talks about how the Iraq resistance has created a crisis for the US ruling establishment, why we need a unified protest in DC on Sept 24 even while United for Peace refuses to do so, and why believing that if we just elect the right people in 2006 that their leadership will somehow end the war is a doomed strategy.
The Democrats, with a few tiny exceptions, support the war just as much as the Republicans. And none of them want to hear a peep about Palestinians and the Right of Return. Neither does United for Peace. That’s why they’re still refusing to share the stage as equal partners on Sept. 24. They want no mention of Palestine, at all, ever and instead want the anti-war movement to become an appendage of the Democratic Party (where it will be co-opted and defused.)
During his talk Richard said a Palestinian friend mentioned to him recently – we protested Columbia in the 80’s, and some said don’t mention Palestine, it’s too controversial and too far away. Then we protested apartheid, and some said don’t mention Palestine, it’s too controversial and too far away. Now the world focus is on the Middle East, and some are STILL saying, don’t mention Palestine, it’s too controversial!
But of course, it’s all linked. There will never be peace in the Middle East until Palestinians, many of whom were forcibly ejected from their land, are allowed to return. But the US needs and wants Israel as their proxy there, and were they not bogged down in Iraq, they would have already invaded Iran and Syria.
MP3 (16.8 MB, 49:01)