Quoted at length from The Party for Socialism and Liberation who succintly analyze the traps lefists fall into when they think that supporting the Democratic Party will somehow end the wars).
The basic error made by those who urge activists to plead with Congress is that it poses a false split between the Democratic Party and the Bush administration. The Democratic Party shares with the Bush administration the overarching interests of U.S. imperialismâ┚¬â€Âthe domination of the Middle East’s oil riches. The bipartisan support for the Israeli garrison state is a reflection of that shared goal.
Some who promote the tactics of urging Congress to end the war do so with the sole goal of building support for Democrats in the 2008 presidential elections. They will try to do what the UFPJ did in 2004â┚¬â€Âurge the anti-war movement to fall in line with whatever candidate the Democratic Party bosses offer, no matter what their position is on Iraq or the Middle East.
The war will end when the Pentagon recognizes that continued military operations will only bring greater defeat and when a mass movement begins to challenge the right of the ruling class and its Congress to rule. The first condition is quickly being met.
It is the responsibility of anti-war organizations and leadersâ┚¬â€Âespecially the revolutionaries and socialistsâ┚¬â€Âto bring about the second condition.
The March 17 March on the Pentagonâ┚¬â€Âconfronting the real enemy at its gateâ┚¬â€Âis an important step in that direction.
Congress and both parties are not the real problem. An economy that is based on permanent war and invasion of other countries is.