CLUB EDUCATIONAL GUIDE

Bush International Policy Threatens World Catastrophe

Article by Sam Webb, PWW, 9/14/02, pp.10-11;

‘The National Security Strategy of the United States’ reported in media 9/20/02

Use of this educational
Clubs are urged to have a club educational as soon as possible on the Sam Webb article cited above and the Bush Administration policy document also cited above. Members should be asked to read the material in advance. The leader of the educational should summarize the material along the lines suggested below for about ten minutes and then the club should discuss the suggested discussion questions listed or similar questions.

The discussion leader should provide a 5 minute summary of the conclusions reached before going on to a succeeding question. The total time for the educational should be 45 to 60 minutes.

The Webb article
1. The Administration has concluded that the US has such predominant military power now over any single or even group of countries that it can achieve its international aims with or without the support of other countries or world bodies.
2. It believes it should use this power, including through pre-emptive and unilateral military action, to achieve those aims. This creates grave new problems for our own people and all the peoples of the world.
3. The planned aggression against Iraq is not only a product of pre-election-day politics and to assert US domination of the Middle East for the oil interests but is also to be a demonstration to the world of the new US international policy of dictation to the whole world based on its military superiority.
4. The very extremeness and dangerousness of this policy is giving rise to worldwide opposition, including a growing resistance in the US. The policy can be defeated by the widest world-wide and domestic movement using many forms of action, including right now pressure on Congress to prevent endorsement of an attack on Iraq.

‘The National Security Strategy of the United States’
1. This document spells out what Comrade Webb had already outlined.
2. In addition, it claims the right to act pre-emptively to prevent any country or group of countries to approach the military strength of the US ‘ever again.’ This is regardless of whether they threaten the US in any way – the mere possession of, or attempt to possess such military force is to be prevented, including by pre-emptive military action by the US.
3. All avenues of power and influence are to be used to uphold our ideas of ‘freedom’, the ‘free market’ and ‘free trade’ everywhere, including means of an ideological and economic character and all international institutions.
4. The Bush Administration Draft Congressional Resolution on Iraq not only provides the authorization by Congress of military action against Iraq but also such action anywhere else in the Middle East region, and without time limitation.

Discussion Questions:
1. How important is the fight against this further development of US international policy?
How does it relate to the general struggle for peace, democracy, equality and economic security?
2. Is Sam Webb right in saying this policy, and the immediate threat of aggression against Iraq, can be defeated?
Why, what has to be done and what can your club do?

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