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WeDGe OTHeR PRINELEGES... eqUaLITy...

RECENT developments in the Middle East are perceived by US strategists as a major test for their policy for maintaining domination in the area.

Their policy has been: 1) Trying to destabilise regimes hostile to US imperialism in Iran or the state- whether the theocracy capitalist nationalist regimes in South Yemen or Libya.

2) Giving military and economic support to pro-imperialist regimes like Egypt and Israel, and endeavouring to implement the Camp David accords, cornerstone of Pax Americana in the area.

3) Ensuring the ability to intervene directly or through client states in the Middle Eastern war theatre at times and places where their interests are directly threatened.

4) Eroding the revolutionary potential of the Palestinian resistance, one of the most poweful unifying factors of the Arab masses against their ruiers, by dissolving the Palestinian problem in an "autonomy formula"

The military victory of Iran over Iraq (and its implications for the Gulf states) and the possible disintegration of Lebanon. (and its implications for the state of Israel) challenge the stability of the equilibrium established by US imperialism.

On May 25, the Gulf Cooperation Council was established by Saudi Arabia as a first step towards a security pact. The council comprises Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrein.

THE Commonwealth Games take place this autumn in Brisbane, Queensland, the state in Australia run by racist John Bjelke-Petersen and his Country Party.

In mid-January this year the Black Protest Committee was formed. A meeting of the Black Community of South-East Queensland elected 12 Aboriginal and Islander people to coordinate peaceful protest at these Games on the issue of Land Rights for the Aboriginal peopie - a protest that would be particularly effective with the presence of the world's press at the Games.

They have also called for a boycott of the Games in solidarity with Aborigine Land Rights.

But Bjelke-Petersen and his henchman, Police minister Hinze lost no time in pushing a Commonwealth Games Act through the State Parliament on March 9. This is supposed to ensure the "security' of the Games. "'.

It gives sweeping powers the police and 'authorised However, this move tell short of ensuring the Saudis' aspirations for a united strategy on military and security issues. This was proved shortly afterwards at the Fez summit where the Gulf Cooperation Council states failed to agree on Fahd's peace plan.

This setback seriously threw into question the role of Saudi Arabia as a powerful mediator for imperialism and propelled them to find urgent means to reassert their regional control.

The first opportunity arose when shortly after the Fez summit, Bahrein announced that "60 persons, 12 of them foreigners, were arrested by the security forces, in possession of heavy armaments."

Saddam Hussein They confessed their intent to overthrow the Bahreini government and that they also had targets in other states in the area.

Needless to say, all official statements pointed directly at the "Iranian enemy" accusing Iran of training "Shia rebels"

Such a case of "subversion" was quickly exploited by Saudi Arabia and propersons' to maintain law and order and suppress the publication of material likely to undermine it.

Police and 'authorised persons' can search and arrest or remove people from or near the Games using 'such force as is necessary' They can also declare 'notified areas' - black leaders suspect that these will include all the main roads into Brisbane.

In a 'notified area' the police can declare a state of emergency and order anyone in the area to help the police in arresting or dispersing people. If you refuse you could get a fine of 3,000 dollars or two years in jail or both.

It is clear that Petersen's intention is to make sure no criticism of Queensland's treatment of the Aboriginal peoples reaches the rest of the world.

Queensland State government policy on Aborie ic premise that Aboriginal claims to ancestral lands, the vided an impetus ior this country to find a bilateral security pact.

This was followed by Qatar who felt "that the external threat made security coordination among Gulf states a necessity"

This incident was also followed by a revival of Gulf security discussions between Saudi Arabia and Iraq sealed by a treaty stabilising their borders for the first time since 1922.

During the past two yeats, the Saudis have acquired from the US highly sophisticated equipment to link by computer 20 border checkpoints, collating police and intelligence information.

Other Gulf countries have subsequently been connected to this network.

And - after two years of negotiations - Saudi Arabia has also acquired the AWACs air reconnaissance system from the US.

Hardware

According to 'Middle East' magazine: "Between them, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar have bought some $47 billion worth of military equipment and hardware, primarily from the US. They are now shopping for air defence and electronic warfare equipment designed to link with the Saudi system when it is complete."

The defeat of Iraq, and the unpredictability Jo Khomeini's "Islamic Revolution" , has alarmed the Arab states - especially those with Shia Muslim communițies potentially sympathetic to Khomeini's demagogy.

IT? THe ThIN eND oF THe right to live in their traditional manner and compensation for destruction of their lands by mining companies are all shrugged off as not being in the long-term interests of the Aboriginal people. Instead, they need to be 'civilised'!

This attitude * has prevailed, i particularly in Queensland, side Captain Cook first raised the British Over the weekend Tehran newspapers stated emphatically that "Iran's prime aim in the war is the overthrow of Saddam and his ruling Ba'athists.

Some even proposed that Iranian troops move into Baghdad to unseat the government.

For the past few weeks the imminent defeat has stirred the masses inside Iraq. According to Kurdish sources "the past month has witnessed riots and demonstrations in at least half a dozen northern towns, including the old city of Kirkuk, in which some 70 people are said to have been shot. More recentiy there have been outbreaks of ' violence in Baghdad, and in the southern town of Hilleh, Nassiriyah, Kerbala and Basrah."

Political horsetrading is under way in the Arab capitals. Egypt, which supported Iraq to the point of sending troops and military equipment, has acknowledged the incalculable consequences of military confrontation with Iran and announced that it will be sending no more help.

The Steadfastness Front - the PLO and Arab states opposed to the Camp David accords - originally backed Iran. But they are now wavering.

The Palestinians can only be disturbed by the news that Israel appears to have sold /27 million worth of military equipment to Iran, mainly spare parts for USmade F4 Phantom jets.

GNe THem LaND AND They'LL Soon want 4 more flag in what is now Sydney and took possession of the whole Fastern Coast." Like and both were built by ignoring the rights of the existing inhabitants.

Resources

Both still have close ties with Britain. British invesposition on the Camp David agreements. namelv renewed opposition to Egypt's return to the Arab fold until "the reasons for its expulsion, the Camp David agreements, are removed"

One can only speculate that in exchange for Saudi's assurances the Steadfastness Front states are prepared not to exacerbate the conflict in the Gulf.

President Assad of Syria who has backed Iran because of his conflicts with Iraq - has started talking Son Syria ebanon Iraq rel ordan ¡uwait Gulf Bahrain Ostar' tors still control vast Australian resources. The biggest company involved in seizing Aboriginal land for mining is British - Rio Tinto Zine.

Shorty O'Neill, representing the National Federation of Aboriginal Land Councils (the largest Aborigind, Afganisition), is tpuring •Britain and burope: secking support for a boycott of the Games.

It is quite possible that the unheaval taking place now in the Middle East will leave US imperialism no path open but to intervene directly. There is clear evidence that contingency plans have long been drawn up.

The plan for the US rapid deployment force to be given landing rights and other facilities was successfully negotiated with Turkey and Morocco.

On his last visit to Washington, King Hassan of Morocco offered the US the Afghanistan Pakis Str. of Hormuz Arabian See A leader of the militant mineworkers from Silesia, chair of one of Solidarity's regional councils, is visiting Britain next week to talk to miners about Solidarnose's struggle for survival.

Stanislaw Palka, now in exile, was one of the signatories of the historic Kastrzebie agreement in Silesia in 1980, which marked, together with the Gdansk agreement in the Lenin Shipyards, Solidarity's strength as the real voice of Polish use of alternative sites in return for some $150 million in foreign military sales credits.

But the wartare in the Lebanon also has implications for US strategy.

Lebanon is the crucial arena of struggle for the Palestinian resistance. The latest political manoeuvre of the Lebanese fascists having failed, they have ignited a mass wave of violence: car bombs, assassinations, etc.

The fascists aim to impose their authority tnroughout Lebanon, and defeat the joint forces of the Palestinians and the Lebanese Muslim Left in the south.

Repeated At the same time Israel launches repeated raids into Lebanon. The ultimate aim must be to liquidate the Palestinian resistance once and for all, and permit the implementation of the Camp David agreements.

The battle taking place in Lebanon is not just a tactical struggle, but could determine the very survival of the Palestinian resistance. workers.

He will be starting his visit in the Barnsley area on June 9, visiting the Nottingham Miners' Gala on June 12 and visiting other mining areas till the end of the month.

Miners who would like to help organise meetings at NUM branches, or more informally with groups of miners, should contact the Solidarity Trade Union Working Group on 01-373 3492.

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Be Rime of the Ancient Feminist Stramullion — a Scottish-based feminist collective 'The Rime of the Ancient Feminist' by Stephanie STRIVE UNIV MAKKIS Socialist John Macdonald reviews Laura May, published by •THE Rime of the Ancient Feminist' is a parody of Coleridge's 'Ancient Mariner' , and a satire on women's role in society, of marriage ... and on the Marxist Left.

The verses mirror very closely the original poem.

The theme also. The heroine is herself a romantic. Seeking to escape from errifying panic and inner chaos, she naively sees apparent security with a man as her solution.

If I was so encompassed by his circle of protection, what need had I to mourn if had lost my own direction?

His loving lips to fasten mine, his arms to hold me tight; what matter how I spent my Thursday state of affairs. All'her suppressed rage and passion wells up and becomes redirected 'against the ruling class' But her involvement in political activity never relates to her own situation and experience. She discovers the left as an exclusively male affair.

When evening came, they'd drop their work and hurry to the meeting. The chairman gave a nod to each, a most fraternal greeting.

I'd sometimes listen silently, I'd sometimes try to speak. The comrades looked so tired and bored, I'd get confused and overawed, my voice would break and squeak. I'd stammer out my phrases and look red-faced at the floor; the comrades waited till I'd done, then went on as before.

She finds that socialist theory and practice do not take account of individuals, particuarly of women, that socialists relate to eachother in a way that is at odds with their socialist aims.

The Left becomes for her another form of confinement which she has already experienced in her marriage.

But then people from the women's movement rescue her from a bar where she is feeling violher male comrades.

Markman, with illustration - price £1.25.

And now I stood beside the sea, the salt tears on my cheek. The women came and called my name, as if to bid me speak.

The sea was washing, washing in; beneath the moon it stirred. I turned to share my life with them; they took it in, they heard.

I poured it out, the pain, the doubt; I ripped away the shell. When I was bare before their stare, they spoke of theirs as well.

The 'Rime' portrays through humour the way men put women down. The writer also conveys from the inside wht it means for a woman to be used up by a man. proposals that answer the general needs of the working class.

Oh sister, I have lived too long in barren, arid lands; a dismal place, without embrace, without the touch of hands.

I've seen too much dissension, strife, too much despair; and still I wait to celebrate the sisterhood we share. Huc FF Still solid after nine weeks : JOIN

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people are inferior, and. can be improved through assina-

South Africa, Australia was part of the British Empire,

Like wages, Houses, SeLF-ReSpeCT, I Honest

ently sick after another alienating discussion with