Oppressed Nation?

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YOUR REPLY to the excellent page written by the PST/International Workers League (SO 83) should concern any Marxist. Beyond saying 'Down with Thatcher's warmongering - Withdraw the Fleet' you appear to have lost sight of any Leninist position.

Britain has dragged its feet over giving up the Falklands because although the islands may not be of great importance to Britain, maintaining them helps preserve the ideology of imperialism.

The Falklands . were taken by force from Argentina by British imperialism. As the Falklands is not a nation, and the people living there are settlers who have been planted there courtesy of British gunboats, they have no case for seif-determination.

Just claim

The islands belong to the Argentine nation. It is the Argentine nation not the present junta which has a just claim over the islands. In this conflict one side is an imperialist wishing to maintain its influence. The other side is a victim of imperialism. It is an oppressed nation whose whole economy is dominated by the multi-nationals. Galtieri's motives for taking back what belongs to the Argentine could be impatience over 20 years of British stalling or it could be an attempt to divert attention away from his economic problems. Whatever the reason it is irrelevant. The issue in this war is not the motives of the junta but imperialism. This was graphically illustrated by the quote from Trotsky that the IWL reproduced where Trotsky says he would support a fascist regime in conflict with imperialism. To condemn the re-taking of the Falklands is to detract from the fact that the main enemy is here at home.

Marxists support all those fighting to free their nation of foreign domination.

We give such support regardless of whether those fighting against imperialism are socialists or not, once to e.8. support for Irish republicans. Leninism recognises that any blow against imperialism is to be welcomed.

You state that in the present war the junta is "pro-imperialist" But which imperialism is it supporting? Certainly not American. As for the retaking of the islands you say this "was not an issue of Argentine national unity" . Clearly in the eyes of the Argentine working class it is! You couldn't put a piece of paper between them and the regime on this issue. This makes your statement that you stand not in the camp of the regime, but that of the workers, meaningless.

Contrary to what you say the war does not strengthen the standing of the junta. It puts it under a considerable strain. A rising tide of anti-imperialist sentiment in Argentina threatens to go beyond the limits which Galtieri wishes to confine it. Already banned workers' parties are openly holding meeings on the war, which whilst condemning Britain also criticise the junta. Such is the mood of the nation that the police dare not move against such meetings.

Socialists in the Argentine are now in a favourable position to call for the confiscation of British owned factories.

Problems Galtieri has bitten off more than he can chew. Soon the working class in the Argentine will be presented with the bill for the war, they will see that the problems of the economy remain conce the nationalist fervour dies down. When this situation arises the forces of the left will be in a stronger position to meet it.

Socialist Organiser should be supporting the oppressed nation against the oppressor and therefore calling for an Argentinian victory against British imperialism. Your failure to do this so far has got you into the present mess you find yourselves in.

Yours fraternally, DEREK CATTELL Liverpool