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Only part of the fleet has returned: part remains to Defeat imperialism to defeat iuntas Dear Socialist Organiser, I'm sure many women will have sent you a letter like this one. I am a woman, I'm twenty eight years old, I'm married and have one daughter.

I'm also one of the million or more unregistered unemployed women.

I was a general assistant in a school kitchen until she started making cutbacks. In one week I have applied for six jobs and I'm still looking. I only apply for jobs that I have experience in. During the battle for the Falklands, article after article appeared in Socialist Challenge supporting the view that not only was the Argentine claim to the islands just, but 'that a defeat for Argentina will only lead to a strengthening of the Junta's hold over the population" • (Brian Grogan, SC, 13 May).

Thus Socialist Challenge said the only enemy in this war between an oppressor and an oppressed country was Thatcher.

At the end of the day, however, we were proved correct. The Junta was defeated, Galtieri was dismissed, the Air Force and Navy withdrew from the Junta, military rule was severely discredited, and better conditions created certainly than existed before the crisis) for trade unions and working class parties to organise.

Now at the time of the crisis, the Manchester comrades of Socialist Challenge poo-poohed these arguments. They said EITHER Stan Crooke is right that the Malvinas war ras a conflict between two middle-ranking capitalist powers I"sub-imperialist" Argentina versus declining Party Conference BRIEFING I feel sure that as soon as I mention that I have a child my chance of a job flies out of the window, even though suitable arrangements can be made for my daughter. I only apply for jobs that can be fitted in with my daughter's school time and my husband's shifts.

I've had all the usual comments thrown in my face, eg. what do you know about politics, you're only .a housewife, or 'a woman's place is in the home' we failed to grasp. the dynamics of world revolu: tion, and that their relationship with the United Secretariat of the Fourth International allowed them to draw upon a whole spectrum of global knowledge and experience which could be the only scientific basis for developing a correct analysis of the likely political developments.And that in conclusion as workers we should support the Junta's claim.

Indeed at one stage SO supporters in Rochdale were dismissed as 'anglocentric syndicalists', whatever that may mean, and that we were too concerned 'with the trivia of everyday trade union work to grasp the complexities of geo-political processes' However, at the end of the day the Rochdale parochialists got it right and the super-internationalists of Socialist Challenge got it wrong.

HASLAM Rochdale -eaimperialist Britain), in which case defeatism on both sides was the correct position. Or, he is wrong and it was a war between a declining imperialist power - Britain - and a semi colonial country -Argentina, in which case defence of Argentina would be correct.

I'm looking tor a job because like three million other people I want to feel like a human being and be able to live decently without worrying how we will be able to afford decent food and clothes.

Angry

I feel so angry and disgusted at times that I could get ready and go to the Job Centre yet again. I there are any organistions IN Socialist Organiser number 87 there appeared an article about Glasgow District Councillor Pat Keegan who had resigned from the council over the closing of Govan Baths who on failing to regain readmittance to the Labour Party panel of candidates stood and won the seat as 'Labour Candidate against establish a new base in the Falklands tionary aims". What he fails to see is that it is possible for the junta to have "reactionary aims" and still carry out a progressive action the seizure of the Malvinas.

Martin Thomas has written articles exposing the aims of the Junta in wanting to use the islands as US backed bases for a South Atlantic Treaty Organisation. The Argentina Trotskyists Politica Obrera argue much the same thing in a recent edition of their paper. But they draw the opposite conclusion.

They say that the junta's reactionary aims could only have been defeated by socialists winning the leadership of the progressive struggle to seize the Malvinas from British imperialist control. This could only have been done by socialists being in the front trenches of the war.

After defeating British imperialism, the guns of the soldiers could have could join, even though I'm only a housewife, that are trying to get women a better deal, I'd like to hear about them.

The sooner women are treated like human beings not scum, the better this country will be.

Yours faithfully, S. W. McAdam Oldham P.S. This is the first time I've bought Socialist Organiser and I'm very impressed with your views. the Cuts' against an official Labour Party candidate.

Contained in the article was the following statement: 'Militant supporters have argued that Pat must 'be expelled from the Labour Party, if he hasn't been turned on the ofticers of the junta itself, with socialists in a position of leadership and strength.

Surely, this was the essence of Trotsky's argument in his book Permanent Revolution: that the "national bourgeosie" is afraid to seriously fight imperialism for fear of the guns being turned on itself?

Only by defeating first British imperialism could the conditions be created to bring down the US imperialist-backed junta. Both US bases and the present British garrison would then have been avoided.

SO, by calling for the defeat of Argentina and the withdrawal of Argentine troops from the islands, have in effect helped to undermine such a possibility and thus has been a negative influence in the struggle to prevent both US hases and British garrisons.

CHRIS ERSWELL.

Liverpool eback We invite readers

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sit down and have a good cry. I don't, mind you, I