Walking Wounded, Iron Heel

COSATU GS Zwelinzima Vavi calls them the “walking wounded’. These are the people whose lives have been devastated by the actions of the “Scorpions”. The nightmare of years of “investigation”, raids and leaks to the media could fall upon anyone. The indiscriminate nature of their aggression is part of their message. They want you to know that it is by their favour that you exist in peace, and that they can withdraw their favour and insult you at any time. This is how the whole Scorpion racket was designed to work by the US FBI, which trained them, from the beginning. See the linked article. The Scorpions also have their collaborators in the media, such as the City Press (see link), whose headline (“Ngoako gets Zum-ed”) is calculated to be disrespectful both to ex-Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi and also to ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma. Although the facts support Ramatlhodi, the story is written backside-first so as to leave an impression that there is doubt, and that the Scorpions should have the benefit of the doubt, and not the poor man who is not able to work as a result of their vicious smears. Nor are the Scorpions the only false-legal thugs lurking around South Africa. The ones who abducted Rashid Khalid and flew him out of the country from Waterkloof air force base were protected and untouchable. Khalid is still missing. See the linked article, written one year since Rashid Khalid was disappeared. Arbitrary actions, contempt for due process, and untouchability are some of the advance guards of fascism. The approach of fascism is noted and described by the great and ancient scholar-soldier-politician-writer Ury Avnery in Israel. The leader of the fascist party there is Avigdor Liberman, who has just been made Deputy Prime Minister of Israel. This is in conditions where the ruling Kadima Party is “fictitious” and its ally the Labor Party “decomposing”, and there is an atmosphere that reminds Avnery of “the last days of the Weimar republic” in Germany (which he can remember) just before the rise of the German nazi fascists. See the linked article. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Liberals have good intentions. In the USA there are liberals who are anti-Imperialist, and who say that Thomas Jefferson’s idea of an “Empire of Liberty” is an oxymoron, or in other words a contradiction in terms. These are the ones who gather round the “Lew Rockwell” web site these days. Ryan McMaken’s denunciation of US Imperialism is frank, and full of detail. But after more than two centuries he still thinks the only problem with liberalism is that it has not been properly tried. See the link below. But in fact liberal capitalism cannot escape from the logic of Imperialism. This is not because of wicked or foolish people who should have known better. It is because Imperialism is the only way capitalism can develop unless it is overthrown by the working proletariat. The US writer Jack London saw this clearly when he wrote the prophetic book “The Iron Heel” a hundred years or so ago. On the other hand the South African historian William Miller Macmillan could not see it at all when he wrote the oxymoronic pamphlet “Democratise the Empire” at the end of the Second World War. Click on these links: Vavi slams Scorpions raid on Ramatlhodi, Xolani Xundu, Sunday Times (462 words) Ngoako Ramatlhodi gets Scorpioned, Makhudu Sefara, City Press (870 words) A year later, Rashid nowhere to be seen, Juggie Naran, Tribune (987 words) The Lovable Man, Uri Avnery, Counterpunch (1624 words) Empire of Liberty, Ryan McMaken, Lew Rockwell (2470 words)