World War IV?

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Above and from BelowAbove and from Below

Woolsey on WWIVWoolsey on WWIV

James Woolsey: Ex-CIA Director under ClintonJames Woolsey: Ex-CIA Director under Clinton Speech at UCLA, April 2003Speech at UCLA, April 2003 Forum sponsored by “Americans for Victory over Forum sponsored by “Americans for Victory over

Terrorism”Terrorism” Right Wing Group founded by Bill BennettRight Wing Group founded by Bill Bennett

Quotes Elliot Cohen of Johns Hopkins:Quotes Elliot Cohen of Johns Hopkins: Not War on Terrorism, but Not War on Terrorism, but World War IVWorld War IV

Who are the enemies in this war?: Who are the enemies in this war?: ““Islamist Shia” in Iran, Islamist Shia” in Iran, ““fascists”/Baathists, like Hitler, in Iraq and Syriafascists”/Baathists, like Hitler, in Iraq and Syria ““Islamist Sunni, Al-QaedaIslamist Sunni, Al-Qaeda Saudi Royal Family, Mubarack in EgyptSaudi Royal Family, Mubarack in Egypt

Marcos on WWIVMarcos on WWIV

Subcomandante MarcosSubcomandante Marcos Spokesperson for the EZLNSpokesperson for the EZLN War in ChiapasWar in Chiapas

January 1, 1994 to the presentJanuary 1, 1994 to the present Should have ended with San Andrés AccordsShould have ended with San Andrés Accords Why not?Why not?

Constants in WWI, WWII, WWIII, WWIVConstants in WWI, WWII, WWIII, WWIV Conquest and reorganization of territoryConquest and reorganization of territory Destruction of the EnemyDestruction of the Enemy Administration of ConquestAdministration of Conquest

WWIV?WWIV?

End of WWIII (cold war) left unipolar worldEnd of WWIII (cold war) left unipolar world WWIV = achievement of globalizationWWIV = achievement of globalization Globalization = embodiment of neoliberalismGlobalization = embodiment of neoliberalism Requires defeat and administration of enemyRequires defeat and administration of enemy Enemy = humanityEnemy = humanity Strategy? Strategy?

HomogenizationHomogenization FragmentationFragmentation

HomogenizationHomogenization

Destroy effective differencesDestroy effective differences Whatever makes nation states different, e.g., Whatever makes nation states different, e.g.,

language, culture, economy, social fabriclanguage, culture, economy, social fabric Destruction?Destruction?

Not of people, per se, but of relationshipsNot of people, per se, but of relationships Reduction to computer language & logic of marketReduction to computer language & logic of market

Break up and destroy social relationships that Break up and destroy social relationships that resist their reduction to market relationshipsresist their reduction to market relationships

FragmentationFragmentation Fragmentation of nation states (Balkans)Fragmentation of nation states (Balkans) Fragmentation of social groupsFragmentation of social groups

New identities for oldNew identities for old

A commercial/financial networkA commercial/financial network No local equilibriumNo local equilibrium Market determines what you produce, buy, Market determines what you produce, buy,

consume, your worthconsume, your worth People reduced to producing/consuming People reduced to producing/consuming

machinesmachines

The EnemyThe Enemy All that resists this becomes the enemy, including All that resists this becomes the enemy, including

dignity, overt resistance, solidarity, i.e., those dignity, overt resistance, solidarity, i.e., those qualities that make people humanqualities that make people human

Thus the hate campaigns:Thus the hate campaigns: Xenophobia against “foreigners”Xenophobia against “foreigners” Racism against immigrantsRacism against immigrants Homophobia against gaysHomophobia against gays

Thus the attack on civil liberties:Thus the attack on civil liberties: No rights for foreignersNo rights for foreigners Discrimination against immigrantsDiscrimination against immigrants Persecution of gaysPersecution of gays Ethnicide against the indigenousEthnicide against the indigenous

But thus too growing resistance to these attacks, But thus too growing resistance to these attacks, increased solidarity across borders, within and increased solidarity across borders, within and across differencesacross differences

More than military: WWIIIMore than military: WWIII

Many (US) soldiers vs many (USSR) soldiers, I.e., Many (US) soldiers vs many (USSR) soldiers, I.e., conventional war scenariosconventional war scenarios

Limited Nuclear war (in Europe)Limited Nuclear war (in Europe) Total Nuclear war, MAD, DeterrenceTotal Nuclear war, MAD, Deterrence Surrogate conventional wars in Third World, e.g., Surrogate conventional wars in Third World, e.g.,

Vietnam, domino theoryVietnam, domino theory Total War (on all fronts): military + anything else, Total War (on all fronts): military + anything else,

e.g., media, diplomacy, economic warfare, e.g., media, diplomacy, economic warfare, sabotagesabotage

Tried to recapture legitimacy of WWII – defense of Tried to recapture legitimacy of WWII – defense of freedom for allfreedom for all

More than military: WWIV More than military: WWIV

Total war: all fronts + anywhere + anytimeTotal war: all fronts + anywhere + anytime Against all possible enemiesAgainst all possible enemies

Thus “flexible forces” and “rapid deployment” capacityThus “flexible forces” and “rapid deployment” capacity Thus “forward basing” of materiel and troops ready for fast Thus “forward basing” of materiel and troops ready for fast

deploymentdeployment But also use of surrogatesBut also use of surrogates Supranational institutional legitimacy (UN, NATO) of Supranational institutional legitimacy (UN, NATO) of

“humanitarian intervention”“humanitarian intervention” From “containment” to the “extension” of total warFrom “containment” to the “extension” of total war From national armies & national security to national From national armies & national security to national

stability and policing – both domestic and internationalstability and policing – both domestic and international From national defense to hemispheric defense, e.g., against From national defense to hemispheric defense, e.g., against

drug traffickingdrug trafficking

War in ChiapasWar in Chiapas Total war, no neutralsTotal war, no neutrals

Not just against the EZLN, it is secondaryNot just against the EZLN, it is secondary But the terrorism of the military and paramilitaries against the But the terrorism of the military and paramilitaries against the

real enemy: the indigenous people/communities in rebellionreal enemy: the indigenous people/communities in rebellion That is why the war didn’t endThat is why the war didn’t end

Implementing the San Andres Accords would have mean Implementing the San Andres Accords would have mean accepting the existence of an enemy they actually want to accepting the existence of an enemy they actually want to destroy, to disperse, to wipe out as peoplesdestroy, to disperse, to wipe out as peoples

Question: But why destroy the indigenous?Question: But why destroy the indigenous? Answer #1: for the resources of & on their lands: oil, uranium Answer #1: for the resources of & on their lands: oil, uranium

and lumber, the “Mayan Lands” tourism projectand lumber, the “Mayan Lands” tourism project Answer #2: the indigenous are neither consumers nor Answer #2: the indigenous are neither consumers nor

producers, they go their separate way and that is producers, they go their separate way and that is unacceptable, they are in the wayunacceptable, they are in the way

The Machinery of EthnicideThe Machinery of Ethnicide

The Army: The Army: An occupying force, on alien terrainAn occupying force, on alien terrain The enemy is the civilian populationThe enemy is the civilian population

That goes about its lifeThat goes about its life That shouts “get out” every dayThat shouts “get out” every day

Bought media hide the reality of this occupation, Bought media hide the reality of this occupation, profitable and destructiveprofitable and destructive

Trafficking in babiesTrafficking in babies Drug trafficking (reversed EZLN ban)Drug trafficking (reversed EZLN ban) ProstitutionProstitution Alcohol Alcohol Desertions and promotionsDesertions and promotions

Army StrategiesArmy Strategies

Surgical StrikeSurgical Strike Special operation units to strike EZLN Special operation units to strike EZLN

Total StrikeTotal Strike The Army seals of the area to hide what The Army seals of the area to hide what

happens, no press, no HR observershappens, no press, no HR observers The rest of the army attacks all known leadersThe rest of the army attacks all known leaders

Secret basements and tunnels for torture and killing Secret basements and tunnels for torture and killing and disposal (within and without)and disposal (within and without)

Human Rights StrategiesHuman Rights Strategies

Violation of Individual Human RightsViolation of Individual Human Rights Beatings, torture, killingsBeatings, torture, killings

Violation of collective human rights under the Violation of collective human rights under the legitimacy of individual human rightslegitimacy of individual human rights Collective human rights have no legal statusCollective human rights have no legal status There are no collective HR observersThere are no collective HR observers

Objective: destruction of indigenous peoples, I.e., Objective: destruction of indigenous peoples, I.e.,

ethnicide.ethnicide.

ResistanceResistance

Not to take power (like Emiliano refused)Not to take power (like Emiliano refused) We question everything, we are an army that wants to We question everything, we are an army that wants to

abolish armiesabolish armies

The old resist, the young resist, they are the The old resist, the young resist, they are the bridge between an unacceptable present and bridge between an unacceptable present and more acceptable future more acceptable future

Against neoliberalism in Mexico, nationalism is Against neoliberalism in Mexico, nationalism is revolutionaryrevolutionary Nationalism as self-determinationNationalism as self-determination Nationalism as shaping one’s own futureNationalism as shaping one’s own future

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