MISSION CREEP

Submitted by dalcassian on 3 November, 2011 - 3:36

By Attila the Stockbroker

I usually cheer at the word ‘revolution’
And rebels in action are my kith and kin
But when they are backed by the whole New World Order
That kind of description soon wears pretty thin
Royalists, Islamists,old regime turncoats
Internal divisions already exposed
The flag that they wave is the flag of King Idris
The sad Western toady Gaddafi deposed

No revolution is fronted by NATO
Endorsed by BP, Haliburton and Shell
Businessmen vying to cash in on carnage
Arms dealers profiting, trading in hell

They’ve not much in common with Chavez or Castro
They’re not like the rebels I’ve cheered on before
Racialist pogroms, massacred prisoners -
I think of the Rebs in the Yank Civil War
Royalty smiles as the old scores are settled
West and Islam in a cynical tryst
Upstart from the desert gets bombed to oblivion
Syrian dynasty slapped on the wrist

No revolution is fronted by NATO
Endorsed by BP, Haliburton and Shell
Businessmen ivying to cash in on carnage
Arms dealers profiting, trading in hell

And it’s not just the Right who support NATO’s actions
‘Protecting civilians’ - a sick, evil lie
As Sirte is dismantled with bomb and with bullet
Liberals are silent and innocents die
Selective coverage in all the media
One side are heroes, the other side scum
Legitimate targets for air strikes and war crimes -
And now they’ve been butchered the vultures will come

No revolution is fronted by NATO
Endorsed by BP, Haliburton and Shell
Businessmen vying to cash in on carnage
Arms dealers profiting, trading in hell....

This is not mission creep, it’s mission control
Another excuse for an oil hungry war
Taxpayers shellng out over a billion
To take out the weapons sold not long before
Bailouts for the bankers, blank cheques for the arms dealers
Poor and the sick and the vulnerable pay
Cameron likes rebels - when they’re in Libya
I’m with the rebels here in the UK!

No revolution is fronted by NATO
Endorsed by BP, Haliburton and Shell
Businessmen vying to cash in on carnage
Arms dealers profiting, trading in hell

And the flag of AlQaeda flies over Benghazi.....

Comments

Submitted by AWL on Fri, 04/11/2011 - 17:50

Our starting point is workers' self-organisation. Ask yourself the simple question: is there more or less room for workers' self-organisation in Libya now than there was under Qaddafi? The answer is, very obviously, yes. That should inform your conclusions.

No-one's claiming things will be perfect now. We don't "support" the NTC. We've written (in the current Solidarity) about the battle the Libyan people now face against neo-liberal economic policies and, yes, Islamism. Things aren't so sewn up as you imply; the idea that "the flag of Al-Qaeda flies over Benghazi", as if ultra-Islamists have taken full control in Libya, is just untrue. There's still a struggle to be had over how things will develop, and the point is that this struggle is only possible now because Qaddafi is gone. If you can't acknowledge the fall of Qaddafi - aided by NATO or not - as a step forward for the prospects for workers' self-organisation - as well as other basic social and political freedoms - then we're just on different planets.

-

Daniel Randall

PS: You probably don't remember, Atilla, but we were on the same bill at a squat party in Brixton once (some time in summer 2009 I think). I'm a hip-hop artist (The Ruby Kid). I think you also know my mate Paul, who performs poetry as Captain of the Rant. Maybe we'll cross paths at a gig again soon and we can continue this discussion in person!

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.