At the invitation of the Comitati di Appoggio alla Resistenza per il Comunismo (CARC), Michela Martinazzi of the Central Committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization delivered the following speech to a national meeting against NATO, held in Italy, December 8.

Good morning from New York comrades,

On behalf of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, I extend warm greetings and solidarity to the participants and organizers of this important gathering. The violent involvement of NATO is felt throughout the world. As communists, we have a special task to oppose U.S. monopoly capitalism, the wars that it brings, and its tools like NATO. We’re honored that you invited us to take part in this meeting to fight NATO on a global scale. And we’re ready to continue the fight alongside you!

The downward spiral of imperialism

Imperialism is steadily spiraling towards its end. The decline picks up speed with each new world event that stresses the antagonisms between the war-mongering class and those who foot the bill.

Post World War II, the U.S. built a web of economic institutions where Wall Street and Washington DC were at the center. That original web is long gone, and in its place is a world economy that is breaking and fragmenting. With each new break, the decline of U.S. imperialism is picking up speed, and the Trump presidency will accelerate its downfall.

A symptom of declining imperialism is the sharpening of inter-imperialist contradictions. These can take on both political and military scopes. For example, Trump campaigned that Ukraine is primarily a concern for Europe and that the U.S. should no longer concern itself with the issue. If Trump is true to his word, the policy shift will force European imperialist powers, mainly Germany, to bolster Ukraine while putting stress on NATO.

As the power of the U.S. economy shrinks, Trump relies on threats of tariffs to recover a semblance of power. He ran on the promise of tariffs on all Chinese-imported products. While the U.S. working class will be the ones who shoulder the burden of this trade war, Trump continues to barrel forward in de-linking the U.S. economy from the People’s Republic of China.

With each misstep on behalf of the imperial powers, we’re seeing a clearer definition in the developing spheres of influence and domination. The U.S. has a smaller role to play, while the other two centers of monopoly capitalism – Japan and the European Union – are also taking up smaller shares of the world GDP.

Anti-imperialism in the 21st century

As we see the steady decline of U.S. imperialism, and, broadly, the decline of imperialism around the world, we see the inverse, as the people rise up against it. As the U.S. monopoly capitalist class stumbles, the people continue their march to victory.

People around the world are facing economic hardships as the warmongers steadily beat the drums of war. United States military spending went from $366 billion under Bush to $1,109 billion, or more than $1 trillion, under Biden. In the last two decades, this budget destabilized Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya; funded attempted coups in Bolivia and Venezuela; supplies weapons to reactionary governments in the Philippines and Ukraine. and spearheads the genocide of Palestine.

The people are tired of their tax dollars funding war

Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, we’ve seen the anti-war movement have its highs and lows, but the overall trend has been to fight against imperialist wars.

The pandemic in 2020 sharpened many contradictions and it culminated in the George Floyd rebellion. This laid the groundwork for a new generation of organizers to not only question the ruling class but gain confidence in the power of protest. The landscape of the movement completely changed after that summer.

The same people who took to the streets for the George Floyd rebellion, were some of the same ones who joined the protests in 2023 for Palestine – some of the largest protests for Palestine we’ve seen in the West.

As inflation rose, jobs were lost, and debts were left unpaid, everyday people continued to question why the government continued to spend money on war rather than people’s needs. Worsening conditions only deepened the antagonism between the interests of the working class and the ruling class.

When the heroic Palestinian resistance carried out the Al-Aqsa Flood, the same generation that the George Floyd rebellion revolutionized, took to the streets in the millions. Politicians who cried for Israel could not gather the same support they were used to just a few years back.

FRSO released a statement on October 9th where we said:

“Those of us who stand in solidarity with Palestine have our work cut out for us. The Zionist regime is carrying out horrific crimes – including indiscriminate bombings in Gaza that have destroyed homes, schools and health care facilities. Their logic is genocidal. We need to act fast.

Demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine should be organized everywhere. The role of the U.S. needs to be highlighted. U.S. weapons are killing people. Biden wants to send Israel more weapons. Not one U.S. dollar should be funding the occupation of Palestine.

In the days ahead, lots of politicians are going to be saying “stand with Israel.” They will lie and cry. Do the opposite. This is time to stand with Palestine. Time is on the side of the oppressed. And a new stage of the freedom struggle has arrived.”

The people of the world understand that the imperialist rulers are selling out their livelihoods for profits and domination. They see it embodied in the ongoing genocide in Palestine. The U.S. alone has sent $17.9 billion since October 2023.

And that’s why the people cannot stand by as Israel carries out a genocide. That’s why millions have been marching, boycotting, and organizing since October 7.

We’re entering a new era of the anti-war movement, and as communists we must seize it!

Organizing against the war

The forces organizing for Palestine are the same forces that will be ready to organize against NATO. Our role is to cultivate a campaign against NATO forces that harnesses the raw revolutionary passion of this new generation of activists.

When the protest against the NATO summit took place in Washington DC this past summer, I was happy to see that the majority of attendees were people my age and younger. Broad calls against war are gaining popularity amongst all progressive people. The question of “Why are we sending money overseas?” is on everyone’s mind.

However, to sustain a strong anti-war movement, we must have strong organizations to support it. It requires an understanding of meeting the masses where they’re at and bringing their demands forward through the lens of Marxism.

The great Chairman Mao Tse Tung said in his speech A Talk to the Editorial Staff of the Shansi-Suiyuan Daily, “If we tried to go on the offensive when the masses are not yet awakened, that would be adventurism. If we insisted on leading the masses to do anything against their will, we would certainly fail. If we did not advance when the masses demand to advance, that would be Right opportunism.”

Our organization is growing quickly. We’re taking up the demands of the people in the belly of the beast, and channeling them into campaigns. Relying on sloganeering to build our movements will only result in burning out the revolutionary fire of the people. As Marxist-Leninists, we must deliver tangible victories to the people as we face the many-headed monster that is imperialism.

To grow the fight against NATO, let us find the demands of the people and show them who the true enemy is: NATO and the monopoly capitalist class!

The road ahead

We have a challenge ahead of us. We’ve seen the election of right-wing populists throughout the world. We also face politicians that parade around progressive slogans, but actively work against the needs of the people. These figureheads are enemies of progress, justice and freedom.

But while we have many enemies, we have even more allies. As we’ve seen in the last year, millions are ready for change. Millions are marching against a rotten system that has only delivered death and misery. Millions are ready to fight towards a better future!

Our role as communists is to unite all that we can against tyranny. Our task is revolution, and we’re armed with the tools of Marxism-Leninism. The road ahead may be filled with challenges, but we’re well equipped to face them!

Down with NATO!

Down with imperialism!

Long live international solidarity!

#International #Italy #CARC #NATO #AntiWarMovement #FRSO #Statement #RevolutionaryTheory

San Jose, CA – On Saturday, July 6, around 20 people gathered in San Jose for a protest in solidarity with the national mobilizations against NATO and RIMPAC that are occurring in Hawaii, San Diego and Washington D.C.

RIMPAC, which stands for the Rim of the Pacific, is a series of maritime military exercises held by the U.S. and its allies in Hawaii. This year it is being held from June 27 to August 2, while the NATO summit being held in Washington DC from July 9-11. Both RIMPAC and NATO are examples of the U.S.’s military encroachment on the rest of the world, ranging from its use of the Philippines as a military outpost to its warmongering acts against China and Russia.

Organizers from San Jose Against War set up a table at the corner of Stevens Creek Boulevard and Santana Row, in the middle of one of Northern California’s busiest shopping districts. Attendees passed out flyers to people demanding that funding for NATO be redirected to meet people’s needs here at home.

The protest began with chants of “From Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!” and “No more U.S. war, no more NATO war!” Andy Schafer from San Jose Against War gave a speech explaining NATO’s history as a vehicle for the U.S. to consolidate its power and weaken the Soviet Union after World War II. Members of the new San Jose State University chapter of the League of Filipino Students then spoke about how the U.S. exploits and oppresses the Philippines in order to use the nation as a de facto military outpost in its aggression against China. 

Joshua Cardoza from California United described NATO and the U.S.’s role in ushering in imperialist exploitation in oppressed nations, saying, “Whether it’s United Fruit Company installing right-wing dictatorships in South America, or the Shock Doctrine used throughout Eastern Europe and Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, [resulting in the sale of] their manufacturing and natural resources to oligarchs. It has evolved into endless wars in the Middle East”

Philip Nguyen from San Jose Against War then spoke about the role that the U.S. military has played in the exploitation and national oppression of Hawaii, saying, “The military operations held in U.S.-occupied Hawaii have poisoned their water, destroyed their land, and is the cause of a huge uptick in sexual violence on the island.” 

Nguyen continued, “U.S. imperialism and the monopoly capitalists demand that our tax dollars fund their wars that steal land and resources and exploit people for cheap labor to generate massive profits, rather than using it here to fund housing, healthcare and education.”

The protest was called by San Jose Against War and California United in solidarity with the organizers of the national mobilizations, Cancel RIMPAC and the Resist NATO Coalition.

#SanJoseCA #CaliforniaUnited #SanJoseAgainstWar #SJAW #CancelRIMPAC #ResistNATOCoalition #NATO #ResistNATO

Washington, DC – On July 7, hundreds of activists from over 60 organizations mobilized to protest the 75th anniversary NATO Summit occurring July 9 -11 in the city. The protest, organized the Resist NATO coalition started at McPherson Square and marched to the White House, demanding an end to U.S.- NATO aggression and to defend peoples’ struggles.  

The Resist NATO coalition is made up of various groups including the International League of Peoples’ Struggle – US (ILPS-US), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Bayan USA, Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), International Action Center, and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). 

A member of NAARPR spoke at the rally stating, “From the war-torn streets of Afghanistan to the devastated cities of Libya, we raise our voices in support of those who have been killed by U.S. military aggression. Instead of money going towards our military, why is money not going towards our community? Why is money not going towards education? Or mental health?” The U.S. is by far the largest contributor to NATO’s budget. In 2023, the U.S. represented 68% of the total expenditure of NATO, spending $860 billion.

An organizer in Palestinian Youth Movement stated, “It is not only important, but necessary, to resist NATO through a broad united front, in order to protect people’s just struggle for freedom in Palestine, in the Philippines, in Puerto Rico, in Washington DC, and everywhere in the world. The peoples’ resistance in Palestine threatens the interests of Western imperialism and for the first time in recent history, the tides are turning. The myth of Israeli invincibility, of U.S. supremacy, of the futility of resistance, and of capitulation being the only solution has shattered. People around the world are joining the fight for total liberation.”

The Resist NATO coalition had a successful weekend of actions to protest the NATO summit, and they plan to continue building out the united front against US-NATO military escalation and aggression.

#WashingtonDC #ResistNATO #ResistNATOCoalition #FreePalestine #Philippines #PuertoRico #Imperialism #ILPS #FRSO #NAARPR #IAC #BAP #NATO #NATOSummit #USOutOfThePhilippines

The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing more than 105 million workers who work live, and struggle in 133 countries all over the world, strongly condemns the continuation of military interventions and wars, the accelerated militarization of international relations and confrontational rhetoric, the soaring of the military expenditures, as well as the NATO plans amid the escalating intra-imperialist confrontation. The 2024 ΝΑΤΟ summit which will take place in Washington D.C. on 9-10-11 July 2024, constitutes one more step toward the intensification of NATO’s aggressive imperialist plans, interventions, and wars.

NATO has already announced an increase of its military budget for 2024 by 12% to 2.03 billion euros and its civil budget by 18.2% to 438.1 million euros increasing even more the operating capacity of NATO Command Structure headquarters, missions, and operations around the world. This year’s figures confirm the continuation of an at least 10 years-long course of moving towards a “war economy” for the member states of NATO, with NATO’s Secretary General emphasizing that “burden sharing is improving within NATO” while military spending is up 18 percent across European Allies and Canada in 2024, and 23 member states will spend at least 2% of GDP in military spending this year.

The International class-oriented trade union movement unequivocally condemns the war plans of the imperialists and strongly opposes the uninterrupted increase of the NATO budget which sharpens even more the confrontation and deepens the preparations and the risk for a generalized imperialist conflict with disastrous consequences for the popular strata and the ordinary people who always pay the cost of the imperialist antagonism.

NATO’s history demonstrates nothing but interventions, wars, juntas, refugees, starvation, destruction, and death. In addition, the continued soaring in military spending constitutes a provocation for the people who constantly see their living standards affected due to generalized price rises, inflation, and long-term austerity policies.

The militant class-oriented trade union movement intensifies the struggle against imperialist wars and the system that creates them. The WFTU fights for the dissolution of NATO which constitutes an aggressive war machine in service of the imperialist interests of its member states, aiming to maintain, and expand if possible, the existing favorable correlation of forces for the NATO countries in order to safeguard the profits of their monopolies.

Simultaneously we reiterate our firm demand for the immediate dissolution of all military coalitions, the complete abolition of nuclear weapons, an immediate end to all imperialist armed conflicts, and full respect for the sovereignty, independence, and right of every people to freely choose their present and future. We denounce the exclusions, discriminations, embargoes, and sanctions imposed by the US, NATO, and the EU against various countries, negatively impacting the standard of living of low-income families, workers, poor small farmers, and popular strata in general.

The WFTU calls upon workers all over the globe, the militant trade unions to join the ranks and the struggles of the international class-oriented trade union movement for lasting peace, for a world free of imperialist interventions and man-by-man exploitation.

#WFTU #NATO #EU #Militarization #Imperialism #Exploitation #Peace #Labor #TradeUnion

Washington, DC – On July 6, the Resist NATO Coalition hosted a Counter-Summit with over 300 attendees from across the country, two panels, and a cultural performance. This year is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The Resist NATO coalition states, “In practice, NATO acts as an armed wing of U.S.-led war.” Key slogans from the event included calls for the U.S. out of the Philippines, and an end to the ongoing U.S.-backed genocide of the Palestinian people.

The Resist NATO coalition is comprised of over 60 organizations such as the International League of Peoples’ Struggle – US (ILPS-US), Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), Bayan USA, Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), the International Action Center, and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

The coalition was formed in response to NATO hosting a summit in Washington, DC this year July 9, 10 and 11.

The speaking panels featured activists and organizers from the peoples’ struggles, such as Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), Nodutdol, Diaspora Pa’lante Collective, Pan-African Community Action, etc.; discussing how to connect their fights through the collective need to dismantle NATO and resist its military aggression and escalation.

One of the panelists, from the Milwaukee Anti-War Committee, discussed the need to join the March on the RNC in Milwaukee on July 15 to fight against the racist and reactionary Trump agenda.

One of the panelists, an organizer in Palestinian Youth Movement, stated, “The NATO military alliance was created to protect Western imperialist interests in the wake of growing communism and people’s liberation movements internationally after World War II. NATO is anti-people in nature, a piece in the imperialist war machine that aims to crush national liberation movements in order to maintain Western hegemonic rule and control over the world’s resources.”

The Counter-Summit was followed by a mass mobilization the next day.

#WashingtonDC #AntiWarMovement #NATO #ResistNATO #ILPS #FRSO #Bayan #BAP #NAARPR #IAC

“Rim of the Pacific is the largest military exercise held anywhere in the world and takes place every two years in U.S.-occupied Hawai'i,” said Katie Comfort, a member of the International Women's Alliance's Global Secretariat and representative for the Cancel RIMPAC campaign. “Organizers in Hawai'i have been mobilizing against RIMPAC for decades, drawing attention to the environmental degradation, violence against women, and overall negative impact on the people living on the islands.”

“Today is an important and significant day to hold this press conference, as RIMPAC's opening banquet is kicking off tonight in San Diego with the heads of U.S. and foreign militaries,” continued Comfort.

Organizers from both Hawai'i and San Diego spoke about the disastrous effects these exercises have on both areas. Rose Elovitz, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace Hawai'i, spoke about the effects RIMPAC has on Hawai'i and its people, saying, “The rate of sex trafficking – which disproportionately affects native Hawaiian women and girls – rises 30% during RIMPAC. The use of navy sonar has been proved to confuse and harm whales, leading to mass die-offs and beachings. The wellbeing of people, land and water are not a concern to the U.S. military agenda.”

From the other coast, members of the Resist NATO coalition spoke about their efforts to fight back against the upcoming 2024 NATO Summit.

Speaking for the Resist NATO coalition, BAYAN USA and Anakbayan Montgomery County member Gabby Rivera said, “Since its creation in DC in 1949, NATO has served as the armed wing of U.S.-led imperialism. This upcoming NATO summit on July 9 through 11 marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in DC — and with it the founding of NATO.”

Rivera continued, “Here they will introduce major policies such as new sanctions, military budgets, mass surveillance and cyberwar initiatives. None of these will be in the interests of the international working class and oppressed, but rather the imperialist leaders with the US at their head.”

In addition to the Cancel RIMPAC Campaign and the Resist NATO Coalition, the press conference also featured speakers from the International League of Peoples' Struggle, Malaya San Diego, Jewish Voice for Palestine Hawai'i, the African National Women's Organization, the Palestinian Youth Movement, Pan-African Community Action, and BAYAN USA.

This press conference is one of a variety of actions in San Diego and Hawai'i, all of which lead up to a people's summit and mobilizations against RIMPAC in San Diego on June 29 and June 30, respectively. Next week, the Resist NATO coalition will also hold a people's summit on July 6 and a march on July 7 to protest NATO's 75th anniversary summit in DC.

#WashingtonDC #DC #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #NATO #IWA #BAYAN #ILPS #JVP #Malaya #PYM #PACA #ANWO

Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, October 3, more than 20 people gathered outside the office of Minnesota State Senator Amy Klobuchar to demand an end to U.S. involvement in the war in Ukraine. The event was a response to a national call by the Peace in Ukraine Coalition and the United National Antiwar Coalition for activists all across the country to unite in demanding an end to U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine and U.S. Interference in negotiations.

Protesters held a banner reading “No to NATO! No to war!” and waved signs with slogans of “U.S. hands off Ukraine” and “No war with Russia! No war with China!”

Drake Myers of the Anti-War Committee opened the rally by explaining why Klobuchar's office was chosen as a target. “Klobuchar has been a supporter of war in Ukraine as far back as 2014,” Myers stated, describing her trip to Ukraine in that year, where she stood in support of a violent U.S.-backed coup was in the process of unseating Ukraine's elected government. “When Russia invaded Ukraine, Klobuchar said, 'This is going to be a long war,'” Myers said. “Why does she get to decide that? The U.S. should not decide that!” Klobuchar has continued to be a voice for increased U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine, fueling the war and delaying negotiation.

Sarah Martin of Women Against Military Madness spoke about the role of NATO as a tool of imperialism, detailing how NATO, under leadership of the U.S., waged “so-called 'humanitarian wars'” in Yugoslavia, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan that have left these countries “dismembered and impoverished.” She drew attention to the role that NATO played in stoking the current war in Ukraine, saying “Even Jens Stoltenberg, military head of NATO and war hawk if there ever there was one, recently admitted at an EU Parliament meeting that Putin went to war to prevent NATO, more NATO, close to his borders.”

Minnesota Anti-War Committee representative Andrew Josefchak spoke at the close of the rally, focusing on how U.S. interference has prolonged the war in Ukraine and resulted in greater death and destruction. “All wars end in negotiation,” said Josefchak, “But the U.S. and NATO, of which it is the de facto head, have done everything they can to sabotage negotiations. Every time Ukraine and Russia have been ready to go to the negotiating table – which they have been a number of times, the idea that Russia refuses to negotiate is a lie spread by the media – the U.S. has stepped in with yet another mountain of weapons and yet another false promise of total victory for Ukraine. We are here to demand that the U.S. stop blocking peace talks, stop all weapons shipments, and that when negotiations do begin, the U.S. keeps its blood-soaked hands out of it.”

The rally was hosted by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC), joined by Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and Veterans for Peace Local 27.

The event ended with chants of “Fuck you NATO and your war, we won’t take it anymore!” and “What’s the biggest threat to world today? NATO and the USA!”

#MinneapolisMN #Ukraine #NATO #AWC #WAMM #VFP #UNAC