03) WHICH TRAGEDY? WHOSE BOMBS?

People's Voice Editorial

     Once again, unexpected bomb blasts have killed and wounded large numbers of innocent people, instantly turning a joyous celebration into a scene of terrible carnage. But which city? What event? Whose bombs?

     These are critical questions. Why? Because for every Boston Marathon atrocity committed on U.S. soil, dozens of similar slaughters have been perpetrated elsewhere, most often by the governments and military machines of the U.S., Canada and our NATO allies. For example, a crude form of cluster bomb was used by the accused Boston attackers. But during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force dropped an astronomical 300 million similar bombs. The most "cluster-contaminated" countries include Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the former Yugoslavia.

     The shock and horror felt by North Americans in the wake of the Boston events are normal human reactions. Yet our own governments have inflicted deadly violence across the planet. The anti-war movement, and the people of other countries victimized by such "government terrorism," are increasingly demanding an end to imperialist killings, such as the drone attacks which frequently hit family weddings or village markets.

     Just as in Afghanistan, imperialist support for local reactionary forces can result in terrible "blowback". The article "Chechen terrorists and the Neo-Cons" in this issue reports on the links between the ultra-right in the U.S., and anti-communist forces backed by imperialism in its drive to overthrow socialism. The repercussions of this strategy continue to the present day, quite possibly to the events in Boston.

     Any attempt to limit expressions of sympathy to "our" victims would be utterly hypocritical. We extend our deepest support and solidarity to all victims of terrorism - including those killed by the state terrorism of the NATO countries.

(The above article is from the May 1-15, 2013, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)