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Letters to the editor January 3, 2003 | Page 4 OTHER LETTERS BELOW Push for oil profits behind Bush's war Dear Socialist Worker, Socialist Worker has done an excellent job analyzing and explaining the real motives behind Bush's coming war on Iraq. But a few additional points need to be made. Firstly, the Bush administration has eyes not only on the conquest of Iraqi oil in the name of American oil companies, but also on the oil and natural gas of the Caspian Sea. Once America has gained control not only of Afghanistan but also of Iraq, the Caspian Sea region will be much more accessible. Secondly, the Bush administration has largely turned a blind eye on Russia's ongoing war in Chechnya. In order for imperialism to gain full control of the Caspian, rebel insurgency has to be quelled. Thirdly, the Bush administration recently has made much ado over the nuclear programs of the so-called "axis of evil" countries. Bush is already preparing the pretexts for a second, third, fourth and further wars. Clearly, Bush's war will not stop with the conquest of Iraq. It will keep spreading until Washington controls the Middle East. For that reason, antiwar efforts must not stop in Washington or Boston, but must reach every community. Bruce Burleson, Roxbury, Mass. Dear Socialist Worker, Last year, after leaving a book release party in Greenwich Village, New York, for The Struggle for Palestine, I was attacked. This happened as I was walking in the ritzy neighborhood of SoHo, looking for a subway station. People walking behind me noticed the back of my shirt, which read "End the Israeli Occupation." One of these goons picked up a good-sized rock and threw it at me, catching my right shoulder blade. He had the nerve to laugh and call me names. I was shocked. Cheney and Bush hide behind the flag in an effort to "Americanize" the world. I urge those who are reading this right now to get all the information, use all the media you can and then make up your own mind. This government needs to go! Dan Clemente, New York City We need to unite to stop the right wing Dear Socialist Worker, The Republican landslide in the November election will give the GOP control of all three branches of our federal government. Since Bush is an ultra-conservative Republican and not a moderate, we can expect to see a shift toward the right in the U.S. political spectrum. A Republican-dominated Congress will rubberstamp the Bush agenda, and the Democratic Party will be powerless to stop the Republican machine from steamrolling over them and commanding the direction of our country. Democrats will remain closely aligned to the GOP during this "shift." They are afraid of taking a bold stance against a popular president and losing additional power. This means that the American public will not have a distinct alternative to the GOP. In the absence of a distinct alternative, progressives, socialists, Greens and independents need to join forces. The fuel for our shift back towards the left can be found in the antiwar movement. By seizing the momentum of the antiwar movement, a new unified band of political third parties may emerge with a firm "leftist" position. Robert DeCicco, Colchester, Vt.
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