By David Franke!
THE UNITED STATES is closer to war today than at any time since the. end of its military intervention in Vietnam.
Using as pretext US-provoked seizure: of embassy and sixty-two hostages in Tehran, President Carter has carried out a steadily escalating series of measures that have already reached the level of warfare. And there is no indication nae une escalatons over Carter's •steps included:
A ban on demonstrations by Iranian students. The blanket refusal demonstrations in Washington goes far beyond any measures attempted even at the height of the war in Vietnam.
* An oracl, issued November, requiring all students in the United States to report to the Immigration and Naturalisation Service for possible deportation. Hundreds of Iranians been ordered to leave the country.
Internment aven Us guverncil questioned the constitutionality this racist round-up, which singles out Iranians solely on the basis of their nationality. Such a step, the internment of Americans during World War II, has been prate lilc.
*On 12 November, Carter ordered a halt to ail oil imports from Iran, indicating at the same time that he would welcome similar moves by US allies.
Also on 12. November, from the Pentagon's Rapid Deployment Force carried out manoeuvres" at Fort Hood, Texas.
*A more direct ihreat announced on 13 November when a nuee o muereen US and warships, led by the US aircraft carrier Midway, began manoeuvres in Luc aadta *And on 14 November, USL SOlEN OI TAN announced the biggest step yet with the freezing of all Iranian government assets in US-owned banks within the United States internationally.
Freeze Despite denials by Washington, the effect of the freeze was to give it a stranglehold on Iran's foreign trade.
Television alounig the freeze showed film- clips Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour to illustrate the precedents for Carter's action. The message to the American people was to be prepared for war, Carter's aconbalyle has been a flood of articles commentary in the capitalist media intended to sucker the American. people into going along.
The impression conveyed by the mass media, nowevel, represent ine real mood American workers. Pro-war demonstrations have been organised mainly right-wing groups such Jewish Defense League and the the US American economic have for such repressive Iranian have already lawyers of CHAUSCC IE Japanesecarried out in troops 'readiness was ATENSO generally been tiny.
Carter - both and turnouts Press November, had hoped for as many marchers'.
programmes Iranian of the ULOVCH and does of the Young *This nation lives by the rule of law,' commented the Wall Street Journal Amerícans for Freedom. They have Fifty right-wingers turned out at Brooklyn College in New York on 14 November to be met by other students chanting 'Down With the Shah'.
Two other anti-Iranian demonstrations in downtown New York drew and thirty. United reported the demonstration of 200 in Dallas on 16 noting that 'organisers 10,000 NE RICH LOVE IT OR LENE With the exception of one action illegally Oklahoma University, where UPI claimed 2,000 there has not been a single right-wing demonstra- tribunal TneaatoDer action wornes welcoming Fidel Castro to the United trade union SUlle bureaucrats have lined up behind Carter, those who have gone out of their way to express support have States.
exception. American opposed o. a Vietnam-style war. In the midst of the crisis, polls show a clear majority opposed to armed intervention.
As the days go by there is growing sentiment for returning the Shah in order to secure the release of the hostages and avoid demonstrators in ental allu Iranian government have appealed to American people, and appeals are having an effect.
Moreover, the sages of Wall Street continued, *think example must look to the Saudi royal family and how the humiliation would affect its opinion of the US and its willingness to find Both accord the forces".
their Street administration, Hub laser measured tions.
may go Millions and demanding what the happen countries. Rebellion mass media is registered by the Africa, and Many InO[C Vietnam.
their way. meetings, workers bit how the Shah's further and peasants people anti-American day.
From the point of view of the Wall Journal and the Carter liver of sixty a1 c small change when aLdISl such consideraWashington is determined to keep the pot boiling. The US ruling -class fears that the revolution in Iran beyond the limits capitalist śystem and spread to other countries in the Middle East. It needs a pretext for military intervention.
workers, soldiers, students, and urban poor have been . demonstrating in Tehran and other Iranian cities against US imperialism the return Shah. They are the living example of capitanst ruers in other Middle East Part of the hysterical tone in the due not just to the deepening of the revolution in Iran, but also to the broader advances : world revolution From the downfall of the Pol Pot Kampuchea, the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua, the advances of the black liberation struggle in southern the successful uprising against the Gairy regime in Grenada ine imperlalisls are oeser Dy lns nightmare of a world in rebellion.
American workers are opposed to Wals like the UTIC But Carter and his superiors on Wall Street were to have workers would soon fighting and dying once again for the protection of US corporate profits.
Whether Carter succeeds will be determined largely by the political struggle within the United States Socialists there are already countering U yt through public picket lines, campaigns, and discussions with coLine mines. mills, and plants. At the same time, the greater the mobilisation of the masses in Iran, the harder will it be for Washington to move against them.
It is in the interests of the workers of the entire world to pecple in heir spragle wira ts their struggle imperialism. That is the task of the