November 14, 2001: Open Government Crisis in Berlin - the Country Needs New Politicians!

The Struggle for National and Social Liberation in Afghanistan is experiencing an upswing!

1. The Schroeder/Fischer-government has gotten into an open government crisis. It has not succeeded in winning the people for their support of the war against Afghanistan. A large part of the population, even including some bourgeois sectors, are not only rejecting the war against Afghanistan, but also especially the planned deployment of the German Federal Army. The dwindling mass base of the SPD/Green-government has also had the effect that the government cannot be sure of a majority for the Enabling Act, which allows the deployment of the Federal Armed Forces in a war. Therefore, it is now trying to force a majority by means of dictatorial measures and by issuing an ultimatum. The request of Schroeder for a vote of confidence cannot reverse the trend against the government.

2. The Enabling Act marks a new quality in the imperialist foreign policy of the FRG. The purpose is to "promote and secure worldwide political, economic, military and ecological stability, maintain free world trade and have access to strategically important raw materials." (Naumann, former inspector general of the German Armed Forces). Accordingly, it not only aims at participation in the US-war in Afghanistan, but it explicitely refers to a sphere of intervention reaching from the North Atlantic, the Arabian Peninsula, Middle and Central Asia to Northeast Africa and the adjacent sea regions. The German newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine" already reported that the deployment of the German navy off the coast of Somalia "was already approved of some time ago". (FAZ, 13 November 2001).

3. With the successful ousting of the Talibans, the justification for the war against Afghanistan used by the "anti-terror-alliance" up till now has lost its validity . Just a few days ago, facilities of aid organizations were destroyed by US-bombs, people were driven away and exposed to starvation and cold. The "humanitarian aid", as well as the "support for reconstruction", serve as a justification for the permanent military occupation, political oppression and economic exploitation of Afghanistan. This cannot be accepted by the peace-loving people of the world.

4. In Afghanistan, an upswing in the struggle for national and social liberation has emerged against the will of the USA and the so-called "anti-terror alliance". The Afghan people have risen up in various parts of the country in uprisings, a fact that has considerably contributed to overthrowing the Talibans. The Afghan people refute the lie that they are incapable of liberating themselves. We express our unrestricted solidarity with the liberation struggle of the Afghan people!

5. The request for a "vote of confidence" of the German Chancellor may impress parliamentary representatives for whom their seats are more important than their conscience. In any case, the Schroeder/Fischer-government is increasingly losing the confidence of the masses of the people. What is important now is to strengthen active resistance against the "new war" and to inflict a defeat on the government. Here the workers in the enterprises play an important role as the backbone of this movement.