The following was an article from MIM Notes 170,
September 15, 1998. It is background material on the 
last U.S. bombing of Afghanistan on August 20th, 1998.
Remembering the history clearly shows that 
capitalist-militarism has tried and failed to end
terrorism in the past. In fact, it has increased terrorism
steadily.

U.$. IS BIGGEST TERRORIST IN AFGHANISTAN

Merely the day prior to the U.$. bombing of Afghanistan, the 
United Snakes labeled Osama bin Laden a prime suspect in the 
earlier bombings of the U.$. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. 
The Afghanistan Taliban stated immediately prior to the 
Amerikkkan raids that if the U.$. produced evidence that bin 
Laden was involved in the embassy bombings, the Taliban would 
negotiate with Amerikan officials on how to diplomatically deal 
with bin Laden.(1)

Osama bin Laden is one of many previously on the CIA pay roll. 
During the 1980s, bin Laden and other groups received billions 
of dollars from the CIA to conduct anti-Soviet operations 
following the 1979 social-imperialist Soviet invasion of 
Afghanistan. It is the military infrastructure that was 
developed during that time which the U.$. has stated is the 
training camp it bombed on August 20.(2)

The United Snakes refused to deal diplomatically with the 
Taliban despite the fact that it controls about 90% of 
Afghanistan. The New York Times quoted one imperialist 
spokesperson who said "they would not trade Mr. Bin Laden's 
capture for American recognition of the Taliban's de facto 
government. But the Administration was weighing other ways to 
persuade the Afghans to cooperate."(3) The U.$. used 75 
Tomahawk missiles within 24 hours of the Taliban offer to 
negotiate to persuade Afghanistan and the rest of the Third 
World that it is a hegemonic power not to be challenged.

The U.$. claims show that it would rather murder innocent 
people, destroy a medicinal factory, damage food processing 
plants and launch military strikes than hold talks with a 
government it opposes. The U.$. still clings to the imperialist 
recognized lackey government of Afghanistan which stated that 
"it supported the fight against terrorism" but that it "doubted 
that air strikes could totally eliminate all terrorist training 
centers in Afghanistan."(2)

Insofar as it opposes imperialism, the Taliban can be a 
potential ally of the oppressed during this stage. However, 
genuine representation of the masses must come through armed 
struggle and seizure of state power by the masses led by a 
Marxist-Leninist-Maoist party. As with all nations with dormant 
or developing Maoist centers, MIM anticipates greater 
politicization and Maoist-led anti-imperialist organization to 
facilitate the quickest victory against imperialism. 

The Chinese people led by Mao and the CCP showed that a 
proletarian-led battle against imperialism is the quickest path 
to liberation. There are times when Islamic revolutionaries and 
other elements of the oppressed nation bourgeoisie can be 
allies of the proletariat, but genuine liberation has only 
occurred with the proletariat leading because other classes 
vacillate in their opposition to imperialism.

Notes:
1. The New York Times. 20 August 1998. p.A1.
2. The New York Times. 20 August 1998. p.A6.
3. AFP. 21 August 1998.


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