Iraq

James Heartfield Jim at heartfield.demon.co.uk
Mon Oct 7 02:30:17 PDT 2002


Doug, quoted this from me:


>But despite this weekend's protest, there is little likelihood that
>opposition to the war will form into a real protest movement, since
>it is for the most part, just an expression of the establishment's
>own anxieties about what to do next.

And said

"This sounds a bit like the old LM analysis of Thatcherism as lacking the real balls to be truly capitalist. Sooo, James - what should happen?"

Not wishing to be pernickety I don't think LM ever had such an analysis of Thatcherism (LM would have shuddered to use such an ideologically loaded term).

In my book (details below) I argue that the elite, subsequently, has retreated from the capitalist triumphalism of that era. I would say that the haemorrhaging support for the Iraq venture is a case in point.

What will happen, tragically, is that Bush will feel bound to act tough in Iraq to compensate for his lack of purpose in the US.

What should happen is the creation of a new opposition that bases itself both on a respect for Iraq's national rights, and on a more healthy sense of the West's positive achievements (the better to challenge its destructive tendencies). -- James Heartfield The 'Death of the Subject' Explained is available at GBP11.00, plus GBP1.00 p&p from Publications, audacity.org, 8 College Close, Hackney, London, E9 6ER. Make cheques payable to 'Audacity Ltd'



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