Some have asserted the U.S. empire has reached its historic endpoint because of its defeat in Afghanistan. However, that call is as premature as political scientist Francis Fukuyama’s proclamation that history had "ended" in 1989 when Western liberalism won because the former Soviet Union was coming apart.
Afghanistan might have been the so-called “graveyard of empires” and of certain states at other points in history. But the U.S. defeat in Afghanistan had occurred years earlier, a fact verified by revelations found in the “Afghanistan Papers.” That defeat had no appreciative impact on U.S. foreign-policy makers, who continued their destructive path in places like Yemen, Libya and Syria. Only a handful of the U.S. population was still interested in continuing a war in Afghanistan up until the last week or so. But the rulers did not inform the U.S. public, so the masses did not know the war had been lost.
This point is important because one of the lessons that should be taken from understanding that the United States had squandered $2 trillion, murdered 500,000 Afghans, sacrificed 2,300 U.S. service members from the U.S. working class and wounded over 20,000 U.S. military personnel is the public finally understands these wars only benefit the ruling class and have nothing to do with the interests of the vast majority of the people.
Despite this new awareness, the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) warned in its latest Afghanistan News Update:
“While all eyes are on Afghanistan, the United States continues its other wars of aggression across the world, claiming to “fight terrorism”—the same excuse it used to invade Afghanistan 20 years ago. Biden recently authorized air strikes on Somalia, more U.S. Special Forces recently have moved into the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the United States is continuing its mission to further destabilize the Horn of Africa by pushing for so-called "humanitarian intervention" in Ethiopia. That country has been added to the nearly 40 that are under some form of deadly U.S. sanctions that deprive countries of food, fuel, and medicine. Meanwhile, the United States remains entrenched in Iraq, reportedly expanding its Ain al-Asad base despite calls for its withdrawal. All this while it claims to be withdrawing its combat forces from Iraq. Over in Syria, the United States continues the destabilization effort, as well as stealing Syrian resources. Meanwhile, Haiti struggles to effectively respond to yet another natural disaster because of the more than a century’s worth of U.S./Western imperialist aggression.”
As indicated above, while the earthquake in Haiti occurred right in the middle of the U.S.-made drama in Afghanistan, the disaster in Haiti is both a natural disaster and a human-made disaster that requires special mention.
After the devastating 2010 earthquake, billions of dollars flowed into Haiti to support reconstruction. Most of that money flowed right back out. More money went to the Washington Beltway and to the salaries and infrastructure of aid organizations than to reconstruction. Haitian organizations, and the Haitian state, were almost completely bypassed. In keeping with the nefarious logic of disaster capitalism, the so-called “poorest country in the hemisphere”—also known as “The Republic of NGOs”—made certain people rich. For example, the small local oligarchy, with properties to lease and businesses to serve foreigners, benefited. Meanwhile, the crisis in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake was used to cover imperialism’s expansion: The United States and the “Core Group” of Germany, Canada, Spain and a vassal state—Brazil—as well as the Organization of American States (OAS) were able to consolidate their power through the installation of neo-Duvalierist Michel Martelly and the Bald-Headed Party (PHTK).
Will history repeat itself in the wake of the latest earthquake?
Haiti, Afghanistan, Syria, mass incarceration in the United States, and illegal sanctions and corporate press agitation for more aggressive positions on China (simply because China is in the process of defeating Western capital at its own game) all demonstrate the repressive and lethal reality: The Pan-European colonial-capitalist white-supremacist patriarchy is not going to go away quietly. It must be decisively defeated if global humanity is to survive in a way that allows for the potential for real democracy and social justice. The work reflected in this newsletter reflects BAP’s commitment to that historic task.
PRESS AND MEDIA
During the August 10 episode of WPFW (89.3 FM-Washington, D.C.)'s “Voices With Vision,” co-hosts Craig Hall and Netfa Freeman, who represents BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action (PACA), helped fundraise for the station’s summer fund drive and paid tribute to Black August by featuring audio from an event lifting up political prisoner Mutulu Shakur and the revolutionary program he founded in New York City to help fight drug addiction with the use of acupuncture. That event was organized by Malcolm X Grassroots Movement DC, Herb + Temple, PACA, African Wholistic Health Association and Black August Planning Organization. The second half of the show is audio from Netfa's trip to Nicaragua with Valdrack Jaentchke, who provided a comprehensive explanation of Sandinista popularity and President Daniel Ortega's popularity among Indigenous and Black Nicaraguans. Valdrack, who was born on Corn Island, on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, was Minister/Advisor to Ortega on international affairs, with a special focus on relations with Caribbean nations. The show featured the poems, "Political Prisoner Blues" by George Edward Tate and "Jones Comin Down" by The Last Poets.
On the August 17 episode of “Voices With Vision” Netfa and Craig kicked it with Stuart Anderson, CEO of Family & Friends of Incarcerated People, about the Annual Public Safety Community Fest that took place for “at-risk” children and for children whose parents are incarcerated. They also interviewed Gregory Shupak, writer as well as media studies professor at the University of Guelph, about the context of U.S. war and violence in Afghanistan for the last nearly 50 years. The episode began with a commentary from political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal on “Jailhouse Lawyers.” This episode included the songs, “The Reality” by Shaheed on the album, “Free The P,” and “A Go-Go Fun Day” on Uncle Devin’s album, “All One Tribe.”
BAP’s Solidarity Network Coordinator Julie Varughese discussed on Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour” the chaos in Afghanistan a day after the Taliban entered the presidential palace and former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. On Radio Sputnik’s “By Any Means Necessary,” host Jacqueline Luqman—a BAP member—spoke with Zach Kerner, a member of the Solidarity Network’s Afghanistan Committee, about how the United States boosting Afghanistan’s opium production may be connected to growing opium addictions in both Afghanistan and the United States.
Dr. Jemima Pierre, associate professor of Black studies and anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, as well as BAP’s Haiti/Americas Coordinator, joined Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour” 30 minutes into the show to discuss the impact of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, given the foreign-led corruption that ensued after the 2010 earthquake. Jemima also wrote an article for Black Agenda Report titled, “Once Again, the Vultures Circle Haiti.” It was subsequently re-printed in publications including LA Progressive, Monthly Review, Popular Resistance and Hood Communist. Jemima also appeared on Radio Sputnik’s “By Any Means Necessary”, BreakThrough News’ “The Freedom Side” and Bloggingheads TV, and again on Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour.”
BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network Coordinator Tunde Osazua spoke with Radio Sputnik’s “By Any Means Necessary” about the role U.S./Western imperialism has played in preventing Haiti from developing its infrastructure and defending itself from natural disasters, as well as how so-called “humanitarian NGOs” and “aid” have historically contributed to the exploitation of Haiti.
Netfa Freeman appeared on Black Power Media’s "iMixWhatiLike" to discuss what he learned on a recent delegation to Nicaragua about how that country resists U.S. imperialism. Netfa traveled to Bluefields, a municipality in Nicaragua’s South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, where Louis Gaitan Hodgson, host of radio program "Take a Look Around," spoke to Netfa about the motivations for U.S. aggressions toward Nicaragua and the fallacy that the United States has its domestic affairs in order. Netfa also appeared on the August 2 episode of WPFW's “Monday Morning QB” to talk about Nicaragua and Cuba. Final Call Senior Editor Askia Muhammad quoted Netfa in an article titled, “Biden lied: U.S. president breaks word on Cuba.” Then Netfa appeared at the 57:45-minute mark on Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour” to discuss the U.S. sanctions slapped on Cuba and U.S. House Democrats calling for an end to U.S. sanctions on Venezuela as well as “direct dialogue” with President Nicolas Maduro. Plus, Netfa appeared on Radio Sputnik’s “By Any Means Necessary.”
BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka discussed on Radio Sputnik’s “By Any Means Necessary” the contributions of the Negro World newspaper and internationalist Marcus Garvey on his birthday, as well as the history of U.S. intervention that preceded the current situation in Afghanistan, the plunder of U.S. and Afghan resources in support of that war, and the repression of activists in Colombia. U.S. Out of Africa Network member Rosa Moro interviewed historian Amzat Boukary-Yabara on Tertulias en Cuarentena on why Cabralism and Garveyism may be solutions for Africans today.
Yohana Beyene, organizer for BAP member organization Horn of Africa Pan-Africans for Liberation and Solidarity, and Tunde spoke about the sordid history of U.S. involvement in Somalia and Ethiopia on radio program “ClassWars.”
Tunde appeared 74 minutes into Radio Sputnik’s “The Critical Hour” to discuss U.S. President Joe Biden reviving Trump's business initiative towards Africa. This appears to be a move meant to counter Chinese influence on the resource-rich continent.
BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley spoke with Youri Smouter on “1+1” regarding the legacy of Black Agenda Report editors Glen Ford and Bruce Dixon. Meanwhile, Jemima and BAP member Peter James Hudson wrote a tribute to Glen Ford that was published in Black Agenda Report.
On radio program “Race Capitol,” co-host Nomi Isaac spoke to Haitian-born Pan-African theorist, organizer, author and PACA organizer Max Rameau to discuss the links between policing and housing. They took a look at how a small community of housing insecure people launched a 6-month long occupation to protest against gentrification in Florida.
Khamansha Raphael (pictured above on the mic), a BAP-Atlanta member, spoke at an August 15 rally in support of the #StopCopCity campaign. He was joined by other BAP-Atlanta members (pictured below).
BAP-Philly members YahNé Ndgo and Asantewaa Nkrumah-Ture (pictured below on left) were quoted and mentioned in Workers World newspaper, which covered an August 7 rally that protested for-profit prisons. Asantewaa’s remarks begin at 46:50 minutes into this video, while YahNé’s (pictured below in sunglasses) start at 53:19 minutes.
BAP-Baltimore Coordinator Erica Caines wrote in Hood Communist about the Biden administration’s plans to end letter writing to and from federal prisons.
EVENTS
August 25: PACA's next Assata Shakur Study Group will include a screening and a discussion of the George Jackson documentary. Register here.
August 28: The U.S. Peace Council is hosting, “Imperialism’s Intensified Military and Economic War Against Latin America and the Caribbean.” Register here.
August 29: The International Manifesto Group, BAP, No Cold War and the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research are hosting, “Ending U.S. Aggression on Cuba is Key to World Peace.” Register here.
September 12: The Sanctions Kill Coalition is hosting “North American Solidarity Activists Speak Out on US Sanctions on Africa and Latin America.” Register here.
TAKE ACTION
BAP member organizations PACA and Friends of the Congo are fundraising to support the recently flooded GOVA Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Sign BAP petitions calling for an end to the 1033 program and peace in Afghanistan.
Dedan Waciuri, who represents Black Workers for Justice on BAP’s Coordinating Committee, is being charged for inciting a riot and damaging government property. Sign this petition to demand charges be dropped.
The Black Latina Girls and Women Fund was created by BAP member organization AfroResistance, a Black Latina women-led organization in the service of Black Latinx women in the Americas. This fund offers financial support by giving money directly to Black Latin womxn, girls and femmes who are experiencing severe financial need across the region, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether in Brazil, Colombia, United States or Panama, Black Latina girls, women, and femmes are organizing in their local communities in the fight against several forms of state violence. You can donate here and people are encouraged to use the hashtag #BlackLatinaGWFund.
Sign up to join BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network to receive the bi-weekly AFRICOM Watch Bulletin in your inbox.
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No Compromise, No Retreat!
Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Charisse, Dedan, Erica, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Nnamdi, Paul, Rafiki
P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.
Banner photo: Taliban fighters in Kabul on a Humvee seized from Afghan forces. The Taliban have been taking control of Afghanistan at a rapid pace. (Jim Huylebroek / The New York Times)