Herewith we are sending you the English translation "Congo at war: the
twofold tactics of the US" by Ludo Martens,
of the article "Guerre au Congo : la double
tactique américaine", published in Solidaire, weekly of the Workers' Party
of Belgium on 7 February 2001.

If you want to help translate articles from French into English, or correct
such translations (made by non-native speakers), please inform Tony Busselen
at  busselen@skynet.be or inform me at g.bongaerts@pi.be or info@lai-aib.org

Solidaire, 7th  February 2001

Congo at war : the twofold tactics of the US

After the assassination of Kabila, it appeared rapidly that the Congolese
nationalists could still count on the support of the population of the
Congo.
And overnight the western governments shifted from a sharp language to
diplomatic openness. This is nothing new. Already before the outbreak of the
war in 1998, a part of the US-American bourgeoisie stood up for a recover
strategy rather than a war strategy. Here is what Ludo Martens wrote on this
topic last June  .

Ludo Martens

It is well known that Uganda and Rwanda prepared the war in tight
collaboration with their American master. The objective : to get rid of
Kabila and his government of public salvation. But it is useful to remind
one thing : in front of a major political problem, the American bourgeoisie
works out several tactical plans to reach the same objective. American
imperialism has led a political war against Kabila as soon as of 17th May
1997. At the right time, it would be decided to move from a political to a
military conflict. Till then the imperialists waited in the hope that their
political war would suffice to bring about a turning point in the Congo, to
intimidate Kabila and his collaborators and to bring them to "reason", that
is to say to a reconciliation with Washington.

Daniel Simpson, the American ambassador to the Congo, before the war of
August 98, represented the 'recover' strategy. It is probably not a
coincidence that he has been replaced at the beginning of the war by Swing,
a "hawk", a supporter of tough action who has already been  responsible for
the military intervention in Haiti in 1994.

A noticed speech

On the 1st July, at a time where the preparations for the war were steadily
advancing, Simpson made some particularly noticed declarations. They brought
to the fore that the former ambassador wasn't an advocate of an aggression
to manage controlling the wealth of the Congo. He still had hoped to
convince Kabila's collaborators and why not Kabila himself to politics of
loyal cooperation- read: compromise and gradual capitulation to the American
superpower.

Here is his statement: "President Kabila is on the right way, politically
speaking. (...) He restricts himself, in general, to the fixed calendar in
order to bring democracy to the country. There have been some regressions
but nothing important. Eventually it will be the ballot that will decide the
future of Mr. Kabila and his government. (...) As the world had observed Mr.
Mobutu looting the his country's resources and devastate its economy, the
hopes regarding Mr. Kabila were enormous. (.) We shouldn't have deceived
ourselves. After having got the worst possible government during decades,
the situation in Zaire would not simply improve thanks to a new leader who
had only to move some pieces of furniture. (...) We had too big expectations
and that is the reason of this feeling of deception."

This remarkable "opening to President Kabila" from an intelligent
representative of American imperialism provides ample matter of reflection.
First, one may note that the cold and objective analysis by the proxy of
American imperialism differs noticeably from the usual smutty and downright
hostile language regarding Kabila, that we have got accustomed to.
Apparently his access to the governing circles convinced Simpson that the "r
adicals" are in the minority and that the "moderates", who already expect to
enrich themselves through collaboration with the United States, will succeed
eventually in getting into power. So there is no need to take the risk of an
escalation in waging an adventurous war. And here another thought strikes
the mind : if American imperialism doesn't manage to impose itself through a
military solution, it can still go back to the 'Simpson' tactical view. Some
fighters can resist courageously the agressor's bullets but surrender
shamefully before 'sugar bullets' shot at them by the defeated aggressor, at
the same time transformed in a prince of peace and cooperation.

   1 "August 1998: an outstanding month that decided the future of the
Congo" Text by Ludo Martens, 12th June 2000 (in French). This text and other
analyses relevant to understand what is taking place in the Congo are
available on the internet at the PTB and LAI sites. They can also be ordered
at the LAI-Bureau Tel. +32-(0)2-5040.140 - Fax +32-(0)2-5040.141
  2 Washington File 6th July 1998


Solidaire, Workers' Party of Belgium weekly newspaper, 7 February 2001