“Black oppression and U.S. global imperialism are complements.”
Donald Trump recently extended U.S. imperialistic plans for Afghanistan. His “made in America” plan resembles that of his ruling class predecessors Obama and Bush.
Trump’s plan drew mixed reviews from the U.S. Congress. Some thought it lacked specifics. Others bolstered the plan. An overriding question remains. What way forward for U.S. imperialist aims in the region?
And what about Russia? It is a second rate power but matches U.S. nuclear capacity. Does an adversarial relationship still exist? The U.S. harbors relations with former Soviet countries in the South Asia region.
U.S. efforts to build a compliant Afghan government failed miserably. Despite the U.S. invading, occupying and providing aid to the Afghan Army and police, the Taliban -- the enemy -- controls two-thirds of the country. Imperialism contains its contradictions.
The CIA 30-odd years ago brought together the Mujahedeen (corrupt reactionary warlords possessing reactionary interpretations of Islam financed through the opium trade) to fight the Soviet Union defending the progressive Soviet-friendly Afghan leadership. They included the Taliban and Osama bin Laden -- Obama’s trophy.
“We need to see Trump’s actions in the larger context of U.S. and worldwide imperialism.”
All U.S. ruling class circles share concern over China’s growing economic influence amongst its Asian counterparts. China’s planned “Belt and Road” initiative that links Asia, Africa, and Europe, including Russia, provides an example. Disparate trade balances between the U.S. and China makes matters more complex for big business profit makers.
Tehran’s newfound coziness with the Taliban and its joint support with Russia over Syria provide another worry. Still another imperialist eye-catcher is Afghanistan’s newly discovered mineral reserves. Underlying all is the continuing capitalist world crisis fueled by the falling rate of profits.
What do all of these things mean for black people? We need to see Trump’s actions in the larger context of U.S. and worldwide imperialism. He is not just some crazy, racist bigot. It is all part of the same package. Black oppression and U.S. global imperialism are complements.
Eliminate “we” when black people talk about America’s imperialist wars. Remember Tonto’s newfound awareness. The Lone Ranger and Tonto found themselves surrounded by indigenous people in the song “What you mean we white man.” Replace white man with “owner of the wealth and means of production white man.”
We need a 365-day independent, anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-homophobic black working class led party. A black coalition with similar pedigree will do for now.
U.S. out of Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. Keep hands off Syria and North Korea.
Dr. Morgan is a Black activist scholar. He can be reached at kmorgan2408@comcast.net.
On June 8th, a knife attack in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the UK, was seen on video. The assailant was an African asylum seeker, and the victim was a local white resident. In the following days,…
The Black Alliance for Peace and other organizations have called for a boycott of the 2026 World Cup being held in the United States. Before any matches were played, the U.S. banned players, fans,…
It is true that the New York Knicks' journey to a championship brought disparate communities together, but gentrification remains the norm in the city that is the capital of capital. Black people are…
“Without the help of the American Negro, the abolition movement would have been impossible.”
FIFA uses the World Cup to present the United States as a legitimate nation, but the U.S. is a rogue state committing crimes against humanity. The call for a boycott is a call to decolonize football…
