Cape Town: Block the USS Theodore Roosevelt from Docking

southern africa | imperialism / war | non-anarchist press Wednesday October 01, 2008 21:12 by Cape Town Anti-War Coalition capetownantiwar at gmail dot com

Anti-War Coalition calls for Satawu and the SA Defence force union to block the USS Theodore Roosevelt from docking

The Anti-War Coalition condemns in the strongest possible terms the decision by the Nuclear authority to allow the US warship, the Theodore Roosevelt, to dock in Cape Town from the 6th to the 10th October 2008. It is from this warship that on the 4th Oct 2001 the US imperialists launched the invasion and bombing of Afghanistan. It is from this warship that on the 16th March 2003 the invasion of Iraq was launched. From its track record, it is sure to be carrying nuclear
weapons. By playing host to the warship the SA government is honouring weapons of mass destruction, it is giving legitimacy to the imperialist invasions of many countries. Further the docking of the warship is an act of intimidation against the working class in South Africa, and indeed in the rest of Africa. Who knows when this carrier of imperialist mass murder will be launched against the people of Iran? The people of Iran are being put in the dock over building of
energy from nuclear power, while the destructive use of nuclear power is being welcomed with open arms by the SA regime.

The aim of the visit is not for defence of the working class and poor but an act of intimidation, aiming to demonstrate that the will of imperialism can be imposed by nuclear armed force, if necessary.

It is ironic that the new Minister of Defence is the SACP leader Charles Nqakula. The SACP claims that is occupation of strategic seats of the state is to exert working class control. On the contrary we can see that in practice that the true role of the SACP is to act as the guardians of imperialism in SA. It is also fitting that the new President, Motlanthe is also a SACP member and is overseeing the imperialist plunder in South Africa.

We call on Satawu and the members of the SA Defence Force Union to take all steps necessary to block the visit of the US warship. We also call for mass protest against the docking of the US Weapons of Mass Destruction.

for further comment
Shaheed Mahomed
ph 0822020617
Chairperson
Anti-War Coalition