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(continued from page 1: “More Gls sent to Gulf, antiwar protests grow”) including over 500 in Seattle, 400 in Los Angeles, 350 in Minneapolis, and 250 in Cleveland. Taken together, the Oct. 20 demonstrations sent a powerful signal to the warmakers that a broad antiwar opposition is taking shape to oppose Washington's attempts to deepen the conflict.

Ten U.S. sailors died in an accident at sea on Oct. 30, bringing the death total to 43 American servicemen killed since August, when President George Bush began his saber-rattling against Iraq.

Moreover, the high political price of so many U.S. dead would hit home quick. Combined with a deep recession, the capitalist politicians would face great outrage. Some in Congress are already talking about "containment" of Iraq versus Bush's hypocritical call to overthrow the "new Hitler."

As one British military strategist put it: "You have to make it [war against Iraq] as clinical and efficient as possible. Were it to be a long protracted thing, this would present all sorts of problems in the political arena, and we would try to avoid that."

Yet Washington, London, and Paris have little choice but to prepare for war. The stakes are enormously high for imperialism. The fundamental issue facing Washington and their allies in the United Nations is simple: if Saddam Hussein's regime can withstand all their threats and survive, it will encourage other oppressed people to stand up to the Western MARTEL E0170 NEW YORK NEWSDAY -ано -en.

BIG OIL "Ionly regret that you have but one life to give for my imperialist powers too. Such a development would pose a direct economic and political threat to their interests.

While Bush knows he can justify 43 body bags, it will be difficult for him to defend losing 20,000 American lives to keep the emirs in power. Thus while the president puts forth the "hostage" issue as a possible justification to attack Iraq, he also gives approval to the attempt of the Soviet government to seek a "peaceful" solution.

There is hope for peace, but on one condition: The U.S. and other European troops must immediately leave the Middle East. If this is done, the Arab people will resolve the crisis as they see fit. The issue of Kuwait will be decided by the Arab people themselves.

But as long as Washington has its police force on Arab territory and water, it will not be possible to end the crisis. The onus for war is on Washington, not Saddam Hussein.

It is the history of colonial domination of the Arab people and the imposition of pro-imperialist enclaves, including the settler state of Israel, which is behind the conflicts in the Arab East. It is not possible for the oppressors to protect the rights of the oppressed.

What's needed today around the world is a mass antiwar movement. Its central slogans must be: Hands Off Iraq! U.S., British, French, and other Western Troops Out of the Middle East! Self-determination for the Arab People!

company!" Jake Cooper Dear editor, When I received the October issue of Socialist Action, I was surprised and saddened to learn of the death of Jake Cooper. I was able to meet Jake and have lunch with him in 1989, when he came to Seattle to see the NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament. During this visit, I heard first-hand some of his many experiences from the early years of the Trotskyist movement.

It impressed me deeply that Jake would remain unshaken in his commitment to socialist principles even though it had once cost him a stretch in Sandstone Prison during the 1940s and had meant his expulsion from the Socialist Workers Party-which he had helped to found and build-during the 1980s.

I asked Jake how he'd remained enthusiastic about the socialist cause despite the setbacks for our movement. He told me that his experiences in the Minneapolis labor movement of 50 years ago had convinced him of the truth and credibility of the socialist message. Seeing the working class in action, fighting and struggling together, is enough to convince anyone, he said, and will remove any lingering doubts that this class is more than capable of running all of society.

Jake Cooper's enthusiasm, dedication, and fighting spirit will surely be missed in our ranks—but won't soon be forgotten.

Rich Smith, Seattle, Wash.

Sergio Ramirez Dear editor, In September, I had the chance to speak with Sergio Ramirez, the former vice president of Nicaragua and one of the top leaders of the FSLN.

Ramirez described the current situation as very serious. The peasants have planted only enough for their own survival—no surplus. The large farmers, many of whom have returned from Miami, are not producing a surplus either. reform? Ramirez argued that "these large farmers are still farmers. They will plant and harvest when they see a strong and stable government."

Ramirez then concluded that only a new coalition cabinet could represent a consensus of sufficient durability to carry out large currency reforms, provide aid to the peasantry, and gain the confidence of the large farmers.

I stated that I thought he was dreaming; the crooked big farmers were still crooks, and no significant portion of the UNO would support a program of such strength as to earn even the support of the peasantry— to say nothing of the big farmers. The disagreement was amiable. Never did Ramirez pull the "I'm the one who knows what's going on, not you" argument.

Rod Holt, Oakland, Calif. Twin Cities Dear editor, Spirits were high on Oct. 20, as 350 people here marched through a cold drizzling rain to demand an end to U.S. war moves in the Middle East. About half the cars and pedestrians we passed greeted us with clenched fists and the two-finger peace sign.

The first speaker at the rally was a Vietnam vet. Referring to the 56,000 U.S. soldiers who died in Vietnam, he said, "As I saw you marching over that hill, I could see 56,000 ghosts smiling."

Another vet at the demonstration said that "if the troops are still in the Persian Gulf by this time next year, we will have a demonstration of 30,000." This reflects a growing optimism that the American people will not accept a war and the casualties it would entail.

Steve Argue, Minneapolis, Minn. Born too late Dear editor, The Petroleum Markefers Association of America (PMAA), which represents independent gasoline wholesalers, says that its members should "prepare for war" with the big oil companies. Small gas station owners complain that they sometimes have to pay more for wholesale gas than the big companies are charging through their own stations.

Now the independents are talking about "massing all the troops on the front line" in order to force the major companies out of the retail gasoline business. The PMAA will propose new legislation for Congress to consider.

The PMAA wants a free market, but they were born too late for that. The big companies want to own all the oil from the retail pump all the way back to the well, to own the land around the well, and to own the kings who sit on top on the land.

Don Simpson, Oakland, Calif.