Afghanistan... from p.l

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Stalinist ruling castes in those states where the means of production have been expropriated.

The Soviet move in Afghanistan-the installation of one group of Stalinist gangsters in place of another (who are now glibly dismissed as 'fascists' and 'CIA agents'), as well as thei drive against reactionary rebel, movements-is part of this overal! counter-revolutionary strategy of the Soviet Union.

Even when forced to defend the integrity of the USSR and its nationalised property relations against external threats, the Stalinist leaders have time and again shown themselves incapable of doing so through revolutionary methods.

Instead there has been succession of squalid compromises and diplomatic agreements with imperialism a high point of which was the Stalin-Hitler pact of 1939coupled, in response to imperialist offensives, with heavy handed bureaucratic/military moves to secure strategic buffer areas.

In consolidating their grip on such buffer areas the Soviet bureaucracy has in the post-war period been forced to carry through the historically progressive policy of expropriating capitalist property and the old landowners, and the establishment of a planned economy.

But the impact of such changes imposed upon these countries from above, and combined with the imposition of ruthless dictatorial Stalinist regimes, has been to impede rather than develop the development of revolutionary consciousness among the masses.

Not indifferent Trotskyists thus in no way advocate the export of "socialism" by armed invasion of the Red Army. We condemn the invasion of Afghanistan, which involves trampling under foot the national rights of the peoples of Afghanistan, and which will blacken the name of Communism in the eyes of the multi-millioned Muslim masses of the Hast, impeding. the struggle for socialist revolution.

But in the situation that has arisen we are not indifferent on the question of the defence of the nationalised property relations of the Soviet Union. We stand unconditionally for the defence of the USSR against imperialist attack, from whatever quarter.

Now that the Stalinist invasion has taken place, therefore, we must assess what would be the impact of an immediate withdrawal of Red Army troops.

Such a policy would in our view open up. a vacuum of power in Afghanistan into which would step the imperialists, under the guise of support for the anti-communist guerrilla The establishment of a pro-imperialist regime in Afghanistan would represent a severe danger to the Soviet Union and to the masses of the East and Nor would it in any way advance the struggles of the Afghan peoples for self-determination'-a right they have been denied for centuries by the Critical support For this reason we do not demand the immediate. withdrawal of the invading troops. We give critical support to military actions by the Soviet army against imperialist aggression.

But politically we must at the same time develop a programme which meets the needs of the Afghan workers, peasants and nomads.

This poses the fight for economic and technical aid that can create conditions for the establishment of a planned, socialist economy.

The fight for such a programme will, we know, bring the masses into head-on conflict with the Soviet bureaucracy and armed forces.

We also raise, therefore, in the context of the occupation of Afghanistan, demands on the Soviet Red Army soldiers.

Such demands form part of the • overall • Trotskyist programme of political revolution against the Stalinist bureauThe elements • of programme for Afghanistan are:

*For joint action by the Afghan masses and Red Army to secure the immediate expropriation of the banks, private industry and the major landholdings, without compensation under the control of elected committees of workers and poor peasants!

*For the formation of worker/peasant councils (soviets) in each area as the basis for a representative workers' and peasants' government in Afghanistan.

*For the guarantee of unimpeded democratic rights and genuine freedom of religion for all national minorities within Afghanistan: for the separation of church and state.

*For massive Soviet financial and technical aid to create the basis for a planned socialist economy under workers and peasants management. For a crash programme of public works to provide industrial employment, communications, education, social services and health care. Cheap credit and guaranteed market for the small peasants! Special commissions to liaise with and provide for the needs of the nomadic peoples of Afglianistan!

*Full political rights for the masses and for the Red Army troops! For the right to assembly and free speech for all anti-imperialist forces, •as decided by the Afghan soviets.

*Against bureaucratism! For soviet officials to be subject to recall, and paid no more than the average wage!

*For a programme of agitation among the Red Army rank and file to press for maximum links with the Afghan masses; the formation of soldiers' committees and soviets; the election of officers; and political revolution in the Soviet Union.

In the context of such

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