War in El Salvador FROM BACK PAGE

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airpower of the junta period.

It is precisely this sector that the imperialists are quickly reinforcing-for they remember the extraordinary effectiveness of Somoza's planes in pinning down the FLSN in indiscriminate bombing which produced such horrific carnage in It was apparent over the weekend that the army, the barbarous Policia de Hacienda and Guardia Nacional, as well as some 1,000 ex-members of Somoza's National Guard were able to regain certain territory and open vital roads: but this does not indicate a massive counter-attack so much as tactical withdrawal by the guerrillas, anxious not to overextend their forces simply for the defence of territory.

Moreover, the initial offensive clearly had a deep-seated impact on the divided and insecure military apparatus. Several units mutinied and the 'liberal' wing under Colonel Majano may yet swing the balance by throwing in his lot with the FMLN.

While it succeeded in stopping all public transport, the general strike called to coincide with thé offensive did not close down all production.

This was largely due to the fact that, as in August, the military had taken pre-emptive action in the cities.

San Salvador remains under the control of the dictatorship but large sectors are either deserted or have effectively been turned into an armed camp. It is evident that the urban insurrection has yet to take place as we go to press.

The balance of military forces is precarious: a fact the Pentagon clearly appreciates as it begins to ferry in material to buoy up the bankrupt junta of ultra-rightist colonels and selfserving Christian. Democrat demagogues.

There is now no semblance of the reformist' regime established in the coup of October 1979; last week's readjustment saw the appointment to commanding positions of officers who provided the mainstay of the previous Romero dictatorship and presided over the genocide which cost 10,000 lives in 1980. This war will be extraordinarily cruel.

Yet neither the FMLN nor the FDR are Marxist-Leninist, as Socialist Press has pointed out at great length.

FDR leader Guillermo Ungo, personal buddy of Brandt and Callaghan, stated last week this will not be a socialist government... but democratic; nationalist and anti-oligarchic.

It is not for nothing that the FDR enjoys the support not only of the Second International, Mexico and West Germany but also from a widely-publicised dissent document emanating from a perceptive group of CIA-Department of State and National Security Council personnel.

The grave international consequences of the Salvadorean civil war are clear.' In Guatemala, a series of carefully-timed guerrilla raids haye played a critical role in diverting the dictatorship's troops from the build-up on the Salvadorean border.

And on a wider level, Isvestia has published an early condemnation of the US.

The spectre of another Vietnam will haunt Reagan from his first day in office: El Salvador has become a bloody microcosm of the global imperialist crisis.

• It is for this reason that the international campaign against the rapidly escalating US military intervention and for the overthrow of the dictatorship: must be strengthened.

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to the economic recession nas the rur.

prefer to listen to the warnings the minority party in the Wednesday The West German econnmv which has heen ALLO VIVIA proverbial for its buoyancy and growth rate, has taken a sharp down-turn over the last six-months.

Unemployment broke the sensitive 1m mark in December with 4.8% jobless (as compared with 3.8% in December 1979). Short-time working hit a further 1981 357,000 workers between November and December Alamacihaa and Noramhan 1ant. year, reflecting the growing recession which is hitting the motor industry, manufacturing and the construction industry especially hard. Manufacturing orders, for example, were down 3% in November.

These figures coincide with the beginning of the annual wage negotiations. IG Metall, the 4 million strong. metal tormaloren -a sin an "hinh tenditinn. workers union, which traditionally sets the pace for the wage round, has declared its deter. mination to push for wage increases in line with inflationcurrently running at 5,5%.

Combined with 2.5%-3% for productivity increases, the IG Metall are demanding 7.5-8%, as compared with management's offer of 2.5%. But, as in Britain, the bosses are hoping to force arrantance nf low settlements by threatening workers with sackings and with the high unemployment rate.

The response of the ruling Social Democratic government been predictable enough. They from the Bundesbank about the alliance dangers of reflation rather than them. take socialist measures protect workers' jobs.

At the same time Chancellor erhmınt nac nan ran TA PAr about the future of his government, which is kept in power by an increasingly shaky alliance with the FDP.

Divisions have manifested themselves in a series of confrontations between left' back bench SPD deputies and 21- RTIN Many SPD members feel that outmanoeuvring Schmidt The SPD/FDP alliance has had its ups and downs in the past, and may well survive these too. But as long as the alliance lasts, it provides an excuse for Schmidt and right wing SPD deputies' class collaborationist policies, and lets off the hook the left' SPD deputies, wno claim to represent the interests of the working class. neir rule and authority.