NEWSLETTER October 2009

4/09

German general elections –

Promises promises (page 2)

DIE LINKE ten-point

programme (page 2)

Bundestag party
constituted (page 3)

Left politicians
welcome mayors’
disarmament initiative
(page 4)

Bisky on Irish referendum

(page 5)

Lafontaine: War is no
political instrument (page 6)
Foto: Gert Gampe

Election campaign of the Left in Saarbrücken

DIE LINKE · National Executive fon: ++49(0)30-24 009-426, -286

Member of the Party of the European Left fax: ++49(0)30-24 009-425
Kleine Alexanderstraße 28 e-mail: fip@die-linke.de
D–10178 Berlin http://www.die-linke.de
DIE LINKE · Newsletter
Department · October 2009
of International Policy

Elections in Germany
The outcome of the elections in Germany at
national level as well as in several states
caused intense and partly hectic activities in
many places especially due to the extraordi-
narily positive results for DIE LINKE (we re-
ported immediately after the Election Day on
27 September). Among other things the con-
servative parties CDU/CSU and FDP and al-
so parts of the SPD and the Greens tried
their all to prevent DIE LINKE from being
part of the state governments in Thuringia,
Saarland and Brandenburg according to the
voters’ wishes. Even far before Election Day
a continuous slander and defamation cam-
paign against DIE LINKE and its politicians
was being waged. This campaign in the elec-
tronic and print media was accompanied by
numerous defamations of the GDR i.e. that
attempt at socialism which failed after 40
years in the heart of Europe exactly 20 years
ago. Left observers noted that these neo-lib-
eral activities against the Left increased in
fierceness as time progressed towards Elec-
tion Day and the interior situation worsened
especially due to the crisis. Old enemy im-
ages were revived and Cold Warriors mo-
bilised.
Let us first look at the general elections.
The CDU/CSU and FDP had agreed that they
wanted to form a new coalition government
replacing that between the CDU/CSU and
SPD. Though DIE LINKE achieved its best re-
sult ever at national level (11.9 %) the votes
cast for the Greens, which gained many
votes, and the SPD, which lost a lot were not
sufficient to prevent a majority for the
Foto: Jörg Rückmann
Election party with Gregor Gysi, Lothar Bisky and Oskar Lafontaine in Berlin
CDU/CSU and FDP in the 17th Bundestag.
Although Merkel’s party lost about two mil-
lion votes FDP chair Westerwelle who had
committed himself and his party to a coali-
tion with the CDU/CSU early on contributed
to Merkel’s return to the Chancellery.
Whatever these three parties will agree in
the talks that have not finished yet, little
good will come out for the people in this
country. According to DIE LINKE Parliamen-
tary Secretary in the Bundestag, Ulrich Mau-
rer, the coalition will initially agree on non-
binding compromises. Only after the state
elections in North Rhine Westphalia in May
will they show their true colours. A defeat of
the CDU in that state would also endanger
the majority for the parties forming the na-
tional government in the Bundesrat (second
chamber of Parliament). That is why the
coalition government would try to lull the
people until the election is over.
Volkssolidarität, an organisation offering
social services, announced protests if the
government would usher in steps “deepen-
ing the divide between the rich and the poor
even more”. The trade unions too warned
the negotiators staunchly against eroding
employee rights. “Otherwise we shall know
how to defend ourselves” said DGB Chair
Michael Sommer.
DIE LINKE National Secretary Dietmar
Bartsch said at a press conference on 12
October with an eye to the ongoing talks,
that it was “somewhat astounding what is
going on there: CDU/CSU and FDP have no-
tice that they are short of cash. This came to
their complete surprise. However, Mr Stein-
brück (Finance Minster of the previous gov-
ernment) had said prior to the election that
the deficit next year would be ¤ 100 billion
and that the structural deficit was also in the
region of € 40 billion. Well, now it’s some-
how flabbergasting that they have found out
just now and that, mainly the FDP can put
into practice nearly nothing of the full-bod-
ied campaign promises.” On the one hand
this shows that one could surely question
the financial competence of the FDP. “How-
ever, it showed on the other, where the coali-
tion government is taking us. Employees and
pensioners are apparently supposed to pick
up the tab.” DIE LINKE would take a stance
against social cuts in parliament and outside
in the streets and squares.
Empty campaign rhetoric
Dietmar Bartsch also said: “The budget poli-
cy of the future government that is on the
horizon seems to be based on budget tricks
and hopeful thinking. I call on the future
coalition partners to return from flying blind
(Christian Wulff, CDU Prime Minister Lower
Saxony – the edit.) in finance policy and re-
sume clarity in budget matters. This has
nothing to do with the respective election
programmes. All plans for tax cuts have
been hollow election rhetoric from the very
outset. This is now meant to be concealed
with the help of supplementary budgets or
other additional budgets … Increasing social
insurance premiums or cuts in social servic-
es are clearly in the wings. The municipali-
ties are finally deprived of their leeway.
Budget policy is not a playground for would-
be financial experts craving recognition, but
rather for politicians who know the first rules
of arithmetic. Tax cuts today are made at the
expense of future generations who have to
pay for them with interest.”
DIE LINKE ten-point
programme –
Afghanistan peace
proposal announced
Following its election successes in late Sep-
tember DIE LINKE unanimously adopted a
ten-point crash programme with which the
party’s new members of assemblies should
start the new term. Point one applies to
Afghanistan: It says:
› “DIE LINKE wants the immediate with-
drawal of the Bundeswehr from Afghanistan.
We shall table an Afghanistan peace propos-
al in the Bundestag, reject a dispatch of
more soldiers and demand the withdrawal of
DIE LINKE · Newsletter · October 2009
2
the Bundeswehr. The funds should be redes-
ignated from military uses to civilian sup-
port. DIE LINKE shall start an initiative for
disarmament and demands the withdrawal
of all US nuclear bombs from Germany.”
› The next point refers to introducing a na-
tionwide legal minimum wage and equality
in wage matters. The issue of a legal mini-
mum wage was to be put on the Bundestag
agenda immediately again. It should be raise
to ten Euros and increased every year at
least to the degree the cost of living grows.
“We demand equal pay for equal and similar
work during the same working hours for
women and men, in east and west, for con-
tract workers and for people with and with-
out disabilities.”
› Strengthening protection from dismissal
and co-determination are other demands of
the crash programme. “DIE LINKE rejects all
assaults on protection from dismissal laws
and shall take initiatives to strengthen it. Co-
determination in companies must be de-
fended and extended. DIE LINKE commits
itself to banning mass dismissals from com-
panies not imperilled by insolvency and to
retracting liberalising steps in temporary
work to stop the tendency of replacing regu-
lar jobs by temp work.” With the help of an
economic stimulus package and a future
fund for industrial conversion DIE LINKE
wants to save jobs for the future and create
new ones the aim being about two million.
› Other points deal with issues of social se-
curity such as prolonging payment periods
for short-time compensation and unemploy-
ment benefit, removing Hartz IV (welfare
payments for all below unemployment bene-
fit level on very harsh terms) and provisions
for old age. Point 6 reads: “DIE LINKE de-
mands the elimination of retirement age at
67. Even today 70 % in the east and 40 % in
the west of people retire with cuts in their
pensions. According to the German pension
insurance programme only 7.4 % of all 63
and 64-year-olds employed on a regular full-
time jobs subject to social insurance contri-
butions. Raising the legal retirement age to
67, therefore, socially irresponsible and
makes no sense in terms of labour policy.
We demand pensions above poverty level
from the end of the 65th year at the latest.”
› Points seven also contains important de-
mands: “DIE LINKE wants the rich and
wealthy to be drawn on for financing the cri-
sis as well as for societal reforms. Small and
medium incomes should be disburdened.
DIE LINKE strictly refuses an increase in
V.A.T … DIE LINKE shall demand a reintro-
duction of wealth tax as a millionaire tax
with private assets of more than a million
Euros to be charged with 5 % tax.
Moreover, DIE LINKE shall make a stance
for averting a further tightening of the cred-
it crunch. With nearly 40 % of the insolven-
cies in the first six months of 2009 the re-
fusal of the banks to grant loans is the ‘piv-
otal cause’. The ECB lends the banks enor-
mous amounts for one per cent of interest.
However, they do not pass these favourable
terms on to their clients and rather demand
10, 11 and even 18 per cent interest. DIE
LINKE shall demand that the government
will make its influence felt with the banks’
loan granting. This includes placing the
banks under state supervision and even so-
cialising them.”
› 8) Protective screen for social security
systems – DIE LINKE refuses the cost of the
crisis being dumped on the socially insured
by means of additional premiums. To this
end we want a Bundestag resolution decree-
ing that social insurance programmes will
receive a guarantee for the deficits caused
by the crisis – financed from taxes. This way
only cuts in the social services and addition-
al payments by the insured can be prevent-
ed. At the moment the apparent lack of
about ten billion Euros in the health fund in
2010 must not be burdened on the insured.
› Point 9 of the crash programme of DIE
LINKE announces that it wants to submit a
bill for effective legislation on employee data
and its protection to prevent such snooping
as with LIDL, Deutsche Bahn or Deutsche
Bank. On 31 December the current regula-
tion on the right to stay for foreigners whose
status of denied asylum has been suspend-
ed. DIE LINKE shall commit itself to a lasting
status for the 62,000 refugees who have
been living here for many years. People who
have been tolerated for many years and
those who have a limited residence permit
only must be granted a secure right to stay
and a prospect for their lives. DIE LINKE
shall submit a motion for a uniform budget
based on needs throughout the nation for
battered women’s shelters which guaran-
tees free access for all women to battered
women’s shelters and protective institutions
independent of their social background or
residence status, includes cost for their chil-
dren, covers the livelihood and conveys
maintenance claims of battered women
from their partners onto the state.
› Entitled ‘Make nuclear phase-out irre-
versible’ point ten says: “We shall campaign
in parliament and outside for the seven re-
actors to be shut down during this term –
four of them by the end of 2009 – shall real-
ly be switched off. Furthermore, we shall
urge the Bundestag to appoint an investigat-
ing committee for nuclear repositories.”
Brandenburg turns
red after elections
After Berlin Brandenburg is well on the way
to becoming the second state where the
government is formed by the SPD and DIE
LINKE. Despite the shilly-shallying or rather
putting up obstacles to cooperation with DIE
LINKE in the states on the part of the new
SPD leadership under Siegmar Gabriel the
incumbent Brandenburg Prime Minister,
Matthias Platzeck, opted for coalition talks
with both his former coalition partner, the
CDU, and DIE LINKE, which came in second
in the state elections. The talks are still un-
der way.
DIE LINKE state Chair, Thomas Nord, said
after the elections, that a political change in
Brandenburg was possible and clearly more
social and just policies than the ones the
coalition with the CDU pursued in the previ-
ous term were feasible. “We set great store
by managing the shift the political coordi-
nates in Brandenburg a little to the left.”
Apart from wage and education policies he
spoke about measures safeguarding priority
for renewable energies in Brandenburg.
The success scored by DIE LINKE in
Thuringia where it also scored second posi-
tion was thwarted by the machinations of
part of the SPD and the CDU which prevent-
ed coalition talks. The socialist daily Neues
Deutschland headline read: “Small-minded-
ness prevails over politics”. It criticised
mainly SPD state chair Christoph Matschie
who after serious power struggles within his
party opted for a coalition with the CDU.
The election campaign in Saarland was
also very difficult. As a result what is called
a Jamaica coalition (named after the colours
found in that flag representing the parties
CDU = black, FDP = yellow, green = Green). It
was preceded by the attempt to form a gov-
ernment composed of the SPD, DIE LINKE
and the Greens. The latter preferred joining
the two conservative parties. The outcome
was what went round before the elections:
“If you vote green you’ll turn black with
anger afterwards.”
Gysi on constituting
the parliamentary
party
The Chair of DIE LINKE parliamentary party
in the Bundestag, Gregor Gysi, informed the
National Executive Board on 17 October
about its constitution. He expressed his con-
viction that the parliamentary party, the
composition of which reflects all major cur-
rents of the party, will contribute to the par-
DIE LINKE · Newsletter · October 2009
3
ty formation. It had been a ‘success story’
during the campaign that it had been con-
ducted by large sections of the members
unanimously, resulting, among other things,
in clearly more than 5% of the second vote in
all states.
The parliamentary party’s first in-camera-
session on 9 and 10 October had gone suc-
cessfully according to the Chair. In rather
much unanimity the 76 members had agreed
on a crash programme for the first political
initiatives. This showed that despite some
variations in political views agreement on
priorities and joint actions are possible. In
principle this had also shown in the election
of the parliamentary party’s Executive. Ul-
rich Maurer was elected deputy chair, who
will be mainly in charge of the ties between
the Bundestag and the national party as well
as the external relations of the Bundestag
party. Werner Dreibus, also deputy chair, will
be in charge of internal affairs. Other deputy
chairs and heads of working groups are Jan
van Aken, Klaus Ernst, Gesine Lötzsch and
Petra Sitte. Dagmar Enkelmann was re-elect-
ed first Parliamentary Secretary. Barbara
Höll, Martina Bunge and Jan Korte are also
members of the Executive as heads of work-
ing groups just like Petra Pau who was sug-
gested as Vice President of the Bundestag
again. Cornelia Möhring is spokesperson on
women’s policy and Wolfgang Neskovic is
legal advisor. According to Gysi there were
diverging views on dual leadership, which
the women’s forum of the party would first
form an opinion about. As is known Oskar
Lafontaine withdrew as second Chair of the
Bundestag party in order to concentrate on
his position as chairman of DIE LINKE.
With the help of examples such as the
Afghanistan policy, the position vis-à-vis
Hartz IV or the nationwide minimum wage
Gregor Gysi illustrated that DIE LINKE will be
the opposition at the Bundestag showing
true alternative political approaches and ob-
jectives. According to his view the SPD had
not started a process of clarification yet and
no political strategy was discernible yet. The
Greens, however, were on the way to the
conservative camp.
12 million Euros
in donations from
banks and insurance
companies
“The 12 million Euros all parties represented
in the Bundestag except DIE LINKE received
from banks and insurance companies since
1998 have not been in vain” said Ulrich Mau-
rer commenting on the current figures on
donations for parties from Allianz, Deutsche
Bank, Commerzbank and the like and the
planned treats for banks and insurance com-
panies. The deputy Chair went on:
“The coalition government is really spla-
shing out and promptly pays the bill: Nursing
care is to be partially privatised and private
health insurance companies strengthened.
And the banks look forward to the an-
nounced stimulation of asset backed securi-
ties.”
An assessment of the other parties’ ac-
count statements showed: “The CDU pock-
eted 6.32 million from banks and insurance
companies, the FDP 2.98 million and the
CSU 1.06 million since 1998. The SPD and
Green government, during their term, al-
ready showed their gratitude for the 1.61
million for the SPD and 0.67 million for the
Green party since 1998 by partially privatis-
ing the social pension programme. DIE
LINKE did not receive a cent. In view of
these figures I predict that this country, hav-
ing been bribable of sorts already is going to
be quite a bit more so under the CDU and
FDP.”
Let’s use chances for
nuclear disarmament
Ten CDU mayors have made an appeal for
nuclear disarmament in Germany. DIE LINKE
member of the NEB, Helmut Scholz com-
mented: “The efforts for a nuclear-weapons-
free world could receive a fresh impetus
from the negotiating table of the CDU/CSU
and FDP – or rather not, as it were. We urge
Ms Merkel and Mr Westerwelle to set the
course for a nuclear-weapons-free Germany
especially since there is readiness on the
part of US President Obama to take a stance
for nuclear disarmament. The future German
government rather has some leeway in this
respect and it would be careless not to use
it.”
According to Scholz the letter by the CDU
mayors showed clearly: “The idea of nuclear
deterrence is not just more than obsolete, it
also contradicts the opinion held by a large
sections of the population. Security in the
21st century needs disarmament in the nu-
clear and conventional fields. This is also
one prerequisite for a multilateral security
architecture and strengthening the United
Nations. DIE LINKE has been saying for long:
A world without nuclear weapons is feasible
and necessary. Therefore we support the ini-
tiatives showing the way towards a nuclear-
weapons-free world.”
From the letter by the ten mayors
“Germany being nuclear-weapons-free is a
significant stept towards a nuclear-weapons-
free world” the letter says. It was important
now that “not just partial disarmament
steps” are placed on the international agen-
da but rather talks aiming to achieve the fi-
nal goal. Hence the encouragement: “Dear
Mrs Chancellor, have the courage to take
this step.”
Apart from Mayor Küper from Naumburg,
the city with the cathedral on the Saale Riv-
er, the mayors of Mutlangen, Bretten, Frank-
furt on Oder, Ravensburg, Rheinstetten, Bur-
bach, Schwelm and Lennestadt signed the
letter which was also sent to all CDU politi-
cians involved in the coalition negotiations.
The former all belong to the ‘Mayors for
Peace’ initiative emanating from Hiroshina.
The coalition negotiators of the Free De-
mocrats are also urged to commit them-
selves to active peace policy. FDP Chair who
wants to become German foreign minister
always signed his campaign letter ‘I count on
you’. Now the voters count on Westerwelle.
He is called upon to adhere to what was
adopted at the May congress of the FDP.
They then proclaimed that they wanted to
stick to the goal of a complete removal of all
weapons of mass destruction and support
the plans submitted by US President Obama
in his speech in Prague on 5 April 209. Noth-
ing less than a nuclear-weapons-free world
was the objective. The German Liberals also
promised to endorse strengthening the in-
ternational non-proliferation regime and to
use the next Review Conference in 2010 to
make the Non-proliferation Treaty future-
compliant. It takes “vigorous impulses” es-
pecially to make all the countries in posses-
sion of nuclear weapons to adhere to their
obligation to disarm. Germany may lead the
way and convince the US and NATO partners
to withdraw the nuclear weapons stationed
in Germany to this very day.”
DIE LINKE · Newsletter · October 2009
4
 of a large section of the population over the
A lesson in Not a leap, but one political bias of the EU.”
democracy for step forward Lothar Bisky, who is also Chair of the Eu-
ropean Left party and DIE LINKE in Ger-
CDU/CSU, SPD, DIE LINKE member of the National Executive many, went on: “We still sharply criticise the
Board, Helmut Scholz MEP, on stopping the Lisbon Treaty. The treaty is geared to the
FDP and Greens extension of the US anti-missile shield: goal of ‘a market with free competition’. The
We welcome President Obama’s decision policy of liberalising financial markets, tax
Commenting on the decision by the German
to put on hold the project of a US anti-mis- competition, detachment of the finance
Constitutional Court on the EU Treaty and its
sile shield pursued by the Bush Administra- from the economic policy and reduction of
implementation in Germany the Chairs of
tion. As long as the plans for a missile de- the welfare state mounted on it have led to
DIE LINKE and its parliamentary party in the
fence in Central and Eastern Europe are on- the economic and financial crisis as well as
Bundestag, Lothar Bisky, Gregor Gysi and
ly parked in the drawers and not jettisoned more poverty and inequality. Apart from this,
Oskar Lafontaine, said: “The Constitutional
for good this rights step is half-hearted. the Lisbon Treaty through the demand to the
Court taught a lesson in democracy to the
It is no use speculating on motivation. At member countries to gradually improve their
German government and the majority in the
last leeway has been opened in security pol- military capabilities, the integration of the
Bundestag. The fact that the court stopped
icy again, which did not exist under Bush. It armaments agency in primary EU law and
the ratification process of the EA Treaty
will be the foremost task for the Left in Ger- facilitation of worldwide military missions
proves how gravely the rights of Bundestag
many and Europe as well as all forces of pushes ahead with its aggressive enforce-
and Bundesrat to get involved had been vio-
peace to press ahead with a system of col- ment of European interests. Whoever pro-
lated. The fact that the supreme German
lective security involving Russia in Europe motes the build-up of arms is considered a
court sees ‘the democratic system of gov-
and a security policy without military al- friend of Europe. Whoever seeks disarma-
ernment undermined in Germany’ is a re-
liances. ment is seen as an enemy of Europe. This is
sounding blow to the CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP
Putting the plans on hold is also a victory the neo-liberal perversion of political think-
and Greens. It is thanks to the legal action
for the people in Poland and the Czech Re- ing.”
taken by DIE LINKE in the Bundestag and
public the majority of whom oppose the Especially the Left in Europe was called
other suitors that this deprivation of their
radar and missile launching pads also on to do something about this development
own power in terms of the European legisla-
thanks to the Communist Party of Bohemia according to Bisky. “Together with our part-
tive and decision-making process was
and Moravia and the Polish Young Socialists, ners the trade unions, non-governmental or-
stopped. This makes sure that the Bun-
which, both as member parties of the Euro- ganisations and other progressive parties
deswehr can still only be assigned with mis-
pean Left, organised adamant protests we shall continue to debate seriously about
sions at the express decision made by the
against the military installations from the the future of the European Union so that it
Bundestag. The elimination of the Bun-
very first hour. represents the people’s interests. The
destag’s involvement in EU military missions
DIE LINKE and the Party of the European GUE/NGL will emphatically commit itself for
provided for in the Lisbon Treaty and the
Left shall continue to stand up resolutely for a social Europe with minim wages through-
German accompanying laws is unconstitu-
disarmament measures in Europe and the out the Union and for a social progress
tional.”
world over together with civil society forces. clause in primary EU law. We campaign for a
The statement goes on: “DIE LINKE sees
peaceful foreign policy, disarmament and
the facilities in and outside parliament
non-military conflict-settlement, for a soli-
strengthened to correct the radical market,
darity-based and fair world economic order
unsocial and militarist bias of the EU Treaty.
and for a strict control over financial mar-
The court shows that the member countries
must have sufficient room left for leaving its No answer to the kets.”
political mark on the economic, cultural and
social conditions. The ruling also points out
crisis – criticism of
that European decisions have to pay atten- the Lisbon Treaty Left MEPs:
tion to inviolable fundamental rights such as
the protection of human dignity and that the remains Civil courage and
Lisbon Treaty, therefore, must be interpreted
more socially and democratically.
Lothar Bisky, Chair of the GUE/NGL parlia-
mentary party in the European Parliament
human dignity have
“We adhere to this and see our position
strengthened by today’s decision” the three
commented on the outcome of the referen- prevailed
dum in Ireland:
chairs said in conclusion “that the Treaty of
“The Left in Europe has always endorsed Cornelia Ernst, DL Member of the European
Lisbon does not provide a sufficient basis for
binding referenda on the ‘reform treaty’ in all Parliament and member of the civil liberties,
a social, democratic and peaceful Europe
member countries. The voters in Ireland legal and internal affairs committee, voiced
and must be touched up.”
were the only ones who had the chance to her relief over the acquittal in the Cap Ana-
make their choice directly. We always mur trial. In a statement she said this was a
stressed that the result of the first referen- victory for civil courage and humaneness
dum had to be respected. Now, in the sec- over the despicable system of the European
ond referendum, arranged by the Irish gov- migration and asylum policies. After 5 long
ernment and under pressure from the other years the Italian Judiciary allowed justice to
EU countries and in disregard for a demo- take its course for former Cap Anamur head
cratic opinion that had formed, a majority Elias Biedel and his then captain Stefan
gave their consent. We have to respect this Schmidt. Something like this only happens
decision by the Irish people too. The number too rarely, unfortunately” Ernst went on.
of Nay-votes, however, reflects the worries The fact that, years by years, thousands

DIE LINKE · Newsletter · October 2009

5
of people lose their lives along the outer bor-
ders of the European Union was hardly at-
tributed any significance by the European
governments. “Instead, people in need are
criminalised – Europe walls itself in and is
thus responsible for the refugee dramas and
countless deaths. The spontaneous readi-
ness of the Cap Anamur people to help save
73 Africans from an overcrowded dinghy five
years ago were sentenced to four years in
prison and a fine; this illustrates how radical
and discriminating the actions are taken
against people who resist the policy of
walling others off pursued by the EU and its
member countries. As the GUE/NGL parlia-
mentary party of the European Parliament
we campaign for a humane immigration and
refugee policy, so that people like Elias
Biedel are not held liable for their civil
courage and for a Europe that is open to
people in need.”
War yields no
democracy
“The run-off vote dilemma in Afghanistan re-
sults from NATO’s fixation for many years on
military solutions” comments DIE LINKE de-
fence policy spokesman in the Bundestag,
Paul Schäfer, the problems and irregularities
during the Afghan Presidential elections.
Schäfer goes on: “Military force may topple
or install governments. Yet, soldiers are no
good when it comes to spread peace and
democracy. The mistakes made in establish-
ing the rule of the law, security and welfare
and the lack of support for talks to solve in-
ternal Afghan conflicts have done massive
harm to the Afghan democratisation pro-
cess, which cannot be made up for in an
election decreed from the outside.
The Afghan government arising from
these elections already gambled away its
democratic legitimacy before it even start-
ed; it can serve as interim solution at best”
says Schäfer. “Talks with the insurgents on a
ceasefire and a process of national reconcil-
iation are more urgent than ever; they form
the basis for building up the country and
democracy. The withdrawal of all foreign
troops is the prerequisite to this end.”
Lafontaine:
War is no instrument
of politics
In early September DIE LINKE Chair in the
Bundestag, Oskar Lafontaine, reiterated his
party’s fundamental stance on the war in
Afghanistan in his reply to Chancellor Mer-
kel’s State of the Nation Address. Merkel
had stressed once again the necessity of the
Bundeswehr Afghanistan mission arguing it
would serve international security, peace
and fighting international terrorism. “For my
party I’d like to draw the contrary conclu-
sion: We demand the Bundeswehr to with-
draw from Afghanistan” the speaker said,
“because we are strongly confirmed that the
Bundeswehr mission does not serve interna-
tional security, peace and is unsuited for
fighting international terrorism.”
A classical argument, which the Chancel-
lor used again “is the argument that Ger-
many was to be prevented from pursuing a
different path. Had this argument been true
we also had to get involved in the war in Iraq,
the different German role would not have
been justified with regard to our internation-
al interests. If the argument was true that
Germany’s special role was objectionable
the Canadians would have made the com-
pletely wrong decision now to fix a date for
their pull-out. Why don’t we at least have the
guts to follow the Canadians’ decision?”
According to Lafontaine it was interesting
that the Chancellor laid emphasis on the
civilian part again. “At the moment this is ab-
solutely not credible; for in the past few
months absolutely the opposite happened:
Not the civilian element was strengthened –
this should not be adjured in such a tragic
situation -, but rather the military element.
Whatever one hears boils down to giving the
military element another boost. It mustn’t
be belied even in such a difficult situation.
“Now let me raise the most important as-
pect” he continued: “the claim you fought in-
ternational terrorism has been refuted by
those who have been concerned with the
matter professionally, if you will. It is good
that for the first time Commander McChrys-
tal said it in all clarity and outright refuted
your words here. He said the war in Afgha-
nistan couldn’t be won by conventional mili-
tary thinking aiming to fight the enemy.
From the conventional perspective killing
two out of a group of ten insurgents means
that only eight are left. In an environment
marked by Clans and tribes such as in
Afghanistan it means that the two killed
have many relatives who sought revenge fol-
lowing such incidents. In the case of civilian
victims, this is true even more than in the
case of killed fighters. How do you want to
make out you’re fighting terrorism in
Afghanistan in view of these facts?”
Lafontaine went on: “How do you argue
logically anyway? Nothing else has hap-
pened in the last years. That is why the num-
ber of attacks has gone up, that is why the
country has become more and more inse-
cure, that is why we – maybe intending to do
good – wreaked havoc and more so every
year: More and more people have been
killed, soldiers and civilians, civilians and
soldiers … We must recognise that we are
fighting against a culture there, and this bat-
tle against a culture cannot be won. The cul-
ture in question has been clearly named by
the Supreme Commander ISAF. We are
faced with a tribal culture there. This tribal
culture commits everyone loosing a relative
to seek blood feud.
“We think that the approach presented
here, i.e. that the civilian element must be
strengthened, is, at the end of the day, the
admission that the military element has
failed because of the consequences I men-
tioned. One cannot ignore that logic. In ef-
fect we do the opposite of what we intend-
ed.
“In conclusion I’d like to comment on the
oft presented argument this was a relief mis-
sion some sort of humanitarian intervention.
All international organisations engaged in re-
lief missions always point out the following
fact: With much less money disproportion-
ately more people could be prevented from
hunger and disease without having to kill a
single other person. – This is the moral
dilemma you are facing. That is why we ad-
here to saying: War is no political instru-
ment. Withdraw the Bundeswehr from Af-
ghanistan.”
Immediate closure
of all nuclear energy
facilities demanded
During the previous months and mainly prior
to the general elections in late September
public discussion was focussed on energy
generation from nuclear fission. DIE LINKE
presented a paper on the subject saying
among other things: “Powerful lobbyists
from the energy industry, above all the major
energy producers and power-plant manufac-
turers demand terminating the nuclear pow-
er phase-out and setting up new nuclear
power plants. They want to rake in huge
profits from their depreciated nuclear power
plants. They still pin their hopes on an unde-
mocratic technology because it strengthens
their economic and political power other
than decentralised renewable energies. The
risks of the nuclear power have not changed
at all. The latest incidents at the Swedish
Forsmark reactor and at the German Krüm-
DIE LINKE · Newsletter · October 2009
6
mel nuclear power plant prove this. This is
also proved by the unsolved problems with
disposing of the existing nuclear waste. The
Morsleben repository has partly caved in
and is now being filled up with millions of
tonnes of salt and concrete. The Asse salt
dome where 126,000 containers of nuclear
waste are stored has been filling with water
for some time, which has been kept secret
from the public until the summer of 2008.”
A path highly dangerous
“Energy generation from nuclear fission has
always been and remains highly dangerous
and unmanageable being a wrong track and
harbouring completely unsolved long-term
problems with ultimate storage” is empha-
sised in the DIE LINKE paper.
“The nuclear lobby tries to sell nuclear
power off as technology protecting the cli-
mate. However, nuclear waste is no way
completely free of CO2 , for Uranium mining
and processing and storing nuclear waste
are mostly extracted from the considera-
tions. Big centralised power plants pose an
obstacle to solar energy development. For
reasons of democracy and competition de-
centralised structures are more desirable.
The extension of the operational life span of
nuclear power plants demanded by the
CDU/CSU and FDP slows down the required
conversion of the energy industry for climat-
ic reasons. Then again the compromise ne-
gotiated between the SPD and Green gov-
ernment and the nuclear lobby guarantees
the operation of nuclear reactors in Ger-
many for at least another 12 years during
the nuclear phase-out.
“DIE LINKE demands an immediate and
irreversible shut-down of all nuclear facilities
as well as a ban on nuclear technology ex-
ports. The SPD/Green nuclear consensus of
200 serves the nuclear industry’s profit in-
V.i.S.d.P. Oliver Schröder
terests in the first place. The considerable
funds still allocated to nuclear research
must be redirected to developing renewable
energies. We need a transparent and legally
actionable search procedure for reposito-
ries. The Gorleben salt dome as well as the
Konrad mine are unsuited according to pres-
ent scientific knowledge.”
DIE LINKE:
No more war
DIE LINKE in Germany took this year’s world
peace day commemorating the 70th an-
niversary of Germany’s attack on Poland as
a cause to assure everyone of their support
who stood up for lasting peace and fight fas-
cism. Sabine Lösing, Member of the Euro-
pean Parliament (MEP) and of the National
Executive Board said: “Knowing that wars
are the most brutal form of enforcing power
and particular interests today like 70 years
ago the demand ‘no more war and no more
fascism’ is more up to date than ever. A host
of wars are waged worldwide and military in-
terventions commanded and planned. Given
this fact and knowing that children, women,
old and sick people are the main victims of
military conflicts it is a disgrace that despite
77 % of the people opposing it Germany is
still involved in the war in Afghanistan and
planning to expand its role. DIE LINKE de-
mands a stop to the extension of EU military
intervention capabilities and to end the
strategic partnership of the EU and NATO.
The slogan ‘No more war’ can only take root
in an effective movement in society in con-
junction with broad anti-militarist and extra-
parliamentary alliances. Owing to its history
Germany should accept special responsibili-
ty in this process.”
DIE LINKE · Newsletter · October 2009
7