Divisions in the Junta

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THE immediate background to Galtieri's invasion of the Falklands was the mass antijunta demonstration on March 29, and the trade union plans for a General Strike on April 5.

It seems that a further factor was manoeuvres and rensions within Argentina's ruling class.

Finance Minister Roberto Almann has made practically no changes to his budget since the invasion. Yet he admits unhappily that the military spend just what they like on the Falklands operation, without consulting him or his budget.

The Financial Times (April 26) comments:

"The biggest loser has perhaps been Sr. Alemann.

"Before the invasion Sr. Alemann had secured major concessions from the military as part of his attempts to put the economy on a more stable footing. Generals had been replaced by competent cintians at the head of state companies, the military had agreed to a 10% cut in defence spending, and the delicate subject of the privatisation of the military-controlled industrial complex, Fabricaciones Militares, had been broached.

"Now the military are firmly back in control -and, apparently, united"

rabricaciones Militares Is big business, with interests in industries like chemicals and petrochemicals. The Navy, tor example, has made an agreement with multinational companies for a gas liquefaction process, aimed at exports to the US, involving investment of $2,300 But sections of the Argentine ruling class want to slim down the swollen military dominated state apparatus. Hence tension: and hence a motive for the military to assert themselves and their claims by a suitably-chosen invasion.

An article by an Argentine Marxist written in February and recently reprinted in the Paris magazine Inprecor notes that the Navy newspaper had openly mooted the idea of action against the Falklands or against Chile over the disputed Beagle channel.

•The military high command, after the huge military expenditure of recent years, is not going to lose any opportunity to justify itself historically by a real conflict. The newspapers have recently reported that a plane flew over the beaches of Mar del Plata trailing an enormous banner rejecting any concession to Chile on drawing the frontier around the Beagle Channel... The campaign against any military intervention in the Malvinas or against Chile should be part of the struggle for human and democratic rights, both inside and outside the country, in coordination with the Chilean and British workers...

coastal detences equipped with missiles, a small flotilla of frigates and nuclearpowered submarines, an air defence system, artillery, and about 8,500 troops. The airfield and harbour would have to be enlarged, roads developed, and power station built...

Pawns

Even Thatcher's enthusiasm for reviving the gunboat era would wilt at this! Thus British 'success' would probably mean some temporary restoration of British administration followed by a gradual evacuation of the islanders.

If it were not that they have become pawns between Britain and Argentina, the island community could very well live as it chose, troubling and oppressing no other community, its rights secured by an alliance with the Argentine labour movement. Thatcher's war is set to block any such prospect.

Escalate

And worse: in the nature of war, it may escalate way beyond what any rational calculations would indicate. The more it does so, the more the islanders and the working people of both Britain and Argentina will be the sufferers.

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Socialist Organiser no. 82 April 29, 1982 Page 3 no.82 April