DSA 2001 Convention Convention Passes Anti-Bombing Resolution

The convention’s most hotly debated issue was the organization's position on the war in Afghanistan. Prior to the convention the Steering Committee of DSA’s National Political Committee issued a statement opposed to the bombing of Afghanistan but supportive of appropriate intelligence, financial, and multilateral "police actions," in the context of criminal justice prosecution aimed at bringing the criminals responsible for September 11th to justice. The position opposed the unilateral use of American military force in Afghanistan.

Several resolutions, some more dovish and some more supportive of an explicitly military response were presented, along with many amendments, to the Convention. A sub-committee on War and Terrorism of the Resolutions Committee was created to deal with the submissions. A look through the pages of the Nation or any left periodical will reveal an intense debate on this issue so it is hardly surprising that strong feelings on all sides of this issue are held by DSA members.

Because of the intense feelings involved the sub committee had more participation by delegates than the other convention committees. An extraordinary range of views and analysis were argued in the committee meetings. Often it seemed that delegates were more concerned with the motivation presented for specific language than the language itself. Perhaps because of this the sub-committee presented the Convention with a short resolution focused on a few points and without any analytical or introductory framework.

This resolution was presented to the Convention as the sub-committee’s substitute for all of the resolutions submitted to it related to Afghanistan and the military campaign. The Convention in its plenary session considered it and a series of amendments introduced from the floor. Except for amendments strengthening the resolution's opposition to discriminatory practices in the pursuit of domestic security and supporting stronger language on anti-famine measures, no amendments were approved by the Plenary session as the majority of delegates clearly felt the subcommittee had found a manageable compromise between the various views. The language recognizing "the limited and directed use of multilateral armed force" as an appropriate step in combating terrorism is intentionally ambiguous. Many DSA activists do not consider the United States military action in Afghanistan to be limited, effective, and truly multilateral. But a significant minority of convention delegates clearly would disagree with that interpretation.

However some delegates did not endorse the compromise. Some women delegates who felt that feminist, and "anti-imperialist" views were not sufficiently respected in the sub-committee organized an emergency Women’s Caucus Sunday morning and drafted their own statement. During the Plenary Session by a vote of all of the delegates the rules were suspended to allow that statement to be read into the record of the Convention.

The ambiguity of the resolution on some questions and the lack of an analytical framework limits the utility of the resolution as a guide to DSA’s participation in peace activity as called for in the organizational priorities resolution; but the discussion and debate will inform the deliberations of the newly elected NPC as it considers these questions as they emerge over the course of the next two years. It was clear, for example, that the vast majority of delegates would oppose expanding United States military action to other theaters. Also, convention delegates were united in their opposition to sacrificing basic civil liberties and to discriminatory domestic security practices.

The convention resolution follows:

Resolution from the Convention Resolutions Sub-Committee on War and Terrorism

Democratic Socialists of America unequivocally opposes the mass murders of September 11, and supports bringing those responsible for those crimes to justice.

DSA recognizes the right and responsibility of the U.S. government, in defense of its people, to take appropriate steps to ensure that future September 11ths do not occur. Those steps would include:

a. Diplomatic initiatives;
b. Technical improvements in domestic security;
c. Measures designed to eliminate the international arms trade.
d. The regulation of international and domestic financial transactions.
e. The limited and directed use of multilateral armed force.

DSA calls for a halt to the bombing and immediate delivery of sufficient food and other supplies to prevent a famine in Afghanistan.

DSA opposes restrictions on civil liberties and immigration in the name of fighting terrorism and opposes racist scapegoating of Arab-Americans and American Muslims and all other racist scapegoating.

DSA opposes “war profiteering” in which working people bear the brunt of the sacrifices in the campaign against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, while corporations make super-profits and receive government subsidies.

Adopted by DSA National Convention November 11, 2001

Other documents you may find useful:
Women’s Caucus Statement
Steering Committee Pre Convention Resolution
Steering Committee Resolution submitted to Convention.

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