Greece | Communist Liberation : THE SHIELD OF ACHILLES IS A SHIELD OF WAR AND CAPITAL

The Communist Liberation (KA) of Greece has voiced its opposition to the “Shield of Achilles” agreement—which entails an arms procurement program worth approximately 3 billion euros—signed between the New Democracy government and genocidal Israel. The organization protested the deal, stating that the program is not merely an arms purchase but part of the increasing militarization of Greece and the deepening of military ties with NATO, the US, and Israel.

A statement issued by the KA criticized the allocation of billions of euros to weapons systems at a time when economic and social problems are intensifying. The statement read: “At a time when workers and youth are paying the price for the high cost of living, when hospitals and public schools are collapsing, and when housing has become an unattainable dream, 3 billion euros are being spent on missiles and weapons systems.”

Declaring that “Our shield is the joint struggle of the workers of Greece and Turkey,” the statement called for a united struggle by the working class of both countries against the arms race between Greece and Turkey.

The full text of the statement is as follows:

THE “SHIELD OF ACHILLES” IS A SHIELD OF WAR AND CAPITAL

 

The New Democracy government has signed an agreement with Israel for the “Shield of Achilles,” an approximately €3 billion arms programme to create a “defence” system, celebrating yet another “great national success.” Three billion euros for missiles and weapons systems, at a time when workers and young people are paying the price of high living costs, hospitals and public education are collapsing, and housing is becoming an unattainable dream. These extremely expensive weapons have proven almost useless under contemporary conditions of warfare, with lower effectiveness than the mass use of very cheap drones.

Behind the grand words about “national security,” however, lies a very specific policy: Greece is arming itself, becoming increasingly militarised, and deepening its participation in military rivalries. This is not simply another arms purchase. The “Shield of Achilles” concerns a broader strategic choice by the Greek state and capital: more war preparation, closer alignment with NATO/US, deeper military cooperation with Israel, and the pursuit of an upgraded role in the competition over the Eastern Mediterranean.

And this is precisely why the alarm must be raised. The choice of Israel as a strategic partner is not circumstantial. Israel is presented by the Greek government, the military establishment and the mainstream media as a model of military power and permanent war readiness. Israel today represents a model of a fundamental trend of contemporary capitalism: a society of permanent military preparation, surveillance and control in the name of “security,” of militarisation and the fascisation of social life. Greece is not merely buying Israeli weapons. The Greek state is also “buying” and adopting a model. And this model is deeply reactionary. Because behind “innovation” and “defence technology” lie the genocide in Gaza, the occupation and apartheid in the West Bank, torture and ethnic cleansing. These are what they admire. These are what they want to replicate. And this is the model we do not want to import into Greece.

We want to overturn it.

WE WILL NOT PAY FOR THE “NATIONAL SECURITY” OF CAPITAL

At the same time that the government is asking workers to “be patient,” billions are being found for weapons systems. This is the real face of the “war economy.” There is money. It is simply not for society. It is for frigates, fighter jets, missiles and “Shields.” The government says that arms are necessary for the “security of the country.” But whose country? The country of workers who cannot afford the rent? Of young people working for starvation wages? Of patients waiting for months for a medical examination? Or the country of shipowners, energy corporations and business interests seeking the geopolitical upgrading of Greek capitalism?

The government’s “national security” is the security of the interests of Greek capital.

The “Shield of Achilles” is also part of the Greek-Turkish rivalry. The government presents arms purchases and its strategic relationship with Israel as a necessary response to Turkey. It seeks to portray Greece as “defending itself” against an allegedly constantly aggressive Turkey. It is the same logic that has been used for decades: “Turkey is threatening us – therefore we must arm ourselves.” And so one arms buildup brings another. One army is strengthened because the other is strengthened. One bourgeoisie invokes the threat posed by the other. And workers pay the bill.

The Turkish bourgeoisie has its own interests and aggressive ambitions. This, however, does not turn the Greek government’s and military’s choices into “defensive” ones by nature. The Greek-Turkish rivalry is a competition between two bourgeois classes and two states for geopolitical power, energy routes, maritime zones, markets and regional influence. The Greek government cannot present itself as “peace-loving” while deepening military cooperation with the Israeli state. The “Shield of Achilles” is part of this relationship. So is Greece’s participation in the broader plans of the US, NATO and the EU.

Greece is not an observer of wars. It is an active part of the war-making network. This is why Patriot systems were deployed in Saudi Arabia, to protect the oil facilities of its equally murderous prince. This is why frigates were deployed to the Red Sea, to protect shipowners and their profits. All of this cost many more billions, which we, the workers, paid for through taxes, debt and the plundering of social goods.

The enemy of workers in Greece and Turkey is therefore not on the other side of the Aegean. It is above them, within their own societies: capital, its governments and their war plans. The working class has nothing to gain from this arms race. We will not accept workers paying for the armaments of the Greek bourgeoisie so that it can become “stronger” in its competition with Turkey.

And here lies a crucial responsibility for the Greek Left, as sections of it are unable to respond to this reality. In different versions, they reproduce the basic core of the dominant nationalist narrative: Turkey is the permanent threat, Greece is constantly in a defensive position, Greek claims are self-evidently just, and therefore armaments are necessary.

This logic may be dressed up in “anti-imperialist” vocabulary, but it still leads to the same conclusion: Greece must arm itself against Turkey. There can be no anti-war and internationalist Left that reproduces the same basic narrative as the Greek state. It is impossible to denounce arms spending in general while simultaneously considering Greek arms spending “necessary” because Turkey exists. It is impossible to denounce nationalism when it concerns others and call it “defence” when it concerns our own bourgeoisie.

WITH THE PEOPLES, NOT WITH THE BOURGEOIS CLASSES!

The Left does not exist to explain why the Greek bourgeoisie is “right.” It exists to organise the working class against its own bourgeoisie. The working class of Greece has no interest whatsoever in the geopolitical upgrading of Greek capitalism. Nor does the working class of Turkey have any interest in the geopolitical upgrading of Turkish capitalism.

We will not become cheerleaders for a “strong Greece.”

The answer to war preparation cannot be another military alliance. The answer is internationalist workers’ struggle. Our own “Shield” is the common struggle of the workers of Greece and Turkey against arms spending and war.

Against the Greek-Israeli axis, we counterpose internationalist solidarity with Palestine.

Cancellation of the military agreements, an end to military cooperation, no facilitation whatsoever for the state of Israel.

Against arms spending, we demand a drastic reduction in military expenditure.

Against NATO, the military bases and imperialist plans, we fight for withdrawal from the mechanisms of war.

We will not pay for their “national upgrading.”

We will not accept cuts in social spending in order to buy weapons.

We will not accept Greece being transformed into a war machine.

Money for social needs – not for armaments!

With the peoples of Greece, Turkey, Palestine and the entire region – not with the states, armies and interests of capital!

Our perspective is not a “strong Greece” within capitalist and imperialist competition. It is the overthrow of war, nationalism and capitalism.

 

Communist Liberation