As I write, the arch-imperialist -- and architect of this current phase of capitalist expansionism -- Ronald Reagan is being laid to "rest" with all the pomp and splendour of a despot of old. Plaudits from the perceived great and good proclaim him to have been the "greatest" US leader of the 20th century. Carve another face on Mount Rushmore they say. For this is the man who destroyed Communism, Socialism and stabilised Central America. The man who "won" the Cold War, the man who, with George Bush Sr., invented the New World Order, whose troops now march across the globe in the name of their anointed son under the banner of the "War Against Terror." The architect may be dead, but his ideas and children live on.

His legacy, if it can be called that, is this war on terror. But as we all know, comrades, it is not a war on terror, but a war of terror. It is a war to enable the flow out of conquered nations of oil and other natural wealth, while a tide of Coca Cola, Big Macs and GM cars foster division and exploitation among the vanquished.

And all, all in the name of democracy. We in Ireland know all about the British and US take on democracy! We understand it as this, they invade your nation, import settlers, spread money around, buy who they can, kill or exile those they can't.

Then, and this is the good bit comrades, they call an election. If your money men and death squads have done their work well, you win, if you don't think you're going to do so well, you disenfranchise the opposition by calling them terrorists and exclude them from the process. After all, there are still more British troops on active service in the North of Ireland then there are serving on expansionist duties with NATO or the Bush/Blair coalition.

As it has been in Ireland for almost 900 years, so it is today in Iraq, in Serbia, in Haiti, Afghanistan and almost all of Central America. This is the New World Order of Reagan and the Bushes.

It would be true to say that Reagan did more than any other to advance the cause of world capitalism by uniting far flung elements of world business and right wing politicians from around the world in a quest for the "Global Market."

It is therefore fitting that this conference takes place the day after his burial. As Reagan forged global unity among a Diaspora of capitalists and right wingers, so let us today start to build a global front to fight them. At the turn of the last century unity was the core of the developing power of the working class.

Reagan and his cohorts have learnt their lesson from this and it is they now that are unified and we the Diaspora. Groups and even nations are alone, afloat in a sea of the bought and fallen comrades. Demonised, marginalised, played off against each other and divided.

But today, there are many groups here, many nations are represented. Let us start today to build a unity that will eventually shake the New World Order to its core and end its evil march. A unity that stretches once more from Derry to Delhi, from Istanbul to Melbourne.

Today we have the opportunity to mix, to network, to make new comrades for the struggle. We need them, comrades, for there will not be a day of reckoning, because that day is here. The New World Order is at the door and we must make our stand now, collectively, or we will fall to it one by one.

We in the Republican Socialist Movement in Ireland trace our line to those who Lenin himself called "the first Red Army in Europe," the Irish Socialist Republican Party and the Irish Citizen Army. It is still the politics of their leader James Connolly that inspire us today for it was he who said: "The great only appear great because we are on our knees. Let us arise."

Let us walk from here today, let us walk among others when we return to our individual nations or communities, let us give other the courage to stand up. To say no to this war, no to the New World Order and no to the continued exploitation of those who produce but do not share in the wealth they generate.

Terry Harkin
Ard-Chomhairle, IRSP

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