J´ZAPATISTANATIONALLIBERATIONARMY

MÉXICO.January‐February2011.

To:DonLuisVilloro.From:SubcomandanteInsurgenteMarcos.Greetings,Doctor.

Wetrulyhopethatyouareinbetterhealthandthatyoutaketheselinesnotonlyasacomingandgoingofideas,butalsoasanaffectionatehugfromeveryonethatweare.

Wearegratefultohimforhavingacceptedparticipatingasacorrespondentinthisexchangeofletters.Wehopethatfromitemergereflectionsthathelpus,thereandhere,totrytounderstandthecalendarthatourgeographysuffers,thatistosay,ourMexico.

Permitmetobeginwithakindofjoke.Wearedealingwithideas,fragmentedasourreality, that cancontinue theirpath independentlyorgoaway linking likeabraid(that is the best image that I have found for "drawing" our process of theoreticalreflection),and thatare theproductofouruneaseaboutwhatcurrentlyoccurs inMexicoandintheworld.

Andherebeginthesehurriednotationsaboutsomethemes,allofthemrelatedwithethicsandpolitics.Orratheraboutwhatwereachouttoperceive(andsuffer)fromthem, and about the resistances in general, and our particular resistance. As isexpected,inthesenotations,schematicsandreductionwillrule,butIthinkthattheyreachtodrawoneormorelinesofdiscussion,ofdialogue,ofcriticalreflection.

And that is precisely what we're dealing with, that the word comes and goes,jumpingovercheckpointsandmilitaryandpolicepatrols, fromoursheretoyoursthere, although after it happens that theword goes off to other sides and it's notimportantifanyonepicksitupandlaunchesitagain(that'swhatwordsandideasarefor).

AlthoughthethemeonwhichwehaveagreedisthatofEthicsandPolitics,perhapssome beating around the bush is necessary or, better, approximations fromapparentlydistantpoints.

And,sincewe'redealingwiththeoreticalreflections,onewillhavetobeginwiththereality,becauseofwhatthedetectivescall“thefacts.”

In"ScandalinBohemia,"byArthurConanDoyle,thedetectiveSherlockHolmessaysto his friend DoctorWatson: "It is a capital error to theorize before having data.

Without realizing it, one begins to deform the facts so that they adjust to thetheoriesinsteadofadjustingthetheoriestothefacts."

Wecouldbeginthenwithadescription,hurriedandincomplete,aboutwhatrealitypresents to us in the sameway, that is to say,without anesthesia, and collectingsomedata.Somethingaswellasattemptingtoreconstructnotonlythefacts,buttheforminwhichweacquireknowledgeofthem.

And what appears first in the reality of our calendar and geography is an oldacquaintanceofMexico'soriginalpeoples:War.

I.­THEWARSFROMABOVE.

“Andinthebeginningwerethestatues.”

Icouldbeginahistoriographicessayonwarthatway,oraphilosophicalreflectionon the realbirthplaceofmodernhistory.Because thewarstatueshidemore thanwhattheyshow.Erectedtosinginstonethememoryofmilitaryvictories,theonlything theydo ishide thehorror, thedestructionand thedeathofallwar.And thestone figures of gods or angels crowned with the laurels of victory are not onlyusefulsothatthewinnerhasamemoryofhissuccess,butalsotoforgeforgetfulnessintheconquered.

But currently those rockymirrors find themselves indisuse.Besidesbeingburieddaily by the implacable criticism of all kinds of birds, they have encountered aninsuperablecompetitorinthemasscommunicationsmedia.

ThestatueofHussein,broughtdowninBagdadduringtheNorthAmericaninvasionofIraq,wasnotsubstitutedbyoneofGeorgeBush,butbyadvertisementsofthebigtransnational firms. Although the foolish face of the then United States presidentcould well serve to promote junk food, the multi‐nationals preferred erectinghomagetothemselvesofanewmarketconquered.Thebusinessofreconstructionfollowed the business of destruction. And, although deaths of North Americantroopscontinue,what'simportantisthatmoneycomesandgoesasitoughtto:withfluidityandinabundance.

The fall of SaddamHussein's statue is not the symbol of the victory of themulti‐nationalmilitaryforcethat invadedIrak.Thesymbol is intherise inthesharesofthesponsoringfirms.

“Inthepasttherewerestatues,nowtherearestockmarkets.”

Icouldcontinuethemodernhistoriographyofwarthisway.

Buttherealityofhistory(thatchaotichorrorviewedeachtimelessandwithmorecleanliness), compromises, asks for counts, requires consequences, demands. An

honest view and a critical analysis could identify the pieces of puzzles and thenlistento,likeamacabrethunderousnoise,thesentence:

“Inthebeginningwasthewar.”

TheLegitimationofSavagery

Maybe,atanymomentofhumanity'shistory,thematerialaspect,physical,ofawaris thedeterminant.But,upontheheavyandslowwheelofhistoryadvancing, thatwasnotenough.Thestatueswereusefulaswellforthememoryofthewinnerandtheforgetfulnessoftheconquered,inwarsthecontendersneedednotjusttobringdown the opponent physically, but also to pretend to be a propagandistic alibi oflegitimacy;overthrowingitmorally.

Atsomemomentofhistoryitwasreligionthatgrantedthatcertificateoflegitimacytowar‐likedomination(althoughsomeof therecentmodernwarsdonotseemtohave advanced much in this sense). But later, more elaborate thinking wasnecessaryandphilosophyenteredintorelief.

I nowremembera fewof yourwords: “Philosophyhasalwayshadanambivalentrelationship with the social and political power. On the one hand, it took thesuccession of religion as theoretical justification for domination. All constitutedpower has tried to legitimate itself, first with a religious belief, later in aphilosophicaldoctrine.(…)Soitseemsthatthebruteforcethatsustainsdominationwould lack meaning for man if it were not able to justify itself in an acceptablepurpose.Philosophicaldiscourse,inreliefofreligion,hasbeeninchargeofgrantingthat meaning; it is a thought of domination.” (Luis Villoro. “Filosofía y Dominio”.DiscursodeingresoalColegioNacional.Noviembrede1978).

In effect, in modern history that alibi could come to be as elaborated as aphilosophicalor legal justification(theUnitedNationshasgiventhemostpatheticexamples).Butwhat'sfundamentalwas,andis,tobecomeamediajustification.

If certain philosophy (following you, Don Luis: the “thinking of domination” inopposition to the “thinking of liberation”) relieved religion in that task oflegitimation,nowthemasscommunicationsmediahaverelievedphilosophy.

¿Doesanyonerememberthatthejustificationbythemulti‐nationalarmedforceforinvading Irakwas that theregimeofSaddamHusseinpossessedweaponsofmassdestruction? Over thatwas constructed a giganticmedia scaffolding thatwas thefuel for a war that has still not ended, at least in military terms. ¿Does anyonerememberthattheyneverfoundsuchweaponsofmassdestruction?It'snolongerimportantwhetheritwasalie,whethertherewas(andthereis)horror,destructionanddeath,perpetratedwithafalsealibi.

Theytellthat,todeclaremilitaryvictoryinIraq,GeorgeW.Bushdidnotwaitforthe

reportsthatthoseweaponshadbeenfoundanddestroyed,norforconfirmationthatthemulti‐nationalforcewasnowcontrolling,ifnotallofIraqiterritory,thenatleastits key points (theNorthAmericanmilitary force found itself entrenched inwhatwas called the “Green Zone” and was not even able to adventure out into theneighboring barrios –(see the stupendous reports by Robert Fisk for the BritishnewspaperTheIndependent‐).

No, the report thatWashingtonreceivedand thatpermitted it to take thewar forended(that forsurestilldoesn'tend),camefromtheconsultantsof thebig trans‐nationals: the business of destruction can pave the way for the business ofreconstruction(aboutthisseethebrilliantarticlesofNaomiKleinintheUSweekly“TheNation,”andherbook“ShockDoctrine”).

Thus,what'sessentialinwarisnotjustphysicalforce(ormaterial),moralforceisalsonecessarythat,inthesecases,isprovidedbythemasscommunicationsmedia(asbeforebyreligionandphilosophy).

TheGeographyofModernWar

Ifwe refer to the physical aspect as an army; that is, an armed organization, thestronger it is (in otherwords,while it possessesmorepower of destruction), themorepossibilitiesofsuccessithas.

Whether it is themoralaspectrelatedtoanarmedorganism,whilethecausethatanimatesitismorelegitimate(thatistosay,whileithasmorepowertosummon),thenthepossibilityofgainingtheirobjectivesisgreater.

The concept of war is widened: we were dealing with not only destroying theenemy'sphysicalcombatcapacity(soldiersandweaponry)toimposeitsownwill,itwas also possible to destroy their moral combat capability, although it still hassufficientphysicalcapability.

If wars were able to place themselves uniquely in the military terrain (physical,sincewe are in that reference), it is logical to expect that the armedorganizationwiththegreaterpowerofdestructionwillimposeitswillontheopponent(suchistheobjectiveoftheclashbetweenforces)destroyingitsmaterialcombatcapability.

But no longer is it possible to locate any conflictmerely on physical terrain. Theterrainonwhichwars(smallorlarge,regularorirregular,oflow,mediumorhighintensity,world‐wide,regionalorlocal)arewagedismorecomplicatedallthetime.

Behind thatgreatand ignoredworldwar (“thecoldwar” ishowmodernhistorio‐grapherscallit,wecallit“theThirdWorldWar”),canbefoundahistoricsentencethatwillframethewarstocome.

Thepossibilityofanuclearwar(takentothelimitbythearmsracethatconsisted,

roughly,inhowmanytimesitwillbecapableofdestroyingtheworld)openedthepossibilityof“another”endofawarconflict:theresultofanarmedclashcouldnotbetheimpositionofthewillofoneoftheopponentsovertheother,butthatcouldsuppose the annulment of the will to fight; that is, of their material combatcapability.Andby“annulment”Irefernotjustto“inabilitytoact”(a“tie”then),also(andaboveall)a“disappearance.”

Ineffect,thegeo‐militarycalculationstellusthatinanuclearwartherewouldnotbewinnersorlosers.Andevenmoretherewouldnotbeanything.Thedestructionwouldbesototalandirreversiblethathumancivilizationwouldgivewaytothatofthecockroaches.

Therecurringargumentinthehighmilitaryspheresoftheepoch'spowerswasthatnuclearweaponswerenot for fighting awar, but for inhibiting it. The concept of“weaponsofcontention”wastranslatedthenintothemorediplomatic“elementsofdissuasion”

Reducing: the “modern” military doctrine synthesized in: impeding that theopponent impose his greater will (or “strategy”), equates to imposing one's owngreater(“strategic”)will; inotherwords,displacingthebigwarstowardssmallormedium‐sizedwars.No longerarewetryingtodestroythephysicaland/ormoralcombatcapabilityoftheenemy,butofavoidingadirectconfrontation.Inexchange,they seek to redefine the theaters of war (and the physical and moral combatcapacity) from the world to the regional and local. In summary: peacefulinternationaldiplomacyandregionalandnationalwars.

Result:therewasnonuclearwar(atleastnotyet,althoughthestupidityofcapitalisasbigasitsambition),butinsteadtherewereinnumerableconflictsatalllevelsthatshedmillionsofdeaths,millionsofpeopledisplacedbywar,millionsofmetrictonsof destroyed material, economies leveled, nations destroyed, political systemsbrokentobits…andmillionsofdollarsofprofit.

Butthesentencewasgivenforthe“mostmodern”or“post‐modern”wars:theyarepossiblemilitaryconflictsthat,becauseoftheirnature,cannotberesolvedintermsofphysicalforce;thatistosay,byimposingtheopponent'swillbyforce.

We could suppose then that a parallel struggle began SUPERIOR to the“conventional”wars.Astruggletoimposeonewilloveranother:thestruggleofthemilitarilypowerful(or“physically”tobeabletocrossthehumanmicro‐cosmos)foravoiding that wars are unleashed in lands where they were not able to haveconventionalresults(ofthetype“thebetterequipped,trainedandorganizedarmywillbepotentiallyvictoriousoverapoorlyequipped,trainedandorganizedarmy”).We could suppose, then, that against this struggle of themilitarily (or physically)weaktounleashwarsinlandswheremilitarymightwouldnotbethedeterminant.

The“mostmodern”or“post‐modern”warsarenot,then,thosethatputonlandthe

more sophisticated weapons (and here I include not only weapons as a militarytechnique,alsotheonestakenassuchinmilitaryorganigrams:theinfantryarm,thecavalry,theprotectedarm,etc.),butwhicharetakentolandswherethequalityandquantityofmilitarymightisnotthedeterminingfactor.

Withcenturiesofdelay,themilitarytheoryfromabovediscoveredthat,thingsbeinglikethat,conflictswouldbepossibleinwhichanopponentoverwhelminglysuperiorinmilitarytermswouldbeincapableofimposingitswillonaweakrival.

Yes,theyarepossible.

Examples inmodernhistoryaremorethansufficient,andthosethatnowcometomind are of defeats of the greatest war power in the world, the Unites States ofAmerica,inVietnamandinPlayaGirón.Althoughsomeexamplesofpastcalendarsandofourgeographycouldbeadded:thedefeatsoftheSpanishRoyalArmybytheinsurgentforcesintheMexicoof200yearsago.

Nevertheless, thewar there and continues there its central question: the physicaland/ormoraldestructionof theopponent to impose its ownwill continuesbeingthebasisofthewarfromabove.

Then,ifthemilitary(orphysical,Irepeat)forcenotonlyisnotrelevantbutonecandowithout it as adeterminingvariable in the final decision,wemust enterothervariablesintothewarconflictorsomeofthepresentassecondaryonespasstothefirstlevel.

Thatisnotnew.Theconceptof“totalwar”(althoughnotassuch)hasantecedentsand examples. The war by all means (military, economic, political, religious,ideological,diplomatic,socialandevenecological)isthesynonymfor“modernwar.”

Butitlackswhat'sfundamental:theconquestofaterritory.Inotherwords,thatthatwillisimposedinaprecisecalendarindeed,butaboveallonadelimitedgeography.Ifthereisnotaconqueredterritory,inotherwords,underdirectorindirectcontroloftheconqueringforce,thereisnovictory.

Although one can talk about economic wars (like the blockade that the NorthAmerican government maintains against the Republic of Cuba) or about theeconomic,religious,ideological,racialaspects,etc.,ofawar,theobjectivecontinuesbeingthesame.Andinthecurrentepoch,thewillthattriestoimposecapitalismisdestroying/depopulatingandreconstructing/reorderingtheconqueredterritory.

Yes, thewarsnowdonot conform to conqueringa territoryand receiving tributefrom the conquered force. In the current stage of capitalism it is necessary todestroytheconqueredterritoryandtodepopulateit;inotherwords,to,destroyitssocial fabric. I speak of the annihilation of everything that gives cohesion to asociety.

But the war of above does not stop there. Simultaneous to the destruction anddepopulation,operates thereconstructionof that territoryandelreorderingof itssocial fabric, but now with another logic, another method, other actors, anotherobjective.Insum:thewarsimposeanewgeography.

Ifinaninternationalwar,thiscomplexprocessoccursintheconquerednationandoperatesfromtheaggressornation,inalocalornationalorcivilwartheterritorytodestroy/depopulateandreconstruct/reorderiscommontotheforcesinstruggle.

In other words, the victorious attacking force destroys and depopulates its ownterritory.

And it reconstructs and reorders according to its plan of reconstruction or re‐conquest.

Thoughifithasnoplan…then“someone”operatesthatreconstruction–reordering.

AsMexicannativepeoplesandastheEZLN,wehavesomethingtosayaboutwar.Above all if it is carriedout inour geographyand in this calendar:Mexico, in thebeginningofthe21stcentury…II.MEXICO'SWARFROMABOVE"I would welcome almost any war because I believe that this country needs one."TheodoreRoosevelt.Andnowournationalrealityisinvadedbywar.Awarthatisnotonlynotfarawayfrom thosewhowere accustomed to seewar indistant geographies or calendars,but also one that begins to determine the decisions and indecisions of thosewhothought that wars were only in the news and in places so far away like…Iraq,Afghanistan…Chiapas.And in all of Mexico, thanks to Felipe Calderón Hinojosa's sponsorship, we don'thave to look towards theMiddle East to critically reflect onwar. It is no longernecessarytoturnthecalendarbacktoVietnam,theBayofPigs,alwaysPalestine.I don't mention Chiapas and the war against Zapatista indigenous communities,because it is known that they aren't fashionable (that's why the Chiapas stategovernmenthasspentsomuchmoneysothatthemedianolongerputsitonwar'shorizon, instead, it publishes the "advances" in biofuel production, its "good"treatmentofmigrants,theagricultural"successes"andotherdeceivingstoriesthataresoldtoeditorialboardswhoputtheirownnamesonpoorlyeditedandarguedgovernmentalpressreleases).The war's interruption of daily life in current‐day Mexico doesn't stem from aninsurrection,nor from independentor revolutionarymovements that compete for

theirreprintinthecalendar100or200yearslater. Itcomesfrom,asallwarsofconquest,fromabove,fromthePower.AndthiswarhasinFelipeCalderónHinojosaits initiatorandits institutional(andnowembarrassing)promoter.Themanwho tookpossessionof the title of Presidentbyde factowasn't satisfiedwiththemediabackinghereceived,andhehadtoturntosomethingelsetodistractpeople'sattentionandavoidthemassivecontroversyregardinghislegitimacy:war.WhenFelipeCalderónHinojosamadeTheodoreRoosevelt'sproclamationthat"thiscountryneedsawar"hisown(althoughsomecredit thesentence toHenryCabotLodge), hewasmetwith fearful distrust fromMexican businessmen, enthusiasticapprovalfromhigh‐rankingmilitaryofficials,andheartyapplausefromthatwhichreallyrules:foreigncapital.Criticismofthisnationalcatastrophecalledthe"waronorganizedcrime"shouldbecompletedwithaprofoundanalysisofitseconomicenablers.I'mnotonlyreferringto theoldaxiom that in timesof crisis andwar, the consumptionof luxurygoodsincreases.NoramIonlyreferringtotheextrapaythatsoldiersreceive(inChiapas,high‐rankingmilitaryofficialsreceived,orreceive,anextrasalaryof130%forbeingin"awarzone").Itwouldbenecessarytoalsolookatthepatents,thesuppliers,andtheinternationalcreditsthataren'tintheso‐called"MeridaInitiative."IfFelipeCalderónHinojosa'swar(eventhoughhe'stried,invain,togetallMexicanstoendorse it) is abusiness (which it is),wemust respond to thequestionsof forwhomisitabusiness,andwhatmonetaryfigureitreaches.SomeEconomicEstimatesIt'snotinsignificantwhat'satstake:(Note: thequantities listedarenotexactduetothe fact that there isnotclarity inthe official governmental data, which is why in some cases the source was theOfficialDiaryoftheFederation[thefederalgovernment'sofficialpublication],anditwas complemented by data from [government] agencies and serious journalisticinformation).Inthe first fouryearsof the"waragainstorganizedcrime"(2007‐2010), themaingovernmental entities in charge (theNationalDefenseMinistry‐‐that is, army andairforce‐‐,theNavy,theFederalAttorneyGeneral'sOffice,andtheMinistryofPublicSecurity)receivedover$366billionpesos(about$30billiondollarsatthecurrentexchange rate) from the Federal Budget. The four federal governmentministriesreceived: in 2007over $71billionpesos; in 2008over $80billionpesos; in 2009over$113millionpesos;andin2010over$102billionpesos.Addtothattheover$121billionpesos(some$10billiondollars)thattheywillreceivein2011.

TheMinistry of Public Security alonewent from receiving a budget of $13billionpesosin2007toreceivingoneofover$35billionpesosin2011(perhapsbecausecinematicproductionsaremorecostly).Accordingtothe[federal]Government'sThird[Annual]ReportinSeptember2009,inJuneofthatyear,thefederalarmedforceshad254,705soldiers(202,355intheArmyandAirForceand52,350intheNavy).In 2009 the budget for the [Ministry of] National Defense was $43,623,321,860pesos,towhichwasadded$8,762,315,960pesos(25.14%more),intotal:over$52billion pesos for the Army and the Air Force. The Navy: over $16 billion pesos;PublicSecurity:almost$33billionpesos;andtheFederalAttorneyGeneral'sOffice:over$12billionpesos.The"waronorganizedcrime's"totalbudgetin2009:over$113billionpesos.In 2010, an Army private earned about $46,380 pesos per year; amajor generalreceived$1,603,080pesosperyear,andtheSecretaryofNationalDefensereceivedanannualincomeof$1,859,712pesos.Ifmymathiscorrect,with2009'stotalwarbudget($113billionpesosforthefourministries) could have paid the annual salaries of 2.5 million Army privates; or70,500majorgenerals;or60,700SecretariesofNationalDefense.But,ofcourse,notallthatisbudgetedgoestowardssalariesandbenefits.Weapons,equipment, bullets are needed…because those that they already have don't workanymoreorthey'reobsolete."IftheMexicanArmyweretoengageincombatwithitsover150,000weaponsandits331.3million cartridges against an internal or external enemy, its firepowerwouldonly last on average 12 days of continuous combat, according to the Joint Chiefs ofStaff'sestimatesfortheArmy'sandAirForce'sweapons.Accordingtothepredictions,the gunfire from 105mm howitzers (artillery) would last, for example, 5.5 days ofcombat if that weapon's 15 grenades were shot continuously. The armored units,accordingtotheanalysis,have2,66275mmgrenades.Incombat,thearmoredtroopswoulduseupalloftheirroundsinninedays.IntheAirForce,itissaidthattherearealittleover1.7million7.62mmcartridgesthatareusedbythePC­7andPC­9planes,andbytheBell212andMD­530helicopters. Inawar,those1.7millioncartridgeswouldbeusedup in fivedaysofaerial fire,accordingtotheMinistryofNationalDefense'scalculations.TheMinistrywarnsthatthe594nightvisiongoggles and the3,095GPSusedby the Special Forces to combatdrug cartels"havealreadycompletedtheirservice."Theshortagesandthewear in theArmyandAirForces'ranksareevidentandhave

reachedunimaginablelevelsinpracticallyalloftheinstitution'soperativeareas.TheNationalDefense[Ministry's]analysisstatesthatthenightvisiongogglesandtheGPSare between five and thirteen years old, and "they have already completed theirservice."Thesamegoes for the"150,392combathelmets" that the troopsuse.70%reachedtheirestimatedlifespanin2008,andthe41,160bulletproofvestswilldosoin2009.(…)In this panorama, the Air Force is the sector most affected by technologicalbackwardnessandoverseasdependency,ontheUnitedStatesandIsraelinparticular.According to the National Defense Ministry, the Air Force's arms depots have 753bombs that weigh 250­1,000 lbs. each. The F­5 and PC­7 Pilatus planes use thoseweapons.The753thatareinexistencewouldlastinair­to­landcombatforoneday.The87,74020mmgrenadesforF­5jetswouldcombatinternalorexternalenemiesforsixdays.Finally,theNationalDefenseMinistryrevealsthattheair­to­airmissilesfortheF­5planesonlynumber45,whichrepresentsonlyonedayofaerial fire."­­JorgeAlejandroMedellínin"ElUniversal",Mexico,January2,2009.Thiswasmadeknownin2009, twoyearsafter the federalgovernment'sso‐called"war." Let's leave aside the obvious question of how it was possible that thecommander‐in‐chiefof thearmed forces,FelipeCalderónHinojosa, could launchawar("long‐term"hesays)withouthavingtheminimalmaterialconditionstosustainit,letalone"winit."Solet'sask:Whatwarindustrieswillbenefitfromthesalesofweapons,equipment,andvehicles?Ifthemainpromoterofthiswaristheempireofstripesandcloudystars(keepingnote that, in reality the only congratulations that Felipe Calderón Hinojosa hasreceivedhave come from theUS government),we can't lose sight of the fact thatnorthoftheRioGrande,helpisnotgranted;rather,theymakeinvestments,thatis,business.VictoriesandDefeatsDoestheUnitedStateswinwiththis"local"war?Theansweris:yes.Leavingasidethe economic gains and the monetary investment in weapons, vehicles, andequipment (let's not forget that theUSA is themainproviderof all of this to twocontenders:theauthoritiesandthe"criminals."The"waronorganizedcrime"isalucrativebusinessfortheNorthAmericanmilitaryindustry),thereis,asaresultofthiswar, a destruction/depopulation and a geopolitical reconstruction/rearrange‐mentthatbenefitsthem.Thiswar(whichwaslostfromthemomentitwasconceived,notasasolutiontoaninsecurityproblem,butratheraproblemofquestionedlegitimacy)isdestroyingthelaststrongholdthattheNationhad:thesocialfabric.WhatbetterwarfortheUnitedStatesthanonethatgrantsitprofits,territory,and

politicalandmilitarycontrolwithouttheuncomfortablebodybagsandcripplesthatarrived,before,fromVietnamandnowfromIraqandAfghanistan?Wikileaks' revelations about high‐ranking US officials' opinions about the"deficiencies" in the Mexican repressive apparatus (its ineffectiveness and itscomplicitywith organized crime) are not new. Not only amongst the people, butalso in thehighestcirclesofgovernmentandPower inMexico, this isacertainty.The joke that it is an unequalwar because organized crime is organized and theMexicangovernmentisdisorganizedisagloomytruth.OnDecember11,2006,thiswarformallybeganwith"JointOperationMichoacan."Seventhousandsoldiersfromthearmy,thenavy,andthefederalpolicelaunchedanoffensive (commonly known as the "Michoacanazo") that, when the media'seuphoriapassed,turnedouttobeafailure.ThemilitaryofficialinchargewasGen.Manuel García Ruiz, and the man in charge of the operation was Gerardo GarayCadenaoftheMinistryofPublicSecurity.Today,andsinceDecember2008,GerardoGaray Cadena is imprisoned in a maximum‐security prison in Tepic, Nayarit,accusedofcolludingwith"elChapo"GuzmánLoera.And,witheachstepthatistakeninthiswar,thefederalgovernmentfindsitmoredifficulttoexplainwheretheenemyis.Jorge Alejandro Medellín is a journalist who collaborates with various mediaoutlets‐‐Contralinea magazine, the weekly Acentoveintiuno, and Eje Central,amongstothers‐‐andhe'sspecializedinmilitarism,armedforces,nationalsecurity,and drug trafficking. In October 2010 he received death threats because of anarticlewherehepointedtopossiblelinksbetweendrugtraffickersandGen.Felipede JesúsEspitia,ex‐commanderof theVMilitaryZoneandex‐chiefof theSeventhSection‐‐Operations againstDrugTrafficking‐‐duringVicenteFox's administration,andinchargeoftheDrugMuseumlocatedintheofficesoftheSeventhSection.Gen.EspitiawasremovedascommanderoftheVMilitaryZonefollowingthetumultuousfailureof theoperationsheordered inCiudadJuarezandforhispoorresponsetothemassacrescommittedinthebordercity.But the failure of the federal war against "organized crime," the crown jewel ofFelipeCalderónHinojosa'sgovernment, isnotadestinythatthePowerintheUSAlaments:itisagoaltoreach.Asmuchascorporatemediatriedtopresentresoundingsuccessesforlegality,theskirmishes,whichtakeplaceeverydayinthenation'sterritory,arenotconvincing.And not just because the corporate media have been surpassed by the forms ofinformationexchangeusedbya largeportionofthepopulation(notonly,butalsothe social networks and cell phones), also, and above all, because the tone of thegovernment'spropagandahaspassedfromanattempttodeceivetoanattempttomock(fromthe"eventhoughitdoesn'tappearasthoughwe'rewinning"to"[drug

traffickers are] a ridiculous minority,"which pass as barroom boasting for thepresident).Aboutthisotherdefeatforthewritten,radio,andtelevisionpress,Iwillgetbacktothat in anothermissive. For now, and regarding the current issue, its enough toremindpeople that the "nothing's happening inTamaulipas" thatwas extolled bythemedia(namelyradioandtelevision),wasdefeatedbythevideosshotbycitizenswithcellphonesandportablecamerasandsharedontheInternet.But let'sgetback to thewar that,according toFelipeCalderónHinojosa,heneversaidwasawar.Heneversaidit,right?"Let'sseeifthisisorisn'tawar:onDecember5,2006,FelipeCalderónsaid:"Weworktowinthewaroncrime…"OnDecember2007,duringbreakfastwithnavalpersonnel,Mr.Calderónusedtheterm'war'onfouroccasionsinasinglespeech.Hesaid,"Societyrecognizes in a specialmanner the important role ourmarines play in thewarmyGovernment leads against insecurity…" "The loyalty and the efficiency of the ArmedForcesareoneofthemostpowerfulweaponsinthewarwefight…","WhenIstartedthisfrontalwaragainstcrimeIstatedthatthiswouldbealong­termstruggle,""…thatispreciselyhowwarsare…".Butthere'smore:onSeptember12,2008,duringthetheCommencement Ceremonies of the Military Education System, the self­proclaimed"president of employment" really shinedwhen he saidwar on crime a half a dozentimes: "Today our country fights a war that is very different from those that theinsurgentsfoughtin1810,awarthatisdifferentfromthatwhichthecadetsfromtheMilitary College fought 161 years ago…" "…it is the duty of all of Mexicans of ourgenerationtodeclarewaronMexico'senemies…That'swhy,inthiswaroncrime…""Itisessentialthatallofuswhojointhiscommonfrontgobeyondwordstoactsandthatwe really declarewar onMexico's enemies…" "I am convinced thatwewillwin thiswar…"(AlbertoVieyraGómez.AgenciaMexicanadeNoticias,January27,2011).Bycontradictinghimself,takingadvantageofthecalendar,FelipeCalderónHinojosaneithercorrectshismistakesnorcorrectshimselfconceptually.No,whathappensisthatwarsarewonorlost(inthiscase, lost)andthefederalgovernmentdoesn'twant torecognize that thecentral focusof thisadministrationhas failedmilitarilyandpolitically.EndlessWar?TheDifferenceBetweenReality…andVideogamesFacedwiththeundeniablefailureofhiswarmongeringpolicies,willFelipeCalderónHinojosachangehisstrategy?TheanswerisNO.Andnotjustbecausewarfromaboveisabusiness,andlikeanyotherbusiness,itismaintainedaslongasitisprofitable.Felipe Calderón de Hinojosa, the commander‐in‐chief of the armed forces, thefervent admirer of [former Spanish Prime Minister] José María Aznar, the self‐

proclaimed "disobedient son," the friend of Antonio Solá [1], the "winner" of thepresidentialelectionsbyahalfapercentagepoint thankstoElbaEstherGordillo'salchemy[2],themanofauthoritarianrudenessthatisclosetoatantrum("Getdownhere or I'llmake thembring you down here!" [3], hewhowants to cover up themurdered children in the ABC Daycare Center in Hermosillo, Sonora, with moreblood[4],hewhohasaccompaniedhismilitarywarwithawarondignifiedworkand just salaries, he who has calculated autism when faced with the murders ofMarisela Escobedo [5] and Susana Chávez Castillo [6], hewho hands out toe tagsthatsay"membersoforganizedcrime"tolittleboysandgirlsandmenandwomen[7]whowereandaremurderedbyhimbecause,yes,becausetheyhappenedtobein the wrong calendar and the wrong geography, and they aren't even namedbecausenoonekeepstrack,noteventhepress,noteventhesocialnetworks.He,FelipeCalderónHinojosa,isalsoafanofmilitarystrategyvideogames.FelipeCalderónHinojosaisthe"gamer""whoinfouryearsturnedthecountryintoamundaneversionofTheAgeofEmpire­­hisfavoritevideogame­­(…)alover­­andbadstrategist­­ofwar."(DiegoOsornoinMilenio,October3,2010).It ishewholeadsustoask:IsMexicobeinggovernedvideogame‐style?(Ibelievethat I can ask these sorts of controversial questions without them firing me forviolatingan"ethicscode"thatisdeterminedbypaidadvertising[8]).FelipeCalderónHinojosawon'tstop.Andnotonlybecausethearmedforceswon'tlethim(businessisbusiness),butalsofortheobstinacythathascharacterizedthepoliticallifeofthe"commander‐in‐chief"oftheMexicanarmedforces.Let's remember: In March 2001, when Felipe Calderón Hinojosa was theparliamentarian coordinator of the National Action Party's federal deputies [inCongress], that unfortunate spectacle took place when the National Action Party(PAN) did not let a joint indigenous delegation from the National IndigenousCongressandtheEZLNtakethepodiuminCongressduringthe"MarchoftheColoroftheEarth."Despite the fact that he was making the PAN out to be a racist and intolerantpoliticalorganization(whichitis)bydenyingtheindigenouspeopletherighttobeheard,FelipeCalderónHinojosastoodfirm.Everythingtoldhimitwasanerrortotake that position, but the then‐coordinator of the PAN deputies refused to cede(and he wound up hiding, along with Diego Fernández Cevallos and otherdistinguished PAN members, in one of the chamber's private halls, watching ontelevisionastheindigenouspeoplespokeinaspacethatthepoliticalclassreservesforitscomedysketches)."Nomatterthepoliticalcost,"FelipeCalderónHinojosawouldhavesaidatthetime.Nowhesaysthesame,althoughnowit'snotaboutthepoliticalcoststhatapolitical

party assumes, but rather the human costs that the entire country pays for thatstubbornness.At the point of ending thismissive, I found the statements of theUS Secretary ofHomeland Security, Janet Napolitano, speculating about the possible alliancesbetweenAlQaedaandMexicandrugcartels.Onedaybefore,theundersecretaryoftheUnitedStatesArmy,JosephWestphal,declaredthatinMexicothereisaformofinsurgencyleadbythedrugcartelsthatcouldpotentiallytakeoverthegovernment,whichwould implyaUSmilitaryresponse.Headded thathedidn'twant toseeasituationinwhichUSsoldiersweresenttofightaninsurgency"onourborder…orhavingtosendthemtoacrosstheborder"intoMexico.Meanwhile, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa was attending a rescue simulation in asimulatedtowninChihuahua,andheboardedanF‐5combatplaneandhesatinthepilot'sseatandjokedwitha"firemissiles."Fromthestrategyvideogamestothe"aerialcombatsimulation"and"first‐personshots"?FromAgeofEmpirestoHAWX?HAWX is an aerial combat video game where, in a not‐so‐distant future, privatemilitarycompanieshavereplacedgovernmentalmilitariesinvariouscountries.Thevideogame'sfirstmissionistobombCiudadJuarez,Chihuahua,Mexico,becausethe"rebelforces"havetakenovertheterritoryandthreatentocrossintoUSterritory.Notinthevideogame,butinIraq,oneoftheprivatemilitarycompaniescontractedby theUS StateDepartment and the Central IntelligenceAgencywas "BlackwaterUSA," which later changed its name to "Blackwater Worldwide." Its personnelcommitted serious abuses in Iraq, including murdering civilians. Now it haschangeditsnameto"XeServicesLLC"andisthebiggestprivatesecuritycontractortheUSStateDepartmenthas.Atleast90%ofitsprofitscomefromcontractswiththeUSgovernment.The same day that Felipe Calderón Hinojosa was joking in the combat plane(February10,2011),andalsointhestateofChihuahua,an8‐year‐oldgirldiedwhenshewashitbyabulletfromashoot‐outbetweenarmedpeopleandmembersofthemilitary.Whenwillthiswarend?Whenwill"GameOver"appearonthefederalgovernment'sscreen,followedbythecredits,withtheproducersandsponsorsofthewar?WhenwillFelipeCalderónbeabletosay"wewonthewar,we'veimposedourwillupontheenemy,we'vedestroyeditsmaterialandmoralcombatabilities,we'vere‐conqueredtheterritoriesthatwereunderitscontrol"?

Eversinceitwasconceived,thiswarhasnoend,anditisalsolost.TherewillnotbeaMexicanvictorintheselands(unlikethegovernment,theforeignPowerdoeshaveaplantoreconstruct‐reorganizetheterritory),andthedefeatwillbe the last corner of the dyingNational State inMexico: the social relations that,providingacommonidentity,arethebaseofaNation.Evenbeforethesupposedend,thesocialfabricwillbecompletelybroken.Results:theWarAboveandtheDeathBelowLet's see what the federal Ministry of the Interior reports about Felipe CalderónHinojosa's"non‐war":"2010 was the most violent year during the current administration, accumulating15,273murderslinkedtoorganizedcrime,58%morethanthe9,614registeredduring2009, according to statistics published thisWednesday by the Federal Government.FromDecember2006up to theendof201034,612murderswerecounted,ofwhich30,913werereportedas"executions";3,153arelistedas"clashes"and544arelistedas "homicides­attacks." Alejandro Poiré, the National Security Council's technicalsecretary,presentedanofficialdatabasecreatedbyexpertsthatwillshow,beginningnow, "monthly disaggregated information at the state and municipal level" aboutviolenceinthewholecountry."(Vanguardia,Coahuila,Mexico,January13,2011)Let'sask:Ofthose34,612murders,howmanywerecriminals?Andthemorethanone thousand little boys and girlsmurdered (which the Secretary of the Interior"forgot"toitemizeinhisaccount),weretheyalsoorganizedcrime"hit‐men"?Whenthe federal government proclaims "we'rewinning," againstwhich drug cartel arethey referring to? How many tens of thousands more make up this "ridiculousminority"thatistheenemythatmustbedefeated?Whileuptheretheyuselesslytrytotonedownthiswar'smurderswithstatistics,itisimportanttonotethatthesocialfabricisalsobeingdestroyedinalmostallofthenationalterritory.The Nation's collective identity is being destroyed and it is being supplanted byanother.Because"acollectiveidentityisnomorethananimagethatapeopleforgesofitselfinorder to recognize itself has belonging to that people. Collective identity is thosefeatures in which an individual recognizes himself or herself as belonging to acommunity.Andthecommunityacceptsthisindividualaspartofit.Thisimagethatthepeople forge is not necessarily thepersistence of an inherited traditional image,butrather,generallyitisforgedbytheindividualinsofarass/hebelongstoaculture,tomakehis/herpastandcurrentlifeconsistentwittheprojectsthats/hehasforthatcommunity.

So identity is not a mere legacy that is inherited, rather, it is an imagine that isconstructed, that each people creates, and therefore is variable and changeableaccordingtohistoricalcircumstances."(LuisVilloro,November1999,interviewwithBertoldBernreuter,Aachen,Germany).Inagoodpartofthenationalterritory'scollectiveidentity,thereisno(astheywishus tobelieve)disputebetween thenationalanthemand thenarco­corrido["narco‐ballad"] (if you don't support the government you support organized crime, andvice‐versa).No.Whatexistsisanimposition,byforceofarms,offearasacollectiveimage,ofuncertainty and vulnerability as mirrors in which those collectives arereflected.Whatsocialrelationshipscanbemaintainedorwoveniffearisthedominantimagebywhichasocialgroupcanidentifyitself,ifthesenseofcommunityisbrokenbythecry"Saveyourselfifyoucan"?Theresultsofthiswarwon'tonlybethousandsofdead…andjuicyeconomicgains.Also, and above all, it will result in a nation destroyed, depopulated, andirreversiblybroken.III.­ISTHERENOTHINGTODO?

To those who extract their petty electoral sums and subtractions in this deadlycount,weremindyou:

17 years ago, on January 12, 1994, a gigantic citizen mobilization (eye: withoutbosses, centralcommands, leadersordirectors)stopped thewarhere.Facedwiththehorror,destructionanddeaths,17yearsagothereactionwasalmostimmediate,resounding,efficient.

Now it is the spasm, thegreed, the intolerance, themeanness that curtail supportandconveneimmobility…andinefficiency.

The laudable initiative of a group of cultural workers (“NO MORE BLOOD”) wasdisqualifiedfromitsbeginningfornot“folding”beforeanelectoralproject, fornotcomplyingwiththemandatetowaituntil2012.

Nowthattheyhavethewarthere,intheircities,intheirstreets,ontheirhighways,intheirhouses,whathavetheydone?Isay,“folding”beforewhoeverhas“thebetter

project.”

Askingpeople towait until 2012?What thenmust one indeedvote againpor thelesseroftwoevilsandnowindeedoneisgoingtorespectthevote?

If there are more than 34 thousand deaths in 4 years, there are more than 8thousanddeaths per year. In otherwords,must onewait for 16 thousanddeathsmoretodosomething?

Because it'sgoingtogetworse. If thecurrentpointmenfor the2012presidentialelections (Enrique Peña Nieto and Marcelo Ebrard), govern the states with thegreatestnumbermayorofcitizens,isitnotexpectedthatthe“waragainstorganizedcrime”willincreasetherewithitsvolumeof“collateraldamages”?

What are they going to do? Nothing. They are going to follow the same path ofintoleranceandsatanizationas4yearsago,whenin2006everyonethatwasnotinfavorofLópezObradorwasaccusedof serving the right.Those that attackedandslandered us then and now, continue on the same path at the front of othermovements,organizations,protests,andmobilizations.

Why the supposed big national organization that is preparing so that in the nextfederalelections,nowindeed,analternativeprojectforthenationwillwin,doesn'tdoanythingnow?Isay,iftheythinkthattheycanmobilizemillionsofMexicanstovoteforanyone,whydon'ttheymobilizethemtostopthewarsothatthecountrysurvives? Or is it a petty calculation and ruin? That the count of deaths anddestructionrestswiththeopponentandmightaddupforthenominee?

Today,inthemidstofthiswar,criticalthinkingisonceagainpostponed.What'sfirstisfirst:2012andtheanswerstoquestionsaboutthe"leaders,"newsorrecycled,forthat future that is being destroyed little by little from today. Everythingmust besubordinate to that calendar and to its previous steps: the local elections inGuerrero,BajaCaliforniaSur,Hidalgo,Nayarit,Coahuila,andthestateofMexico.

Andwhileeverythingcrumbles,theytellusthatwhatisimportantistoanalyzetheelectoral results, the tendencies, thepossibilities.They call for enduringuntil it isthetimeofcensuringtheelectoralticket,andofonceagainhopingthateverythingisfixedandthefragilecastleofcardsoftheMexicanpoliticalclassonceagainrises.

Dotheyrememberthattheyridiculedandattackedtheonethatsince2005wouldcalltothepeopletoorganizeaccordingtotheirowndemands,history,identityandaspirations and not to gamble that anyone there above was going to resolveeverything?

Werewewrongorwerethey?

Whointheprincipalcitesdarestosaythathecangooutwithtranquilitynotonlyin

theweehoursofthemorning,butwhenit'sbarelygettingdark?

Whomakeshisownthe“wearewinning”ofthefederalgovernmentandseeswithrespect,andnotwithfear,soldiers,marinesandpolice?

Who are those that wake up nowwithout knowing if they are going to be alive,healthyorfreeattheendofthedaythatbegins?

Whocannotofferthepeopleanescape,analternativethatisnottowaitforthenextelections?

Whoisnotabletoputforthaninitiativethatreallycharmslocally,notthenationallevel?

Whoremainedalone?

Because in theend, thosewhoaregoing to staywillbe thosewhoresisted; thosewho did not sell out; thosewho did not surrender; thosewho didn't no give up;thosewhounderstoodthatthesolutionsdon'tcomefromabove,butthattheyareconstructedfrombelow;thosewhodidn'tbetorgambleontheillusionsthatsellapoliticalclassthathastimingthatsmellslikeacadaver;thosewhodidn'tfollowthecalendarofabovenoradjustedtheirgeographyconvertingasocialmovementintoalistofnumbersofIFEcredentials;whofacedwiththewardidnotremainimmobile,awaitingthenewjugglingspectacleofthepoliticalclassintheelectoralcircustent,butthatconstructedasocialalternative,notindividual,ofliberty,justice,workandpeace.

IV.­ETHICSANDOUROTHERWAR

We have said before that war is inherent to capitalism and that the struggle forpeaceisanti‐capitalist.

You, Don Luis, have also said before that: “socialmorality constitutes only a firstlevel,pre‐critical,ofethics.Criticalethicsbeginswhenthesubjectdistanceshimselffromthe formsofexistingmoralityandaskshimselfabout thevalidityof itsrulesandbehaviors.Canitbeperceivedthatthesocialmoralitydoesnotfulfillthevirtuesitproclaims?"IsitpossibletobringEthicstowar?Isitpossibletomakeitburstoutamongmilitaryparades,militarygrades,checkpoints,operations,combatactions,ordeaths? ¿Is it possible to bring into question the validity of military rules andbehaviors?

Or is the outline of its possibility no more than an exercise in philosophicalspeculation?

The inclusion of that “other” element in thewarwould only be possiblewithin aparadox. To include ethics as a conflict's determining factor would bring as aconsequence a radical recognition: the opponent knows that the result of its“triumph”willbeitsdefeat.

AndIdon'trefertodefeatas“destruction”or“abandonment,”buttothenegationofexistenceasabelligerentforce.Thatis,aforcemakesawarthat,ifitwins,willmeanitsdisappearanceasaforce.Thesamethinghappensifitloses;butnoonemakesawartoloseit(well,FelipeCalderónHinojosayes).

AndhereistheparadoxoftheZapatistawar:ifwelose,wewin;andifwewin,wewin.Thekeyisinthatourwarisawarthatdoesnotseektodestroytheopponentintheclassicsense.

Itisawarthattriestoannultheterrainofitsrealizationandthepossibilitiesoftheopponents(usincluded).

Itisawartostopbeingwhatwearenowandthustobewhatwemustbe.

Thathasbeenpossiblebecausewerecognizetheothers,alaotra,alootro,that,inother landsofMexico andof theWorld, andwithoutbeing equal tous, suffer thesorrows,maintainsimilarresistances,thatstruggleforamultipleidentitythatdoesnotannul,enslave,conquer,andthatlongsforaworldwithoutarmies.

17 years ago, on January 1, 1994, thewar against the original peoples ofMexicobecamevisible.

Lookingatthenationalgeographyinthiscalendar,weremember:

WeZapatistas,werewenotviolentones?Didn'ttheyaccuseusofseekingtodividenationalterritory?Wasitnotsaidthatourobjectivewastodestroythesocialpeace,underminetheinstitutions,sowchaos,promoteterrorandfinishwiththewelfareofa free, independent and sovereignNation?Was it notpointedoutup to abellyfulthat our demand for recognition of indigenous rights and culture undermines thesocialorder?

17 years ago, on January 12, 1994, a civil mobilization, without defined politicalmembership, demanded that we attempt the path of dialogue to resolve ourdemands.

Wecomplied.

Timeandagain,inspiteofthewaragainstus,weinsistedonpeacefulinitiatives.

Foryearswehaveresistedmilitary,ideologicalandeconomicattacks,andnowthesilenceaboutwhatoccurshere.

Inthemostdifficultconditionsnoonlydidwenotsurrender,norsellout,norgivein,wealsoconstructedbetterlivingconditionsinourtowns.

AtthebeginningofthismissiveIsaidthatwaresanoldacquaintanceoftheoriginalpeoples,ofindigenousMexicans.

More than500yearsafter,more than200yearsafter,more than100yearsafter,andnowwith thatothermovement thatdemands itsmultiple communal identity,wesay:

Wearehere.

Wehaveidentity.

Wehaveasenseofcommunitybecauseneitherdidwewaitfornordidweaspiretothesolutionsthatweneedanddeservebecausetheycamefromabove.

Becausewedonotsubjectustowalkingaroundwithonewholookstoabove.

Because,maintainingtheindependenceofourproposal,werelateonanequalbasiswiththeotherthat,likeus,notonlyresists,butalsohasbeenconstructingtheirownidentity that gives them social belonging, and now also represents the only solidopportunityofsurvivingthedisaster.

Wearefew,ourgeographyislimitedandwearenobody.

Wearedispersedoriginalpeoplesinthemostdistantgeographyandcalendar.

Wearesomethingelse.

Wearefewandourgeographyislimited.

Butinourcalendaranguishdoesnotcommand.

Weonlyhaveeachother.

Perhapsitislittlewhatwehave,butwearenotafraid.

Allright,DonLuis.Health,andletcriticalreflectioninspirenewsteps.

FromthemountainsoftheMexicanSoutheast,

SubcomandanteInsurgenteMarcos.Mexico,January‐February,2011