80th birthday remarks

 

[Remarks made at August 15 birthday celebration in Brunswick. Photo: Dave speaking; Jim McIlroy on monitor zooming in from Sydney.] 

I’d like to thank everyone for coming. It’s very much appreciated. I especially appreciate the comrades who have come from interstate and regional Victoria to be here tonight.

Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the recent passing of Comrade Bob Hart, just a short while after his 80th birthday. He will be missed.

As a newly-minted octagenarian, I’m very appreciative of the other octagenarians who are with us tonight (there are a few) — as well as the septagenarians who we can regard as honorary octagenarians or octagenarians in waiting!

Growing old is above all a big surprise! You’re just going along, getting older year by year and then, suddenly, you have definitely arrived somewhere else entirely! The mechanism creaks and groans a lot more than it used to. Anyway, I try to keep fit and focus on the tasks at hand.

The West steps up its war against Russia

Trump meets with European leaders & Zelensky at the White House, August 18, 2025.

A Russophobic madness has gripped most of the European Union countries. Pressured by Washington, they have committed to dramatically ramping up their military spending. The rationale is that Europe needs to prepare to confront the supposed Russian threat.

On the level of facts this makes no sense at all. NATO military spending is way higher than Russia’s and NATO military strength, at least on paper, is far greater. And, most importantly, there is zero evidence that Russia wants to attack Western Europe — absolutely no evidence whatsoever! It doesn’t even seek to occupy all of Ukraine, merely to stop NATO from converting the country into a forward base for operations against Russia. But when a war drive is underway and the corporate media is on board, facts are just an inconvenience that can be ignored or explained away.

Iran war shows dramatic decline of US imperialism

 Underground Iranian missile base.

 Iran & allies respond to US-Israeli assault

Notwithstanding all the death and destruction meted out by the US-Israeli aggressors, they have failed to achieve any sort of victory over Iran. On the contrary, Iran actually seems to be in a stronger overall position.

Despite the unpopularity of the regime, public support for defending their country against the US has grown stronger within Iran. This is shown by the large and repeated public demonstrations within the country and the willingness of large numbers of people to turn out to protect vital infrastructure with their bodies.

Cuba: US moves in for the kill

 

[Havana, June 15, 2026: Funeral of 32 Cuban soldiers killed in US attack on Venezuela.]

[Educational to Socialist Alliance Melbourne branch, March 3, 2026.]

Washington’s fundamental hostility

67 years after the initial victory of the Cuban Revolution, it faces perhaps its greatest ever challenge as Washington moves in for the kill.

The January 1, 1959 triumph of the Revolution and its victory over the US-led counterrevolution at Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs) in April 1961 electrified progressive and popular forces in Latin America. The revolution and the bold, dynamic new leadership around Fidel and Che had a huge impact.

Can the Rojava Revolution survive?

[Educational talk given to Newcastle Socialist Alliance on February 11, 2026.]

Distribution of Kurds across the Middle East.