Several collectives have recently met to discuss the administrations plans to go to war with Iraq.

This reporter has been privy on plans some activists have been working on to denounce the war as a waste of money, blood, lives and time- not to mention a horrible and wrongheaded diversion from more pressing issues. They see it as a way the US corporate state plans on increasing global hegemony and increasing instutional stability in the region.

Instead of pamphleting, flyering or atttempting to increase the cultural discourse, a unique approach has been realized. Several collectives have decided to main tactical silence throughout the build-up and if and when the "war" starts, to play catch up on the issue.

On local organizer has called for a flyering campain regarding the war. The collectives who have opted for this new tactical silence have decided to continue with their new tactical silence, assured that history would show that their silence did not make a bad situation worse.

The journalist agrees with this analysis and plans on going on a hunger fast until the war starts.

If a tree falls in the woods who will hear it?

If a confused tree falls in the forest who will understand it?

The overwhelming power of the post 9-11 miasma continues to knock radical groups on their asses. This new political paradigm (beyond the 1996-2001 paradigm of reclaiming proggressive radical vision from Clintonesque pax marketus) needs to be addressed.

Tactical silence is a great tool if your silence looms like a spectre- threateningly immense (ie: the whole mexican underclass)

But what if your immensity is invisible or not established?

The inevitability of a war with Irag looms like the tactical paralysis of the several local activists groups who have met and agreed to do nothing.

Why continue to remain invisible?

Why not peirce the specter of avantegaurdist silence of "radical cells" ?

Peace and anti-militarism is not a radical agenda. Their is no power mantained in preserving its secrecy. Peace is not the conspiracy, war is.

Is this a moment for insurgency or a time for claiming vacated oppositional spaces?

Fill that silent space with talk and you may find that a fear-filled public, scared into inactivity, finding their own voices as well.