"What is now happening in Iraq underlines the political inadequacy of the positions the main camps on the left adopted over the conflict three years ago.
It is increasingly obvious that both the pro-war left – remember their visions of a grateful Iraqi people strewing the path of US troops with flowers? – and the ‘Victory to the Resistance!’ brigade have gotten things completely wrong. Not that either can bring themselves to admit it, of course."
I can't say I agree that that's how the left was divided over Iraq - from my experience lots of socialists and social democrats opposed the war without calling for "Victory to the resistance". I don't know what your definition of the left is, but if people like Harry's Place are on the left then surely we are too. Even on the far-left the Millies and AWL both took roughly that position didn't they?
Unfortunately the Democrats in America have no serious plans for withdrawl. Even worse, Bush has ordered for tens of thousands of more troops to be deployed in 2007.
Dave-
So, all that matters in Iraq is which poxy UK lefty faction got it right and who got it wrong?
Have you followed what's happened in Iraq beyond watching BBC?
The situation in Iraq is pretty much as the authors of this war (US neocons and Israeli authorities) wanted it. Being welcomed with flowers might have been nicer, but I dont think many of them really anticipated that, or they wouldn't have disbanded the army, police, civil service and just about everything else, and allowed generalised looting.
You say '[federalism] would also be unpopular in the Middle East. Many Arabs would regard it as Zionist plot to fragment Iraq for Israel’s benefit.' - And they'd be right.
And 'there is no way the US would countenance the creation of a Sunni-dominated de facto Al Qa’eda statelet.' - Come on. The Iraqi Sunnis may have co-operated with Al Quaeda to begin with, but when they saw what they were up to they pretty much drove them out of the country.
The civil war has been fomented by Al Quaeda (possibly under direction of Mossad) and Shia death squads set up by Negroponte (bringing his Latin American experience to bear).
There is still a genuine Sunni resistance, and to some extent a Shia one. There are far more attacks on US and UK forces than there are sectarian attacks.
However, civil war seems finally to be taking hold despite all the attempts of Iraqi leaders to stop it. Then USUK forces will retire to their desert fortresses, only intervening if western oil interests are threatened.
632C5R09OW8
ftssoldier.blogspot.com
www.edwardsaid.org
Dave as regards iraq check this
webpage out, It is real live plan
to redraw the map of middle east.
http://www.armedforcesjournal.co...2006/06/
1833899
www.armedforcesjournal.com/2006/06/1833899
what do you think?
PLEASE REPLY.
and read this:
http://www.policyreview.org/apr0...pr03/
kurtz.html
The opposing view:
http://www.policyreview.org/apr0...r03/
jowitt.html
Dave as regards iraq check this
webpage out, It is real live plan
to redraw the map of middle east.
I think I've seen that article before.
I'm speaking from memory here, but as I recall last time this article was discussed in the blogosphere, it turned out to be something of a storm in a teacup.
Despite its title, the Armed Forces Journal is a privately-issued publication, not an official journal of the US military. Basically, it's some pundit sounding off about his pet theory, not a statement of actual US policy.
As regards Iraq, I agree with Dave that events on the ground bear no relation to the predictions either by the pro-war left or the "Victory to the Resistance" brigade.
We've got to get out. Whether we do that by immediate withdrawal or the current province-by-province handover is a matter for debate. As a friend of mine put it, "I will listen to the argument for immediate withdrawal from anyone who is not a member of the Socialist Workers Party."
"We've got to get out. Whether we do that by immediate withdrawal or the current province-by-province handover is a matter for debate."
Blimey. Have you run this past your mates at 'Drink Soaked Trots' yet?
Blimey. Have you run this past your mates at 'Drink Soaked Trots' yet?
I think I'm a bit of an anomaly on the DSTFW blog, since I've never been a Trotskyite and was never pro-war. I have been known to get drink-soaked though.
I think they just asked me to write for them because they know I don't like Galloway and the SWP. These days I don't really talk about Iraq on the rare occasions I blog there. I prefer to blog about nursing and health, since that's more something I feel qualified to write about.
The resistance is very fragmented and a not a clear political force. But there are people fighting against the occupation and that should be highlighted. It isn't cut and dried. What about the death squads organised by the Americans and where US soldiers have testified that this is indeed happening?
Also, what about the civil resistance by the oil workers in southern Iraq? The big show down for them will over privatisation by the production sharing agreemtents.
The west should stop meddling in the Middle East and Israel should cease being a violent colonialist state.
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