Re: [Marxism] The Iraqi "Resistance" and the Pressure Group Mentality of many on the Left

[davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

For the most part, this essay Jason posted is far left nonsence, could have been
written by the CIA operative. My impression of the Iraqi resistance is a lot 
different
to this group's description of the  "reality" on the ground . Rather than 
killing
"indiscriminately", most of their targets have been calculated: "Iraqi police" 
stations,
"army recruitment" centres, U.S. "army related" structures or personel.

They also claim that the resistance "


 deprives people of the most basic pleasures
of modern life, like enjoying music, dance, modern clothes, alcohol,
modern hair styles and so on."

In other words, they deprives people of consumerist urges?

This is the stuff that makes us, in the west, narcistic to the point
 that we would rather satisfy these "needs" than help a fellow human being
in need -- someone starving to death on the street, for example.


The lines that, "Any progressive
party, not just socialist and communist parties, will separate its
ranks from the two poles of reaction in Iraq and will try to mobilize
people to defeat both these poles."

seems a like a page out of the Spartacists league program, although to the 
credit of
the Sparts, I don't see them even taking such a ridiculous position. Throwing 
down
their guns to mobilize people "to defeat both these poles" (namely, the 
imperialists
and the resistance) would only work consolidate the occupation.

It would be a gift to the imperialists.

The passage below is the icing on the cake for me:

"Evidences indicates that the victory of these groups in the
current terrorist war will have disastrous consequences for 25 million
people in Iraq, for people in the region and worldwide. It is this
obvious reality, which neo-liberals (like Bush, Blair and Howard) use
to scare people and to maintain their grip on many Western societies.
The fact that the Islamo-ethnocentric resistance is very reactionary
and is antagonistic to human wellbeing and prosperity is undeniable."


What evidence? Which terrorists war?
The passage is both contradictory and confusing.
They don't even the make the slightest attempt to analyze the resistance
movement in the context of the invasion and occupation.

Calling the resistance "one of the most reactionary
forces in the world today" hardly lends credibility to their argument.

DOQ








On 9 Jan 2005 at 20:20, Jason R wrote:

Below is a recent essay from the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq.  I
haven't seen much talked about this group.  Anyone familiar with them?
 I find myself in agreement with at least this essay.  I haven't made
my way through the rest of the website.  Was it on this list where
there was a discussion of worker-communism in Iran?

Jason
-----------------

The Iraqi "Resistance" and the Pressure Group Mentality of many on the Left


By Toma Hamid , December 2004


There is a split on the left internationally on the question of the
reactionary Iraqi Islamoethnocentric" resistance".

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


_______________________________________________
Marxism mailing list
Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism