Re: [Marxism] The immigration thread

[Barney Katz <taxi4marx@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- rrubinelli <rrubinelli@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> "I disagree that the  overwhelming priority is to
> demand the withdrawal
> of  US troops and their allies.  If the reactionary,
> clerico-bourgeoisie of Political Islam were to seize
> power by stepping
> into the vaccuum caused by a sudden  US withdrawal,
> an enormously
> backward step will have  been taken."
>
> "For me, the question of WHO forces the US out of
> Iraq
> is of great importance. If the US can be forced out
> by
> a partly functioning constitutional democracy with a
> reasonably strong workers' movement as a part of it,
> this would be a far better alternative. At least
> anti-capitalist elements might have some space
> within
> such a set-up to conduct their activity. While I am
> a
> Marxist, I am also a Humanist and I would not wish
> Islamist backwardness and barbarism upon my worst
> enemy"
>
> "This May Day I'll be marching for a graduated
> withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, for maintaining
> Iraqi ownership over Iraqi resources, and for
> solidarity with the developing workers' movement
> there."
> ______________
> Anybody out there recognize those words as the words
> of our
> misunderstood Mr. Katz?
>
> Well they're  all his.  Directly quoted from his
> posts.
>
> So much for his support of immediate, unconditional
> withdrawal. So much
> for his broad-minded socialist understanding of the
> intricacies of
> class and ethnicity. So much for misundestanding of
> the real intent and
> content of his  broad-minded socialist understanding
> of class
> solidarity.  So much for our misunderstanding of his
> real concerns
> regarding the "progressiveness" of Islam.
>
> It's all white man's burden bullshit and deserves
> exactly the heated
> treatment it has received.
>
> rr


You've correctly cited my position above at the time
of its posting which was in about April this year.

But since then I've changed my mind on the matter of
"graduated withdrawal", based on what the demands of
the more militant and avowedly socialist elements of
the workers' movement in Iraq are. (Is it permissible
in your universe to modify one's position on the basis
of additional information, discussion and thought?).

Having modified my political position of "graduated
withdrawal", and supporting now a complete
unconditional withdrawal, I still, however, harbour
personal concerns about whether the violence between
sects and ethnicities mightn't be exacerbated if the
foreign forces were to suddenly pull out. The danger
of civil war is a real one, not to mention the
likelihood of military intervention and occupation by
neighbouring states. The bloodletting could be
terrible, not to mention the destructive effects that
could be rendered upon the workers' movement such as
it is. (My apologies, Mr. rrubinelli, it's just the
humanist in me).

BK



                
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