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The point is well made. But aren't those the views of Willi Langthaler, the writer, responding to Arundhati Roy, who said she was "anxious" about the support the rebellions enjoy in the western media? -----Original Message----- From: marxism-bounces+rfidler_8=sympatico...@greenhouse.economics.utah.edu [mailto:marxism-bounces+rfidler_8=sympatico...@greenhouse.economics.ut ah.edu] On Behalf Of sobuadha...@hushmail.com Sent: February 26, 2011 11:18 AM To: rfidle...@sympatico.ca Subject: [Marxism] Arhundati Roy on the struggle in Libya Excerpts from an interview with the Anti-Imperialist Camp discussing Western media support for the insurgents in Libya. <http://www.antiimperialista.org/en/node/6844> However, support by the western media machinery won't automatically create a pro-western movement. Of course there are forces in Libya-as well as in Egypt and in Tunisia-who seek salvation in the west, but the main forces of the rebellion are the middle and lower classes, and they combine democratic demands with social and anti-imperialist demands. This also seems to be the case in Libya, where the average standard of living is much higher than in other Maghreb countries, but just as in the oil monarchies of the Gulf, the oil rent is distributed in a very unequal way and political power is monopolised. The rebellion is thus absolutely legitimate, even though it is not motivated by hunger as it is in Egypt.. The jubilations of the western media are very myopic and misplaced indeed, maybe delusional. They are hoping for a colour revolution like those staged in eastern Europe, but the Arab world has been the victim of 150 years of brutal colonialism and neo-colonialism, permanent Israeli aggression, numerous US-led wars, neoliberal pillage decorated with pro-western oil princes who flaunt a Disney Arabia to the starving masses. A few rabid liberal democracy criers won't be enough to turn around the legitimate hatred of the masses against the west which has been nurtured for generations. In the Middle East and in the Arab world, democracy means anti-imperialism. ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@greenhouse.economics.utah.edu Set your options at: http://greenhouse.economics.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
