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Eli Quotes > > Fred: "I am sure that the conventional wisdom on the Marxism List, where I > am sort of based, is that latest threats by the US government are just more > talk." > There was no such conventional wisdom at all. If one counted the posts from Nestor, Fred, Eli, & Luko one would think that the list had decided that the real danger lay in the rebels seeking outside intervention. What there was on the opposing side was a recognition that Gaddafi was an enemy of the Arab revolution. Added to this there was a good deal of scorn for his so-called anti-Imperialist credentials. Lou has exposed these in post after post and so did I but these contributions were studiously ignored. I have always opposed outside intervention and so have Lou and others. No one is in favour of it. No one. Having said that if I were in Benghazi and facing the fate that Gadaffi had prepared for me, I would be tempted to grasp at the straw the UN is holding out. I would be politically wrong of course. So I am not shocked by the images from Benghazi of joy at the UN vote. None of that detracts from my core belief that the Libyan revolt was an integral part of the Arab Revolution. It is Gaddafi and his filthy sons especially - "the Sword of Islam"- who have acted as the best friends of imperialism throughout this. Their tribalistic opposition to the revolt opened the door for reaction. The blood curdling threats and crazy ramblings of Gaddafi himself had only to be publicised to build the case for intervention. In all probability intervention was delayed until those who opposed intervention on the rebel side were too weak, and too isolated in face of the "no Mercy" threat from the mad dog himself. Having broken my vow of silence on Libya I will throw the tomahawk as well. A central problem on the Left is that we have all too often failed to grasp the damage we have done to the cause of human emancipation and our own reputations by our championing of characters like Mugabe, Ahmadinejad and Gaddafi. Of course we oppose Imperialistic adventures but we stand for the cause of humanity. No matter how weak and feeble our numbers, our moral strength should always be untouchable. That is the disservice that Chavez has done to the world revolution by his refusal to welcome the Arab revolution in Libya and his sidling up to the Gaddafi family. It is also on a lesser scale the disservice that Yoshi and MRzine have done to our cause. Eli's parting shot was > > The U.S. has got its war. > Maybe. What they have got is an excuse to intervene and Gaddafi has given it to them. But never forget it is easy to go in but very hard to get out. I have seen British soldiers welcomed in the Catholic streets of Belfast because they appeared to offer respite from the onslaught of Protestant terror. Within a year war had broken out against those same troops. The same fate awaits those who intervene in Libya. comradely Gary ________________________________________________ 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
