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There are several problems with the reply of Chris Slee.
1) He seems not to be able to differentiate between the U.S. and Turkey.
Marxists differentiate between imperialist and non-imperialist states.
The U.S. is – until now – the biggest Great Power in the world. Turkey
is not even imperialist. And even if one subscribes to the idea of
“sub-imperialism” there is still a qualitative difference between the
U.S. and Turkey. Unfortunately Chris Slee / SA /GLW have replaced
Marxism with the petty-bourgeois YPG outlook according to which Turkey
is the worst enemy in the region.
2) Chris Slee says that the YPG/SDF “receives some aid from the US”.
This is an extraordinary diplomatic description of the fact that this
organization receives annually several hundreds of millions of US-Dollar
since several years! None of the Syrian rebel factions – even not the
most corrupted ones – has received such regular paid sums until now!
3) Add to this that the YPG/SDF occupies large areas with Arab majority
population, i.e. it is a reactionary occupation force in the service of
the U.S.
4) We have repeatedly said (and denounced) that some rebel factions act
as mercenaries for Turkey (like those in Afrin or Northeast Syria). This
is because they are paid and fight under the command of Turkey – like
the YPG does for U.S. imperialism.
5) The situation in Idlib has been different. Turkey (and its allies)
have orientated towards deals with Russian imperialism (Astana and
Sochi). The majority of the rebels controlling Idlib have refused this.
This is why the war continues. Yes, this can change in the future. But
it is not the situation until now. Turkey has not intervened into the
war in Idlib until one or two weeks ago. To say that they are
controlling the situation in Idlib would be a cynical caricature of the
reality. They have just now intervened for the first time in the
fighting in Nayrab.
In conclusion, one can not exclude the possibility that in the future
the situation might change. The alliance of Turkey and Russia could
break down, an open and full warfare between Turkey and Russia/Assad
could start (i.e. not only sporadic clashes as it is now) and in such a
situation the majority of the rebels could subordinate themselves under
the Turkish command. As we have said in the past, if such a fundamental
turn in the situation takes place, revolutionary tactics have also to
change.
However, I consider such a possibility as unlikely. I think this could
only take place if the U.S. would be willing to fully support
(economically, financially, military, etc.) Turkey against Russia and
hence there would be a realignment between Ankara and Washington. There
are no serious indications for this as it would mean a complete turn in
the U.S. strategy for the Middle East. But, as I said, it can not be
excluded.
In any case, Marxists don’t take position on the basis of speculations
about possible developments in the future but on the basis of the real
relation of class forces today. And the reality today is that the YPG
serves since years under the command and with the money of U.S.
imperialism and occupies in their service large parts of non-Kurdish
land. In contrast, the Syrian rebels fight a just war to defend their
people against the Assad and Russian imperialism. They have done so for
many years and despite the Turkish-Russian deals of Sochi and Astana.
Am 25.02.2020 um 22:09 schrieb Chris Slee:
Because the Syrian Democratic Forces receive some aid from the US, Michael Probsting claims they
are "mercenaries for US imperialism". He says that "US imperialism controls the
eastern part of Syria".
If he were to apply the same logic to Idlib province, he would say that Turkey
controls most of Idlib, and that the rebels there are mercenaries for Turkey.
Turkey has aided rebel groups in Idlib since 2011. It began stationing troops
there in 2017. But this has increased dramatically recently.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 2,850 Turkish trucks and
military vehicles crossed into Syrian territory between February 2 and February
24. 7,600 Turkish troops deployed to Idlib and Aleppo provinces. The number
of Turkish military posts rose to 43:
http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=155721
This greatly exceeds the US presence in northeastern Syria. Yet Probsting still talks of
"the popular uprising in Syria", presumably referring to the rebels in Idlib.
The fact that these rebels are allied with Turkey against Assad does not lead him to call
them mercenaries.
The fact that a group receives outside aid does not automatically make it a
"mercenary". I would not condemn a rebel group solely for receiving aid from
Turkey to fight against the Assad regime.
But Turkish aid has been used as a means of coopting rebel groups. Those who
joined Turkey in its invasions of Afrin and northeastern Syria have become
mercenaries.
The SDF is fighting against ISIS because ISIS is a reactionary organisation,
which oppresses women and religious minorities. The US is fighting ISIS for
its own reasons. The fact that there is cooperation against a common enemy
does not make the SDF mercenaries.
This does not mean that such cooperation is without problems and dangers. The
cooption of some Syrian rebel groups by Turkey shows the dangers.
Chris Slee
--
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(Österreichische Sektion der RCIT, www.thecommunists.net)
www.rkob.net
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Tel./SMS/WhatsApp/Telegram: +43-650-4068314
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