Iran and the Western left By Cihan Tugal https://links.org.au/iran-and-western-left
As occupations and wars intensify, anti-imperialism has become a key priority for the global left. This has raised questions about how to organise and mobilise a mass anti-imperialist movement. Within the Western left, particularly socialists in the United States, a certain position is gaining ground that, at first, seems logical but ultimately undermines the left’s cause. This position demands we offer unconditional support to regimes and movements targeted by imperialism, and regard any criticism of them as treason. The latest example is the support given to the Iranian regime, which has killed countless leftists, minorities and women over the years. Before delving into the subject, one thing must be clear: when it comes to the Global South, any country facing imperialist aggression must be defended. Moreover, in the event of war or occupation, this defence must not be watered down. However, this does not mean turning a blind eye to the nature of the regimes under threat. The position I was referring to equates anti-imperialism with support for the Iranian regime. It claims any criticism of the regime right now amounts to support for imperialism. Those who support this position employ quite sound arguments. The most persuasive is that the Western left’s primary responsibility is to curb the belligerence of their own states and that, in any case, we lack the power to influence the Iranian regime. Imperialist aggression will only push the regime towards an even more hardline stance; therefore, defeating imperialism is the best way to support the Iranian people. This position is not only put forward by groups that opponents label as “campist” — those who take opposition to Western imperialism as their starting point on every global issue. Even some non-campists have used this argument. While fundamentally correct, it nevertheless overlooks one crucial point. It is true that the Western left does not have the power to democratise the Iranian regime. But the left’s stance on this issue directly affects the number and type of people we can draw into anti-imperialist organisation and action... Continue reading at https://links.org.au/iran-and-western-left -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#41659): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/41659 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/119169790/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
