Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 09:26:26 +0200 (MET DST)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: Iraq: From a scratch to Gangrene?


>From a scratch to Gangrene?

>From just being a formuler or editing problem in the declaration on Iraq it
appears that we now have a major difference!

Actually the following two lines written by PO (yossi) say to me that PO has
been touched by a dos of third worldism in the first degree.

PO (yossi) writes;
>
>The nationalism of the arbs express the nationalism of the opressed, while
>the nationalism of the zionists express the nationalism of the opressor.

This has been the problem with the document from the very beginning and why
i raised the question of continuing to give this document my support. This
formulation can be taken as nothing else other then you have written off the
entire Israeli Proletariat and poor people to Zionism! I disagree whole
heartedly.

This would be like saying the same thing as the other thread that is going
on about the "American people" supporting Clinton's imperialist attacks
against Iraq, which certainly and overwhelming majority do---and writting
them off as hopeless!

This approach is the approach of people who are soft on third world
nationalism! In fact in this case Iraq under the leadership of Saddam
recently had the third or fourth most powerful army in the world. Enormous
oil resources and was the darling of both American,German,Swedish
imperialism where he spent a lot of the oil money over the years building up
just that army.

But then we are discussing here the Kurds and the Palestineans as being the
oppressed nationalities. They are in fact that. And naturally
Bolshevik-Leninists support their "right" to self determination and land to
live and thrive on.

But Zionism is the oppressor nation? Or the nationalism of the oppressed. I
doubt that they are alone in the middle east. Zionism is a reactionary
bougeois ideology that is imposed on Israeli,s from the top.There are
millions of Jewish Workers and poor people who both through their position
in society, but also other reasons do not accept this ideology more then in
the way that Americans appear to accept the present policies of the Clinton
administration.

Although the special history and creation of Israel by the victors of the
second world war must also be taken into consideration. In fact back then
they had to fight a war against the British colonialists. Unfortunately the
leadership to a large part were Zionists. But who,s side were we on then?

>Arab nationalism has progressive and reactionary elements. It is progressive
>in relationship to opposition to imperialism, and national opression. It is
>reactionary when it comes to aspects like explotation of workers and
>opression of minorities. Zionism is reactionary through and through.
>The argument of class against class  while ignoring the reality of
>particular opression was the method of Debs not of lenin.

Now we come to the very heart of the arguement. Since when is Arab
nationalism progressive against imperialism? In which Arab land? Which Arab
land has not oppressed the Palestineans? Being that you claim that Israel is
the oppressor nation. And which Arab nationalist land is prepared to give
the Palestineans and the Kurds the right to self determination and land. In
fact it was and is none of them. The closest thing to a state that the
Palestinians have come is the present situation. Naturally it is hardly a
state, but some sort of self steer option under Israeli rule with military
force. In fact this is far more then any of the so called "progressive" arab
nationalists have ever been willing to go! Thus all the talk about Arab
nationalism being progressive is just ridiculous. Arab Nationalism, just as
Israeli Nationalism is reactionary and blocks the way to any independent
class struggle by the Proletariat in the middle east..

>Of course we have to struggle to free the israeli working class from zionist
>ideology and practice, but this can be done only when the israeli workers
>support their palestinians brothers and sisters against the zionist state,
>not in abstact as a class against class.

And then you throw in the above to cover your softness to Arab Nationalism.
Down on your knees PO begging the Jewish Proletariat to support their
Palestinean brothers and sisters will not due. Trying to tell this to and
Israeli worker in the context of the above is like saying to them go out and
commit suicide! The Israeli proletariat will fight only if it is in their
interests with the Palestineans. It is the duty of a Bolshevik party to
point out why it is in the Interests of both Israeli and Arab proletariat
just why it is in their interests to fight together as an independent class
against all of their oppressors be they Arab, Jew or outside intervention.
That is why the question "Not Arab against Jew, but Class against class" is
raised.
>
>No question that kuwait rurles are reactionaries yet israel is the stronger
>army
>in service of imperialism in the middle east. To compare Kuwait and Israel
>is to equte the elephant with the fly.
>yossi

Finally it now comes down to just a question of who has the biggest army in
the service of imperialism. As if the israeli army does not have its own
interests to defend. Are you saying that in a war with say Iraq, Syria,
Jordanien, Egypt, that Bolshevik Leninists would support the progressive
Arab side? And the last little bit
about Kwait vs Israel is even more proof that PO and there tendency have
turned this issue from a scratch to Gangrene.

It appears that PO and friends are turning away from a correct line and are
trying to find support with the state capitalists and organisation that J=F6rn
represents. Good luck my friends. But the road you are taking, I certainly
do not choose to follow. I withdraw all support to the document from this
point on. What at the beginning appear to be a editorial difference has
turned into and open sore and is stinking of Gangrene.

Warm Regards
Bob Malecki

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