[The striking feature of the statement is that while it concedes that the airstrikes from the sky against the ISIS in Kobane has played a decisive role, of course apart from the very valiant resistance offered by the Kurdish fighters on the ground, it does not make any secret of its extreme discomfort about this hard embarrassing reality. It's a rather small mercy that it does not raise the demand that the "alliance" must be immediately dissolved and the US must immediately and completely withdraw from the region. (It's of curse quite another matter that the Kurdish fighters themselves are ardently pleading for even more intensified airstrikes.) Or really not so small, if we consider the many other voices from similar quarters emanating. It of course remains a very real problem how does one reconcile the "fact" on the ground with one's "ideal".]
http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.politics.marxism.marxmail/182763 Michael Karadjis via Marxism | 20 Oct 07:49 2014 Picon CPD: ISIS, Kobanê, and the Future of the Middle East ISIS, Kobanê, and the Future of the Middle East Statement by the Campaign for Peace and Democracy October 19, 2014 As we write on Sunday, October 19th, it appears that ISIS forces have begun to retreat from their vicious assault on the Kurds in Kobanê. We hope that this is a resounding defeat for ISIS, and that it inspires a wave of grassroots resistance to ISIS throughout Syria and Iraq. At the same time, and despite ***the role of U.S. bombing in driving ISIS out of Kobane*** [emphasis added], we strongly believe that a democratic and peaceful future for Syria and Iraq cannot be built through U.S. military intervention, with bombing that kills innocent civilians, sordid alliances with authoritarian, reactionary regimes in the region like those led by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Morsi in Egypt and Recep Erdogan in Turkey, and, as always, Washington's overarching imperial agenda. It should never be forgotten that the exercise of American power directly fuels the growth and power of violent, retrograde groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda. Nor is there any prospect for a free and decent life for the Syrian and Iraqi people as long as Syria suffers under the wanton, murderous rule of Bashar al-Assad and while Iraq is ruled by a sectarian and murderous anti-Sunni government in Baghdad. The hope for real regional peace rests on a rebirth of the Arab Spring that can depose dictators and authoritarians throughout the Middle East, and on justice for the Palestinian people who have been repeatedly betrayed by the world's great powers. As Americans, we are committed to solidarity with movements for democracy, social justice, and self-determination in the Middle East and around the world, and to challenging our own government's domestic and international neoliberal economic policies, militarism, and persistent support for dictators and anti-democratic regimes. * * * * * Find us on Facebook: Campaign for Peace and Democracy Email: cpd <at> igc.org Web: www.cpdweb.org Twitter: <at> CampPeaceDem _________________________________________________________ -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
