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Yossi Schwartz of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency explains the RCIT's approach towards the "Islamic State" as follows: "In the battle between ISIL and the imperialists, we took the side of ISIL as the imperialists are the worst enemy. However, when ISIL attacked the Kurds when the Kurds defended their enclaves, we took the side of the Kurds. When the Kurds and others served the American imperialists, in the battle of Raqqa, we stood with ISIL without giving them any political support. Yes, ISIL is a very reactionary organization, but the main enemy are the imperialist butchers and their servants". The RCIT's shift from supporting "the Kurds" against ISIL to supporting ISIL against "the Kurds and others" (i.e. the Syrian Democratic Forces) indicates political confusion. Schwartz claims that in the battle for Raqqa "the Kurds and others served the American imperialists". But the fact that the SDF have a military alliance with the US against ISIL does not mean they are "serving" the US. It just means that, for the time being, they are working together against a common enemy. This cooperation began when ISIL was on the offensive, with Kobani under siege. It continues because both the US and the SDF, each for their own reasons, want to crush ISIL. The SDF want to liberate the people who are living under ISIL's brutal rule, which is particularly oppressive to women and religious minorities. Schwartz speaks of "the battle between ISIL and the imperialists". But ISIL has an alliance with Turkey, a state that is increasingly acting like an imperialist power. Some indicators of Turkey's imperialist character include: 1. Turkish capital has extensive investments in other Middle Eastern countries (including Iraqi Kurdistan). 2. Turkish troops have invaded northern Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan. 3. Turkey has a military base in Qatar. 4. There is a semi-colonial relationship between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. Turkey buys oil from the Kurdistan Regional Government. In return, the KRG is politically subservient to Turkey. It allows Turkish troops to enter Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkish planes to bomb areas where the PKK is said to be present. 5. Turkey uses some Syrian rebel groups as pawns in its war against the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria (DFNS). For example, some of these groups were withdrawn from the battle fronts against the Assad regime in 2016 in preparation for their participation in Turkey's invasion of northern Syria. This contributed to Assad's capture of eastern Aleppo later in that year. ISIL has until recently been Turkey's main proxy in the war against the DFNS. Turkey bought oil from ISIL, helping it to fund its administration and pay its fighters relatively well. Turkey has also supplied weapons to ISIL and collaborated in attacks on the DFNS. The decline of ISIL has forced Turkey to send its own troops into Syria, and to rely more heavily on other proxy forces. Pressure from the US has also forced Turkey to pretend that it is fighting against ISIL. When Turkey sent troops into northern Syria in August 2016, the invasion was said to be directed against both the SDF and ISIL. In reality, Turkey's invasion was essentially directed against the SDF. It came shortly after the SDF had captured Manbij from ISIL. Turkey's goal was to prevent the SDF from capturing other ISIL-held areas in the north of Aleppo province, including the towns of Jarablus and al-Bab. Turkey also hoped to drive the SDF out of Manbij. Initially ISIL offered little or no resistance to the entry of Turkish troops into ISIL-controlled territory at Jarablus. It appeared that there was a deal whereby ISIL would withdraw from the border region, handing it over to Turkey. However, it seems there was disagreement on how far ISIL would have to withdraw, leading to serious armed conflict between Turkey and ISIL at al-Bab. Turkey wanted to control al-Bab with its own forces, presumably because it was not confident that ISIL could resist the SDF's advances in the area. Control of the region between al-Bab and Jarablus enables Turkey to block the SDF from linking Afrin to the rest of the DFNS. Once ISIL agreed to leave al-Bab, the alliance between ISIL and Turkey resumed. Turkey attacked the DFNS from the north in an attempt to divert the SDF away from its advance on Raqqa. This was unsuccessful, but Turkey continues to attack the DFNS. Given that ISIL is not just socially reactionary but also an ally of Turkish imperialism, there is no reason to support it against the socially progressive SDF. Chris Slee ________________________________ From: Marxism <marxism-boun...@lists.csbs.utah.edu> on behalf of RKO BEFREIUNG via Marxism <marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> Sent: Tuesday, 26 December 2017 11:53:54 PM To: Chris Slee Subject: [Marxism] On the new Cold War between Saudi Arabia and Iran ******************** 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. ***************************************************************** https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/new-cold-war-between-saudi-arabia-and-iran/ --- Diese E-Mail wurde von Avast Antivirus-Software auf Viren geprüft. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/chris_w_slee%40hotmail.com _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
