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The article that Louis Proyect referred us to by Zunes is actually extremely interesting in that it reveals the contradiction Zunes finds himself in. As one who must maintain his reputation as a serious scholar, he cannot just carry on with the lies of the Assad supporters. However, as one of those "peace and justice" activists who discount the role of the working class in history, especially in the ex-colonial world, he can't go all the way. He reveals his orientation when he writes, "As a US citizen, I feel a special responsibility to put my energy primarily toward exposing and condemning war crimes committed by US forces and other forces armed by the United States, but it doesn’t mean war crimes are any less wrong if committed by some other government using some other countries’ weapons." Any real socialist would take the position that as a worker, our special responsibility is for international working class solidarity - to support the role of and defend the working class around the world. The fact that Zunes doesn't see it that way leads him to his most glaring omission in that article: While he does mention US bombings elsewhere, his main attack on US bombings are on the bombings aimed at Assad following two of that government's chemical attacks. Any serious investigation of those two bombings would reveal that they were just for show, that there never was an intent to seriously weaken Assad and that at least in the one (on the al Shayrat air field) and probably also on the second, those bombings were coordinated with the Russian regime and therefore, indirectly with Assad. What Zunes leaves out is the US bombing of Raqqa. Now that truly was a war crime, a crime against humanity. But, as with the rest of the "peace and justice" crowd, he can't zero in on this because it would really, truly reveal the side that the US really is on. In sum: Zunes falls between two stools here. He cannot support Assad because that would seriously damage his academic credentials, but he can't go all the way because that would damage his liberal "peace and justice" credentials. And in regard to Iran, he claims he doesn't support the regime, but he can go all the way in his reformist, liberal position regarding "peace".... in the abstract. If anybody would like, I can forward the letter he sent defending that visit. John -- *“In politics, abstract terms conceal treachery.” *from "The Black Jacobins" by C. L. R. James Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
