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Great article. In some ways, it reminds me of Mexico's former ruling party, the PRI. (Even the name - Institutional Revolutionary Party - evokes similar thoughts.) As Syria is a "frontline" state, bordering on Israel, until the collapse of the Soviet Union Mexico was the only underdeveloped country with a major border on an advanced capitalist country. As with Assad, Lazaro Cardenas - the founder of the PRI - came to power at a time of enormous struggle and crisis (principally the oil workers strike). Forced to make concessions to these striking workers, he also represented a rightward movement in Mexican politics. As with the Assad dynasty, the PRI instituted vast nationalization and state economic intervention. (I remember when my former wife, 6 month old daughter and I went to Mexico in the early '70s and our daughter got sick in a small, out-of-the-way village. We took her to a state run clinic and her treatment was totally free. No such services any longer!) Also, as with Assad, the PRI played the nationalist card, first and foremost by (verbally) supporting the Castro regime. The article points out that the Assad approach was not limited to Syria, that it was part of the approach of regimes throughout the region and in Africa also. So was it in Mexico and other Latin American countries. John Reimann -- "No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them." Asata Shakur Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com and // www.facebook.com/WorkersIntlNetwork?ref=stream _________________________________________________________ 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
