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Re: Re US Imperialism abandons the kurds again This analysis lacks analysis. US imperialism is not a monolith. It is the result of a constant struggle amongst the ruling elites as to what will serve capitalism best. The fact that Lindsey Graham and other Trump supporters oppose his expressed desire to pull the troops from Syria is evidence of the current uncertainty about how to move forward with the competing approaches to making US imperialism more effective in serving the economic forces behind the throne. If the pullout does take place, it will change very little in the Mideast. Global alliances are constantly undergoing shifts, both large and small. So are global rivalries. The US, with Israel and probably the oil sheikdoms, will continue to force their will on the rest of the region. The Kurds are certainly aware of their minimal role in what happens (as far as the US and its "allies" are concerned. Anyhow, to dismiss this recent move as an idiosyncracy of the Trump White House is intellectually lazy at best. > > I agree with what seems to be the implication of what Michael Karadjis > wrote in reply to the above-entitled article: That we should not equate the > policies of Trump with those of US imperialism. This is clear in the fact > that even his most wild supporters, such as US Senators Lindsay Graham and > Mitch McConnell, have strongly opposed Trump's call for a troop withdrawal > from the border region between NE Syria and Turkey. > > As with so much else about Trump, especially in his foreign policy, his > action in this case is based on a couple of things that have little to do > with the interests or the strategy of US imperialism. They are based on how > he sees his own personal interests, which in this case means appeasing and > shoring up his base. If he were to drop a nuclear bomb on the region - or > anywhere else - his base would be fine with that. At least if it did not > immediately cause a large increase in gas prices. But the involvement of US > troops is another question. > > Trump made the call shortly after having had a telephone conversation with > Erdogan. None of us knows whether Erdogan directly communicated the wishes > of Trump's semi-sponsor and Erdogan ally, Putin, but both must have known > that Putin would approve. That would have figured heavily in Trump's > calculations. > > Finally, Trump has an instinctive affinity for strong-man dictators like > Erdogan. That would have also figured into his announcement. Sound > ridiculous that the US president's actions would be based on personal, > unthought-out feelings? Yes, it is. That is exactly a major part of the > reason why so much of US capitalism opposes him and why even the editors of > the Wall St. Journal criticize him. The president with self-described > "great and unmatched wisdom" has all the consciousness of a six year-old. > > John Reimann > > -- > *?In politics, abstract terms conceal treachery.? *from "The Black > Jacobins" by C. L. R. James > Check out:https:http://oaklandsocialist.com also on Facebook > > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _________________________________________________________ > Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm > To change your settings: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu//listinfo/marxism > > ------------------------------ > > End of Marxism Digest, Vol 192, Issue 12 > **************************************** > -- Check out my newest books *Still Tripping in the Dark <http://stillhomeron.blogspot.com/2018/01/if-you-have-never-read-any-of-my-essays.html> *,* Capitalism <http://stillhomeron.blogspot.com/2017/02/fomite-interrogations.html>, and Daydream Sunset:60s Counterculture in the 70s <http://daydreamsunset.blogspot.com/> * _________________________________________________________ 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
