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There is an interesting split in perception, on the “Left,” when it
comes to imperialism. It seems fair to say we all agree on the need to
oppose US imperialism. However, as soon as the picture is complemented
by a second state with imperial aspirations, many—especially
Western—“leftists” equivocate, and seem willing to choose the perceived
lesser of two evils. This dualistic approach has its roots in the Cold
War; it is the useless remnant of a period when to be pro-Soviet might
have implied being anti-capitalist.
It was wrong then, it is wrong now, and it is time to get rid of it.
The latest example of this difficulty in renouncing the false choice
between evils has come with the crisis in Ukraine. Commentators around
the world are drumming up evidence to support the hype that a new Cold
War is at hand. Publicly, tensions between the US and Russia appear to
be rising; however behind the curtain nothing is all that new. The US,
the EU and NATO have always been trying to push their scope of influence
eastwards; Russia has never been willing to cede political influence,
control over pipelines, or access to resources in its former Soviet
territories.
More importantly, however, and refuting the vision of a new Cold War at
our doorstep, is the fact that the US has been handing out “aid” to
Russia since 1992, attached to conditions demanding deregulation imposed
by the victory march of Bretton Woods (and later Troika) institutions.
We are used to hypocritical US foreign policy; its stance towards Russia
serves just as another example. We keep hearing calls out of the White
House urging Russia to respect dissent and the opposition. Along with
the US’s own draconian attitude toward dissent and opposition, this
continuous backdoor support of Putinʼs regime reduces such calls to so
much hot air.⁵ Nevertheless, Obama and his Western colleagues stay
plenty busy reaffirming themselves with ridiculous sanctions which have
no impact whatsoever on Putinʼs or his pet oligarchs’ greed.⁶
At any rate, the previously mentioned US vs. Russia narrative continues
to fill the airwaves, and of course the US is not the only one making
noise. From an anti-authoritarian standpoint, it is frustrating as well
as saddening to see the Kremlin’s propaganda make its merry way around
the world wide web. Indeed, Russian mainstream media has much in common
with that of the US and EU—each points the finger at the “other side.”
“Leftists” and anarchists should, however, be able to see through this
game and reject both claims. The “West” does not have a monopoly on
imperialism, and it is not by opposing only Western imperialism that we
show our solidarity with ethnic minorities, marginalized groups, radical
Left opposition or the working class—all of whom will be the main
victims of continued aggression.
In fact, to do so has dire human and political consequences; it enables
the continued oppression and killing of ethnic minorities and weakens
those few voices that do manage to get heard from within the opposition
movements in Russia and Ukraine. Further, this reckless attitude results
in a direct conflict among “leftists.” Many are unwilling to condemn
Russian aggression for what it is, fearing this would imply support for
their own imperialists, similar to those “leftists” that tried to defend
first Qaddafi, later Assad, and now Putin.⁷ ⁸ Two wrongs don’t make a right.
full:
http://tahriricn.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/ukraine-excuse-me-mister-how-far-is-it-from-simferopol-to-grozny/
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