Comments on: Protests in Iran: The international dimension https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/ MARXIST ESSAYS AND COMMENTARY Tue, 23 Jan 2018 07:17:17 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.11 By: Lüko Willms https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9110 Tue, 23 Jan 2018 07:17:17 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9110 In reply to Lüko Willms.

I remember a TV interview given in the early months of the “Arab Spring” rebellion in Syria by Bashar Assad to, if I remember correctly, to a French TV programme.

The interviewer challenged Bashar Al-Assad for the violent suppression of the mass demonstrations, including by shooting with live bullets, and Assad replied “But I have to keep the nation together!” — by shooting on the people?

No, the unity of the nation can only be the result of free decisions for a free association.

]]> By: Lüko Willms https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9109 Mon, 22 Jan 2018 11:03:48 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9109 My first reaction to POTUS Trump’s tweets voicing his supposed support for the demonstrations was: this is the worst thing Trump can do to the demonstrators, his “support” is actually the kiss of death for that mobilisation. And I think that this vociferous “support” by imperialist powers was a factor strengthening the counter-mobilisation of the regime and to end the demonstrations against it.

Generally, it has long been my position regarding calls for e.g. “down with Bashar Assad” or “down with Saddam Hussein”, that those semi-colonial countries surely need a new leadership, namely one which is better able to mobilise the whole nation against the imperialist infringements of the country’s sovereignty and independence.

And that this is possible only on the basis of the interests of the poorest and most oppressed layers of the population.

]]> By: John Riddell https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9104 Sun, 21 Jan 2018 16:19:09 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9104 In reply to barovsky.

Thanks for your contributions. WordPress no longer permits me to respond to you offline, so I’ll take this occasion to reply.

The Iran discussion among socialists is deformed by a great deal of personal abuse, and so I feel compelled to apply this website’s Comments Policy to exclude that. I hope you will resubmit your useful comments in that framework.

https://johnriddell.wordpress.com/about-2/comments-policy/

]]> By: barovsky https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9099 Sat, 20 Jan 2018 20:02:42 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9099 I take John, that you don’t intend to publish my responses? Democracy. in action?

]]> By: Richard Fidler https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9093 Fri, 19 Jan 2018 21:13:03 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9093 Some Canadian government sanctions have been relaxed. Here’s the inventory: http://www.international.gc.ca/sanctions/countries-pays/iran.aspx?lang=eng So it is not completely correct to state that “the U.S. and Canada have maintained their sanctions against Iran.” In fact, one of the grievances voiced in the mass protests in Iran is precisely that because of the regime’s class corruption, the anticipated beneficial social effects of that relaxation of sanctions have not materialized.

I always thought the united front, anti-imperialist or otherwise, included “marching separately” with our own class-based positions while “striking together” against the common enemy. The Arab Spring, and now the Iranian upsurge, are putting these concepts to the test, and illustrating in new ways some of the possible applications. It is significant that an important demand raised in the Iran protests is for an end to Tehran’s military intervention in support of Assad in Syria, and for solidarity with the Palestinians in their opposition to Israel.

Richard

]]> By: Anne McShane https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9088 Fri, 19 Jan 2018 18:28:10 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9088 Dear John

I am surprised that you have not included any articles from Yassamine Mather leading Iranian expert and activist. I attach a link to a number of her articles which are important to include in any survey of left wing analysis.

http://hopoi.org/

Best wishes

Anne McShane

Sent from my iPhone

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]]> By: barovsky https://johnriddell.com/2018/01/19/protests-in-iran-the-international-dimension/#comment-9087 Fri, 19 Jan 2018 18:25:44 +0000 https://johnriddell.com/?p=4947#comment-9087 Isn’t it time we kept our noses out of other countries business!! While the so-called left in the imperialist world coudn’t fight its way out of a paper bag, we’re forever telling people elsewhere how to fight their fight! I’m sick and tired of it! Tariq Ali telling Syria that Assad has go and now telling the workers of Iran how they should behave. When will these social imperialists pack iit in?

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