Iraq and Syria: The struggle against the multi-sided counterrevolution

by Michael Karadjis

As a coalition of Sunni-based forces, including the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS), took the major northern Iraqi city of Mosul and then most of the Sunni heartland in the north and west of Iraq, regional and western capitals went into crisis mode: the entire post-US occupation stabilisation had collapsed in a heap.

And the coalition leading this revolt consists of none other than the same forces which led the Iraqi resistance to US occupation throughout the middle years of the last decade. Yes, once again the arch-reactionary ISIS itself has revealed its brutality, with reported mass killing of captured soldiers, a crime against humanity; in the same way that monstrous acts, such as bombing work queues and Shiite mosques, were carried out during the anti-US resistance by al-Qaida in Iraq (ie, what became ISIS); horrific repression is partly to blame for breeding horrific reactions. In both cases however, this most violent and irrational element does not define the movement, still less explain its strength.

SYRIA: Should we listen more?

29.08.2013 by dewereldmorgen

Syrian Liberation Front and Syrian Islamic front are Muslim Brotherhood Brigades. Independent Brigade Alliances and the Independent battalions are brigades that position with the Free Syrian Army Chiefs of staff of the military council but reject National Coalition.

Why are some people in the West so eager to believe it’s the “rebels” who were responsible for the recent chemical weapons attack?

EGYPT: This is What Democracy Looks Like!

by Clay Claiborne

It’s democracy. You know, democracy doesn’t come from the top. It comes from the bottom. Democracy is not what governments do. It’s what people do. — Howard Zinn

For the second time since the beginning of the Egyptian Revolution on 25 January 2011, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has been able to maintain its leadership position in the Egyptian state by ceding to the demands of the people and ousting an unpopular president.

SYRIA: What is a Proxy War?

April 13, 2013 by DarthNader

Is what’s happening in Syria today a revolution, a civil war or a proxy war? Far more than just an argument over semantics, which term is used to refer to the situation in Syria today denotes a political position. Supporters of the Syrian opposition call it a revolution, while those not at all sympathetic to the opposition call it a proxy war, which is an attempt to disparage the opposition. But which of these terms is accurate?

The 21st Century Scramble for Africa

The Algerian Hostage Crisis, The War on Terror and the Scramble for Africa.

By Joshua Virasami

FRANCE: Hands off Mali!

15 January 2013   Alex Lantier

The World Socialist Web Site denounces France’s war in Mali as an act of imperialist piracy. After mass bombings of cities in northern Mali that killed and wounded hundreds of civilians, French tank columns crossed into Mali yesterday from the Ivory Coast.

SYRIA: The Syrian revolution and the speech of Bachar Al Assad

January 7, 2013

The speech of the dictator Bashar Al Assad on Sunday January 6, 2013 at the opera in the capital Damascus was not different to his last official speeches and was in many way a mere repetition. He once again appealed for the “total mobilization of the nation” to fight against the insurgents who he described as al-Qaeda terrorists. He also called for a reconciliation conference with “those who have not betrayed Syria” which would be followed by the formation of a new government and a new amnesty.

International anarchist statement against the Iraq war from 2003

The statement below was issued before the war by anarchist groups from all over the globe. This included organisations in Ireland (WSM), Britain, France, Sweden, Argentina, Lebanon, Belgium, Turkey, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, USA, Switzerland and Croatia.

IRAQ: Child Kidnapping on the Rise, Again: Another Legacy of the US Occupation

by Dirk Adriaensens, BRussells Tribunal

:: Article nr. 93049 sent on 29-nov-2012 18:19 ECT  www.uruknet.info?p=93049

On 6 November, 21 children were abducted from different places in BaghdadNovember 28, 2012 The security situation in Baghdad has not improved. Families are living in fear because of a dramatic increase in the number of cases of child abduction.

Jordan’s Protests: Political Economy, Protest, and Empire

Saleem Haddad  Posted  on Nov 22, 2012

“Erm, why do they have to, like, break stuff?,” a common complaint made against the protesters in Jordan. (Image by Nidal Elkhairy)