U.S. Imperialism, Islamic Fundamentalism … and the Need for Another Way

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press Monday August 20, 2007 16:21 by Sunsara Taylor - Revolutionary Communist Party, USA rcppubs at hotmail dot com Revolution Online c/o Revolution Box 3486 Merchandise Mart Chicago, IL 60654 USA (773) 227-4066

As the war drums begin their deadly tattoo we must realise that my enemies enemy is not my friend. Herewith is an article by Comrade Sunsara Taylor which deals with the complex question of Iran. Bob Avakian, Chairman of the RCP,USA

As the U.S.'s crimes against humanity in the Middle East mount, it is of tremendous importance for people in the U.S. to honestly confront and rise to the profound responsibilities before us in bringing this to a halt. In this spirit, I welcomed the argument made by Thier and Hess in the Socialist Worker on April 20, 2007 entitled “Standing up to Islamophobia,” while I find their central arguments to be wrong & harmful.I do not doubt that they wish to oppose U.S. wars of aggression and their accompanying assault on Muslims, Arabs and South Asians living in the U. S. But they end up arguing for an approach that will neither meet the actual challenges of opposing the U.S. “crusade,” nor bring forward truly liberating possibilities here and around the world.

Lessons from Iran that Should Be Learned from and Not Be Repeated

The Islamic Republic of Iran emerged out of a revolutionary struggle of millions against the U.S.-backed Shah in 1979 after which Khomeini, a reactionary Islamic fundamentalist Ayatollah, moved in stages to consolidate power. Thousands of genuinely anti-imperialist forces--especially communists but also other secular, nationalist, and even more liberal Islamic forces--were rounded up, tortured, and butchered and tens of thousands more were jailed and forced into exile. Women who refused to wear the hijab were whipped, beaten, and arrested and the legal system was changed so that the testimony of one man was equal to that of two women. In 1988 more than 10,000 political prisoners were systematically mass murdered by the Islamic state.