Trump and the Middle East
US support for authoritarian regimes, in the Middle East and elsewhere, is likely to increase. Trump repeatedly expressed his respect for "strong men", on the model of the authoritarian, macho and white man, stating that even "the bad guys" like Saddam Hussein and...
Election of Donald Trump Marks Regression to Authoritarianism
Although Trump’s message has been against “big government,” in fact his economic plan which mainly consists of tax cuts for large companies and massive spending cuts in the public sector, does not contradict the rule of a strong state/army. His authoritarianism might...
Calling for an End to the Interventions in Syria is Not Nearly Enough
The ceasefire was born to fail because it did not address the political roots of the problem in Syria: the Assad regime. The agreement provided for greater military coordination between Russia and the United States in the “war against terrorism” , targeting the...
Syrian Writers, Artists, and Journalists Speak Out Against Assad, Jihadists and Imperialist Intervention
We unreservedly, and in the strongest language, condemn the Russian and US approach of intervening in our internal Syrian affairs. At least since 2013, these two powers have been working to co-opt the Syrian liberation struggle under the rubric of the “war against...
Destroying Syria to Thwart Democracy: Assad’s Role in the Syrian Catastrophe
It becomes critically important to demand that the International Criminal Court indict Assad for command responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. There have been times when UN spokespeople have indicated that he has been responsible for both, yet at...
Challenging Intellectuals Who Justify Iranian Imperialism; Searching for Socialist Solidarity
Below we print a summary of a longer article by two Iranian socialists who are opposed to Iran’s military intervention in Syria. Their article is followed by a response from Frieda Afary and Joseph Daher. National Security Thugs: Facilitators of Turning the Nation...
New Alliances in the Middle East & Iranian Discussions on 21st Century Imperialism
Recent developments in the Middle East show that states which have been seemingly at opposite ends concerning the war in Syria, or states that have been historically hostile to each other in the post-World War II period have come together to form new alliances. ...
On the Siege of Aleppo
The following article by Leila Al-Shami, co-author of Burning Courntry: Syrians in Revolution and War (Pluto, 2016) is a call to action in defense of the people of Aleppo and all Syrian revolutionaries. It also offers a frank assessment of the deep contradictions...
Opposing the Coup in Turkey, Surviving Erdogan
To oppose the military coup in Turkey is an absolute necessity. The army in Turkey is not and has never been a friend of the popular classes and the Kurdish population in the country. Historically, every military coup has been followed by vast repression and...
