PrintAn honest leftist on Iraq
All too rarely, honest leftists are speaking out to their fellow leftists about the nature of the "resistance" or "insurgency" that is battling Coalition troops and the interim Iraqi government. One such honest lefty, Jonathan Hari, actually published an op—ed in the U.K.'s Independendent. Hari tells the story of Hadi Salih, a trade unionist who resisted Saddam, went into exile, returned after the Coalition established a basis for political freedom, and was murdered by the Baathist terrorists. Hari quotes a trade unionist from the IFTU, an international federation of unionists:
"...now I hear people describe his murderers as 'the resistance'. Resistance to what? To trade unions? To a decent man who loved his family and loved Iraq and wanted his country to be free? They cannot silence Salih. They cannot silence the Iraqi trade unions. Not again." [....]
I can't believe I'm saying this: a significant portion of the left is not standing with them. John Pilger who says he has "seldom felt as safe in any country" as when he visited Saddam's Iraq now openly supports the resistance on the grounds that "we can't afford to be choosy". The Stop the War Coalition passed a resolution recently saying the resistance should use "any means necessary" which prompted Mick Rix, a decent trade unionist, to resign from the STWC on the grounds that this clearly constituted support for the murder of civilians. George Galloway has attacked the IFTU as "quislings" and described the tearful descriptions of one of their members of life under Saddam as "a party trick". [....]
It is time for this decent left to reassert itself. The situation in Iraq is extremely volatile, and even small political shifts can have a large impact right now. For example, the (mostly peaceful) Shia rebellion managed to bring the elections forward. A strong trade union movement could help to make the result of that election meaningful.
Finally, some progress from progressives.
Hat tip: Richard Baehr
1 12 05
