tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post6177446443843926881..comments2023-10-01T14:37:09.159+01:00Comments on Maysaloon - ميسلون: On Massad: The Failure of the Anti-Imperialist IntellectualsMaysaloonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06826378383173206624noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-69156194453964573052012-02-22T02:03:23.868+00:002012-02-22T02:03:23.868+00:00Massad, by the way, is best friends with As'ad...Massad, by the way, is best friends with As'ad Abu Khalil. Were you expecting anything different from him?<br />I am afraid too many people on Twitter and other social media feel they are doing something for the Syrian opposition, but at the same time are impressed similar odious characters because they are "big names" or have big credentials and feel flattered that these people address them.<br />As for the big credentials, I suppose Massad's are genuine and Abu Khalil's as well, but many of the "big names" tell some tall tales on their Storycvs. It might be interesting if someone were to research some of these claims.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-31268677069849175722012-02-20T06:46:59.310+00:002012-02-20T06:46:59.310+00:00The problem is that the "anti-imperialists&qu...The problem is that the "anti-imperialists" blindly hold up horrid men like Gaddafi, Castro, Assad, Ahmadinejad and Chavez as some sorts of heroes of the "anti-imperialist" movement.... and ignore their tactics and quietly ignore their inequities because of their blind focus on individual issues whether it be "imperialism" and influence... which will always exist in some capacity... or on issues like the Palestinian cause which Assad pays lip service to.<br /><br />They place suspicions on the motives of the Western powers... while ignoring the motives of other influencers, based on their preconceived cookie cutter political philosophy that they do not allow to be modified with the changing situation, but rather simply find other ways to rationalized their defunct and over simplified solutions. Solutions that cause them to engage in similar hypocrisies to those they accuse from the West: mainly meaning... they see Tunis and Egypt and the fall of Western friendly corrupt dictators as a great day in the fight against Imperialism... but because of their politics... see Syria and Gaddafi as "victims" of Western Imperialism... while the only regrettable thing about what happened to Gaddafi is that it could only happen once... while he did it to so many thousands.<br /><br />The problem in Syria is simple: Assad is backed by foreign powers who ALSO have imperialist agendas. The Anti-imperialists are only anti-Western European imperialism... <br /><br />Their failure to see multiple forces acting against Democracy in the Middle East that require counter balance is their downfall...<br /><br />Bush wished for an Iraqi "Democracy" to spread discord among American enemies and cause Democratic uprisings... he never believed it would hit US allies first, likewise, who were also abusive to their people... the Anti-imperialists spun around... imagining a new "anti-imperialist" block would develop... but their poster child Assad whose "policies were with the hearts of his people" as they so fervently reminded us during the early stages of Egypt and Tunis... was not immune.<br /><br />Maysaloon offers a solution. Do what everyone does to overthrow Tyranny. Seek help wherever it may be found and stay wary of its price, and guard against corruption in the movement.نزار الفهد الملكيhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04619438871297268365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-50498702880696304852012-02-20T04:46:27.181+00:002012-02-20T04:46:27.181+00:00I read Prof. Massad's article and was struck b...I read Prof. Massad's article and was struck by the same inadequacies you were.<br /><br />But your solution is no clearer. After correctly lambasting him, you conclude that <br /><br /><i><br />The brutal dichotomy that Massad seems to want to avoid - that of imperialism or fascism - is forced on the Syrian people precisely because of the vacuum that was allowed by the anti-imperialists that he speaks of. <br /></i><br /><br />If only the anti-imperialists (read: anti-imperialist militants and intellectuals) had not had illusions and spread them! But just as the Syrians cannot afford to be purists, neither could, say, the Palestinians have been purists, and they shunned victims of Soviet neo-Stalinism or the various Arab police states or the Islamic Republic of Iran which gave them shelter, however unreliable it was. And the Palestinian cause was the focal point for the Arab (and Muslim) world. Yes, these narrow-minded anti-imperialists further confused the issue, but they were merely a cog in a vast machine and could have done little to change the course of history, assuming that they were any more prescient than the next guy.<br /><br />To blame anti-imperialists as if they had any real impact on this dilemma is no more useful than Massad's position.Evanhttp://www.qlineorientalist.com/Evannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-26645151934278579742012-02-15T06:43:31.971+00:002012-02-15T06:43:31.971+00:00I read this "article" by Massad and a co...I read this "article" by Massad and a couple others in the past weeks...<br /><br />You eloquently say exactly what I have been thinking.نزار الفهد الملكيhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04619438871297268365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-11578997826090147602012-02-10T20:57:20.704+00:002012-02-10T20:57:20.704+00:00I am afraid that these "anti-imperialists&quo...I am afraid that these "anti-imperialists" do not realize the ramifications of the current situation in Syria or do not care. If anything awful happens to Palestinians in the future, it will be very difficult indeed to generate the kind of outrage that existed after Sabra and Shatila. The Syrian regime's extreme brutality has inured many people to atrocities. Also, it would not be surprising if a great many non-Arab supporters of Palestinian rights leave their organizations for good because of the hypocrisy regarding the horrors committed against Syrians. A great many Palestinians do not hold these so-called anti-imperialist views, as evidenced by the recent demonstrations in support of the Syrian people that took place in Jerusalem. <br />I believe the anti-imperialist posturing is being done by a few people who, unfortunately, are well-situated in journalism and academia and able to make their voices heard by many, including policy makers. My next question is: How did these people attain to this level in their careers? Is it possible that at least some of them are somehow beholden to the Syrian regime?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-32100281859656226302012-02-10T07:55:45.678+00:002012-02-10T07:55:45.678+00:00Every once in a while, from the desk of our few ac...Every once in a while, from the desk of our few academic scholars comes a new term that confuses us for a while but make a good debate. In Massad’s article, the term anti-imperialism remained me of nothing but lack of sympathy for true straggle against despots. An invented term created for abstraction of real issues. In fact, who are these anti-imperialists forces? Are they Marxist, socialist, fundamentalist, or many other anti-despot of the world? I did not find the definition of anti-imperialism in his article. Every movement requires info-structure to sustain itself and historical evidence shows that will emerged from slow but persistent involvement of people. Historically, academic have a hard time being part of people’s movement. They always have to invent new terms that confuses the masses and ignores the reality of the society by being abstract. I really felt bad for Fred Holiday who spent all his life to articulate what Arabs and Iranian have to go through-- to get rid of their dictators-- had be to branded as pro- imperialism. By the way, this remains of Iranian opposition over the last 50 years, being anti-everything! Maysaloon and Nayereh also pointed -out some important insights on the problematic discourse of Massad’s article.Faramarz Nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00859377986464214260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-59371123605500480432012-02-10T00:22:39.652+00:002012-02-10T00:22:39.652+00:00Dear Nayereh,
Thank you for that highly informativ...Dear Nayereh,<br />Thank you for that highly informative and well thought out comment. I appreciate your input.Maysaloonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06826378383173206624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-50770878036887068552012-02-09T22:45:10.483+00:002012-02-09T22:45:10.483+00:00In general I appreciate the good and principled in...In general I appreciate the good and principled intention of trying to avoid “the stark choice between a fascist or an imperialist course” in cases like Libya and Syria and opt instead “for a third and better course” i.e.,” support a home-grown democratic struggles”. But Prof. Massad pretends not to see or fails to acknowledge that the tyrants such as Gadhafi and Bashar bring the very home-grown strugglers for democracy and human rights to the verge of utter destruction and frustration to the extent that they become compelled to make the stark choice between submitting to their own annihilation (massacre) or appealing for the UN intervention, which under such circumstances may amount to NATO intervention. When military dictators like Bashar and Gadhafi easily resort to using their deadliest arsenals (such as tanks and bombs) against non-violent protestors and turn a genuinely home-grown anti-dictatorial movement into a violent and bloody uprising on the verge of massacre, taking a puritanical position by us from the safe distance of an academic ivory tower is an easy gesture to make. On an abstract level, this may appear politically correct, but it is not a responsible or helpful thing to do, nor is it a serious and feasible option for the real activists on the ground. For concerned scholars, a purist position and a single prescription that all Arabs and non-Arabs “must unequivocally opt for” regardless of each specific situation is an easy road to take. But it is the moral responsibility of the activists/scholars who are engaged in (or at least familiar enough with) the daily struggles and dilemmas of those home-grown strugglers on the ground, to offer specific analysis about each specific situation and make practical or concrete policy recommendations. That is, tactics and policies appropriate for the urgency and dire needs of real people on the ground whose choices are between life and death and not some ideological scoring and labeling among intellectuals. The invasion of Iraq by a US-led Western coalition was an illegal and criminal imperial project designed by the neocons under the pretext of “pre-emptive strike” against the “threat of weapons of mass destruction”. It was not (under any stretch of definition) a “humanitarian intervention” nor was it called for by a home-grown uprising. So, to equate the cases of Bosnia, Libya or Syria so carelessly with the case of Iraq is not expected from a serious or well-respected scholar.Nayereh Tohidihttp://www.nayerehtohidi.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-20448416323666614922012-02-09T04:25:19.197+00:002012-02-09T04:25:19.197+00:00It's one thing to be anti-hezbollah and anti-I...It's one thing to be anti-hezbollah and anti-Iran, but key voices in the opposition from the beginning were praising gulf arab states.<br /><br /><br />If they weren't so tied to an anti-Iran, pro-Saudi line from the outset they would actually have meaningful representation from minorities in the opposition and Iran would be far less invested in Assad staying in power.<br /><br />There's a nasty armed islamist element in the opposition and naturally anti-imperialist are not going to embrace a movement that wants NATO bombing to bring them to power.Nimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-7237422416048929062012-02-08T13:34:51.860+00:002012-02-08T13:34:51.860+00:00it's clear that the West didn't build demo...it's clear that the West didn't build democracies with its militar intervention in Afganisthan, Lybia, Irak, Kuwait??, only hundred of thousands of dead innocent people and decades of a social and economic caos. So, is better hundred of thousand of dead citizens or some hundreds of democratic people killed while peacefully fighting the regime? Latinoamerica knows how to fight dictators without arms, and without West intervention.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-16990511329339658992012-02-08T00:44:20.395+00:002012-02-08T00:44:20.395+00:00Crazy Bear,
Your dream is every Syrian's dream...Crazy Bear,<br />Your dream is every Syrian's dream, but how do you get there with a population that has been brutalized for forty years and never as much as over the last year? The non-violent start of the uprising was great and I wish it would have persisted non-violently; but the overwhelming, sheer brutality of the response made it impossible to sustain. I abhor wanton violence and many of the youtube videos sicken me. Unfortunately, it will ulgier, Assad has guaranteed that.Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01852076137303801731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-59491657871834594552012-02-07T20:43:46.038+00:002012-02-07T20:43:46.038+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.zenxbearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03354623513214458028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-24854725645925450032012-02-07T20:18:30.112+00:002012-02-07T20:18:30.112+00:00Crazy Bear,
I'm sorry if this revolution has n...Crazy Bear,<br />I'm sorry if this revolution has not met all of your expectations. Someone must not have gotten your memo about a progressive, citizen and worker driven series of reforms and activism - probably because Assad was shelling, shooting and torturing everybody from day one.Maysaloonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06826378383173206624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-53758102716841957172012-02-07T19:48:55.980+00:002012-02-07T19:48:55.980+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.zenxbearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03354623513214458028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-17844716308967680992012-02-07T17:16:57.035+00:002012-02-07T17:16:57.035+00:00""No man can justly censure or condemn a...""No man can justly censure or condemn another, because indeed no man truly knows another"<br />Thomas Browne<br />the future Syria is promising."<br /><br />Crazy Bear,<br />I suppose you have said the same thing to people who criticised Israel's bombing of Lebanon, or America's invasion of Iraq? Or is this moral anguish reserved only for dictatorships that you approve of?Maysaloonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06826378383173206624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-85927772824327328262012-02-07T14:26:48.550+00:002012-02-07T14:26:48.550+00:00As an observer of Middle Eastern politics among ot...As an observer of Middle Eastern politics among other dynamics, I - an American Pakistani - really am compelled to agree with Maysaloon's take on this. The line is often blurred by self-proclaimed anti-imperialist thinkers between fascism and anti-imperialist stances. Good to see someone highlighting this for a change. Wishing Syria more strength to overcome the current crisis.Mehreen Kasanahttp://www.mehreenkasana.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-51484530134875682312012-02-07T03:57:17.909+00:002012-02-07T03:57:17.909+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.zenxbearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03354623513214458028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-85961021130473389182012-02-07T01:55:46.214+00:002012-02-07T01:55:46.214+00:00Well said. I would add that because those 'ant...Well said. I would add that because those 'anti-imperialists' tried to fill the role in the Palestinian case and refused to deal with the West is the reason why Palestine today is in such dire state and still under occupation.. Maybe if they didn't see the world as black and white and the West as the epitome of evil then maybe the Palestinians would be in a better state now. These bankrupt academics have no idea how the world is run and their ideals are part of the problem.Fahed Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-30519321575198099272012-02-07T00:45:46.124+00:002012-02-07T00:45:46.124+00:00"I do wonder how much of this hijacking of th..."I do wonder how much of this hijacking of the Syrian revolution took place because of a moral vacuum that the anti-imperialists themselves have allowed to occur."<br />Very well said. The trouble is the Syrian revolution spoiled their neatly constructed world view. Western lacky dictator: bad; Anti-imperialist dictator: good. That is why to them the Tunisian and Egyptian revolution were genuine but the Syrian one was a conspiracy. Anonymous is right about the deafening silence of many Palestinian activists. It is more than sad, of all the Arabs, Syrians as a people (forget the Assad resistance posturing crap)are the most genuine supporters of the Palestinian cause.Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01852076137303801731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-88443153315400463852012-02-06T21:49:40.996+00:002012-02-06T21:49:40.996+00:00I must say that the deafening silence kept by prom...I must say that the deafening silence kept by prominent Palestinian activists in the face of the Assad massacres has been an added sadness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-64434270405825933092012-02-06T20:24:27.388+00:002012-02-06T20:24:27.388+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.zenxbearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03354623513214458028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30984739.post-5026077929624792262012-02-06T19:55:42.095+00:002012-02-06T19:55:42.095+00:00"I do wonder how much of this hijacking of th..."I do wonder how much of this hijacking of the Syrian revolution took place because of a moral vacuum that the anti-imperialists themselves have allowed to occur." <br />Yes, I wonder, too. And by extension, wouldn't the best way to prevent the wholesale hijacking of the revolution, the chance of which only grows with more repression and bloodshed, be for so-called anti-imperialists to support the uprising? No. Because as you point out, they were against the uprising before there was any call for foreign intervention.E.noreply@blogger.com