Psyche, Science, and Society

The Iraqi Resistance and the US Left, continued

October 8th, 2005

[THE FOLLOWING IS A RESPONSE I WROTE TO A COMMENTATOR ON MY RECENT ARTICLE: The Left, the Enemy of My Enemy, and Liberation:
The Case of the Iraqi Resistance [See below, or on ZNet]. THE CORRESPONDENT HAD RAISED THE POINT THAT THERE WERE REPORTS THAT MOST RESISTANCE ATTACKS WERE AGAINST THE US, RATHER THAN IRAQI MILITARY AND CIVILIANS. ALSO RAISED WAS THE ALLEGED LIKELIHOOD THAT US/BRITISH COVERT FORCES WERE BEHIND MUCH OF THE ANTI-CIVILIAN MAYHEM ACROSS IRAQ, SIMILAR TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE US-SUPORTED DEATH SQUADS INCENTRAL AMERICA.]

Thanks for the thoughtful note. I’m aware of the report on the number of anti-American attacks. For one thing, I haven’t seen any data on this since the spring, and many reports have suggested a considerable drop in anti-US attacks and increase in anti-Iraqi (civilian, police, and military). Further, the fact that these forces attack Americans doesn’t negate my point. Most liberal to left commentators who seem to have a sense of what’s going on – e.g, Juan Cole, Gilbert Achar, Patrick Cockburn, Pepe Excobar, Scott Ritter — see the resistance as composed of Wahhabists and Neo-Baathists in various mix, representing almost exclusively Sunni forces, and resenting the pro-government forces, not only for supporting the occupation, but also for representing Shia interests.

Early on, there were accounts of numerous small groups, moved by personal experiences, attacking Americans. Given the extent of technological innovation occurring in weaponry, this seems unlikely to be continuing on any large scale. Most commentators have described a consolidation of forces under a few organizations. But, these issues are still murky.

In any case, I see no evidence of a truly nationalist resistance putting the interests of the nation above sectarian (in the broad sense) interests. Why has the Association of Muslim Clerics only grudgingly and occasionally criticized the terror bombings of hundreds of Shia? Remember, there was widespread revulsion against the April 2004 attack on Fallujah, but little Shia protest of the November destruction of the city. People no longer saw the resistance there as representing anything but sectarian interests.

I no longer feel confident that things will improve with US withdrawal. I think the fragmentation has gone to far, especially with the likely passage on the federalist Constitution (now that Sadr has given tacit support). I still oppose the occupation, because I can’t see any path with the US remaining other than continued deterioration. Perhaps forces will compromise if the US withdraws. I think they might have a year ago. But now, the Shia want what they see as theirs, and many among the Sunni are determined to resist at all costs. Some resistance forces have tried to negotiate with the US, arguing that the neo-Baathists are the only force to resist the pro-Iranian Shia factions (SCIRI-Dawa).

I don’t believe that the bombings are covert US actions. Let me clear, this is not because I put it past the US/Britain, but, because it isn’t in their interest. One only has to look at the US polls, the pressure on Bush, and the US pressure to approve a Constitution at all costs, to realize that that stirring things up is not in the US interest at this late date. The US military is breaking apart. They want stability and an ability to withdraw a large fraction of the troops. They are even willing to accept the establishment of a pro-Iranian regime with Iranian puppets held in power by US troops. This is an Empire that is crumbling, not one setting out to stir things up. I suspect (as do a number of other commentators) that the British undercover soldiers in Basra were striving to get revenge on the Shia forces who bombed British troops, not setting off bombs to stir things up. My explanation is a much more parsimonious one than the alternative.

I don’t doubt that the US is supporting death squads [See Stphen Shalom's Phoenix Rising in Iraq?], but these are attacking Sunnis, not setting off bombs in Shia areas.

The one thing I wish in retrospect I had made clearer in the original article was that I am firmly opposed to the occupation. I see no good coming from it. I just feel the Left factions that advocate support for the resistance are morally impoverished and are leading the Left down a path it has gone down before. We have already had Marx’s tragedy in the Stalinist years. We don’t need a new anti-imperialist farce now.

Entry Filed under: Iraq, Social Change, War and Peace