muqtada al sadr

[socialistfuture]

As socialists we are in a hard position with Iraq, as anti-imperialists we cannot support the west sending troops there, as socialists who do not support religious fundamentalism we can support neither side religiously.

Personally I think the Iraqi fighters have every right to resist, no different to Palestine or Colombia or anyone else under attack. But who will rule after the war? what if the new American backed government has no legatimacy in the eyes of the Iraqi people?

The ideal as Tariq Ali would put would be a build up of grassroots resistance and so much pressure from home that the foreign troops must leave. So far that worked for Italy and is in the process of working for Spain. Chances are America won't back out - they can'y win. So what next? Do we back the Iraqi resistance even if it is not secular? Does fighting for your homeland mean you are a criminal?
Does Muqtada al Sadr pose a real threat to American intrests in Iraq?

[Kurai Tsuki]

As I don't claim to be of any particular political ideology, I can support whomever I want ^_^ But if I were a socialist or a communist, I would still use my own logic and knowledge to know what types of indeviduals to support.

But anway, al-Sadr is the son of a notable Shiite cleric in Iraq who was killed by Saddam's security forces. This would probably make him the type of person who would be allied with neither the old U.S. installed Baath party or the current U.S. occupiers, just the type of person who should be opposing the Americans in Iraq. Although I personally hope that he doesen't care what people in the west think of him, it would only slow his progress.

[Severian]

No...but certainly I'm for an immediate withdrawal of U.S., UK and other foreign troops, regardless of who ends up taking over. And if the Sadrists give Washington a hard time, good. I think they are a significant problem for Washington and probably will become a larger problem in the medium term as they gain military experience and the occupation becomes more and more unpopular over time. Unfortunately, an early withdrawal is unlikely and a long and bloody war of independence likely.

But as far as aiding any political force in Iraq, it oughta be the workers' movement. Thread with some information about the labor movement in Iraq I posted a little while back. (http://www.che-lives.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=24772&hl=workers+iraq)

[h&s]

A Sadr is interesting.
On one hand he is organising and recruiting a guerilla force to fight an illegal imperialist invasion of his home country, which he has every right to do.
On the other hand he is using the pulpit to preach his political views to the masses, and he is getting them to do what he wants. As a Marxist I would say that this is wrong, and if he wins another religous state with no freedoms will be created.
Two wrongs don't make a right (or maybe they do!)