Wojtek,
I never equated the Cuban revolution to an islamic jihad. Obviously rebellion can take several forms, from the religious zealotry of fundementalism to quasi-Marxist rebles like the Shining Path to aristocrats like Jefferson and Washington who prefer to run things themselves instead of having to take orders from a British king.
But bear in mind the US shares some of the blame for the demise of socialism, and US foreign policy has been to systematically undermine and marginalize such groups worldwide, including in the Middle East. So of course something else will fill the vacuum once the socialists are out of the way.
Brett
>Brett: Equating the Cuban revolution with the islamic jihad, which is an
>ultra reactionary response to modernization, bankrolled by the
>ultra-reactionary elemnts in the Arab/Islamic world, with a nod from the
>CIA is a truly sad commentary on the state of progressive political
>discourse nowadays. Is the "blowback" morality play the only think the
>Left can say on the subject? How disappointing.
>
>While it might be true that social destabilization created by
>modernization/capitalist development (mentioned by MArx in his remarks on
>the British rule in India) may have created pre-conditions for mass
>mobilization, it is crucail to see what organizational form that
>mobilization takes. Socialism, with all its imperfections, put a human
>face on moderenization and industrialization, portrayed it as a future
hope
>for the humanity, and created the organizational forms (again far from
>being perfect) that were conducive for disciplined action, international
>solidarity, serving broad collective interests and humanity in general.
>Socialism thus harnessed that raw energy unleashed by modernization and
its
>discontent into a force for good.
>
>With the demise (I hope temporary) of socialism as a global force, the
>organizational and ideological forms offered by various warlocks of black
>reaction (especially islamic fundamentalists) suddenly gained visibility
>and attractiveness - somply because no better alternatives currently
>esxist. But even if misery of common folks pushes people into their ranks
>that does not make them a force of good. FUndamentalism is essentially a
>fascist reaction - an organizational form harnessing popular discontent
for
>socially and politically reactionary goals. The fact that Waffen SS or
>killing squads was often staffed by displaced peasants does not mean that
>we should give any support for these organizations, or even "understand"
>them. Ditto for islamic fundamentalism.