This is all 100% percent corrrect, and I'm surprised to see it come from Tariq Ali.
Question to all who are supporters of the "we must support anyone who is against U.S. imperialism" school of thought, and I mean this as a serious question, not a rhetorical one or one meant to trap you in order to prove you are wrong or something: does this mean you also give support to European Neo-Fascist structures which also oppose the U.S. imperialism and Zionism? If not, why not? Or do you disagree with Tariq Ali that these movements are equivalent to political Islam?
The Neo-Nazis in Germany latched onto Palestine agressively ever since the start of the second Intifada. Their militant opposition to the social democratic dismantling of the unemployment insurance system, as well as their consistent opposition to the Iraq war and Israel's politics vis-a-vis the Palestinians, have won them quite a following. The NPD actually has a fraction in the state parliament of Saxony.
The NPD is arguably the only political party that constitutes a militant opposition to the system. The PDS/Left Party never really was, and is even less so now, given their active participation in neo-liberal policies in Berlin and the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Oskar Lafontaine has tried to cut into the Right's base by making use of the same anti-immigrant demagogy, but the PDS can't afford to do this consistently. The eastern voter base of the PDS will go along with that sort of thing, but not west german communists and post-autonomists in places like Berlin.
So why the policy of "Islamic Fascists = Good" whereas "European Fascists = Bad?"
Carrol Cox says he wants a United Front of all opposed to U.S. Imperialism, but declines to answer when asked about Nazis. Mr. Mao recoils from the implications of his proposals. What about the rest of you?
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