[lbo-talk] Qaeda at Work (was the Iraqi resistance at work)

[tfast]

> Several people have pointed out that there is no single Iraqi
> resistance. True enough, but isn't that part of the problem? Most of
> the militias seem more interested in fighting each other than the
> Americans, and some of the militias are even fighting among
> themselves. How can you fight an anti-colonial war with absolutely no
> unifying themes or ideologies? You can't say Islamism is, because
> Islamists are fighting Islamists.
> Doug
>
Yes, and black on black violence in SA was quite high from the mid to early
1990s.  It involved both intercene violence and ideologically motivated
violence.  What was the context of that violence?  Did resistance have to be
coherent ideologically and target wise?  Was apartheid not the ultimate
cause of that violence?  This is not to say that the internal struggle cost
SA a whole generation but that is what it took.  (Yah Yah sanctions and all
that jazz: they would never have happened if the external ANC could not have
exploited the violent images in the international media).

I just really am having trouble understanding your point Doug.  The US was
and is the prime mover in Iraq.  They fked shit up and now fked up shit is
happening even among and between those resisting the occupation.  It just
seems so obvious that of course some of the violence stems from intercene
struggles over who is likely to inherit the state (what is left of it) after
the US leaves.  But that is really a different issue.  There would be no
intercene violence of this kind but for the Invasion.  So what gives with
your fixation on what can only be considered from an outside POV to be
"absurd" violence?  The question is what made it possible.  And the answer
to that question leads you to culpability no?  I have to say you are
sounding like a bit of an ex Rhodesian or expat out of the Indian colonial
office (no offence intended it is just that the form of the argument has a
pedigree).

Travis

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