In retrospect, Halliday's position seems hard to argue with, but who knew at the time? Who knew that Khomeini would turn out so clever & treacherous that he'd turn so effectively on his former allies?
________
The Spartacist League, that's who! Go back and read Workers Vanguard for 1979. The SL engaged in a furious polemic against the rest of the left for its rhapsodizing over Khomeini and the mullahs. Whatever you think of this outfit (and I don't hold them in high esteem) there's no denying that they were right on this one, andd the rest of the left was wrong. Except for maybe Fred Halliday, who abandoned the left twelve years or so later with his support of the first Gulf War.
Jim ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.