[lbo-talk] Islamist, Socialist Revolutions Don't Mix

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

On 10/4/07, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
>
> On Oct 4, 2007, at 11:25 AM, Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>
> > That doesn't mean that Islamic leftists of Iran have or will become
> > Marxists or Latin socialists have or will convert to Islam.  Nor
> > should it.
>
> Indeed. From the article in question:
>
> > ''President Ahmadinejad's promotion of closer ties with certain
> > Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia
> > called for some kind of identification of his brand of Islamist
> > militant ideas with those of the leftists in Latin American
> > countries,'' a leftist student activist from Amir Kabir University
> > told IPS on the condition of anonymity.
> >
> > "Ahmadinejad has visited several Latin American countries over the
> > past two years. He has brought (Hugo) Chavez and (Daniel) Ortega
> > here. Belief in socialism is considered a crime in the Islamic
> > state, punishable by death. Ahmadinejad's slogans against the West
> > and the U.S., his pro-justice rap, and his promises of economic
> > assistance bring them here -- much to our disappointment," she
> > said. "Daniel Ortega and other leftist leaders too must clarify
> > their position about their relations with Iran. We feel greatly
> > betrayed when for their countries' economic benefit they choose to
> > support extreme rightists, fascists like Ahmadinejad," she added.

The "leftist student activist from Amir Kabir University" and others
like her might first clarify what they think of domestic aspects of
socialism and populism in Latin America, of which Cuba and Venezuela
are the most obvious examples, and how many Iranians think like them.
Then, Castro, Chavez, Ortega, etc. can duly evaluate what their
relations to them should be.
-- 
Yoshie