'Self-determination for the Middle East' —a just demand?

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Esteban Volkov (Leon Trotsky's grandson) Sunday, Nov. 18, 1990, 11 a.m. — 2 p.m.

"Self-determination for the peoples of the Middle East" appears at first to be a simple and just demand. Many opponents of Washington's aggression against the Arab people in the Middle East have raised this slogan at coalitions organized to protest the U.S. war preparations.

The Palestinian and other Arab people, Kurds, and other ethnic groups have all suffered under colonial or neocolonial rule. The Kurds in particular have suffered massive discrimination and death in countries such as Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. Why not a demand that includes all oppressed or nationally discriminated people in the region?

Yet this demand is not just or democratic. It will not aid the just fights of discriminated minorities in the Arab countries, Iran, and Turkey. Nor will it aid the Arab workers and peasants fighting brutal regimes in Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, and other Arab countries.

Why? Because the situation in the Middle East is much more complex than people seeking their own nation-states or freedom from French, British, or American control.

The democratic demand of self-determination can be used as a diversion and turned into its opposite if not clearly defined as only for the oppressed. All people in the Middle East do not suffer from national oppression. Nor do those who face domination from imperialism face the same situation.

In the context of Washington's war drive, the general slogan for self-determination for all peoples of the Middle East can have only one meaning: return to power of the ousted Kuwaiti emir and his royal family. After all, President Bush claims that U.S. troops are supporting "self-determination" for the Kuwaiti people!

This slogan thus becomes, no matter what the intent of those who raise it, a justification for the U.S. war preparations. It is the figleaf for the United Nations-sanctioned aggression in the region.

In addition, the slogan gives de facto recognition to the settler-state of Israel, a country formed in 1948 with the support of world imperialism. Israel was created on the blood and bones of the displaced Palestinian people. The Israeli Jews are not oppressed as a nation. They are the oppressor nation sitting on top of the Palestinian and other Arab people's land.

Nationalism of oppressed There is a major difference between the nationalism of the Arab people (which Saddam Hussein has appealed to) and the nationalism or chauvinism whipped up by oppressor nations.

The former represents the interests and desires of an oppressed people to take control of their lives. It is entirely progressive. The latter is used to justify the control and division of the world's resources by big oil and other capitalist corporations. It is totally reactionary.

The Kuwaiti emir, the Saudi royal family, and their Washington backers oppose Arab nationalism. Imperialism hopes that the disunity of Arab heads of state will permanently undermine pan-Arab nationalism.

But this will not happen. Arab nationalism, like all nationalisms of the oppressed (including Black nationalism in the United States) is based on real oppression. It is fueled by that reality. It is created and recreated by that oppression and can only whither away when full equality of all peoples exists. That's only possible with the victory of worldwide socialism.

In the Middle East, the fraternity of free and independent nations can only be forged by recognizing the just and democratic demand of self-determination for the Arab people and oppressed nations. The slogans raised can be for self-determination for Palestine; self-determination for Kurdistan; etc. But it can't include oppressor nations such as the Israeli Jews. Talik Miah The Israeli Jews already have self-determination and they use it to oppress Arabs. Israel's rulers are imperialism's main ally in the region. The Kuwaiti, Saudi, and other kings, emirs, and dictators also have "self-determination." They serve as the policemen for the European and American rulers to help dominate the Arab and other semi-colonial people of the Arab East.

Consistent nationalism At the same time, it is important to recognize that Saddam Hussein and other capitalist rulers of the Arab countries don't represent consistent and genuine nationalism of the Arab and other oppressed people. Consistent nationalism-fighting uncompromisingly for the rights of the oppressed Arab nation—is not possible by those defending capitalism.

Hussein is a pro-capitalist dictator. He has used his brutal regime to keep down Iraqi workers and peasants and to slaughter Kurds fighting for their rights. Hussein launched a war in 1980 against the Iranian people after they threw out a U.S. dictator, the Shah.

Because Hussein and other capitalist rulers in the Arab world abuse nationalism for their own means does not diminish the dynamics of Arab nationalism. It's that powerful dynamic that frightens imperialism and the feudal princes-and Hussein, too, in the long run.

The emerging movement against Washington's war drive should focus on one slogan: Bring the Troops Home Now! At the same time, supporters of genuine self-determination for the oppressed people of the Middle East can and should educate around democratic demands such as self-determination for the Palestinian people (concretized in the slogan for a "Democratic and Secular Palestine") as well as "Hands off Iraq."

New York City with Dave Cooper and Brecht Forum 79 Leonard St. Manhattan For more info call, (212) 966-3517 Jake, myself, others that came down to Austin, retirees of our own union, people that were there at the founding, arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder, passing this food which was our lifeline.

"And when the sunshine patriots and summer soldiers of the labor movement had gone home, Jake was still there a lot longer than anybody else that I can remember who gave so much of themself. "

Al Eiden, who also spoke, was a conscientious objector to World War II and met Jake in Sandstone Prison. Al described his contacts with Jake over the many decades that followed. The gathering also heard from Dave Riehle, local chairman of United Transportation Union Local 650 and a former leader of the P-9 support committee, and from Lynn Henderson, a national committee member of Socialist Action.

The final speaker was Dave Cooper, Jake's brother, also a national leader of Socialist Action, who was recruited to socialism at the age of 15 and, with his brother, dedicated his life to the cause of workers' rights and socialism.

[On Oct. 27, over 60 people attended a memorial meeting for Jake Cooper in San Francisco. Speakers included Dave Cooper, Socialist Action Co-National Secretaries Nat Weinstein and Jeff Mackler, and Socialist Action members Cindy Burke and Carole Seligman.]