Gates Speech Reveals Deep Splits in Nato

Written by Alan Woods
Friday, 17 June 2011


Robert Gates speaking at the Annapolis naval academy in 2010. Photo: DoD/Cherie Cullen

A decade ago George W Bush and the neo-cons took advantage of 9/11 and combined pseudo-democratic demagogy with a thirst for revenge to launch American foreign policy on the road of brute military force. But after the disasters in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the wake of the deepest slump since the 1930s, the mood has changed.

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RENEGADE EYE

The Nature Of The Gaddafi Regime – Historical Background Notes

Written by Fred Weston
Wednesday, 06 April 2011


Assad & Gaddafi, 1977. Source: Online Museum of Syrian History

We provide a brief historical outline of the development of the Gaddafi regime from the bourgeois Arab nationalism of the early days, to the period of so-called Islamic socialism, to the recent period of opening up to foreign investment, with major concessions to multinational corporations and the beginnings of widespread privatisations.

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RENEGADE EYE

Libyan Interim Government – Agents of Imperialism

Written by Fred Weston
Friday, 01 April 2011


USS Bataan sailors and marines prepare for action in Libya. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Erin Lea Boyce

What started as a genuine revolution against Gaddafi, has been taken over by reactionary bourgeois elements. In the Interim Council, and now the newly formed Interim Government, direct representatives of imperialist interests have been promoted to leading positions.

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RENEGADE EYE

Libya, imperialism and ALBA

By Barry Sheppard
March 27, 2011

I usually have disagreements with Barry Sheppard. He is insightful on Libya and the Arab Revolution.


A Libyan rebel walks past a military position decorated with the rebellion flag at the southern entrance to Benghazi. Photograph: Patrick Baz/AFP/Getty Images.

The struggle in Libya cannot be analysed except in the context of world and especially US imperialism, as I am sure all will agree. But its also cannot be analysed solely in terms of Libya itself in conjunction with the role of imperialism in that single country.

What is the context in which Libya must be placed? Or to put the question another way, could the civil war in Libya and the US military assault have happened four months ago? Of course not. Neither were even remote possibilities in anyone’s mind four months ago.

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RENEGADE EYE

Why Has the Revolution Stalled in Libya

Written by Fred Weston
Thursday, 17 March 2011


23 February, Benghazi. Photo: EndTyranny01

After taking one town after another in the early days of the Libyan revolution, now the insurgents are having to come to terms with the fact that Gaddafi has managed to hold together a significant section of his special security forces and is hitting back. How does one explain this dramatic turnaround?

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RENEGADE EYE

What Is Bonapartism?

The Arab Revolution brings out the question of the nature of the authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. Marxists have long talked about bourgeois Bonapartism, Leon Trotsky and Ted Grant added to Marxism, the the concept of proletarian Bonapartism. This definition is helpful to understand some of the so called socialist regimes. The Chinese Revolution was based on where the Russian Revolution ended 1949 Russia. Mao vigorously defended private property, and based the revolution not on workers, but peasants. Mao only nationalized industry, because capitalists fled to Taiwan. Just about every colonial revolution followed the Chinese model.

A transitional form of government between the regimes of parliamentary democracy and fascism, based on dictatorship and military force during a period when class rule is not secure. A strong government which appears to stand 'above parties' and 'above classes' due to relative equilibrium between the working class and the bourgeoisie. It is based on the military, police, and state bureaucracy rather than on parliamentary parties or a mass movement. So called after Napoleon Bonaparte, the classic example of Bourgeois Bonapartism. Stalin's totalitarian regime and others like it are classified as Proletarian Bonapartism.

RENEGADE EYE

Venezuela and Libya: It Is Not An April 11 Coup, It Is A February 27 Caracazo

Written by Jorge Martín
Friday, 04 March 2011



There has been a lot of discussion in Latin America about the events unfolding in Libya. This article explains the position of the IMT, which is one of support for the uprising of the Libyan people, while at the same time condemns any imperialist intervention. We also critically examine the position adopted by Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro.

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RENEGADE EYE

Uprising in Libya: Tremble, Tyrants!

Written by Alan Woods
Wednesday, 23 February 2011


23 February, Benghazi. Photo: EndTyranny01

Power is rapidly slipping out of the hands of Muammar Gaddafi, as anti-government protests continue to sweep the African nation despite a brutal and bloody crackdown. As city after city falls to the anti-Gaddafi forces his only base is now Tripoli. The East is in the control of the insurgents and most of the West has fallen into the hands of the rebels, including cities very close to the capital.

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Revolutionary Aftershocks

Written by Alan Woods
Monday, 21 February 2011


Bahrain February 21, 2011.

In nature an earthquake is followed by aftershocks. These can be as catastrophic in their effects as the original explosion. What we are now witnessing is the same phenomenon in terms of society and politics. The revolutionary earthquake in Egypt and Tunisia has sent seismic shocks to the most distant parts of the Arab speaking world. Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Sudan, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Djibouti -- the list is growing longer, not by the day but by the hour.

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