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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=1999wildcat@gmail.com href="mailto:1999wildcat@gmail.com">John Reimann</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=socialistdiscussion@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:socialistdiscussion@yahoogroups.com">socialist discussion</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, September 25, 2013 9:55 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [socialistdiscussion] Workingclass and revolutionary
organisation in Syria</DIV></DIV>
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<P>
<DIV dir=ltr>This isn't directly relevant to Felicity's request, but since the
issue of Syria is raised, I'd like to comment on the main points as I see them:
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>1) Far from being a left of any type, Assad had embarked on a series of
neo-liberal economic reforms with predictable results - increased corruption and
enrichment at the top; increased poverty of the masses.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>2) Global warming and a long term drought increased the poverty and drove
masses into the cities.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>3) The revolt started as a revolt from below, not just against Assad but
also against the rich. This included what appears to have been embryonic
elements of dual power in at least one town - Taftenaz.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>4) Assad's attacks and defections from the army ultimately led the
political revolt to become an armed struggle, which then became a war by
proxy.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>5) This civil war, while serving Western interests by draining Iran and
Russia, also threatens to further destabilize the entire region. This is one of
the main things leading the US to tend to intervene. On the other hand, given
the role of Islamic fundamentalist forces, intervention and the downfall of the
Assad regime would be far from a bed of roses for the US and the West.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=gmail_extra><BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 4:04 AM, Olivier Delbeke <SPAN
dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:odelbeke@gmail.com"
target=_blank>odelbeke@gmail.com</A>></SPAN> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid" class=gmail_quote><U></U>
<DIV><SPAN> </SPAN>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>Felicity,<BR><BR></DIV>for french-speaking people, our best source is on
the website A l'encontre :<BR><A
href="http://alencontre.org/category/moyenorient/syrie"
target=_blank>http://alencontre.org/category/moyenorient/syrie</A><BR><BR></DIV>That
website does a very good job of translation from arab language and forwarding
informations about the situation. And compiling various sources
...<BR><BR></DIV>Best ...<BR></DIV>
<DIV class=im>
<DIV class=gmail_extra><BR><BR>
<DIV class=gmail_quote>2013/9/24 Felicity Dowling <SPAN dir=ltr><<A
href="mailto:feldowling@yahoo.co.uk"
target=_blank>feldowling@yahoo.co.uk</A>></SPAN><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid" class=gmail_quote><U></U>
<DIV><SPAN> </SPAN>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P></P>
<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV>I am attempting to prepare for a meeting in Liverpool on Syria. </DIV>
<DIV>Does anyone know anything useful? Are/were there organised groupings
affiliated to socialism/Marxism. Don't put anyone at risk by replying but if
there is a revolutionary grouping with a history that we would not be
damaging by openly discussing it would be good to know.</DIV>
<DIV>Felicity</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<P></P></DIV>
<DIV
style="COLOR: #fff"></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV>
<P></P></DIV>
<DIV style="COLOR: #fff"></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR
clear=all>
<DIV><BR></DIV>-- <BR>
<DIV dir=ltr>"Poems don't belong to those who write them; they belong to those
who need them" - from movie "Il Postino"<BR>Check out:https:<A
href="http://oaklandsocialist.com" target=_blank>http://oaklandsocialist.com</A>
and //<A href="http://www.facebook.com/WorkersIntlNetwork?ref=stream"
target=_blank>www.facebook.com/WorkersIntlNetwork?ref=stream</A>
<DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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