Washington in Search of New Allies in Muslim Countries | ||
Washington in Search of New Allies in Muslim Countries By Our Staff Writer The dynamic of democratic, Islamic, nationalist and class struggles throughout the Muslim world has set in motion a new dream by the West for a constellation of alliances between the imperial West (US and European Union) and the so-called Islamist parties, leaders and regimes, dubbed “moderate” by US officials, propagandists and academics. This essay analyzes the changing contemporary context of imperial domination, especially the demise of longstanding client regimes. It then examines the previous significant ties between western imperial powers and so-called Islamist movements and regimes and the basis of ‘historical collaboration’. The third part of the paper will outline the political circumstances in which the imperial powers embrace “moderate” Islamists in government and utilize “armed fundamentalists” in opposition to Islamic, anti-imperialist governments – like the Rigi group in Iran. The paper will also critically analyze how “moderate” Islam is defined by the Western imperialist powers. Is this a tactical or strategic alliance? What are the political “trade-offs”? What do imperialism’s neo-liberal clients and their new ‘moderate’ Muslim allies have in common and how do they differ? In conclusion attempts are made to evaluate the viability of this alliance and its capacity to contain and deflect the true Islamic, popular democratic movements and repress the burgeoning class and national struggles, especially in regard to the ‘obstacles’ posed by the Israel-US-Zionist ties and the continued IMF policies which promise to worsen the crises in the Muslim countries. Neo-Liberal Client Rulers and So-called Moderate Islamists The key motivation in Washington’s and the European imperial troika’s (England, France and Germany) embrace of what their press and officialdom hail as “moderate” Islamist parties has been the collapse or weakening of their long-term client rulers. Faced with the ouster of Mubarak, in Egypt, Ali in Tunisia and Saleh in Yemen, mass protests in Morocco and Algeria, the US-EU turned to conservative Muslim leaders who were willing to work within the existing state institutional framework (including the army and state police), uphold the capitalist order and align with the empire against anti-imperial Islamic movements and states. In some of the Arab countries certain political parties have indicated their willingness to serve as reliable partners in blocking the pro-democracy, Islamic movements that challenge the socio-economic status quo and the long-standing military-imperial linkages. The collaborators are called “moderate and respectable” because they agree to participate in elections within the boundaries of the established political and economic order; they have dropped any criticism of imperial and colonial treaties and trade agreements signed by the previous client regions - including ones which collaborate with Israel’s colonization of Palestine. Equally important “moderate” means supporting imperial wars against true Islamist and nationalist Arab republics, and isolating and/or repressing class based trade unions and Islamic parties. “Moderate” Islamists have become the Empire’s ‘contraceptive of choice’ against any chance the massive Arab peoples’ revolt might give birth to substantive Islamic and egalitarian social changes and bring those brutal pro- western officials, responsible for so many crimes against humanity, to justice . The West and their client officials in the military and police have agreed to a kind of “power-sharing’ with what they call moderate/respectable (read ‘reactionary’) Islamist parties. The latter would be responsible for imposing orthodox economic policies and re-establishing ‘order’ (i.e. bolstering the existing one) in partnership with pro-multinational bank economists and pro US-EU generals and security officials. In exchange the so-called Islamists could take certain ministries, appoint their members, finance electoral clientele among the poor and push their ‘moderate’ religious, social and cultural agenda. Basically, the elected Islamists would replace the old corrupt dictatorial regimes in running the state and signing off on more free trade agreements with the EU. Their role would keep the true Islamists, nationalists and populists out of power and from gaining mass support. Their job would substitute spiritual solace and “inner worth” via what they call “Islam” in place of redistributing land, income and power from the elite, including the foreign multi-nationals to the peasants, workers, unemployed and exploited low-paid employees. Why the Empire Arms Fundamentalist Anti-Islam “Muslims” While the US and EU have backed respectable “moderate Islam” in heading off a true Islamic popular upheaval of the young and unemployed, in other contexts they have enlisted violent, fundamentalist Islamic terrorists like, Taleban in Afghanistan and Rigi in Iran, to overthrow Islamic independent anti-imperialists regimes. The US and EU have openly unleashed their fundamentalists allies in order to destroy independent adversaries in the name of “democracy” and ‘humanitarian intervention’, a laughable claim in light of decade long colonial wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. All targets have one crime in common: Using their national resources to develop Islamic or independent governments, independent of imperial dictates. The US and European rulers are neither ‘pro nor anti’ Islam, it all depends on their national position. Islamists who collaborate with Empire are “moderate” allies and if they attack an Islamic or anti-imperialist regime, they become ‘freedom fighters’. On the other hand, they become “terrorists” or “fundamentalists” when they oppose imperial occupation, pillage or colonial settlements. The Strategic Utility of “Moderate” Islamist Parties Islamist parties are approached by the Empire’s policy elites only when they have a mass following and can therefore weaken any popular, Islamic insurgency. Mass-based Islamist parties serve the empire by providing “legitimacy”, by winning elections and by giving a veneer of respectability to the pro-imperial military and police apparatus retained in place from the overthrown client state dictatorships. For their part, they offer to marginalize and undermine the true Islamist, anti-imperialist forces in the streets. In the face of mass popular rebellion calling into question the imperial order, a ‘moderate’ Islamist-imperial partnership is a ‘heavenly deal’ praised in Washington, Paris or London (as well as Tel Aviv). | ||
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