“Arab Spring, European Summer, American Fall!” So read the huge banner greeting marchers as they returned to New York’s Liberty Plaza, home to Occupy Wall Street, at the end of a 30,000-strong march. This is just the latest example of the constant evocation of the Arab revolution as inspiration by OWS and similar “Occupy” events … Continue reading Middle East revolt gains force
Tag: Egyptian revolution
MASSIVE OCCUPATION TARGETS WALL STREET
<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]-->Worldwide economic misery, inequality, and war have sparked an explosion of protests against Wall Street’s super crooks. The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement, which began in New York City, has spread like a wildfire across the United States. Protesters, led mainly by young people, have built encampments in numerous cities, with accompanying marches and … Continue reading MASSIVE OCCUPATION TARGETS WALL STREET
Palestine: ‘Statehood’ or liberation struggle?
The Palestinian grassroots, including people in exile, continues the independent organizing that earlier this year led to the historic May and June Nakba and Naksa border-crossing “Marches for Return.” In August the focus turned to an intervention into the controversy over Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas’ plan to call for a vote on “statehood” at … Continue reading Palestine: ‘Statehood’ or liberation struggle?
Do Israeli protests signal a shift toward class-struggle politics?
July and August have seen an unprecedented number of mass demonstrations in Israel. These mobilizations are similar, in many ways, to protests in the Arab world and in Europe. The demonstrations have raised demands against high prices and against privatization, and for increased minimum wages, but the main thrust has been high rents and a shortage … Continue reading Do Israeli protests signal a shift toward class-struggle politics?
Syria uprising is critical to continuing Arab revolt
With the NATO victory in Libya, the regional Arab revolt faces a turning point. In our last issue we explained that Egypt was the key to the fate of that revolt, because of the weight of its working class, that class’s militancy and state of mobilization, and new political projects in its ranks.Now NATO has … Continue reading Syria uprising is critical to continuing Arab revolt
Imperialist Victory Is No Gain For Libyan People
Tragically, Libya’s short-lived February 2011 “Arab Spring” was rapidly transformed into a six-month imperialist-led onslaught that wrought death and destruction on the Libyan people. The U.S. and other NATO countries are seeking to establish a beachhead in Libya that can be used to derail the mass revolts that have taken place throughout the region and … Continue reading Imperialist Victory Is No Gain For Libyan People
Victory to the Syrian People’s Uprising! US/NATO, Hands Off!
<!--[if !mso]> <![endif]--> Below is a speech delivered on August 20th by Socialist Action Political Committee member Andrew Pollack to a rally of 300 in New York City in defense of the Syrian uprising against Bashar al-Assad:Sisters and Brothers,It is an honor to speak today, and if I stumble over my words it is out … Continue reading Victory to the Syrian People’s Uprising! US/NATO, Hands Off!
Workers in Egypt: Key to Saving the Arab Spring
Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, the U.S. is using every weapon in its arsenal—military, diplomatic, financial, etc.—to try to turn the Arab Spring into a Washington Winter, an endless night of continued poverty enforced by dictatorships.But Egypt’s workers, who initiated the process leading to the mass Arab revolt with their strikes five years … Continue reading Workers in Egypt: Key to Saving the Arab Spring
UNAC plans protest at NATO summit
The illusions of many Americans that Obama would turn out to be an “antiwar president” were definitively shattered early last year when he sent 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Since that time, the Obama administration’s attempts to convince the public that the war would soon wind down have proven hollow. Instead, Washington is expanding its … Continue reading UNAC plans protest at NATO summit
Greece in Revolt
ATHENS—The social resistance against the policy of the “Memorandum” in Greece, which has been imposed on the country since the beginning of last year by the “Troika”—a kind of committee of the ruling classes of the major countries of the EU and the USA, represented by the Brussels Commission, the ECB and the IMF in … Continue reading Greece in Revolt
From Palestine to Perama: Struggle Crosses the Mediterranean
The Greek government has acted to extend Israel’s blockade of Gaza all the way to its own shores by blocking the departure of boats in Freedom Flotilla 2 from the ports of Perama and Piraeus. In this, the Greek ruling class and its “Socialist” Prime Minister George Papandreou demonstrate their class solidarity with the rulers … Continue reading From Palestine to Perama: Struggle Crosses the Mediterranean
Palestinians mark the Nakba with marches to homeland borders
On Sunday, May 15, Palestinian refugees took a step marking a turning point in the century-long struggle against their country’s colonization. On that day tens of thousands of refugees and their allies marched to the borders of historic Palestine and demanded to be allowed back in.The marchers declared that this was the first of many … Continue reading Palestinians mark the Nakba with marches to homeland borders
Obama counsels Arab nations to ‘follow Poland’
On his visit to Warsaw at the end of May, President Obama cited Poland as a ‘living example” for Arab nations that are currently in revolt. The U.S. sees Poland as the most successful case of an Eastern European country in which capitalism has been restored.Poland was the only EU country that did not fall … Continue reading Obama counsels Arab nations to ‘follow Poland’
Tunisia: An ongoing revolution
Following are portions of an interview with Jalel Ben Brik Zoghlami, a lawyer and one of the leaders of the Ligue de la Gauche Ouvrière (LGO, Workers’ Left League). He was formerly a leader of the Organisation Communiste Révolutionnaire (OCR, Revolutionary Communist Organisation, Tunisian section of the Fourth International). He was interviewed by Jan Malewski … Continue reading Tunisia: An ongoing revolution
Youth Rising in Spain!
by Clay Wadena A brutal police crackdown on youth protesters occupying the central square of Barcelona has backfired against Spanish authorities. Early on May 27, over 120 youth were injured when police shot rubber bullets and beat protesters with batons in an attempt to clear the square under the dubious pretext that a soccer celebration … Continue reading Youth Rising in Spain!
Egyptian workers organize for political and economic rights
by Andrew PollackOn Friday, April 8, hundreds of thousands gathered in Tahrir Square to demand that Mubarak and his clique be put on trial for their crimes. In the early hours of the next morning, the military savagely attacked those still in the square, killing two. But in a sign of the depth of the … Continue reading Egyptian workers organize for political and economic rights
Profit system fuels food crisis
by Barry WeislederGlobally, more than 935 million people go hungry every day. The dramatic rise in food prices adds millions monthly to the mass of starving people. It precipitated the “Arab Awakening” from Tunisia to Egypt. It sparked food riots in Bangladesh, and now confronts Afghanistan with a 50 per cent shortfall in funding for … Continue reading Profit system fuels food crisis
April 9 & 10 protests show a new and diverse antiwar movement
by Christine Marie The extrajudicial killing of Osama bin-Laden by U.S. special forces in Pakistan, and the Obama administration’s celebration of it, increase the likelihood that the U.S. government will seek to prolong its wars in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa—and even to launch new wars in the region. We can also expect a … Continue reading April 9 & 10 protests show a new and diverse antiwar movement
U.S./NATO, Hands Off Libya! Victory to the Uprising!
by Andrew Pollack During recent weeks the imperialist forces attacking Muammar Gadhafi’s regime have dropped what little pretense existed about their goal of regime change in Libya. The defining moment of this shift came when an op-ed cosigned by the heads of state of the U.S., Britain, and France declared: “Gadhafi must go.” In an … Continue reading U.S./NATO, Hands Off Libya! Victory to the Uprising!
Stop NATO strikes on Libya
No to Gadhafi! No to imperialist intervention!Socialist Action EditorialSocialist Action stands solidly for the victory of the Libyan masses in their fight to overthrow the dictatorial regime of Muammar Gadhafi. But to achieve their goals, and to avoid a derailing of the still-growing revolution in northern Africa and the Middle East, the war of the … Continue reading Stop NATO strikes on Libya
Popular Struggles in the Middle East
by Andrew PollackSyria: Syria has joined the ranks of countries participating in the regional uprising. The largest and most frequent protests against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad have been in the southern city of Deraa. But protests also occurred in Damascus, Latakia, and other cities. Human rights activists say that over 100 protesters may … Continue reading Popular Struggles in the Middle East
April 9 & 10 antiwar rallies to express solidarity with Wisconsin workers
by Christine Marie“Stop the War on the Unions! Money for Jobs and Education, Not for War and Occupation!” So began a leaflet distributed by United National Antiwar Committee supporters at the Feb. 26 rally of 100,000 workers at the Wisconsin State Capitol building in Madison.UNAC team members traveled from Minneapolis, Virginia, and Vermont to display … Continue reading April 9 & 10 antiwar rallies to express solidarity with Wisconsin workers
Scapegoating of Muslims on the rise
by Christine MarieU.S. activists celebrated the revolts in North Africa, not only for their potential to free millions in the Arab world from U.S.-backed dictators, austerity, and repression but for their potential to roll back Islamophobia inside North America. Photos of the resurgent labor movement demonstrations in Wisconsin revealed that U.S. workers felt a new … Continue reading Scapegoating of Muslims on the rise
Egypt, Tunisia inspire struggles worldwide
by Andrew Pollack On Feb. 11 the masses of Egypt succeeded in driving Hosni Mubarak from office. After repeated mobilization of millions in Cairo and elsewhere, they had begun to march on state institutions in the capital (as had already happened in Suez and Alexandria). To forestall a split in the army, the military hierarchy … Continue reading Egypt, Tunisia inspire struggles worldwide
US Hands off Libya! Victory to the Workers’ and Peasants’ Uprising Against Qaddafi!
by Andrew PollackIn late February the masses of Libya revolted against the regime of Muammar el-Qaddafi. As we go to press, the opposition controls the country’s second largest city, Benghazi, and other cities in the oil-rich eastern part of the country as well as many towns in the west. Qaddafi maintains control in the capital, … Continue reading US Hands off Libya! Victory to the Workers’ and Peasants’ Uprising Against Qaddafi!