Topic: Middle East

Marxism and the Arab revolutions

Revolution is back on the agenda. Sandra Bloodworth argues that the Arab revolutions confirm the relevance of Marxism as a guide to the fight for human liberation.

Confronting the Stalinist legacy

One of the magnificent features of the Arab revolutions is the ruthless manner in which they have exposed the dirty, duplicitous, hypocritical, blood-soaked truth about the global political establishment. As the revolutionary wave spread to envelop almost the whole of North Africa and the Middle East, Western politicians, diplomats, university heads, business executives and government bureaucrats squirmed, as evidence of their ties with the despots of the Arab world circulated across the internet.

The Arab Spring: revolution and counter-revolution

The Arab revolutions continue. Sandra Bloodworth looks at the danger of counter-revolution and discusses the political questions and challenges for the left posed by these momentous events.

Why the Australian state supports Israel so stridently

Vashti Kenway looks at why Australia is so close to Israel.

US imperialism and the war for the Middle East

Corey Oakley analyses the counter-revolutions which have swept across the Arab world since the mass revolts of 2011.

The 1968-9 Pakistan Revolution: a students’ and workers’ popular uprising

The images of the 1960s which dominate in Australia are those from the Western countries. Justen Bellingham’s account of the 1968-69 uprising in Pakistan is an important corrective to the Eurocentric view of the upheavals of the time.

The origins of the criminal Assad dynasty

Omar Hassan confronts the myth that the Assad dynasty in Syria was ever socialist or anti-imperialist.

US vs Free Syrian Army vs Jabhat al-Nusra (and ISIS): History of a hidden three-way conflict

Michael Karadjis answer the “comic-book view widely expressed in tabloid journals of the mainstream, left and right", that alleges the Syrian rebellion against the dictatorship of Bashar Assad is a conspiracy of incompatible forces.

Review – 'Hezbollah: The political economy of Lebanon’s party of god', by Joseph Daher

Joseph Daher's book is a breath of fresh air and provides a detailed picture of the most important party in Lebanese politics, says Omar Hassan.

The siege and resistance in Gaza: Interview with Toufic Haddad

Palestinian intellectual and author Toufic Haddad speaks about the state of Palestinian politics in the context of an inspiring new round of popular resistance.

The social construction of sectarianism in the Middle East

Omar Hassan outlines a materialist explanation of sectarian conflict in the Middle East, arguing that true social liberation is bound up with the abolition of capitalism in the region.

Gilbert Achcar on the undying revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa

In this wide-ranging interview, Gilbert Achcar explores the issues raised by the inspirational return of revolution to the Middle East and North Africa.

Resisting barbarism: Contours of the global rebellion

Omar Hassan surveys world politics at the turn of the decade, with a focus on the exhilarating return of mass revolutionary struggle.

Iran: Rebellion and revolt at the heart of the republic

In this fascinating survey of politics in Iran, Shiva Tabari and Darren Roso put forward a revolutionary perspective for class struggle and socialist organising in a highly charged and challenging situation.

Imperialism in the nineties

Diane Fields analyses the new contours of imperialism after the fall of the USSR.

The Gulf War, Israel and the Palestinians

In this fascinating piece, Janey Stone surveys the response of Israelis and Palestinians to the first Gulf war, and how it set the scene for the coming Oslo accords.

Nationalism and revolution in the Arab world

Sandra Bloodworth critiques the failures of Arab nationalism, putting a case for a socialist strategy for working class self-emancipation in the region.

Review: Israel - selling arms to anyone who wants them

Jasmine Duff reviews a book exposing Israel’s appalling record of selling arms and surveillance technology to right-wing regimes.

The Palestinian national liberation struggle: A socialist analysis

This 2002 article by Mostafa Omar provides important background for understanding Israel's genocidal war on Palestine, and the political limitations of the organisations that claimed to stand for Palestinian liberation.