IMPERIALIST FRONTS

LOWKEY—The Chilling Truth Behind Israel’s Dark Agenda. The US is priming Israel to be the paramount power in the Middle East, with complete complicity of the collective West’s political, military and media class. This class has stood by Israel as it genocides Palestinians, piles up nuclear weapons, and stages invasions and regime-change ops throughout the Middle East and beyond. Israel has normalised the mass killing of children. Iran has been the only country (aside from the brave Houthis) that has made opposition to Israel, defence of Palestinians (and pushback against US imperialist acts) part of its foreign policy, and included the cost of such resistance in its national defence budget. 

KJ NOH—Many commentators consider that de-escalation in Ukraine is military reprioritization for war with China. Taiwan is considered one of the most likely places where the next kinetic war could be triggered. New statements and developments from the US, the G7, and Taipei authorities are heightening the tension and signal the potential for a new Ukraine-type proxy war against China in the Pacific. Our understanding of China — and U.S.-China relations — has become a defining feature of all global politics.

EDITOR—The news of HTS’ rapid advances, basically already almost checkmating the government of Pres. Assad and his allies, is certainly depressing to the panel.  Their attitude toward this disgusting development, and the huge betrayals it implies, is certainly enough to make them assume a somber mood. Yet, much is likely to be decided in the next few weeks, perhaps even days, note Scott and Larry, as Iran and Russia do have considerable assets to respond with and neutralise this offensive. Still, there is no doubt that both countries are currently a bit overextended as a result of their own immediate strategic obligations and priorities—the Ukraine War for Moscow, and the defense of Iran under threat from Trump 2.0 for Tehran—and such reality may prevent the kind of response they are truly capable of. Still, notes Larry, Russia entered the Syrian war when things were far worse, and turned it around. It could happen again. Hezbollah for its part must do everything in its power to turn back this Jihadist attack, as its own survival is now at stake. 

EDITORS—Nima and Prof. Marandi explore the potential for improvement or rapid degradation of the situation in the Middle East and beyond, depending on how Donald Trump and his likely cabinet of Neocons decide to play their cards. Iran’s rapid development of advanced weapons capable of neutralising the West and Israel itself, have changed the equation in West Asia, and rendered much of America’s global strategic power virtually dubious if not obsolete. Besides, Israel’s intransigence leaves little room for manoeuvring, and Tehran may be forced to act. 

STANSFIELD SMITH—“Compatible left” was a term used by the CIA to describe those on the left it has deemed compatible with maintaining imperialist world rule. This left has dominated the US left since the end of World War II, in large part a result of government operations repressing the communist or anti-imperialist left. Historically, this compatible left that the CIA worked to cultivate rejects actually existing socialism and formed a “third camp” or “plague on both houses” left between capitalist and socialist countries. Providing a “respectable” alternative to the anti-imperialists, it used its progressive flavor to lure in radical youth, activists, workers, and intellectuals.

The CIA is correctly seen as a ruthless organization that overthrows democratic governments considered a threat to US domination. But this overlooks the CIA’s “gentler” work: underwriting and encouraging a compatible left, one which looks to the Democratic Party for political leadership. The CIA has secretly funded and managed a wide range of these groups and individuals.