War In the Middle East

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the press has been focused on the possibility that this may be the beginning of World War 3. There is cause for their concern, as the war is clearly expanding. The American military sent two fleets to the Mediterranean, in preparation for a wide ranging war. 

According to a statement by the American Defence Secretary, President Biden ordered two airstrikes in Syria, ‘’against Iran and its aligned groups’’. As he phrased it, ‘’The president has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.’’ 

The press went on to explain that these airstrikes are an attempt to ‘’quell wave after wave of drone and rocket attacks against American troops, based in Syria and Iraq, triggered by the Israel-Hamas war.’’ They further report that there are 900 American troops in Syria, and 2,500 more in Iraq. Their mission is to ‘’advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of an ‘Islamic State’, which in 2014 seized large swaths of both countries, but was later defeated’’. 

As well, Israel has carried out ‘’strikes’’ against a military organization referred to as Hezbollah, located to the north of Israel, in the southern part of the country of Lebanon.  The press refers to these strikes, as a response to ‘’tense exchanges of gun fire, along the Lebanon border’’. In addition, Israel has also prepared ‘’elite forces’’, in anticipation of invading Lebanon. 

As it is also accepted that Hezbollah is the dominant political force in the West Bank, which is currently occupied by Israel, there are fears that Israel could also be attacked, from the West Bank.

In Yemen, the Houthis have declared themselves to be part of an ‘’Axis of Resistance’’, of Iranian allies, determined to ‘’retaliate on the Israeli war on Gaza’’. 

The Iranian Foreign Minister just released a statement, to the effect that, ‘’Resistance leaders in the region say that until the full rights of the state of Palestine are realized, and until an outcome is reached in confronting the occupation in the region, they will keep their fingers on the trigger’’.

The press is also reporting, that the Foreign Minister of Iraq issued another warning, threatening the expansion of the war, if the current cease fire does not continue. 

As I write this, both Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ‘’tentative truce’’, for several days, with the goal of exchanging hostages, and providing the people of Gaza with desperately needed humanitarian supplies.  

On the first day of that truce, a number of hostages were exchanged, and a number of trucks were allowed to enter Gaza, from the border with Egypt. It remains to be seen if this truce will continue to hold. If the truce fails to hold, then Iran is threatening an escalation of the war.

No wonder the press is so concerned with the threat of World War 3!

As that is the case, perhaps it is best to examine the events which led up to the two previous world wars. If those events are similar to the current events, then we have good reason to  worry.

No doubt, all middle class intellectuals will find this to be supremely boring, as they are already well aware. Yet my main concern is with the recently awakened members of the working class, as they have to be ‘’brought up to speed’’, so to speak. Or as Lenin stated, ‘’our very first and most imperative duty is to help to train working class revolutionaries who will be on the same level in regard to Party activity as intellectual revolutionaries’’.(italics by Lenin) After all, in order for the approaching revolution to be successful, a truly scientific socialist revolution, the proletariat, or at least the most advanced strata of the proletariat, must be class conscious. 

It is safe to say that the events leading up to the First World War, started in the nineteenth century. In fact, Marx and Engels lived and worked in the mid to late nineteenth century, during a time in which capitalism was in its early, competitive stage. At the same time, the capitalists of the so called ‘’Great Powers’’, the most highly industrialized countries of the world, were busy ‘’dividing up the world’’, between them. 

As a result of their study of capitalism, Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto, in 1848. They documented the fact that the industrial revolution gave rise to capitalism, and further, that capitalism initially played a most revolutionary role. In fact, at first, it had certain progressive characteristics. This is explained quite clearly, in their Manifesto. 

Just as Marx predicted, capitalism developed into the stage of monopoly, around the ‘’turn of the century’’, which is to say the beginning of the twentieth century. At that time, the most successful capitalists, those who were then referred to as ‘’multi millionaires’’, agreed to cooperate, as it was thought that this was the best way to ensure a huge profit, through ‘’price fixing’’. 

Those same monopoly capitalists were also aware of the fact that ‘’something had changed’’, although they could not say exactly what that was. Not that they had any great desire to do so. They were only concerned with their profit. 

Yet this ‘’new state of affairs’’, under monopoly capitalism, became known as ‘’imperialism’’. Those who choose to embrace monopoly capitalism, are referred to as ‘’imperialists’’.

It was Lenin who conducted a thorough, scientific examination of monopoly capitalism, that of imperialism. This gave rise to a true masterpiece, titled Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism. Among other things, he concluded that imperialism is ‘’reaction, right down the line’’. 

At the same time that capitalism was reaching its highest monopoly stage, the ‘’Great Powers’’, succeeded in ‘’dividing up’’ the whole world, between them. All other countries became mere colonies of those highly industrialized, imperialist countries. 

This led to a little problem, among the imperialist powers. As there were no more colonies available to be seized, this just meant that the imperialist powers that were ‘’ambitious’’,  anxious to ‘’extend their influence’’ through out the world, had to separate certain colonies from other countries, other imperialists.

In particular, Germany was anxious to expand. With that in mind, a ‘’Quadruple Alliance’’, otherwise known as the ‘’Central Powers’’, took shape. These consisted of the countries of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. 

In opposition to the Central Powers, the ‘’Allied Powers’’, or ‘’Entente Powers’’, came together, in the form of France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy and Japan. After all, these countries were not at all anxious to part company with their colonies!

This attempt to ‘’redivide the world’’, among the ‘’Great Powers’’, gave rise to the ‘’Great War’’, the ‘’War To End All Wars’’. It did nothing of the sort! Yet, starting in 1914, millions of common people, workers and farmers- peasants- were engaged in a great slaughter! They were sent to kill each other, so that one or another group of monopoly capitalists, imperialists, could rule the world! The ‘’Great War’’ was nothing other than the ‘’Great Slaughter’’ of common people!

Yet it did give rise to revolution! In Russia, the Romanov Dynasty was first overthrown! Then the Russian capitalists seized power! They were determined to continue the Great Slaughter of common people! In the interests of seizing colonies and increasing profits, of course!

In response, the workers and poor peasants rose up, under Lenin, overthrew the Russian capitalists, and created the first socialist republic in the world! As the vast majority of common people were poor peasants, this became known as the Dictatorship of the Proletariat and Poor Peasants! Thus was born the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, led by Lenin!

After the death of Lenin, Stalin took over the reigns of power, and continued to crush the capitalists. He carried out the policies started by Lenin. 

We can only stress the fact that the Soviet Union, under Lenin and Stalin, was a truly Scientific Socialist country, a Communist country, one which embraced the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. It was only after the death of Stalin, in 1953, that the Russian capitalists were able to restore capitalism, and place the fool Khrushchev in charge. 

Events which happened, immediately after the first successful socialist revolution in Russia, are instructive. These serve to drive home the fact that, after any socialist revolution, the monopoly capitalists, the billionaires, do not ‘’resign themselves to their fate’’. On the contrary, there ‘’resistance increases tenfold’’, as they make every effort to ‘’restore their paradise lost’’, according to Lenin.

In fact, Lenin was shot, in 1918, so that he died in 1924. Also, in Germany, in 1919, Karl Liebnecht and Rosa Luxembourg were murdered. Other working class revolutionary leaders, around the world, were also murdered. Still others, such as Kautsky, ‘’turned his coat’’, becoming a traitor to the proletariat. He and numerous others ‘’sold out’’! As I have covered this is previous articles, there is no need to repeat it here. 

The point is that the working class was deprived of some of their finest leaders! As a result of this, the international working class movement, towards scientific socialism- temporarily!- regressed. 

At that time, immediately after the Great Russian October Socialist Revolution, the most advanced strata of the proletariat, had embraced the principles of scientific socialism! The Dictatorship of the Proletariat was widely discussed! Such is no longer the case!

This is no cause for despair on our part! The working class, at least in the most highly industrialized countries of the world, are quite highly cultured. Most are literate, and have access to digital devices. The internet is ‘’at their finger tips’’! That makes the task of raising their level of awareness, to the level of scientific socialists, ever so much easier!

This brings us to the subject of the Second World War, starting in 1939. Once again, the imperialist powers were ‘’at each others throats’’, squabbling over the colonies. For that reason, the slogan of the true Communist Parties, of all the warring countries, was ‘’Turn the Imperialist War Into A Civil War’’. By a civil war was meant a revolutionary war, of scientific socialism, against the ruling class of capitalists, as had happened in Russia, in 1917. This was correct, at the start of the war, with Germany and Italy, waging war on France and Great Britain. 

That changed dramatically on June 22, 1941. On that day, Nazi Germany invaded the first socialist republic, the Soviet Union. The imperialist world war was converted into a just war! The Socialist Soviet Union had to be defended! The slogans, of the true Communist Parties, of all countries, changed to ‘’Defend the Socialist Soviet Union!’’

In response to the invasion, the Soviet Union called for all citizens to defend the homeland! They referred to this as the Great Patriotic War! It was no longer a war to redivide the world! The war which started, in 1939, between the imperialist powers, was converted into a just war! The Socialist Soviet Union had to be defended!

Of course, as is well known, the Soviet Union defeated the Nazi invaders, in 1945. The alliance, between the Communists of all countries, and the imperialists of the countries at war with Nazi Germany, came to and end. 

It is also well known that Stalin died, in 1953. At that time, the Russian capitalists were able to restore capitalism, within the Soviet Union, due to mistakes that Stalin had made. 

The Chinese Communists conducted a proper criticism of Stalin, and concluded that he was a fine revolutionary, but had made a number of serious mistakes, which allowed the capitalists to return to power, after he died. 

After Mao died, in 1976, the Chinese capitalists were also able to return to power, due to mistakes that Mao had made. As I have documented this in a previous article, there is no need to repeat it here. 

Suffice it to say that the road to scientific socialism, is not a ”paved highway”. Our class enemies, the monopoly capitalists, the billionaires, are not about to ‘’resign themselves to their fate’’, under scientific socialism. The history of previous socialist revolutions leaves no room for any doubt!

It is up to us to honour the memory of previous great revolutionaries, by learning from their mistakes! 

Of course, those who restored capitalism in the USSR and in China, do not refer to themselves as capitalists. They call themselves ‘’Communists’’. As capitalism is failing in both of those countries, the western capitalists offer this as ‘’proof’’ that Communism is a failure! 

Nothing could be further from the truth! It just means that capitalism is failing in the countries which were -formerly!- socialist! 

I can only hope that our recent converts to scientific socialism, find that to be helpful.

Now to return to the subject of the Middle Eastern War, and the threat of World War 3.

The fact that the American imperialists have troops located in both Syria and Iraq, is an indication that they consider the Middle East to be part of their ‘’sphere of influence’’, to use their stilted expression. It is also clear, from their press reports, that the Americans consider Iran to be the main threat to that ‘’influence’’! 

For the moment, there appears to be no other imperialist power, which they refer to as a ‘’super power’’, competing to take control of the region. Yet no doubt, numerous countries, in the Middle East, are fighting for the right to self determination. They want to be free from the influence of the American imperialists. 

As well, the people of Palestine are fighting to throw off the yoke of the Zionists. They want to create a homeland of Palestine, one in which people of various religions can live together, in peace. This includes the Muslims, Jews and Christians. They previously lived together,  for hundreds of years, respecting the beliefs of each other, and plan to do so again. But then the Zionists have to be first overthrown!

Both Israel and Hamas are making the mistake of resorting to the use of terror, against civilians, in the current war. Such a use of terror cannot be justified. For that reason, the leaders of both factions could soon be facing charges, from the International Criminal Court. 

In summary, we can conclude that the war has already spread to other countries in the Middle East, most notably Lebanon and Syria. It will very likely spread to more countries, mainly in opposition to the Zionists and American imperialism. That is a far cry from World War 3.

Just how far the war spreads, is largely up to the revolutionary forces in America. If Trump  manages to return to power and establish his fascist dictatorship, then it is very likely that the current Middle Eastern War will expand, as the world unites against American Fascist Imperialism. 

The revolutionary forces within America are determined, that will not happen!