There’s way too much going on right now for me to really focus on any one country this week. The aftermath of the fall of the Nepal government has, somewhat surprisingly, reverberated around the world, and not only in countries that are enemies to the West as you’d expect; for example, Morocco’s government battle fiercely with Egypt’s and Jordan’s to be first in line to lick the dogshit off the boots of Zionists, and yet Morocco is currently embroiled in a large protest wave based primarily around a youth unemployment crisis (though their population is also remarkably pro-Palestinian, which generates additional friction). We’re also seeing similar protests in Madagascar, Peru, and Paraguay, and perhaps more will come. I’m personally fairly doubtful in the potential for meaningful economic results from these protests (the current imperialist system seems too deeply embedded for a movement that isn’t explicitly communist and anti-imperialist to alter conditions), but it is quite possible for new political results at least.
Outside of the developing world, it appears that the unpopularity of western leaders, such as in the UK, France, and Italy, is creating new levels of unrest. In Britain, the political system has become so utterly moribund that even the artificial democracy of a two-party system (more-or-less; the Lib Dems do exist I suppose) no longer suffices, with both Conservatives and Labour gradually sinking. The Reform party appears like it may become the new standard-bearer of the capitalists and petit-bourgeois - that is, the historical wellspring of fascism - and the Left Party (whatever name they eventually choose) may or may not rise to meet the occasion. In France, they’re on their fifth Prime Minister in two years, after Lecornu lasted about a month, attempting the liberal classic: promising change, and then appointing the exact same people who have ruled for the last few decades. And pro-Palestinian protests and general strikes have erupted in Italy, in defiance of their rightwing government under Meloni.
While there’s plenty of other events (e.g. continuing aggression against Venezuela that might soon erupt into a war) it would be remise of me not to mention the very much ongoing events vis-a-vis Palestine and a potential peace deal there, seemingly supported to some degree by Trump. It could be legitimate, and it could be some big act (very likely the latter, IMO). Both Trump and Netanyahu seem to believe that they’re very talented political masterminds, producing manoeuvres and feints that would make Machiavelli blush. Nothing could be further from the truth, and I trust the militant organizations inside Palestine to outplay these American failsons. Hamas and similar groups are not nearly as gullible as the Iranian reformist faction - though few people are!
Last week’s thread is here.
The Imperialism Reading Group is here.
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The Zionist Entity's Genocide of Palestine
Sources on the fighting in Palestine against the temporary Zionist entity. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:
UNRWA reports on Israel’s destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.
English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news.
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.
English-language PalestineResist telegram channel.
More telegram channels here for those interested.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Sources:
Defense Politics Asia’s youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don’t want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it’s just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
Simplicius, who publishes on Substack. Like others, his political analysis should be soundly ignored, but his knowledge of weaponry and military strategy is generally quite good.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists’ side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR’s former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR’s forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster’s telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a ‘propaganda tax’, if you don’t believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine Telegram Channels:
Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
I understand the sentiment, but, at the risk of sounding snobbish, this is undialectical.
Only porky gives a shit about the stock market
Fifa and Eurovision are lib shit anyways, and Europe is a fascist hellhole.
About the rest of the points about people mobilizing I think it’s the other way around. Do remember the civil societies of the world have been on a DEEP slumber on their revolutionary potential after the fall of the USSR and the pseudo calm years of pax americana. Palestine has given a jolt of revival to that energy and has shown literal hundreds of millions around the world how the US is the Great Satan, especially in the global south.
The consequences of 2 years of jump started proletarian militancy are gonna be felt dearly for the bourgeois around the world in the coming years and decades, I can bet money on that.
undialectical is looking at sentiments and polls, when material reality shapes our societies. Material reality is thusly: change in trade patterns - non-existent (if anything egypt became the beneficiary via gas field), means of production or information sphere - penetration of american imperialists is even deeper (now including tiktok and twitter), military sales same (aside from spain) or even worse, cause euros are paranoid about russia, bds - cautiously optimistic, but not popular enough to be scary (see kimmel vs gadot for disney).
If people believe pisrael is perpetrating genocide, but then vote for parties supporting pisrael even now for a cheaper burger (germany/britain/usa are illustrative enough), they will give even less of a shit later, so material reality of politicians doesn’t change. I’m sorry to be so doomerpilled, but there is no solidarity in the treatlerite masses, arab street became netflix condo, eurocucks are more useless than ever, amerikkkans were always the last to any decent position (as with apartheid).
As for the protests: anti-wto was in the 90s, but say iraq was in 2003, those protestors got their treats, resubscribed to new york crimes, and voted biden.
I see what the issue is, you are only focusing on what happened in the global north.
Trust me, the change in attitude in the global south and the increase in movilization is definitely noticeable. Mostly because you add the outrage at “Israel” with anti-imperialist and anti-trump sentiment.
The US is not respected anymore, that much I can tell you. And the war of position to break imperialist hegemony is very well on its way and advancing, THAT has a material impact.
because that’s the lifeline of entity, not global south. but that aside, anybody kicked out their embassies in global south? or sanctioned them (this side of colombia)? maybe vietnam suspended their military cooperation (for god’s sake)?
as for respect, that again is whatever, respect doesn’t increase surplus extraction, sure usa will operate now under we will genocide whoever we want (as opposed to hiding it), not exactly conducive to nationalizing mines, is it?
Here is the thing, when the economies of the world start going down the shitter that’s when you will see people leaving their seats to do shit.
The fact that Palestine gave a reason for people to get up and mobilize when their material conditions weren’t ripe enough for it can’t be understated. The zionist entity and the Great Satan have jump started the kind of militant and outraged energy to the masses that they shouldn’t have, and they haven’t likely prepared for.
When shit really hits the fan, the experience learnt through this years will be used, and its invaluable knowledge that will make the bourgeois’ life much more difficult than if the only thing the masses had seen in their phones and TVs these years was Shrek 10 and Football (I refuse to call it S*ccer).
TL;DR The revolution takes years, pessimism will not get you anywhere on that regard.
It’s reasons like this why I believe the global south will weather the effects of climate change better even though we’ll see worse effects of it. Community goes a long way and the global north is too alienated for that.
This right here! The struggle is a school, and this struggle in particular gave folks 2 years of valuable experience organizing and facing off against state repression, media, etc. It also stripped bare the contradictions most folks were otherwise oblivious to. It completely changed the layout of organizing in my area just from folks seeing / learning from PSL and applying lessons at their various orgs, unions, etc or seeking help. The knock-on effects can’t be understated and this has absolutely been a formative struggle for the ones to come.
ansarallah demonstrated that they can shut down the red sea and the suez. traffic through there dropped by something like 80% and I doubt it will rebound.
Sales/orders and actual stock on hand are different things. the US military expended a huge amount of materiel supporting israel, especially anti-air defence interceptors. they were used waaay more than their replacement rate. iran’s strikes demonstrated that even the most heavily defended area on earth can still be struck by a majority of missiles in a strike package. multiple fighter jets were splashed in the red sea as well as something like 10-20 reaper drones, which are supposed to be immune to this kind of non-state/semi-state actor. a US carrier collided with a container ship while waiting to transit the suez earlier this year and it’s still not repaired.
these are all real costs to the empire, the effects of which will be seen more in whatever the next conflict is, whether that’s weaker support for ukraine, demonstration of the strength of resistance weaponry (especially iranian missiles), or american military planners being more aware of how much they need to hold in reserve when projecting force elsewhere.