Letter to John Bellamy Foster

John Bellamy Foster

John Bellamy Foster,

I was always under the impression that the only two deranged crypto-Stalinists on MR’s board were John Mage and Yoshie Furuhashi. Although you have never written anything as crude and stupid as the kind of stuff that Yoshie aggregates in your name, I was rather shocked to see her tweet that you endorsed a Veterans for Peace article by Jack Dresser that appeared in your local newspaper as a “good statement” on Syria. I find this both singularly depressing and at the same time an explanation why you have allowed MRZine to become the laughing-stock of the left. Let me walk you through Dresser’s article and explain why you embarrass yourself by endorsing it. (The entire piece can be read here: http://www.registerguard.com/rg/opinion/30407781-68/syria-chemical-syrian-weapons-assad.html.csp)

Dresser writes: “The Free Syrian Army is comprised less of defectors from government forces, as represented in the Western media, than of foreign mercenaries and Sunni fundamentalists of both the Wahhabi and Salafi variety.”

Do you really agree with this, Foster? If so, I recommend that you get up to speed on more authoritative reporting. Foreign mercenaries are generally involved with the jihadist groups, not the FSA. Furthermore, there have been widespread reports about the clash between Sunni fundamentalists and the movement that supports the FSA. I recommend in particular the New Yorker Magazine article about the tensions that exist in Raqqa: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/04/the-black-flag-of-raqqa.html. Even more importantly, aren’t you aware that the jihadists have already begun to kill FSA commanders? You really need to familiarize yourself with the facts. Start here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/12/free-syrian-army-officer-killed

Going downhill rapidly, Dresser writes: “The outside FSA military units have little allegiance to the people or the state of Syria and do not represent the legitimate Syrian opposition, which has already negotiated a new constitution with the government of President Bashar al-Assad resolving most of their grievances, with elections scheduled next year. Last year, a survey by a foundation in Qatar found 55 percent citizen approval of Assad, and the new constitution was endorsed by 89 percent of Syrian voters.”

I wonder what planet Dresser is living on. What “legitimate Syrian opposition” could he possibly be referring to? And which elections? Every serious analyst describes the country as being in an advanced state of decomposition and you nod your head approvingly in support of this idiocy? How did you ever get so far in your profession that is supposedly based on social science? The poll that Dresser refers to was taken 18 months ago, long before al-Assad had ratcheted up his war-machine to Chechen type dimensions and even then it was pretty dodgy.

Meanwhile the new constitution Dresser refers to that got 89 percent approval was voted on while the country was being torn apart by artillery and aerial bombardment. For Christ’s sake, that’s almost as absurd as the percentage by which al-Assad won the last “election”: 97 percent.

Needless to say, Dresser is just as laughable when it comes to the question of the recent chemical attack, calling it a “false flag” operation and asserting that since “Assad is winning with conventional weapons”, there was no reason to use such weapons. Aren’t you aware that the suburban neighborhoods that got attacked were strongholds of support for the rebels that proved resistant to conventional weapons attack? Don’t you care?

There was a time, maybe as near as a decade ago, that I had deep respect for you. Now I am more sad than angry that you have turned out to be subject to such shallow thinking and so little concern for political principle.

In sorrow,

Louis Proyect