[Marxism] Left Hook Updated

[M. Junaid Alam]

www.lefthook.org


Last Release: Sunday, July 12, 2004

Can the Iraqis Fight for Sovereignty?

| M. Junaid Alam |

The much-touted official handover of Iraq by American occupation 
authorities to Iraqi officials handpicked by American occupation 
authorities has come to pass. A new phase in the liberation process, in 
which the task of securing and stabilizing Iraq must now be largely 
carried out by Iraqis themselves, has been declared. Now is the time to 
"let freedom reign" as President Bush enthusiastically scribbled down on 
a note to the new Iraqi Prime Minister. Of course, it has been stressed 
that the handover ceremony itself was to be mostly symbolic, a sign of 
things to come more than any concrete achievement in and of itself. It 
symbolized quite a bit, though nothing positive for the "coalition".

- (Read full) <http://lefthook.org/Politics/Alam071204.html>

God Must Be Watching

By Derek Seidman

How fortuitous! Just when you thought Fahrenheit 9/11 was dishing out 
anti-Bush conversions by the thousands (amidst the din of Yankee-fan 
boos directed at Dick Cheney), Bush's team has come to the rescue with a 
vengeance.

- (Read full) <http://lefthook.org/Politics/Seidman071204.html>

Ralph's Revolt: A Discussion with Greg Bates

| Josh Frank |

Greg Bates co-founded Common Courage Press in 1990, and is the 
Publisher. He is also the author of the new book, Ralph's Revolt: The 
Case for Joining Nader's Rebellion. Bates recently spoke with Joshua 
Frank about his upcoming book, the elections, and the future of 
progressive politics in America. He currently resides in Monroe Maine.

- (Read interview) <http://lefthook.org/Reviews/FrankBates071204.html>

An Open Letter to Michael Moore

Nikki Marterre

Dear Michael Moore,

I don't even know if you will get this email - Farenheit 9/11 was 
brilliant and I am sure you are caught up in all the hullabaloo. 
However, I recently read an article by you to the left called "Is the 
left nuts?". I understand where the frustration must come from. Many 
members of the left are very sectarian - they can't see beyond their own 
books on Hegel. However, there are many members of the left that are not 
that way at all. They are going out, talking to real Americans and 
taking up what regular people are concerned about. Should the left be 
concerned about real working class issues?

- (Read full) <http://lefthook.org/Culture/Marterre071204.html>

Beware the Liberal War on Terror

| Dave Stratman |

Many people who oppose the war in Iraq are living under a dangerous 
illusion: that the war is the work of a cabal of fundamentalist 
Christians and Jewish neo-conservatives who have hijacked the government 
for their own purposes -- that the war, in other words, represents not 
the policies of the core American Establishment but the zany doings of 
some interlopers.

There have been plenty of indications that this view is mere wishful 
thinking. The war in Iraq had resounding support at its inception from 
both Democratic and Republican politicians and the media. Only now that 
the situation in Iraq has dramatically deteriorated have some 
politicians and editorial writers begun to backpedal. Even so John 
Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has continued to give the war 
vigorous support, calling for 40,000 more troops.

- (Read full) <http://lefthook.org/Politics/Stratmanreprint071204.html>

A Visit to Shatila

| Bilal El-Amine |

On a recent visit to Lebanon where I’m from, a friend who works with 
Palestinian refugees arranged for a group of us to visit Shatila camp in 
Beirut. I had seen some of Lebanon’s camps from the outside—one boarding 
school I attended when I was young was close to the Ein Hilweh camp, the 
largest and most militant camp in Lebanon. Another, Borj el-Barajneh 
camp, greeted you just outside the airport on the main road, there was 
no avoiding it.

- (Read full) <http://lefthook.org/Ground/Aminereprint071204.html>