Marcus Halaby analyses the great – and as yet uncompleted – Arab revolutions of 2011, debunking a number of myths and proving the relevance of Trotsky’s theory of permanent revolution today.
As the rival imperialist powers manoeuvre to gain an advantage from the mass uprising against Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship, Marcus Halaby examines the regime’s strategy and tactics as it struggles, if not for outright victory, then at least to cling on to some vestiges of its power. One of the historic claims to legitimacy of Ba’athism, […]
As sectarian militias roam the countryside seeking to drown the Syrian revolution in blood, Marcus Halaby argues that the only progressive solution is one based on class After the massacres in Houla on 25 May and in Qubair on 6 June, anyone on the left who still opposes the Syrian revolution should be treated […]
After a heavily contested first round, the Egyptian presidential election came down to a run-off between two candidates, representing two wings of the same ruling class. As we go to press the results are not known. The candidate of the undisguised counter-revolution is Ahmed Shafiq, puppet of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), […]
The Arab Spring of 2011 inspired millions around the world through its acts of heroism. But now the revolutions have stalled. In the spirit of solidarity with these movements and communist internationalism, Marcus Halaby takes a critical look at the far left in these countries and Syria in particular One of the most noticeable […]
Despite president Bashar al-Assad’s promises not to shoot protesters, his regime has continued to kill civilians, most recently in Damascus and Homs. The Arab League’s week-long talks to produce a peace plan made his regime hypocritically issue an amnesty for those carrying arms. But the uprising itself remains largely unarmed, while most armed civilians belong […]
2011 will undoubtedly be remembered as the year of the Arab Revolution. We have seen an explosion of democratic aspiration and courageous struggle as revolutions spread in a few weeks from Tunisia and Egypt to Bahrain, Yemen, Libya, and Syria. Like all such movements, which challenge and topple leaders and systems that had once appeared […]
Gaddafi has been toppled from power, but the fight for the future of Libya continues. Dave Stockton looks at the growing conflicts amongst the anti-Gaddafi forces.
Protests have mushroomed since Israel’s killing of five Egyptian soldiers in mid-August, when Israeli security forces breached Egyptian territory in pursuit of Islamist militants allegedly responsible for a series of attacks on Israeli civilians in Eilat. Popular anger at Israel’s actions and at its renewed bombardment of Gaza prompted mass demonstrations outside the Israeli embassy […]
Massive strikes by workers have broken out across Egypt, reports Marcus Halaby. This opens up a new phase of the revolution as Egypt heads towards its first post-Mubarak elections in November.
Marcus Halaby looks at how the growing strike wave, mass demonstrations in Tahrir square and Israeli embassy protests herald a new wave of revolution. Eight months after the fall of Mubarak, Egypt’s newly independent trade unions are now gearing up for their first major challenge to the military government that replaced him. Having its origins […]
In the last days a general strike has rocked Egypt. The strike movement illustrates how the Egyptian revolution is entering a new phase, as workers come to the fore of the struggle to dislodge the military junta from power. Here we publish the statement of the Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions, who have led […]
The Syrian uprising continues despite the murderous violence from the Assad regime, writes Marcus Halaby
Every revolution is at some stage confronted by a counter-revolutionary struggle. Egypt’s Mubarak and Tunisia’s Ben Ali may have been caught by surprise but the other Arab rulers were forewarned and forearmed in the event that their people rose up too. Marcus Halaby takes an analytical view
In the wake of the Arab Spring, many Palestinian activists are discussing the possibility of a third intifada, by Kady Tait
Revolutionaries and anti-imperialists from across the world will be gathering in Cairo between 3-5 June to discuss the next tasks for the growing rebellions across the Middle East and North Africa, writes John Bowman
Fierce fighting continues across Libya as the revolutionaries struggle to bring down Gaddafi’s regime.
The revolution in Egypt has entered a new phase. New independent trade unions are recruiting tens of thousands and demanding an end to starvation wages and sweatshop conditions. Marcus Halaby and Jeremy Drinkall assess where the movement can go from here
SYRIAN security forces shot dead over 80 protesters on 22 April. They killed another 12 the next day, as the democracy movement attempted to bury its dead. President Bashar al-Assad has opened a river of blood between his regime and the people.
The UN decision to intervene in Libya was not a humanitarian measure to “protect civilians”. It was, first of all, a carefully calculated policy to protect Western interests in the country. Secondly, however, it was a major step towards stabilising the entire region, stemming the tide of rebellion while ensuring the continued rule of Western […]
The rebellion against Gadaffi’s dictatorship deserves unconditional support and that is not altered by the UN decision. Those who oppose powerful states have the right to get hold of arms wherever they can and to take advantage of any weaknesses in their oppressors’ situation. That remains true even where the weaknesses are the result of […]