A Tale of Two Letters
Readers may or may not know that the official organ of the Communist Party of Britain, the Morning Star, has recently become free to view on the internet.
While reading the letters page earlier this morning I came across evidence for the view that while an uncomfortable number of leftists currently view Islamism and its practitioners through rose-tinted sunglasses, the malaise is not neccessarily widespread and terminal.
Exhibit A is a depressing letter from Keith Flett of Tottenham - prolific correpondent to the press, proud beard-wearer and long-time SWP member.
Here’s what he says about recent events in Gaza:
ISRAEL, a nuclear armed power, reacts to alleged rocket attacks from inside Gaza by air strikes that kill and injure hundreds.
The action is disproportionate and almost certainly illegal under international law. Normally, Western powers faced with such a situation would cut off diplomatic ties and threaten to send troops.
In fact all that has happened is that Israel has been asked to be a bit more careful in future. If anyone is looking for the root cause of continuing terrorism originating in the Middle East, here would be a good place to start.
KEITH FLETT
London N17
Writing to a newspaper to condemn Israel’s recent air-strikes on Gaza is a perfectly proper thing to do - something not normally deserving of comment; it would also be wrong to take umbrage at the mistaken confidence with which Flett delivers his rather pat legal view - a wry smile is the correct response to such an amateur ‘analysis’. What should, however, be objected to is the fact that someone who describes himself as a historian decided to refer to ‘alleged rocket attacks from inside Gaza’. Wouldn’t it be more honest to drop the word ‘alleged’? After all, no-one in the world, not even Hamas are denying the fact of the rocket attacks.
Left-wingers don’t do their credibility any good whatsoever by trying to pretend Hamas rocket attacks aren’t real - as if they’re merely a convenient but mythical pretext for inexplicable Israeli violence or a figment of a hysterical collective imagination. Writing in such weaselly terms merely identifies the signatory as a person who has no compunction about arguing publicly in bad faith if it suits their current political line: in short it’s a handy way to advertise long-term membership of a political party, the SWP, in which mendacity is not only the unchallenged norm, but a way of thinking that has become internalised among its adherents to the extent that they don’t realise they’re doing it.
It is all rather depressing, but a second letter made me think there was still some hope for the survival of a Left without starry-eyed illusions in the ultimate aim of Islamists. It was a report on recent attacks on democratic rights in the world’s first Islamic Republic.
Short extracts below:
The new year in Iran has started where 2008 left off for Nobel Peace prize laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi. Five government agents posing as tax officials raided her offices this week.
This follows last week’s raid upon the offices of the Centre for the Defence of Human Rights, when a gathering to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was disrupted and the offices were closed down.
Ebadi’s harassment is part of an ongoing campaign to discredit her and undermine the campaigns for peace and human rights in Iran with which she is associated.
In recent days, groups of pro-regime zealots have gathered in front of Ebadi’s house, writing slogans against her on the walls accusing her of being a US agent.
The letter was sent from Jamshid Ahmadi, Assistant General Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of the Iranian People’s Rights, and someone more than familiar with the fate of Iranian leftists in his homeland:
Here’s a recap for those who need reminding of what happened to the once powerful Tudeh Party as the Iranian Islamists gradually consolidated power after 1979:
While almost all other leftist parties opposed the Islamist forces at this time, and were suppressed as a result, the Tudeh Party leadership decided to collaborate with the new clerical theocratic regime. This may have been to try and take advantage of the lack of competition from the many now suppressed rival leftist groups, or to follow the pro-Tehran line of the Soviet Union.
In 1982, however, the Tudeh broke ranks. The Islamist government of Iran had closed down the Tudeh newspaper, and purged Tudeh members from government ministries. It pushed back the invading Iraqi army and had decided to advance into Iraqi territory despite having recovered most of Iranian territory. The Tudeh urged acceptance of a UN peace offer and warned that continuation of the war would `play into the hands of the imperialists.` Quite quickly the government arrested and imprisoned its leadership and later more than 5,000 members and supporters of the party. The party was banned in 1983.
From May 1 1983 to May 1984 almost all the Tudeh leadership appeared in videos, first individually and then jointing in an October 1983 a “roundtable discussion,” confessing to “treason”, “subversion”, “horrendous crimes”, praising Islam and proclaiming Islamic government’s superiority over atheistic Marxism-Leninism.
“The grand finale” of the Tudeh recantations came on May 1984 when the “party’s main theoretician” and co-founder, Ehsan Tabari, appeared on television. A man with “50 years of leftist experiences” told viewers he had read “great Islamic thinkers” such as Ayatollah Motahhari in prison following the 1982 crackdown and had now come to repudiate the works he had written over the past 40 years. He now realized that his entire life’s work was `defective`, damaging`, and `totally spurious` because it had all been based on unreliable thinkers - Freemasons nourished by the Pahlavis; secularists such as Ahmad Kasravi Western liberals and Marxists linked to `imperialism` and `Zionism`.
Tabari’s made frequent references to religion, the Twelve Imams and Islamic thinkers in his recantation and “praised Islam for its `great spiritual strength.`”
Belief by outside observers that the confession were not given freely was reinforced by the conspicuous absence of Taqi Keymanash and “13 other members” of the Tudeh central committee, who died during prison interrogation.
Keith Flett and all his fellow-travellers in the SWP may be well advised to dwell on the aphorism that those who cannot remember the past are often condemned to repeat it.
Comments
| 8 January 2009, 8:02 am |
The irony of a communist recanting his “defective” and “totally spurious” views will be lost on few here. What people will say when they are given an offer they cannot refuse, particularly the billion odd people living is Islamic countries.
| 8 January 2009, 8:30 am |
Okay, so HP is now having a go at Keith Flett, FFS, for erroneous use of the word ‘alleged’, and then on the basis of that the usual ranting exaggerations and generalisations, and curious obsession with the irrelevant SWP. Case in point:
Left-wingers don’t do their credibility any good whatsoever by trying to pretend Hamas rocket attacks aren’t real
Er, but who is, apart from Keith Flett, apparently. But wait on: he actually uses the word “alleged”, which was wrong, because they are not in dispute; but this word does not necessarily indicate Flett is pretending “they were not real”, but rather that he thinks they are contested or in doubt.
Has HP now entered the realms of self-parody?
| 8 January 2009, 8:53 am |
One thing is for sure. You have.
| 8 January 2009, 9:00 am |
Well, I dunno David. Benji sometimes has a point, and at least is a good voice to have in the argument. Certainly compared with some of our recent trollish guests, and GOOD LORD compared with that PressTV lot [of commentators].
| 8 January 2009, 9:15 am |
Well I suppose Flett is right in a strict UK legal sense, as in “Fred West’s alleged crimes” (not having been convicted in a court of law) but that doesn’t alter the fact that he is a bearded dissembler.
| 8 January 2009, 9:36 am |
Flett was wrong to put the word “alleged”. Sderot’s residents know the rockets are real. And socialists should clearly oppose any targetting of civilians.
He could have made his point much more effectively pointing out they are real, but comparing the the relative impacts of Hamas’s rockets and the Israeli army’s bombardment over the last ten years and the last ten days, and noting also that hundreds of Sderot’s residents have petitioned the Israeli government not to escalate the conflict.
He could have also referred to the number of deadly Israeli incursions into Gaza during the last 10 years. Hopefully he’ll consider this advice from one bearded lefty to another.
Have you noticed, though, that sometimes round here you get the opposite problem - people all too ready to believe something that is alleged. Like, for example, the Israeli army’s confident allegation that rockets were fired from inside the compound of the UNWRA school. The army, responsible for the deaths of 42 civilians there in one blow, when they bombed it, are sticking to their story while Israeli officials have now admitted in private briefings to the UN that the allegations that fire came from within the compound were completely baseless.
Not that I anticipate there will be any contrition here about believing the Israeli army’s allegation.
Go on, prove me wrong.
| 8 January 2009, 9:50 am |
Benji sometimes has a point, and at least is a good voice to have in the argument.
Sorry, but this is excrement. Benji has singlehandedly ruined more discussions on this blog than the rest of the comentariat put together. The fact that he is neither a hard-left totalitarian sympathiser nor a reactionary right-wing goon is not a redeeming feature when his only ‘position’ on any subject is “critic of HP”.
There’s no subject on which he doesn’t have an opinion, but I’ve yet to see any evidence of more than rudimentary knowledge on any topic. He is an egomaniacal provocateur and I hope his next shit is a hedgehog.
| 8 January 2009, 10:00 am |
the SWP, in which mendacity is not only the unchallenged norm, but a way of thinking that has become internalised among its adherents to the extent that they don’t realise they’re doing it.
Sounds EXACTLY like the BBC.
| 8 January 2009, 10:01 am |
and noting also that hundreds of Sderot’s residents have petitioned the Israeli government not to escalate the conflict.
Obviously, these would be from the half of the Sderot population that has not left the town in the last 8 years due to almost incessant rocket fire from Hamas. Again, I refer readers wed to bodycounts and nothing more to the word “terrorism” and its meaning.
The army, responsible for the deaths of 42 civilians there in one blow, when they bombed it, are sticking to their story while Israeli officials have now admitted in private briefings to the UN that the allegations that fire came from within the compound were completely baseless.
An Israeli government spokesman on Newsnight last night clarified this completely. It seems the mortar fire came from next to the school compound - “In the immediate vicinity of the school compound”.
Of course, the fact that the original mortar fire by Hamas came from outside the school compound and not within it actually increases any justification Israel may want to offer for returning fire. The fact that Israel has the exact coordinates for this school and others loses relevance the further away from the school the outbound fire comes.
I’m not sure those desperately looking for any and every opportunity to blacken Israel’s name are actually thinking things through properly before they type.
| 8 January 2009, 10:08 am |
I’m not a BBC basher by any means and I think most of the criticism of their coverage of the I/P conflcit is misdirected. However, I was a little annoyed with Paxman last night.*
Asked about the inadequacy of the 3-hour truce, the Israeli government spokesman mentioned that Hamas had used this 3-hour “truce” to launch several rockets into southern Israel. Paxman’s response was - in his most dismissive tone - “so we’ve heard”.
The wrods were “so we’ve heard”, but the implication was clearly “so you say”.
Can you imagine:
Palestinian spokesman: “20 people were killed in the last Israeli attack”.
Paxman: “So we’ve heard”.
No, neither can I.
*I’m still not claiming this flippancy from Paxman is indicative of a wider BBC malaise.
| 8 January 2009, 10:13 am |
while Israeli officials have now admitted in private briefings to the UN that the allegations that fire came from within the compound were completely baseless.
Link please
| 8 January 2009, 10:26 am |
Lbnaz,
David and others are trying to rubbush the Israeli defence because it now seems the outbound fire wasn’t within the school compound, but rather in its immediate vicinity. They think this gives them a ‘gotcha’, when in fact it does precisely the opposite.
The school, remember, was not hit. And if the latest reports are correct and the outbound fire was outside the school compound, then even the compound itself was not the target.
When the dust settles, it mgiht still prove to be the case that Israel should not have returned fire, but with every metre fruther from the school the original Hamas fire was, so Israel can claim greater justification in returning fire.
| 8 January 2009, 10:27 am |
Why do you all get so hot and bothered about Benjamin? In this last mail he was obviously being provocative and you fall for it. David T settled the matter without agitation in a few words.
| 8 January 2009, 10:31 am |
There is no way of whitewashing the ‘alleged rocket attacks.’
| 8 January 2009, 10:35 am |
I take the point and I agree he is best ignored. But I don’t know if “settled the matter” is entirely accurate. I mean, Benji is the most prolific commenter on most threads and, other than one or two temporary lulls, he has been for the last 4 years.
Not all trolls were created equal.
| 8 January 2009, 10:35 am |
Forget about providing a link Mr. Swuppie: I hadn’t read Brownie’s comment clarifying the matter.
Oh and Brownie, although I’m not entirely convinced that he isn’t a totalitarian sympathiser, that is as long as people other than he have to live under the totalitarian yoke and as long as the totalitarians have the correct big and little satan enemies, overall, and that’s including your mention of his monomaniacal hatred of HP and the image you provide of him having to pass a hedgehog through his sphincter, you are being far, far too kind to Benjamin Mackie.
| 8 January 2009, 10:38 am |
Lbnaz, the UN spokesperson in Jerusalem Chris Gunness revealed about the private briefings on BBC2 Newsnight last night. It is now recorded in several newspapers and also on the web, for example at:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/249400,extra-un-israel-admits-rocket-fire-was-not-from-within-school.html
| 8 January 2009, 10:39 am |
Brownie, Well my view is that Paxman is one of the better BBC guys; having seen him on Newsnight a bit since returning from SA a couple of weeks back. In relation to the Israeli response to Hamas’ acts of war business, he asks tough questions of both sides, a refreshing change.
The simply appalling Dateline London, with Gavin Estler, is more typical of the usual circle jerk BBC mindset, it’s even sent out on BBC World, so I sometimes saw it in SA.
The BBC news, which is largely commentary masquerading as news….a here’s what to think approach…..more typically epitomizes the BBC approach.
(thank gord for the Preview function…I managed to field an especially embarrassing ‘actually’ before pressing submit)
| 8 January 2009, 11:06 am |
Marcus, dont hold your breath. I am in a circle of Iranian leftists, and by and large, some openly and some subliminally, they support Ahmadinejad - the Iranian Hitler whose days are numbered. (Once his fall becomes inevitable, you will hear a chorus of opportunistic condemnation from the Iranian lefty crowds against Ahmaqinejad.)
They have not learnt an iota from the leftist debacle and tragedy of 1979 - 1988.
If you want to study postcolonial leftists going full circle and uniting with theocrats and ultra-rightwing nationalists, study the case of the left in contemporary Iran to this very day.
This is so bad that I have seen leftist question secularism and attendant atheism as tools of imperialism.
Depressing indeed, and this phenomena is not limited to a tertiary party such as the SWP.
| 8 January 2009, 11:50 am |
David Rosenberg: It doesn’t matter whether you believe the fire came from within the compound or not. War is war and ugly things happen. It is, however, likely that the Israelis are trying to avoid civilian casualties, if only for propaganda (although I believe Israelis have principles as well). It is also likely that Hamas use human shields in the interests of their propaganda.
| 8 January 2009, 11:54 am |
Depressing indeed, and this phenomena is not limited to a tertiary party such as the SWP.
You mean in England? I can assure you, nothing exciting or untoward happens in England. This is a country that gets worked up about a bloke called ‘Henman’ playing tennis.
| 8 January 2009, 11:56 am |
As for Benji, he is like a character from a Christopher Guest movie (This is Spinal Tap, Best in Show). Guest’s actors improvise and their brief is always to say the stupidest thing they can think of. The films are hilarious. Benji is tedious.
| 8 January 2009, 11:57 am |
War is war and ugly things happen.
Probably not the best response to give to folk investigating whether a crime took place.
| 8 January 2009, 12:20 pm |
‘War is war and ugly things happen.
Probably not the best response to give to folk investigating whether a crime took place.’ (Benji)
See what I mean?
| 8 January 2009, 12:41 pm |
I used to see Keith Flett drinking in my local. Rather poignantly, for somebody who believes so ardently in collective action, he was invariably drinking on his own. The symbolism of this always seemed rather telling.
| 8 January 2009, 12:57 pm |
Perhaps he wanted a quiet drink by himself after all the collective action during the day. :-)
| 8 January 2009, 1:42 pm |
How long has Keith Flett lived in N17? I’ve had 7 different postcodes in 10 years. Does he not have posses running him out of town like us normal people?
| 8 January 2009, 3:30 pm |
“History”, Stephen said, “is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake”. James Joyce.
Perhaps all these leftists should be sent a copy. They could read it with their rose tinted specs.
| 8 January 2009, 3:32 pm |
For christsakes leave him alone in N17 - we don’t want him anywhere civilised.
| 8 January 2009, 10:15 pm |
Of course no one actually knows what Keith Flett meant by “alleged” Perhaps someone should ask him. What we do know is that Hamas did observe the ceasefire until attacked by the IDF. The statistics published on Electronic Intifada are compelling. Flett could have meant alleged violation of the ceasefire by Hamas. But again only he can definitively answer that question.
Also I think you will find that the SWP has always opposed the suppression of left groups by the regime in Iran.
All in all a rather stupid juxtaposition of two unrelated letters.
| 8 January 2009, 11:34 pm |
What we do know is that Hamas did observe the ceasefire until attacked by the IDF
“We” in the sense used above means: “we who believe 6 Hamas operatives digging a tunnel towards Israel are part of a covert twinning association implementing their ‘hands under the border’ strategy”.
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