Middle East. US imperialism squirms. "Regime change" to "Regime Alteration."

Libyan Masses rise against the Qhaddafi dictatorship.

I see that after initial panic and confusion and divisions within itself US imperialism has got some sort of a half semblence of a position together in relation to the Middle Eastern and North African revolutions. How long it will last is a different question.

But to sum up its present position. For decades it unquestionably supported and armed the murderous torture regimes of the region. Its position was determined by what best protected and extracted its oil and gas wealth and facilitated its military control over this strategic region. And part of this was arming its closest ally Israel to the teeth including protecting it as it developed a massive nuclear arms capacity.

Then over the past weeks the masses rose up in this wonderful magnificent inspirational revolution and this position of US imperialism became untenable. Its Tunisian ally had to be let go down with its one and half tons of gold in its plane and head for safe haven with US ally and Bush family friend the murderous regime in Saudi Arabia. It also had to let its ally in Egypt go. But in spite of this the revolution rippled on throughout the entire region. There is particular concern about Bahrain, the head quarters of the US fifth fleet, as it began to show signs of cracking. Panic set in next door in Saudi Arabia and the other nearby regimes.

An offensive was launched by these regimes to change the policy of Washington and not to let any more regimes go the way the Egyptian region had gone. This was led by the Gulf Cooperation Council, an outfit of thugs and dictators from the gulf states. This bunch of US stooges headed for Washinton and especially the Pentagon. They were backed by other key Arab allies and Israel. Their objective was to convince the Obama regime not to support the ending of the existing regimes in the area which faced mass protest but to ask these regimes instead to alter their form of rule. That is to make a few mild cosmetic democratic reforms to try and placate the revolution. This is what has been going on. Libya is a bit different due to the insanity of the Qhaddafi regime there and its refusal to accept any advise from Washington and its fear of its own masses.

We on this blog have opposed and continue to oppose any intervention by US imperialism in the region. We have posed instead the joining together of the working class struggles in the entire region and the mobilization of the working class movement internationally in its support. We have taken this position because we are convinced that any intervention by US imperialism or any imperialist country will be with the aim of consolidating once again regimes which will continue to loot the oil and gas wealth of the region, control the Suez and all strategic shipping routes and prop up its client states, especially Israel. And part of this will be installing and supporting repressive regimes. You cannot loot and steal a persons wealth without holding that person down or at the point of a gun. The looting and stealing by Imperialism makes dictatorial regimes inevitable. Instead our position is for the establishment of a Democratic Socialist Federation of the Middle East and North Africa where the wealth is shared and owned collectively and used in the interest of all through a democratically planned economy.

In relation to Libya and the way in which the revolution there is taking the shape of a war between different forces and regions of the country with the regime much better armed. The revolutionary forces should continue as they have been doing to appeal to the rank and file and also the officer caste of the Libya military to come over with their weapons to the revolution. In the liberated areas working peoples and military councils should be set up which would implement economic and democratic policies which would attract these forces. And the revolutionary forces in the other countries in the area should investigate what they can do to get weapons and also human resources to Libya to help the anti Qhaddafi forces.