[Marxism] Fwd: Why the U.S. and Western Countries Could Be Bluffing About Military Intervention in Syria | Alternet

[Louis Proyect]

Vijay Prashad:

"In early 2011, when those of us who pointed out that the rebel ranks 
were filled with veterans of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, al-Qaeda 
and other extremist outfits, we were mocked and dismissed."

http://www.alternet.org/world/syrias-libyan-lessons

I don't get how people like Vijay and Shamus Cooke can write stuff that 
makes them sound like embattled minorities. Mocked and dismissed? Are 
you kidding? There were a hundred articles in praise of Gaddafi to each 
one of mine. To tell you the truth, I was never mocked or 
dismissed--only ignored. The fact is that in early 2011 the left fell 
into line after Venezuela and Cuba began defending Gaddafi. In a day or 
two, I will begin blogging about Libya for the first time in about 4 
years. Most of what I write will be based on the articles in the 
indispensable collection "The Libyan Revolution and Its Aftermath"
edited by Peter Cole and Brian McQuinn and by English-language blogs 
written by Libyans. I don't know how many times you can keep repeating 
the argument that Gaddafi was a victim of regime change rather than a 
popular revolt but Vijay seems to have cornered the market.