Many on the Left still view the world through lenses dating from when the US was the all-dominant global power. Countering this was the USSR, which assisted many national liberation struggles (although some could abandoned if it better fitted USSR state needs).  The USSR  was viewed to be superior to the USA because of its extensive nationalised property relations, This was true  of both those from the official Communist tradition and many in the dissident Communist traditions (e.g. Maoist and Trotskyist).

However today, although still very powerful and nuclear armed, the USA is losing its dominant position, particularly in relation to rising Chinese imperialism. Other long-standing imperial  powers, e.g  the UK and France, and the Russian Federation (which retains earlier USSR and Tsarist Great Russian imperial characteristics), are trying to find space to maintain their fading imperial ambitions, and looking for international allies to help them in this.

Russia’s imperial war  against Ukraine and now Isreal’s US, UK, German and French supported mass ethnic cleansing, or even genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, highlight  Left futility in trying to find a camp to support. But there are now many peoples in the world subjected to oppression and repression by different  imperial powers. The Kurds would be a good example. There is a need for an internationalism from below approach. The EL&SD has publicised struggles where this has been developed. A key feature of national movements deserving our support are those which seek to unite all nationalities  living in their nation, support women’s and LBGT+ rights, asylum seekers and indigenous peoples.

Mariupol after Russian bombing
Israeli bombing of Gaza suppotted by US, UK, German and French imperialism

EL&SD COVERAGE – LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH NON-CAMPIST LENSES

Theoretical
Peoples, Nationalities, Nations, Nation States, Nationalism and Nationalists – Allan Armstrong (RCN)
Exploitation, Oppression and Alienation: Emancipation, Liberation and Self-Determination – Allan Armstrong, RCN
Ukraine
Ukrainian Letter of Solidarity with Palestinian people, the commons

Why Ukrainians should support Palestinians – Dara Saburova, openDemocracy

The unbearable manicheanism of the “anti-imperialist” left -William I. Robinson, anti*capitalist resistance
Turkey is trying to bomb Royava out of existence, Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Life imprisonment from the age of 14 – A Turkish show trial – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Natural and unnatural disasters in Rojava, north east Syria and south west Turkey – Giacomo Sini and Alessia Manzi, bella caledonia
Earthquake in Turkey: the state versus the people – Srah Glynn, bella caledonia
Chère Marianne, do you know why the Kurds are angry? Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Turkey is bombing Kobanê – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Turkey and chemical weapons: the accusation no one wants to investigate – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
After the killing of Mahsa Amani in Iran – women, life and liberty – Maryam Alanis, Left Voice (USA), Sanaz Taji, The Canary
Remembering Jiyan Tolhildan – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Turkey makes ready to destroy Rojava – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Remember the Yazidis: survivors of ISIS genocide now under attack from the Iraqi army – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Turkey is invading the Kurdistan region of Iraq – and the world has hardly blinked – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Afghan and Kurdish women revolutionaries urge joined up global resistance – Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan and the Kurdish Confederation of Women’s Organisations
Defending Kobane is not a crime – an invitation to show solidarity with the Kurdish Peoples Party (HDP) – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
From Blairgowrie To The Black Sea – Strawberries And Nutella – Sarah Glynn, bella caledonia
Hands off Afrin! Solidarity with the Kurds – Martin Sushanek, Neue Internationale, no 226
Cyprus
Cyprus – An occupied island, a freedom fighter, a consociational republic in the eastern Mediterranean – Andreas Andreou
Lebanon
Lebanon – the crisis in an institutionally sectarian statelet set up by imperialism  -Yassamine Mather, Weekly Worker and Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
India, and Pakistan and Myanmar
Arundhati Roy on things that can and cannot be said: The dismantling of the world as we know it – Arundhati Roy, the wire
Support farmers and farm labourers’ bharat bandh (shutdown) across India – Samyukta Kisa Morcha coalition of farmers unions
Mass Farmers’ Strike In India – Women of Colour and Sushanta D. Roy (IMHO)
Okra Peasants struggle in Pakistan and the Awami Workers’ Pary – RISE Women’s Network
Burma/Myanmar: urgent appeal for donations – Global Women’s Strike
Iran
Zan, Zendigi, Azad (Women, Life and Liberty) – Pauline Bradley
After the killing of Mahsa Amani in Iran – women, life and liberty – Maryam Alanis, Left Voice (USA), Sanaz Taji, The Canary
Afghan and Kurdish women revolutionaries urge joined up global resistance – Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan and the Kurdish Confederation of Women’s Organisations
Hands off Iran statement on the killing of Qassem Soleimani – HOPI
Xinjiang
The Uighurs and the Palestinians
Afghanistan
Afghan and Kurdish women revolutionaries urge joined up global resistance – Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan and the Kurdish Confederation of Women’s Organisations
The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan respond to the Taliban takeover – RAWA
Afghanistan – Imperial intervention paves way for murderous reaction – Mike Small, bella caledonia

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also see:

EL&SD coverage of Palestine, Zionism and Israel since 2002

EL&AS coverage ofUkraine since 2013