The Struggle for Self-Determination in the Arab World

The Alliance between Arab Dictators and Global Capital

Is history repeating itself? Have the events of 1848 in Europe repeated themselves in the Arab World? Will 2011 see the same outcomes as 1848? Only the Arab people can decide. Their fate is in their hands, but they should learn from the mistakes of 1848 and seriously address the role of the capitalist class.The Arabs are seeing their second wave of revolt against colonialism. The first wave of revolt started between the First World War and at the end of the Second World War. It involved the Great Arab Revolt, with British and French support, against Ottoman Turkey during the First World War and then Arab revolt against Britain, France, and Italy during and after the Second World War. [3]

Africa in the European Union

Unexpected things are happening all over the world, especially amidst Africans. That the King of Swaziland got married to yet another eighteen year old is, of course, not news, but the decision by African “sans papiers” or illegal migrants in France to fly to Baghdad and get kidnapped is pricking much media interest. According to confirmed reports from the camp of the illegal and paperless immigrants in Paris and other places, they have decided to go to Baghdad or Fallujah and get kidnapped. This comes after Hussein Hanoun, an Iraqi interpreter (most of the “sans papiers” speak better French than him) who helped the French journalist Florence Aubenas, was not only allowed to come into France after his release but was also welcomed as a hero. In other words, go to Baghdad, be a French interpreter or guide to a French national and make sure you get kidnapped to be welcomed by France when released. Will the Iraqi insurgents cooperate in this and help their fellow “Third Worlders”? It is not certain but every asylum-denied African thinks it is worth the try. Bold decision by asylum seekers.

The African dictators, not to be outsmarted by their fleeing citizens, are also planning extraordinary moves. Like applying to be members of the European Union since the so-called African Union is not working at all. Unity is strength and African countries that cannot be strong by uniting among themselves could be strong by uniting with Europeans. An African author has argued that Europeans in Africa are Africans while Africans in Europe are Europeans and on this basis millions of Africans living in Europe give their continent the right to apply to the European Union. And why not? Another Western writer has also argued that if Japanese, Israeli and French people take over African countries the places will be developed. So why not leave the continent to them by joining their union and letting them have their way? Turkey is being considered as a worthy candidate as we all know. If Turkey is European how can we deny those “so-French and so-British” African countries the right to apply? Turkey has one of the worst human rights records in Europe and many African countries can outmatch it on this. Turkey has millions of Muslims and so do Nigeria and Sudan. Turkey tortures dissidents and has the death penalty while many African tyrants just torture and kill anybody.