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<div class="entry-date">September 04, 2013<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/09/04/what-is-a-revolution/">http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/09/04/what-is-a-revolution/</a><br>
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<div class="subheadlinestyle"><big><b>A Total Mess</b></big></div>
<h1 class="article-title">What is a Revolution?</h1>
<div class="mainauthorstyle"><big><big>by TARIQ ALI</big></big></div>
<div class="main-text"><big><big> </big></big>
<p><big><big>Ever since the beginning of the Arab Spring there has been
much talk of revolutions. Not from me. I’ve argued against the
position that mass uprisings on their own constitute a revolution,
i.e., a transfer of power from one social class (or even a layer) to
another that leads to fundamental change. The actual size of the crowd
is not a determinant unless the participants in their majority have a
clear set of social and political aims. If they do not, they will
always be outflanked by those who do or by the state that will
recapture lost ground very rapidly.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>Egypt is the clearest example in recent years. No organs
of autonomous power ever emerged. The Muslim Brotherhood, a
conservative social force, that belatedly joined the struggle to
overthrow Mubarik, emerged as the strongest political player in the
conflict and, as such, won the elections that followed. Its
factionalism, stupidity, and a desire to reassure both Washington and
the local security apparatuses that it would be business as usual led
it to make several strategic and tactical errors from its own point of
view. New mass mobilizations erupted, even larger than those that had
led to the toppling of Mubarak. Once again they were devoid of
politics, seeing the army as their saviour and, in many cases,
applauding the military’s brutality against the Muslim Brothers.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>The result was obvious. The <i>ancien</i> <i>regime</i>
is back in charge with mass support. If the original was not a
revolution, the latter is hardly a counter-revolution. Simply the
military reasserting its role in politics. It was they who decided to
dump Mubarik and Morsi. Who will dump them? Another mass mobilization?
I doubt it very much. Social movements incapable of developing an
independent politics are fated to disappear.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>In Libya, the old state was destroyed by NATO after a
six-month bombing spree and armed tribal gangs of one sort or another
still roam the country, demanding their share of the loot. Hardly a
revolution according to any criteria.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>What of Syria? Here too the mass uprising was genuine and
reflected a desire for political change. Had Assad agreed to
negotiations during the first six months and even later, there might
have been a constitutional settlement. Instead he embarked on
repression and the tragically familiar Sunni-Shia battle-lines (this
divide a real triumph for the United States following the occupation of
Iraq) were drawn. Turkey, Qatar and the Saudis poured in weaponry and
volunteers to their side and the Iranians and Russians backed the other
with weaponry.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>The notion that the SNC is the carrier of a Syrian
revolution is as risible as the idea that the Brotherhood was doing the
same in Egypt. A brutal civil war with atrocities by both sides is
currently being fought. Did the regime use gas or other chemical
weapons? We do not know.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>The strikes envisaged by the United States are designed to
prevent Assad’s military advances from defeating the opposition and
re-taking the country. That is what is at stake in Syria.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>Outside the country, the Saudi’s are desperate for a Sunni
takeover to further isolate Iran, strengthened by the semi-clerical
Shia regime in Iraq created by the US occupation. Israel’s interests
are hardly a secret. They want Hezbollah crushed. Whatever else may or
may not be happening in Syria, it is far removed from a revolution.
Only the most blinkered sectarian fantasist could imagine this to be
the case.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>The idea that Saudia, Qatar, Turkey backed by NATO are
going to create a revolutionary democratic or even a democrat set-up is
challenged by what is happening elsewhere in the Arab world. The
democrat Hollande defends and justifies the Moroccan autocracy, the
Saudis prevent Yemen from moving forward and occupy Bahrein, Erdogan
has been busy with repression at home, Israel is not satisfied with a
PLO on its knees and is pushing for Hamas to do the same (Morsi might
have helped in that direction) so it can have another go at Hezbollah.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big>The region is in a total mess and most Syrian refugees in
Lebanon and Jordan are only too well aware that US strikes will not
make their country better. Many of the courageous citizens of Syria who
started the uprising are in refugee camps. Those at home fear both
sides and who can blame them.</big></big></p>
<p><big><big><em><strong>Tariq Ali</strong> is the author of <a
href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1844677575/counterpunchmaga"
onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.amazon.com']);">The Obama Syndrome</a> (Verso).</em></big></big></p>
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