Re: after the Taliban collapse, then what?

On Sun, 18 Nov 2001 14:38:54 -0700 (MST), Richard N Hutchinson wrote:
>
>The polarization of the world system and ever-
>increasing inequality, combined with
>technological change and the persistence of
>ideological "in group-out group" hostilities, of
>which religious fundamentalism is but one
>example, is a sure-fire recipe for ongoing
>conflict, and the "U.S.
>calvary" cannot stop it.

This is a very important insight, something that I did not mention in 
my post on the Mahdi. What separates the Mahdists of the 1880s from 
the Hamas's, etc. of today is the availability of advanced 
technology. This is just another example of "combined and uneven 
development" that Trotsky observed in Czarist Russia at the turn of 
the century. In Russia, advanced European industry was superimposed 
on semifeudal social conditions. But today, the social forms are more 
backward and the technology is more advanced. Epitomizing this 
congruence is Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a nuclear engineer who was 
one of three Pakistani scientists arrested in late October because of 
their suspected connections with the Taliban. Mahmood is an expert on 
nuclear weapons production, but also a fundamentalist Muslim with 
unorthodox scientific views. According to an article in the Nov. 5 NY 
Times, he  has published papers concerning djinni, which are 
described in the Koran as beings made of fire. "He has proposed that 
these entities could be tapped to solve the energy crisis, and he has 
written on how to understand the mechanics of life after death. "

Meanwhile, the West is in many ways a confirmation of the laws of 
combined and uneven development, except that American and British 
society seem to be going backwards in time to dredge up precapitalist 
superstitions to justify their imperialist aims. A Nov. 4th 
Washington Post article reveals that the Attorney General believes in 
Satan:

>>Then came a question at the heart of Ashcroft's nature: Had the 
terrorist attacks shaken his faith? 

"My belief has not been shaken," Ashcroft answered. He had always 
"invoked the protection and blessing of God" and would continue to do 
so. 

Then this son and grandson of Pentecostal preachers made clear who he 
thinks will win the struggle. "I believe that America has reopened 
the window on its own soul, and what it sees is a strong nation," he 
said. "I'm sorry about this tragedy, but we're going to get through 
it." 

"John believes in the existence of evil, of Satan," says one 
intimate. "He will work to the point of exhaustion to defeat evil." 
<<

So, the question is who we should be more afraid of. Bin-Laden who 
only dreams of possessing nuclear weapons, or the United States, 
which not only has used these weapons to secure political goals, but 
which is now being run by men who believe in the devil. 

-- 
Louis Proyect, lnp3@panix.com on 11/18/2001

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