A Comrade's Journey
to Iraq
Red & Black Notes introduction
The insurrection in Northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War
is a little known incident in the history of the class struggle. The
Western media portrayed the events as a rebellion by Kurdish
nationalists and the leftist press was generally content to see the
struggle in those terms, as part of the struggle for Kurdish
self-determination. In fact, the reality was much more important and
had little to do with the various Kurdish nationalist organisations
which have sought to be imperialism's representatives in the region
for decades.
This account published in this pamphlet first appeared in
Communism #7 (April 1992), the English language review of the
Internationalist Communist Group (the ICG also publishes material in
a number of other languages ).
The article that follows describes a political journey: first into
Iran, where events described eight years ago have an uncanny echo
today. Then to Iraq and Kurdistan and a vivid account of workers'
councils established at the end of the War. In addition to detailing
the struggles in these councils, the article provides a chronology of
the events which led up to them and , reports of political
discussions in Kurdistan. In the appendices to this pamphlet, several
leaflets and slogans used by the Shuras have been included.
9/99
A
comrade's Journey to Iraq
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