A Commentary on the Passing Scene by
Robert Paul Wolff
rwolff@afroam.umass.edu
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
WOW!
Edmund Wilson and David Palmeter have simply terrific comments on my previous post, a reply to Talha. Edmund Wilson's historical parallels are terrific, and I think David Palmeter is spot on. Thank you both!
Wow. So we've now sunk to the depths of cheap Munich "appeasement" parallels - of the sort that are trotted out every time it's convenient to give Western aggression the cover of a defensive reaction (e.g., Eden against Nasser during Suez; every American pundit against Saddam in 1991). Sad that this parade of bien pensant historical "erudition" so easily passes by any filters of ideological analysis, on a blog by someone who's heretofore theoretical and political credentials in that respect were nigh impeccable. Guess (neo-)liberal Democrats are not the only ones who've lost their bearings in recent times.
As for the supposed "thrust" of my question, Prof. Wolff, it was not about putting you in the same camp as the Democrats whom Chomsky suggests the world is laughing at. Rather it was simply that you have been systematically unable to simply hear what Chris et. al are saying. Namely: (a) that, supposing everything that is alleged about Russian efforts to influence the election is completely true, it is utterly ridiculous - indeed, obscene - for Americans to affect the posture of being "shocked, shocked" at such interference in another country's political process; (b) further, again supposing everything alleged about ... is true, it is a sideshow distraction from the fact that it was the neoliberal commitments, culture and strategy of the Democrats that actually lost the election; and (c) that all this "oh my god the Russians are coming!" bluster - often pushed with the exact sort of "fake news" basis that is otherwise decried by the establishment when indulged in by the alt-right - is not only revising and pushing to dangerous heights Cold War rhetoric but doing so without the slightest understanding of the post-1989 history of Nato expansionism that is no so small measure responsible for emboldening Putin to pursue his current path.
But of course it is much easier to decry those making these points as apologists for Putin (despite, as far as I have seen, no one making these points is saying Putin is anything but a domestic strongman and realpolitik nationalist in foreign affairs). Thereby wrapping oneself in the exact same "leader of the free world" blanket that has licensed studied obliviousness to the real effects of US foreign policy since 1945.
I would like to follow up on Anonymous's comment with further documentary evidence, so that everyone has the opportunity to grasp the threat we are dealing with before this conversation goes any further.
Trump's attack on Syria seems to prove Chris's and Jerry Fresia's thesis that there is no secret deal between Trump and Putin or if there once was a deal, Trump just broke it.
Well my thesis wasn't that there categorically isn't a secret deal, since you can't prove these sorts of things, just like I can't prove there is no teapot behind Venus :) [So many negatives in that sentence, I'm sorry!]
Only that Democrats had put all their eggs in a speculative basket and duped the public to go along with them.
Then again Putin may be like God, and the Democrats could say he works in mysterious ways, thus the attack.
Wow. So we've now sunk to the depths of cheap Munich "appeasement" parallels - of the sort that are trotted out every time it's convenient to give Western aggression the cover of a defensive reaction (e.g., Eden against Nasser during Suez; every American pundit against Saddam in 1991). Sad that this parade of bien pensant historical "erudition" so easily passes by any filters of ideological analysis, on a blog by someone who's heretofore theoretical and political credentials in that respect were nigh impeccable. Guess (neo-)liberal Democrats are not the only ones who've lost their bearings in recent times.
ReplyDeleteAs for the supposed "thrust" of my question, Prof. Wolff, it was not about putting you in the same camp as the Democrats whom Chomsky suggests the world is laughing at. Rather it was simply that you have been systematically unable to simply hear what Chris et. al are saying. Namely: (a) that, supposing everything that is alleged about Russian efforts to influence the election is completely true, it is utterly ridiculous - indeed, obscene - for Americans to affect the posture of being "shocked, shocked" at such interference in another country's political process; (b) further, again supposing everything alleged about ... is true, it is a sideshow distraction from the fact that it was the neoliberal commitments, culture and strategy of the Democrats that actually lost the election; and (c) that all this "oh my god the Russians are coming!" bluster - often pushed with the exact sort of "fake news" basis that is otherwise decried by the establishment when indulged in by the alt-right - is not only revising and pushing to dangerous heights Cold War rhetoric but doing so without the slightest understanding of the post-1989 history of Nato expansionism that is no so small measure responsible for emboldening Putin to pursue his current path.
But of course it is much easier to decry those making these points as apologists for Putin (despite, as far as I have seen, no one making these points is saying Putin is anything but a domestic strongman and realpolitik nationalist in foreign affairs). Thereby wrapping oneself in the exact same "leader of the free world" blanket that has licensed studied obliviousness to the real effects of US foreign policy since 1945.
I share Chris's depression.
Putin is evil, evil I tells ya.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDXtVlG2VW0
Cozying up will fail. It's in the bible, people! :D
I would like to follow up on Anonymous's comment with further documentary evidence, so that everyone has the opportunity to grasp the threat we are dealing with before this conversation goes any further.
ReplyDeleteRead this:
https://munchies.vice.com/en_us/article/russian-burger-king-employee-forces-messy-kids-to-mop-the-floor
Looks like Burger King made Vice take down the video, but it's here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4svgdq
This too. This is important:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gye8ukFO-9s
Professor Wolff, I owe some thanks to you for this terrific blog! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteTalha, I appreciate the solidarity and support. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteTrump's attack on Syria seems to prove Chris's and Jerry Fresia's thesis that there is no secret deal between Trump and Putin or if there once was a deal, Trump just
ReplyDeletebroke it.
Well my thesis wasn't that there categorically isn't a secret deal, since you can't prove these sorts of things, just like I can't prove there is no teapot behind Venus :) [So many negatives in that sentence, I'm sorry!]
ReplyDeleteOnly that Democrats had put all their eggs in a speculative basket and duped the public to go along with them.
Then again Putin may be like God, and the Democrats could say he works in mysterious ways, thus the attack.
Trump may or may not have a deal.
Damn! Now the Dems need to find a new conspiracy theory to explain their defeat.
ReplyDeleteHow about the Elders of Zion?
No. On second thoughts, we better scratch that one.
I guess the solution is to double down on the white working class thing. You know, the legend of the stab in the back.