The Fourth
International
and
Afghanistan
IN JANUARY 1980, a month after the start of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, of the Fourth International met. minority supported the Soviet intergressive." The majority of the United Secretariat criticized the intervention, but rejected the call for withdrawal of the Soviet troops, supporting them against the Mujahideen. It called for "choosing your camp against imperiOnly a small minority came out for withdrawal. (1) SALAH JABER
The supporters of withdrawal, however, explained their position on the basis of considerations on the class nature of the camps existing in Afghanistan identical to those that inspired the two other positions. Their minority resolution, after condemning the Soviet intervention as a "gross violation of the right of peoples perialist. They must also fulfill their duty of solidarity with the anti-feudal
Afghan forces, explaining that the demand for the withdrawal of Soviet troops should in no way be confused with support for the Mujahideen."
This is the position that was finmajority of the International Execu(2) While a minority continued uphold the United Secretariat position of January 1980, the majority of the adopted and developed, with certain nuances of its own, the argumentation of the pro-withdrawal minority of 1980. Thus, the May 1981 resolution placed itself within the
"combating all the forces of reaction, the Islamic fundaand others in Peshawar," and judged that the Soviet intervention "favors the counter-revolution "
While affirming that "real defence of the interests of the workers and peasants, as well as of the people's of Afghanistan, involves an intrasigent struggle against the Afghan reactionary forces and imperialism, " the majority resolution of the IEC declared for the "right of self-determination of the Afghan peoples" and for the drawal of the Soviet troops, pointing
"is in no way opposed to an unconditional defence sympathizers of the PDPA against the reaction."
The resolution ended by defining the following tasks: "Revolutionary Marxists will campaign to expose the hypocrisy of imperialism, which, while claiming to be 'the defender of the freedom of the Afghan people, gives its support to the reactionary forces . . • They oppose any imperialist intervention in the region. For support to the workers and peasants and organizations that are fighting against the reaction and against Soviet repression. (3) For defence of the right of the Afghan peoples to self-determination and for the political sovereignty of Afghanistan."
It is useful in particular to recall what was, and remains, the position of the Fourth International on because many people still confuse calling clearly for with drawal of the Soviet troops with an attitude of support for the Mujahideen, or even with putting pressure on the imperialist countries to increase their aid to the world's richest reac-
The majority and minority resolu Press, ' Vol. 18, No. 8, March 3, were guage), No. 69, July 6, 1981.
There were a few Afghan organizations of Maoist inspiration that were both
While it was correct to note their "could become a pole COT was to underestimate the formidable polariSoviet intervention and the military escalato the Kabul government, or one of the Islamic parties have been decimated by the Mujahideen as much, if not more, than by the PDPA's repression.
determination," to self argued as follows:
"A prolonged presence of Soviet troops in Afghanistan can only fuel 49120 the following tendencies:
The tendency that the Afghan rebellion increase and popularity, profiting from national Afghan resentment Soviet intervention and from imperialist support using this intervention as a pretext. The Kremlin is in the process of getting bogged down in a war that it can never complete, inasmuch as it is completely illusory to
•••• to wipe out guerrilla forces in
Al-Mitraga a mountainous country when they have in addition two bases of support at
A revolutionary communist review for the Arab region.
their disposal - Pakistan and Iran."
Issue number 4 (October-December 1986) is now
The minority resolution concluded available. Contents include: Tunisia — the lull before with the definition of tasks: "Revoluthe storm; Dossier on Islamic fundamentalism tionary Marxists must take part in and
(second part); Nationalism and internationalism in promote actions by the anti-imperialist and workers' building the revolutionary workers' party.
movement to bring political pressure to bear on the Soviet
Union to immediately
Yearly subscription (3 issues) 50FF; 1 issue 12FF. For subscriptions and withdraw its troops from
In doing
Afghanistan.
this, they must oppose all characterization of the
Soviet
Union as im-
22
International Viewpoint 6 April 1987