When the Left and the establishment find themselves on the same side

As Syria is erupting into a horrible civil conflict that is seeing some of the worst repression since the beginning of the so-called Arab Spring, many wonder if the UN or NATO will send troops like they did in Libya last year to protect civilians.

While world waits to see what actions the international community takes, the international anti-capitalist Left finds itself in a strange situation. Many on the anti-capitalist Left have been the strongest supporters of overthrowing despotic regimes in the Middle East and have been enthusiastic of the prospects of the Arab Spring. But when NATO began intervening in Libya, the Left had the uncomfortable position of supporting the overthrow of Qaddafi while also condemning the imperialism of NATO. While there were some Leftists groups who openly supported the Qaddafi regime (Cynthia McKinney in the U.S., the British Stalin Society, and others), the Left seemed to be united in opposition to Qaddafi and yet split on the actions of NATO. To many on the Left (myself included), NATO still represents Western military interventionism and promotion of U.S. hegemony. But there is still a sizable group of Leftists who see NATO's actions as just and an example of when military intervention can be a good thing. Aside from a few pro-Qaddafi groups, the consensus on the Left was that Qaddafi had become an illegitimate leader and had to be overthrown, but the process of that is where the divide begins. And the debate is still going on even after the death of Qaddafi and his regime, with anti-NATO Leftists accusing supporters of the intervention as imperialists while supporters of the intervention in turn accuse anti-NATO Leftists of being unrealistic and at times they even accuse them of being pro-Qaddafi.

As the world holds its breath to see what will happen in Syria, the Left worldwide will have to face the prospect of another NATO action. Unlike Libya, there does not seem to be much in the way of support for al-Assad from anyone on the Left and there does seem to be a consensus for supporting the downfall of his regime, but with NATO intervention looking more likely as more civilians are killed we on the Left will be faced with being on the same side as Western neoliberalism again, a position that is very uncomfortable for us. This ideological crisis of supporting the overthrow of regimes but not supporting NATO is a huge test for the Left today.