Thread by @AzeemIbrahim

Corbyn's support for regimes and organisations involved in the mass murder of Muslims deserves as much attention as his antisemitism.

My piece in today's @TheScotsman

scotsman.com/news/opinion/c…

Short thread: 1/15

Corbyn has been called out for his antisemitism and is ill at ease with the Jewish community. On the other hand he seems much more comfortable and natural with the Muslim community.

But his support for the Muslims is heavily qualified. 2/15

Corbyn believes Israel is an imperialist state. So if Jews are victims, their right to sympathy is contingent on whether they have denounced Israel. IE. Are you the RIGHT kind of Jew?

In the same way, you must also be the RIGHT kind of Muslim to warrant Corbyn’s support. 3/ 15

In Corbyn’s world view the world is divided between imperialist (US, UK, Israel etc) and anti-imperialist states (Iran, Venezuela, Russia, China, Syria etc). If an anti-imperialist state is oppressing it’s people, they are simply reacting to US imperialism. 4/15

IE. They are being forced by imperialist US policy to use brutal tactics against civilians. They are faultless.

Muslims oppressed by “anti-imperialist” are on the same side as imperialism, so their suffering is self-inflicted. They are NOT the right kind of Muslims. EG:

5/15

Bosnia: Corbyn and his allies’ sympathized with Milošević, who is "a socialist resisting the imperialist campaign to fragment the state". Despite evidence of genocide, key Corbyn ally Seamus Milne said Milosovic did not belong in The Hague (Milošević killed 58K Muslims). 6/15

Kosovo: In 2004 Corbyn put down an EDM calling it the “genocide that never really exisited” and claimed fewer than 2,788 Muslims were killed — and most by NATO bombs! (Milošević had slaughtered 11K Muslims in Kosovo and his forces set up multiple rape camps for Muslims) 7/15

Iran: Corbyn received 10s of 1000s of pounds from the Iranian regime - the primary state sponsor of terrorism in region. In Iraq, Iranian-sponsored militias have killed at least 15,000 from 2014 to 2017. Iran is vociferously anti-US, so must be supported. 8/15

Syria: Corbyn is NOT anti-interventionist. He welcomed Iranian intervention in Syria to help Assad - who is responsible for the vast majority of the 650K Muslim civilian deaths. Assad is an anti-imperialist, thus the impact on those who oppose his regime is of no concern. 9/15

He also supported Russian intervention in Syria as “peace keeping.” The same Russians who are systematically bombing civilians & hospitals in areas which resist Assad and provide cover with vetoes for Assad's war crimes in the UN Sec Council. 10/15

Corbyn uses classic Islamophobic language against Muslims which oppose regimes he supports. He referred to civilians protesting against Assad as “Salafi Jihadist.” Key Corbyn ally Tariq Ali referred to White Helmets saving civilian lives as "Al Qaeda". 11/15

Stop the War Coalition which Corbyn chaired, held "Hands off Syria" rallies in London. But Syrian’s were not permitted to speak because they opposed the only valid cause: anti-imperialism. STWC Vice Chair Chris Nineham told the BBC their job was “opposing the West" 12/15

Corbyn claims to be a friend of Muslims, but as with Jews, only if you are the “right sort” of Muslim. IE you must be a VICTIM of Western imperialism, downtrodden and weak. Identity of perpetrator of violence is thus very important before qualifying for Corbyn's support. 13/15

If you wish to stand up for your rights and are then oppressed by a regime that Corbyn supports? Well, then you have become a pawn of imperialism and have no right to complain even if regime uses barrel bombs, chemical weapons, rape camps, or genocide against you. 14/15

See my full peer-reviewed report on Corbyn's Prospective Foreign Policy here. Publish by the @HudsonInstitute in Washington DC. 15/15

hudson.org/research/15311…