<nettime> New Left history/Joshka Fischer/Kosovo

[Michael Benson <michael.benson@pristop.si>]

Remember the Kosovo crises, and the uproar in the European left, including
on this list? Remember the sense of confusion among many self-identified
leftists, asked to support a NATO military action, and yet loath to do so --
and yet also reluctant openly to say that the actions of Serbia in Kosovo,
and earlier in Bosnia, were only western propaganda, because they so
evidently were not? Remember that sense of amazement as many western
European leftists actually endorsed the use of military force in the
Balkans? And the sense of disbelief that '68ers such as Joshka Fischer --
once a street-fighting activist -- and Javier Solana -- once of the Spanish
Socialist Worker's Party -- were instrumental in making sure that this
military force was used?

For a fascinating and lengthy (ten sections; 42 pages, single-spaced) look
back at three-plus decades of the West European New Left and its complex,
multi-cellular evolutionary path, check out Paul Berman's text in the latest
New Republic Online. It's well worth taking the time to print and read, imo.
This is true whether you heatedly disagreed or heatedly agreed with NATO
intervention in the Balkans -- or if you weren't sure, and still aren't.
It's titled "The Passion of Joschka Fischer", and skilfully uses Fischer's
personal story as a kind of prism.

http://www.thenewrepublic.com/082701/berman082701_print.html

Cheers, MB   

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