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On Prigozhin’s Insurrection Farce
Some thoughts on the ongoing insurrection attempt in Russia.
I wonder who or what lured Yevgeny Prigozhin into staging this farce.
In twelve or so hours things are likely to have calmed down.
'Western' anal-cysts will spend weeks fantasizing about their wished for outcome which, of course, was never to happen.
The whole story reminds me of Machiavelli's warning against mercenaries:
I say, therefore, that the arms with which a prince defends his state are either his own, or they are mercenaries, auxiliaries, or mixed.
Mercenaries and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous; and if one holds his state based on these arms, he will stand neither firm nor safe; for they are disunited, ambitious and without discipline, unfaithful, valiant before friends, cowardly before enemies; they have neither the fear of God nor fidelity to men, and [one’s own] destruction is deferred only so long as the attack is; for in peace one is robbed by them, and in war by the enemy. The fact is, that they have no other attraction or reason for keeping the field than a trifle of stipend, which is not sufficient to make them willing to die for you. …
…
I wish to demonstrate further the infelicity of these arms [i.e., mercenaries]. The mercenary captains are either capable men or they are not; if they are, you cannot trust them, because they always aspire to their own greatness, either by oppressing you, who are their master, or others contrary to your intentions; but if the captain [i.e., the leader of the mercenaries] is not skillful, you are ruined in the usual way [i.e., you will lose the war].
Translation of Borotba comment on situation
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Ukrainian anti-fascist union Borotba about mutiny of Wagner troops
June 24, 2023
Stop the armed conflict in the rear! The unity of anti-fascist forces is the key to our common Victory
Statement by Borotba (Struggle), revolutionary Marxist organization banned by the Ukrainian government.
June 24: The whole world is closely following the events unfolding in connection with the actions of Yevgeny Prigozhin and part of the Wagner private military company.
The long conflict that existed between Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu has grown into a stage that threatens the entire state.
Yevgeny Prigozhin has previously attracted sympathy for his sharp criticism of the plagues of oligarchic capitalism, corruption, as well as individual failures and erroneous decisions during the special military operation. However, with the development of the confrontation with the military leadership of the Russian Federation, this criticism began to acquire an exaggerated character, and the motives of a personal confrontation with Sergei Shoigu began to come to the fore, and not criticism of the socio-economic situation and military organization.
The situation when a private, non-state-controlled organization, in fact, a private army, has become an important factor of power, is in itself unhealthy. As a result, regardless of possible subjective intentions, Prigozhin actually started an armed rebellion by a private person against the state.
We, as critics of the capitalist system, could not previously disagree with many of the critical speeches of Yevgeny Prigozhin. Also, the steadfastness and courage of the Wagner PMC fighters in the confrontation with the fascist regime of Ukraine could not but arouse sympathy. But having embarked on an adventurous action, moving the armed confrontation deep into Russia, Yevgeny Prigozhin threatened the front, which the Kiev regime and its masters in the West will definitely take advantage of.
The situation is developing rapidly, and we hope that all sides of the confrontation will show prudence and prevent bloodshed tens of kilometers from the front line. We are convinced that the country’s top leadership is capable of finding a way out of this dangerous situation. Conclusions must be drawn on the fight against the vices of the state and social system, inherited from the 1990s, but preserved even in the conditions of the special military operation.
We address the soldiers and officers fighting at the front: Comrades! We are few, but we are among you. We are aware of the difficulties that arose and are arising in the process of organizing military operations, mistakes and injustices, part of the responsibility for which, of course, lies with the military leadership. We never called for hiding difficulties and varnishing reality to please the authorities. We experienced it just like you. But we are convinced that armed adventures will not lead to an improvement in the system, but can only lead to our common defeat.
We hope that the fighters of PMC “Wagner,” who supported their commander, will look at the situation with a cool head and realize that this path leads nowhere. Similar situations have already happened in history — the rebellion of the Left Socialist-Revolutionary Party, the speech of M.A. Muravyov in 1918, the rebellion of Nestor Makhno, who refused to join the united Red Army, the Kronstadt uprising, the rebellion of the anarchists of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War. Regardless of the intentions, sometimes honest and idealistic, such actions have always fallen into the hands of the darkest forces.
Now it is important to end the armed conflict inside the country as soon as possible, to unite efforts in the fight against the Kiev regime and NATO imperialism. In the conditions of confrontation with imperialism, internal contradictions must be resolved in a peaceful democratic way, on the basis of a broad public discussion with the participation of the people, and not by conspiracies from above and personal adventures.
Long live unity and solidarity!
Posted by: Waldorf | Jun 24 2023 14:51 utc | 196
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