Since the so-called "war on terror" began, there has been much discussion in the media and indeed amongst many Muslims as to whether this is in fact a war on Islam. Both the media and various "Islamist" groups such as Al-Muhajiroun will sing the same chorus, fuelling the fires of a new ideological conflict between Islam and the West. Nevertheless many ordinary Muslims do feel that it is an attack on Islam in the sense that it is an attack on Afghanistan, a Muslim country. However as Afghanistan is being pummelled by US cruise missiles, religion in many ways becomes irrelevant as all ordinary Afghanis are suffering no matter who or what they are, whilst Bin Laden and the Taleban seem to be sitting pretty. The "war on terror" is in fact a war for oil, namely in Central Asia, and much like the Gulf War it will benefit the interest of the Oil corporations which backed George Bush Jr's coup de tat of the US elections.
Since September 11th, an atmosphere has been created trying to make Muslims feel guilty and responsible in some way. It also seems that both Bush and Blair have suddenly become experts on Islam, telling people that it is peaceful religion and forcing Muslim leaders to come out and condemn the attacks whilst a country like Iraq experiences an equivalent of the September 11th attacks every month for the past 11 years, yet this is not considered to be terrorism or genocide. Furthermore Muslims in the West are experiencing a racist backlash, which is receiving no media coverage at all. Nazi activity has increased in East London, Slough and Luton in the aftermath of the recent rebellions in the North.
In reaction to this dire situation it is necessary for the anti-capitalist movement to perhaps broaden its coalition to include all examples of revolutionary difference. Therefore contrary to various hegemonistic leftist assumptions, the problems of patriarchy, homophobia and conservatism are not solely products of static Islamic culture or indeed religion in general for that matter, as capitalism is universal. The reality reflects that the forces of progression and change exist in all contexts, as do the forces of conservatism and reaction. We must stop separating the world, or we will simply be speaking the language of the Orientalists, which is exactly what the powerful wants.
I am currently involved with a group of progressive Muslims who are seeking to establish an anti-capitalist organisation with a Muslim identity. It is necessary to establish strong links so as to help promote one another and indeed to help create new examples of anti-capitalist struggle. If anyone is interested in helping, Muslim or non-Muslim, please contact Adam at zapatasguns@hotmail.com or Naima at nbout@voila.fr. The Zapatistas have shown that one can be revolutionary, whilst retaining and re-defining ones culture, identity or religion without prescribing to any pure proletarian idea. We seriously need to challenge ignorance and chauvinism wherever it exists, be it from the reactionary right or the revolutionary left.

Words of a Gothenburg survivor
A message to these who think a riot shield or prison sentence will protect them: The anger doesn't fade believe me, not for a moment, not by a long way. Some of us fight to keep alive, some of us are alive because we fight, either way the battle is one and the same. As one riot cop said in court when justifying the need to get his gun out and start shooting people, "they kept coming, we couldn't stop them". Remind me again why we do this, remind me again why all this is fucking worth it.
The creative urge is an indestructible urge ­ we know what our anger means.
We are dangerous people not simply because we desire freedom, but because we desire it together. These are the criminal activities of the working class, these are the crimes that we live by. In the words of Bobby TBS "a troublemaker's what you made me" (anything else would be a crime). If we're not causing trouble, we're not doing it right. This is everything we are. This is all we have.
And I'm proud as fuck to be a part of it ­ the travelling circus, the whispering conspiracies, the deafening global roar, all the chaos and wonder, courage and warmth, never once, in the face of brutality and murder, doubting itself, the madness and togetherness, the desire and danger and damage done. The fearlessness with which we continue to grab at life. When you dare the world to be special, the world will respondŠ They kept coming, we couldn't stop them. THIS is what our anger means.
Humanity is not the future you try and create, the future is the humanity you refuse to let go of. We hold it all in our hands" - Paul Robinson, Gothenburg Prisoner

A post-Taliban Afghanistan must heed women
For 20 years, an inspiring group of women called The Revoluntionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, RAWA, have resisted first the Soviet invaders, then the Jehadi, then the Taliban. They have operated in deepest secrecy inside Afghanistan, running mobile health units, income-generating craft workshops for destitute women and clandestine schools for girls. From behind their smothering burqas, they have summoned the almost inconceivable courage to photograph the vile public executions carried out weekly by the Taliban.
"We are terrified that the Western coalition will put the Northern Alliance into power," Tahmeena of RAWA "These are the people who ruled Afghanistan once before, and they are just as much terrorists as Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. They smashed the capital, Kabul, to rubble in which 90,000 people were killed in the rocketing and shelling. They looted everything and just like the Taliban, their first target was women.
"We don't want the Taliban to be toppled by force," Tahmeena continued. "No more war! Only the Afghan people will be the victims. The way for peace is for the allies to stop those who are funding the fundamentalists."
"Only an overall uprising can prevent the repetition and recurrence of the catastrophe that has befallen our country before and with or even without the presence of the UN peace-keeping force this uprising can pave the way for the establishment of an interim government and preparation for election. Perhaps with UN peacekeepers supervising an election in the same way as they did in East Timor. We believe that once there is no foreign investment, especially of a fundamentalist type, all ethnic groups of all regions, with no regard to the devilish designs of the fundamentalists, will prove their solidarity for achieving the most sacred national interests for the sake of a proud and free Afghanistan."
"Whatever happens", said Sally Armstrong, a Canadian journalist, "remember that since 1996, only the women have spoken up against the Taliban, desperately trying to warn the world about these terrorists. Nobody listened, except other women. Now that the Taliban might be overthrown - and most of the Afghan groups hope that there will be a coalition of parties around the king - there must be women at the negotiating table.''
"If the women are not at the table," Armstrong insisted, "Afghanistan will remain a pariah state.''
Misogynists love to sneer at the thought that women might bring a different perspective to peace talks. Had we heeded the courageous voices of the Afghan women, however, and not dismissed them as marginal, the U.S.-created Afghan terrorocracy would not have held. When the time comes to rebuild Afghanistan, let's not lose sight of the incredibly brave women who fought the Taliban before, during and after.

Adapted from a statement and interview on www.rawa.org