[Marxism] Betancourt's halo [SIC] under spotlight

[Jscotlive at aol.com]

Sartesian:
 
So how does someone living in the comfort of the West, risking nothing,  
demanding blind obedience to FARC, and I would guess from other statements,  
regarding any dissent from FARC "ideology" and practice as actual treason,  
differ from somebody living in the comfort of the West, risking nothing,  
criticizing the FARC?

Reply:
 
Nowhere in my posts have I demanded blind obedience to the FARC. But the  
question of life and death struggle does demand a level of analysis that  
transcends the simplistic offerings we've had thus far. In the process of  
excoriating a movement that has clearly been rocked back on its heels and now  has its 
back to the wall, struggling against a US funded, armed, and brutal  state, has 
there been any attempt to offer anything other than a collective  putting the 
boot in. Why? Because the FARC dare take hostages - though I'm sure  they 
would call them prisoners. Of course, the fact that currently rotting in  
Colombian prisons are thousands of political prisoners is neither here nor  there. Or 
so it would appear?
 
And to answer your sarcasm directly, yes, I do feel it is repugnant for  
Marxists and anti-imperialists to wade in with criticism of people who are  
struggling for their survival, and I literally mean survival.
 
In this I'm mindful of Marx's stance on the Paris Commune. At the start he  
was critical, viewed it as suicidal and wrongheaded. By the time it ended he'd  
earned himself the enmity of the international ruling class with his staunch  
support and solidarity with those on the front lines.
 
Just as a struggle, if it is to have any chance of success, requires a  
correct rendering of prevailing material conditions, so does the analysis of  said 
struggle by those on the periphery.