War on Iran: Left-wing luminaries behind Guardian letter have lost the plot

An open letter published in the Guardian has come under fire, with critics accusing left-wing intellectuals of endorsing western imperialism. The letter, addressed to fellow activists, students, thinkers, workers, and prisoners of conscience in Iran, equated the actions of the aggressors with those being attacked, lending moral cover to the war.

Prominent figures like Angela Davis and Judith Butler signed the appeal, but their endorsement has been criticized for its hypocrisy and lack of understanding of the Iranian situation. Some of the signatories have personal connections to Iran, having witnessed the country's anti-colonial struggle firsthand, yet they abandoned their moral compass the moment airstrikes began.

The letter's central metaphor of Iranians being "robbed of their historic agency" is seen as a dangerous oversimplification that strips the nation of its agency and moral dignity. Critics argue that the signatories have effectively endorsed a "humanitarian intervention" that seeks to bomb Iranians back to the stone age, perpetuating a cycle of violence and oppression.