Review: Interventions by Noam Chomsky
The US is not held to the same moral standards as the rest of the world
Interventions is a collection of essays published during the mid-2000s. Noam Chomsky, writer, political activist, and Professor of Linguistics at MIT, aims his attention at US intervention around the world. There are numerous essays on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Iraq war, and the future of South America.
Unjustified Grounds
The US government intervened in the affairs of foreign countries on unjustified grounds. They claim that interference abroad is done in an effort to protect freedom and democracy.
Such vague platitudes are used to mask The US’s true intentions in the middle east and elsewhere. For instance, saying “support our troops”, doesn’t mean anything. It’s empty language. It makes it difficult to scrutinize The US government with the, “You are either with us, or against us” mentality.
“support our troops”, doesn’t mean anything. It’s empty language.
US Lip Service
The Bush administration launched the war on terror in the middle east, following the September 11 attacks. At the time The US invaded Iraq on the assertion that the Iraqi government supported terrorists associated with the 2001 attacks.
Chomsky unapologetically denounces world powers that violate hypocritical demands. While The US urges that Iraq ad Iran adhere to strict requirements, such as de-nuclearisation and not pursuing plutonium reprocessing. The same demands clearly don’t apply both ways.
Media’s Influence
Attitudes towards foreign policy are shaped by the media. Mainstream Media is at the center of propagating American Exceptionalism. The status quo is that everything the government does abroad is done with good intentions. Americans must maintain uncritical admiration towards politicians in power.
Chomsky does an outstanding job exposing the oppressive and unjust interventions under the Bush administration. His adversaries will argue that he’s biased and only wants to spread the “leftist agenda”, but I differ. Chomsky is holding The US to the same moral standards that they capriciously require from the rest of the world. He lets the facts and numbers speak for themselves. after reading this book, I became progressively more cynical of US foreign policy. In hindsight, nothing has changed under the past four administrations. US foreign policy is like the rock of Gibraltar. Unwavering and solid.
Conclusion
I believe that you’ll benefit from reading Interventions if you’re skeptical of politicians and their motives.
