Home > Mideast Turmoil IS a Direct Threat to American Empire, and That’s Great

Mideast Turmoil IS a Direct Threat to American Empire, and That’s Great

by Open-Publishing - Saturday 5 February 2011

Demos-Actions Africa

Mideast Turmoil IS a Direct Threat to American Empire, and That’s Great

February 3, 2011 posted by Michael Leon

An interview with Noam Chomsky about what the struggle means for the future of imperialist, U.S. foreign policy in the region.

Editor’s Note: Following is an exchange between two extraordinary American activists, Amy Goodman and Noam Chomsky, who have chosen to use their intellect in support of equality and liberty—pursuits that carry with them risks and indeed guarantee of marginalization in America when directed at the people of Palestine and the region, particularly so when terror is identified as Zionist terror and bigotry, Islamophobia, is challenged.

Many readers of this publication have expressed objection to Chomsky because of his Jewish background! This hate stands as an absurd illustration of the paranoia and foolishness engendered by oppression. I challenge you to resist militarism and Zionist hate with evidence and logic, letting prejudice fall by the way-side. Your failure to do so will define who you have become. The above reference to marginalization ought to be qualified by stating the truism that those who stand with liberty and equality are never truly marginalized, but elevated by their action. Those objecting to the veracity of the last statement need not proceed in reading and ought by justice take the first flight to Tel Aviv with the U.S.-supported dictator.

“I Either Leave Here Free or Dead”
Egyptian Protester Refuses to Leave Tahrir Square Despite Violent Attacks by Mubarak Supporters, via Amy Goodman’s interview with Nazly Hussein.

From Amy Goodman and Noam Chomsky

AMY GOODMAN: For analysis of the Egyptian uprising and its implications for the Middle East and beyond, we’re joined now by the world-renowned political dissident and linguist Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, author of over a hundred books, including his latest, Hopes and Prospects.

Noam, welcome to Democracy Now! Your analysis of what’s happening now in Egypt and what it means for the Middle East?

NOAM CHOMSKY:Well, first of all, what’s happening is absolutely spectacular. The courage and determination and commitment of the demonstrators is remarkable. And whatever happens, these are moments that won’t be forgotten and are sure to have long-term consequences, as the fact that they overwhelmed the police, took TahrirSquare, are staying there in the face of organized pro-Mubarak mobs, organized by the government to try to either drive them out or to set up a situation in which the army will claim to have to move in to restore order and then to maybe install some kind of military rule, whatever. It’s very hard to predict what’s going to happen. But the events have been truly spectacular. And, of course, it’s all over the Middle East. In Yemen, in Jordan, just about everywhere, there are the major consequences.

The United States, so far, is essentially following the usual playbook. I mean, there have been many times when some favored dictator has lost control or is in danger of losing control. There’s a kind of a standard routine—Marcos, Duvalier, Ceausescu, strongly supported by the United States and Britain, Suharto: keep supporting them as long as possible; then, when it becomes unsustainable—typically, say, if the army shifts sides—switch 180 degrees, claim to have been on the side of the people all along, erase the past, and then make whatever moves are possible to restore the old system under new names. That succeeds or fails depending on the circumstances.

And I presume that’s what’s happening now. They’re waiting to see whether Mubarak can hang on, as it appears he’s intending to do, and as long as he can, say, “Well, we have to support law and order, regular constitutional change,” and so on. If he cannot hang on, if the army, say, turns against him, then we’ll see the usual routine played out. Actually, the only leader who has been really forthright and is becoming the most—maybe already is—the most popular figure in the region is the Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan, who’s been very straight and outspoken.

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