The ongoing war in Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster with tremendous geopolitical, economic, social, and climate-related repercussions that are being felt throughout the world. How have these horrific events come to pass? What will the short-term and long-term effects be on the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and on the global political order? And what does a principled, internationalist, anti-imperialist left response to the war in Ukraine look like?In this special discussion, world-renowned linguist and analyst Noam Chomsky speaks with legendary activist and socialist Bill Fletcher, Jr. about the roots of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the background to the conflict, the US role, and how the Left can respond.
This event was made possible through the collaboration and support of sponsoring organizations, including:
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Studio/Post-Production: Adam Coley
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Great interview and chomsky explained his rationale and thinking very clearly ….
The interviewer is naive and chomsky explained the real politik of the global order very clearly…
And to be honest , its really hard to understand the scale of the violence and power of the USA on the global stage.
The conversation on Germany really showed how far the population has to travel to understand the dynamics of power …we beleive as a people in general decency , where the powers that be simply don't hold any value in those values.
The application at scale of the utter ruthlessness of the main powers , especially the USA is 1000% contrary to the narratives we grow up with and are saturated within, for example, virtially every movie that deals with international affairs has the USA always on the side of the shining city on the mount…. chomsky is showing that to be pure propoganda … and it's really confronting because it makes one feel truly uncomfortable ….
Thanks for the talk. Wonderful.
We value some folks' old achievements and still assume they can be an expert in anything. Noooo, the expertise has a tendency to need to be updated.
At 6:49 he is talking about bringing Slovenia to NATO, the only one problem is that SLOVENIA DID NOT EXCISTED AT THAT TIME. You can say, oh no he meant Slovakia, but SLOVAKIA DID NOT EXSISTED TOOOOO at the time of unifying Germany.
Thats everything what you need to know abot these "EXPERTS". But Im pretty sure listeners of this chanel wont care about that, who cares about facts.
Crimeans are ethnic Russians. Donbas is ethnic Russians. Luhansk… Ethnic Russians. This is an unnecessary proxy war. Stop it. End us hegemony!!
What about the security of ethnic Russians in Ukraine?
Thank you for existing Noam! You make me believe in the existence of the truth. You are the truth.
I think the big issue as well is, the United States and Russia are using their miss trust of one another in order to justify why they can’t take the chance of deescalating, because they are both claiming that the other is so vindictive and sneaky that they won’t abide by anything they actually say. Which is true. The one difference being, it’s a historical fact that the United States started eroding that trust after it was carefully one in the early 1990s, because Russia was in no position to do anything about it then. It seems to be only then, towards the end of the 90s that Russia start saying, well, we can’t trust your word so we are going to start acting accordingly. That’s when the United States start saying, well we can’t trust Russia. But who blinked first? It’s a bit like with Iran and the nuclear treaty, even when Iran was abiding by it, the United States was after them, then the United States pulled out of it, Iran started enriching uranium again, and the United States said, you see, they can’t be trusted. But the United States is the one that acted First, and showed everyone that no matter what it thought, the United States would do what it wanted. This is what happens when one country treats another country with complete contempt. You have no basis for diplomacy. It doesn’t make Russia correct, but it does make it more understandable that they would react the way they have. NATO effectively decided in the 90s and early 2000s that Russia was so weak that they could be dismissed and later court and would do whatever it wanted. That is fundamentally part of the problem because it set the scene for Russia to take the stands that it has. And now everyone is just trying to claim that, no, no, Putin is clearly just so evil that he would have done it anyway. We never would’ve known that would we? If you’re going to poker beehive, you’re going to get bees. You don’t just get to claim that the bees were always evil from day, one to wipe your hands of the part you played in the shit storm that came next.
I seriously question chomsky's judging ability , since I know he was friends with Epstein.
OMG
This man is a total and absolute fool, and obviously does not know his history. If he gets out of his demented state long enough go look up the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances of 1994 of which Russia, the U.S. and the U.K. guaranteed Ukraine's protect in exchange for Ukraine giving up the nuclear weapons that Russia had placed with in the country.
It is also nice to see that he personally supports the war criminal, murdering raping Russians.
I am a romanian. I feel safer as a Nato member. Schengen area next.
Why couldn't Ukrain be a Nato member?
Aren't Ukrainian free to choose?
Why should Russia choose for others?
Russia has every right to defend it's boarders against the warmongering Americans and nato. The Americans must dispand their warmongering nato machine and allow the world to live in peace. The Americans have developed the hydrogen bomb and are looking for someone to test it on, just like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The Sandinistas are NOT NATO ! That comparison is foolish. Reagan was lying. His objective was to destroy a perceived Socialist Movement and ever since WW2, it has been the objective of the United States ( NATO ) to destabilize and replace any Socialist Government anywhere in the World. A successful Socialist Revolution is a bad example as Chomsky, Kissinger and Agricola have made clear as a Foreign-Policy fear.
The United States has been trying to undermine the USSR / Russia ever since 1918. In modern times, since the fall of the USSR, especially since Brzezinki, has been trying to diminish Russia into smaller, independent states. Putin's experience in the KGB … he couldn't have been unaware, especially with NATO advancements to Russia's Border.
The United States inspired the over-throw of Yanakovich's government ; Victoria Nuland has already been mentioned in the video ( deciding who would replace Yanakovich ).
Invading other countries is considered a violation of International Law, as pointed-out ; also, it should be pointed-out that the United States invades whenever Its Foreign-Policy sees fit. One of the main differences is that the United States is an Imperial Power and there is very little active, International opposition.
Under these circumstances, what was Putin supposed to do ?
When you are a leader of a country, dealing with the International Mafia, you fight or comply. Putin decided on the former. International civility is not possible.
The United Nations has laws governing invasions of other countries, but hasn't bothered Itself with provacations that justify a Counter-Offensive or Preemptive response.
The United States is responsible for the war in Ukraine. John Mearsheimer doesn't look for euphemisms as Chomsky blabs about International Laws. Chomsky is not the president of The Russian Federation nor is Bill Fletcher.
"That's an interesting statement," Chomsky tells the interviewer, who is not interested in facts but in discrediting Putin. Who could never reach an agreement with Ukraine because the USA and the EU never wanted to, except the Minsk agreements that were just a blatant mockery of Putin and Russia. Even Merkel confessed the sole purpose of those agreements was to have time in 2014 to prepare Ukraine for a war with Russia. Therefore, the US only wanted to start a war between Ukrainian and Russia up to the last Ukrainian. This host does not have the neutrality and culture other TRNN hosts have. Don't like him at all.
What was happening in the Donbas and Lugansk area in 2014?
I am talking to this chauvinist guy. Bigger humanitarian disaster without no doubt is what happened to Iraq, Lybia, and so on and not with Ukraine. It could be much much more disaster.
Noam Chomsky has still got it! Just telling the truth.
The moderator clearly biased.
Another leftist that claims he doesn't believe in war, then votes for a President that's never seen one he didn't like.
There was absolutely no chance of isolating Russia by antagonizing and threatening China over Taiwan.
That's how stupid Washington has become.
When the history books are written, this will go down as a disaster equivalent to Hitler's decision to attack the Soviet Union.
Fate has been sealed.
As verified by Merkel, the Minsk agreements were nothing more than a ruse by the west.
Nobody with any sense whatsoever believes the Russians had anything other than a duplicitous negotiating partner in the west without declaring unconditional surrender.
city of london and uk former off colony off shore tax haven island are part of the money laudry operations that occor in ukraine and russia. irds of a feather…
Paul Oliver As seen in the footage, the raspy breathing is a reflex reaction as the body tries to re start the heart. i forget the technical term for it. So i think the russian soildier may acually been deceased. there is a u tube vid where a guy shoots a home invader and 911 operator tells him this because he thinks the invader is still alive.
chomansky is a climate alarmist….co2 emmission, net zero- is a front to ring in un world governace under the international ank cartel. you will hve to kill your pets , own nothing and eat worms , use a digital currency that will destroy your freedoms
It was a surprise to learn the Germany invaded Russia during WWI. I thought the war was mostly fought outside Russian boundaries. I knew that Russia suffered severe casualties but not invasion. That was the principal cause of the collapse of the monarchy. Time to hit the books I guess. I like listening to Prof Chomsky as a balance to all the stilted coverage we usually get. I don't think the "left" is automatically wrong or that the "right' is automatically correct. I don't understand how the labels get applied so easily anyway.
Just want to make few corrections because they were not being voiced here.
1) In Budapest Agreement there were additional conditions aside from Ukraine removing Russian Nuclear arsenal from its territory and in return Russia promising to never attack Ukraine. There was other important aspects to that agreement – that Ukraine must always remain neutral and never join any alliances like NATO or EU Association. Ukraine broke that agreement first. Aiming to join NATO and allowing NATO infrastructure to slowly creep into Ukraine itself.
2) Also, for some reason everybody looking at Ukranian Conflict from February 24, 2022. They completely ignore the fact that Ukranian conflict started back in 2014 when US Secretary Victoria Nuland and Joe Baiden financed and orchestrated a Bloody Coup in Ukraine and illegally removed by force a Democratically elected President Victor Yanokovich. This coup caused Eastern Ukraine regions to protest. In return new Kiev regime used Nationalist Battalions and military to subjugate protesters by force causing these regions to rebel and take up arms. As someone said "You can use an army against your own people only once, because afterwards you will be facing an enemy army." That's exactly what happened in Ukraine. Western Puppets in Kiev used Nationalists and regular military against their own people. That was the last straw. Eastern Ukranians said enough is enough and began to fight back new Kiev Regime.
That was before Crimea decided to rejoin Russia.
3) There is also a matter of Minsk-1 and Minsk-2 Agreements which Ukraine signed and failed to follow. Russia patiently waited for 8 years since 2014 for Ukraine to start abiding to the Agreement and stop shelling civilian infrastructure in Donbass region. On top of that if you study both Minsk Agreements, Germany and France were supposed to be guarantors that Ukraine follows the Minsk Agreements. They closed their eyes on Ukranian atrocities against people in Donbass for 8 years. And as a matter of fact according to OSCE organizations who monitored situation in Ukraine since 2014. Even they, being a pro western organization and being financed by the West, they still admitted that 1 month before Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine Kiev regime drastically intensified attacks against Donetsk and Luhansk People Republics. Anyone can go to OSCE website and download daily reports of intensified Ukranian shelling of Donbass. Again West sitting quietly twiddling their thumbs doing absolutely nothing to stop Ukraine from bombing civilians.
So any accusations of Russia braking international laws by going into Ukraine are unfounded. Russia waited for 8 years for "International Community" to do something about situation in Ukraine. But when Ukraine started actively building up forces to retake Donbass and Crimea by force ignoring Minsk Agreements that was the last straw.
Finally Russia had to step up to protect Donbass after 8 years of the rest of the "International Community" doing absolutely nothing to stop slaughter of civilians.
OMG Mr Bill Fletcher is a hard-nut to crack, highly selective in the facts he noticed. Is it logical to be an US Imperialist Leftist? What kind of Left is that?
Bravo Mr Chomsky!
“Recently I said and now I repeat, we are going through World War Three but in instalments. There are economic systems that must make war in order to survive. Accordingly, arms are manufactured and sold and, with that, the balance sheets of economies that sacrifice man at the feet of the idol of money are clearly rendered healthy. And no thought is given to hungry children in refugee camps; no thought is given to the forcibly displaced; no thought is given to destroyed homes; no thought is given, finally, to so many destroyed lives. How much suffering, how much destruction, how much grief. Today, dear brothers and sisters, in all parts of the earth, in all nations, in every heart and in grassroots movements, the cry wells up for peace: War no more!â€
—POPE FRANCIS, October 28, 2014 (Excerpt From 'A Future of Faith': Pope Francis)
Seriously, is bill fletcher like an intelligence asset?!
Noam Chomsky has been the biggest and bestest teacher in my life even though I'm a mathematician. He has done more for my intellectual life than everyone else combined. Thank you!
Also, he looks healthy and strong. LONG LIVE NOAM!!!
Noam states Russia is just about Raw materials. They manufacture some of the best and biggest muck shifting machinery. The world is not just about cars and oil Noam. The world is changing and both superpowers are guilty of War in fact the USA government far outnumber wars than any other nation. It is either the possibility of end game or stopping the military industrial complexes worldwide.
POV: speaking about how Russia violate Ukraine,about how Budapest memorandum relate to Crimea in 2014
Chomsky: USA violates to much country's , bla bla bla
Kudos to Chomsky for his patient and faithful replies to the totally one-sided, grueling and somewhat intentionally side-stepping questions/challenges.
The Russians went with a proposal on Ukraine in the fall of 2021 to join the EU if it so wished but to stay away from NATO* membership. Two copies, one for the US, and one for Ukraine. Zelensky, high on NATO hooch rejected it outright. (*Let us be clear that for all practical purposes NATO = the USA).
The US congress has an act since 2014 called PEESA; it states that the Russian supply of gas to Europe is a threat to the economic and security interests of the USA !!!? Congress sanctioned an enhanced package of so-called 'lethal aid' for Ukraine in November 2021 which Biden had apparently been trying to avoid. THIS is the smoking gun. These 1 percenter madmen in the US Congress, scrabbling to maintain the US hegemony as the default global currency so they can stay in power and take the cream off the top of a globally subsidized US lifestyle! They are happy to provoke nuclear conflict in Europe as long as they can continue to get votes, get kickbacks, and get into their luxury bunkers if the SHTF. And like cockroaches, they will be there to profit from the new world order after millions of Europeans, their allies, have been sacrificed. As the BRIC'S circled, they remembered the US profits after WW2.
Noam. I think your embellishing the truth a little. So be it. You have the profile, so some little white indiscretions are expected. Perception is quite different through other eyes no doubt. I believe Putin has been very patient. I’m not so sure America has been gifted very much actually. I believe they have been very much exposed as the global terrorists of all time
None of you realise the Vatican is behind all of it. Nonsense? Then you need to study all parties involved. Who claims to be the only one authorised by God to rule the world with fascism. The words of Pope Pius XII confirms everything I have said. We have all underestimated the Jesuits. The US is in servitude to the Jesuits
The US has its sights on Russia. I disagree with your take that Russia was guilty of a war crime. I believe Russia was entirely justified in her own defence. It’s unfortunate about the blood loss, but America was participating in wealth by stealth. There were red lines. Putin did warn, he warned and warned. Ukraine is immensely corrupt and has been bought by the US. Like Putin, I would have moved
I hope this idiot of an interviewer after this humiliation goes and hide and never seen again.
The sooner China rises to counter US hegemony and imperialism the better. Hopefully this will allow for a more multipolar world in which US dominance is minimised.
Thank you.
Professor Chomsky is having two standards – one for the USA and another for Russia.
He is a realist in line with Mearsheimer when judging the policy of Russia.
When judging the USA’s foreign policy, he is advocating for idealism.
That inconsistency begs the question: If realism is ok for Russia, why is it not ok for USA?
Or: Why not demand idealism from both?