It is one of the greatest intellectuals of the world, a prolific author and self-proclaimed anarchist. At 86 years of age does not seem to slow him down.
He fought a series of injustices with the West in general in his sights.
Noam Chomsky: A militant of life
- Noam Chomsky was born December 7, 1928 in Philadelphia, USA
- He started working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1955
- He is an eminent linguist, philosopher and political activist
- His work in the 50s revolutionized the field of linguistics
- He became known for his activism against the Vietnam War
- He opposes the ruling elite and became a harsh critic of US foreign policy and Western
- He wrote hundreds of books
Noam Chomsky we have received in his office at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Noam Chomsky thank you for being with us. The world in 2015 seems very unstable, but in general, are you optimistic or pessimistic?
Noam Chomsky:
Globally, we run toward a precipice: we can only fall into the abyss, which greatly reduces the chances of a decent survival.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
What precipice is it?
Noam Chomsky:
There are actually two: the first is environmental. Ecological disaster is imminent, and we have very little time to limit it. We are not going in the right direction. The other day 70, it is the threat of nuclear war, which is actually growing. If you look at this issue, it is a miracle that we survived.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Let's look at environmental issues first. We asked users on social networks, send us questions, and we have received thousands. We received this question Enoa Agoli, who asks: "When you analyze the issue of the environment with the look of a philosopher, what do you think of climate change?"
Noam Chomsky:
The human species is old about 100 000 years, and is now facing a turning point. This species is in a position where it will soon decide in a few generations, whether the experiment called intelligent life can continue, or if we are determined to destroy it. Scientists recognize that fossil fuels must be left in the basement if our grandchildren want to have decent prospects. But the institutional structures of our society are pushing to try to extract every drop. Effects, predictable human consequences of climate change in the near future, are catastrophic and we run into this precipice.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
In terms of nuclear war, we all know now that Iran has reached a preliminary agreement. Does this not give you a glimmer of hope that the world might be a safer place?
Noam Chomsky:
I am in negotiations with Iran, but these discussions are deeply flawed. There are two states in the Middle East which multiply aggression, violence, terrorism, illegal acts, permanently. They are both very powerful states with nuclear weapons and a whole armament. And nuclear weapons are not taken into account.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Who are you referring to?
Noam Chomsky:
The United States and Israel. The two major nuclear states in the world. I mean that there is a reason why, in international surveys, managed by American pollsters, the United States is considered the greatest threat to world peace, by an overwhelming majority. It is quite interesting that the American media have refused to publish it.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
You do not give a very high regard to US President Barack Obama. But with this agreement with Iran, do you not see in a better light? The fact that he is working to reduce the threat of nuclear war?
Noam Chomsky:
In fact it does not matter. He just launched a program of several billion dollars in the modernization of US nuclear weapons, which means the expansion of the nuclear system. This is one reason why the famous clock of the Apocalypse, established by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, has it a few weeks ago, advanced 2 minutes, so closer to midnight. Midnight is the end. It is now 3 minutes before midnight. This is unheard of in 30 years, since the Reagan years when there was an imminent risk of large nuclear war.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
You mentioned the United States and Israel with Iran. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the preliminary agreement on Iran's nuclear and said ...
Noam Chomsky:
We know why. Iran has very low military spending, even by the standards of the region. Strategic doctrine of Iran is defensive. It is designed to hold off an attack long enough for that diplomacy takes over. The United States and Israel, two rogue states, no longer want to tolerate the threat. No strategic analyst think Iran will ever use a nuclear weapon. Even if it did, the country would simply be sprayed, and there is no indication that the ruling mullahs, whatever you may think, want to see their country destroyed.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
One more question on this issue, through social networks, Morten Andersen A. asks, "Do you believe that the US could one day reach an agreement which would be dangerous for Israel"?
Noam Chomsky:
The United States continuously carry out actions that are dangerous for Israel, very seriously. While pretending they support Israeli policies. In the last 40 years, the greatest threat to Israel was its own policy. If you look back in 1970, Israel was one of the most respected and admired country in the world. There was a lot of positive attitudes. It is now one of the most hated and feared country in the world. In the early 70s, Israel has made a decision. They had a choice and they préféreré the security expansion, with very dangerous consequences. This was already evident at the time - I wrote and others have done: If you prefer the security expansion, this leads to an internal degeneration, anger, opposition, the isolation and ultimate destruction eventually. And supporting those policies, the United States contribute to the threat that Israel faces.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
This brings me to the issue of terrorism, a global scourge and some people, I think, including yourself, will say that there is a backlash from the international American politics. At what level the US and its allies are they responsible for terrorist attacks around the world?
Noam Chomsky:
Remember that the worst terrorist country in the world by far, the one that is orchestrated in Washington itself. This is a global campaign of assassination. There has never been a terrorist campaign of this scale.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
When you talk about global campaign of assassination ...
Noam Chomsky:
The drone campaign - it's just that. In large parts of the world, the United States, publicly and openly - there is nothing secret about what I say, we all know - conduct a campaign of assassination of suspected harm to the government one day American. And indeed it is, as you said, a campaign of terror, and when you bomb a village in Yemen, for example, that you kill someone - maybe the person you were shooting, maybe not - and that other people who were in the neighborhood, they die too - how do you think people will react? They will take revenge.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
You describe the United States as the leading terrorist state. How then puts Europe in your opinion?
Noam Chomsky:
Well, that's an interesting question. A recent study, I believe it was made by the Open Society Foundation [indicates] the worst form of torture, the transfer of prisoners.
You take someone you think is responsible for something, and you send them to your favorite dictator, perhaps Assad or Mubarak or Gaddafi, to be tortured, hoping that maybe something will come out . It is extraordinary that transfer. The study focused on the countries that participated, obviously dictatorships in the Middle East because that is where the prisoners were sent to be tortured, and Europe. Most European countries participated: England, Sweden, other countries. In fact, there is only one region of the world where nobody has participated: it is Latin America. Which is quite dramatic. Latin America is now almost out of control in the United States. When it was controlled by the United States, there are not so long, it was the center of the world of torture. Now Latin America is not involved in the worst form of torture that. Europe participated. When the roar masters, servants fold.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Europe is the servant of the United States?
Noam Chomsky:
Certainly. They are too cowardly to take an independent position.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
What are you doing portrait of Vladimir Putin? It is described as one of the greatest threats to security, right?
Noam Chomsky:
Like most managers, it is a threat to its own people. He decided illegal actions, obviously. But described as a crazy monster who suffers from a brain disease and who suffers from Alzheimer's, an evil creature is an Orwellian fanaticism standard. I mean, whatever you think of his policies, they are logical. The idea that Ukraine could join Western military alliance would be unacceptable to any Russian leader. This goes back to 1990, when the Soviet Union collapsed. There was already the question of what would happen with NATO. Gorbachev accepted the idea that Germany is unified and join NATO. It was a remarkable concession with a quid pro quo: that NATO does not extend one inch to the east. Is the term that has been used.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
So Russia fell into a provocation?
Noam Chomsky:
What happened? NATO has moved up in East Germany and Clinton extended the preponderance of NATO up to Russia's borders. Now the new Ukrainian government after the overthrow of the previous, voted 300 votes against 8 or so, the resolution to join NATO.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
But you can understand why they want to join NATO, you can understand that the government of Petro Poroshenko, that would ensure the protection of their country?
Noam Chomsky:
No, no, no, it's not protection. Crimea was taken after the overthrow of the government, is not it? Nobody protects Ukraine. All this threatens Ukraine of a major war. Wanting to join NATO is not a protection. The fact is that this represents a serious strategic threat to Russia, regardless of its leader. This is well known.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
If we look at the situation in Europe now, there is also another interesting phenomenon taking place. We see Greece closer to the East, it is certainly the wish of Syriza government. We also see Podemos, which is gaining power in Spain, and Hungary. Do you think there is a possibility that Europe is closer to Russian interests?
Noam Chomsky:
Take a look at what's going on. In Hungary the situation is totally different. Syriza came to power on the basis of a popular wave that shows that Greece does not want to submit to Brussels policy and German banks that are destroying the country. These policies have been made to increase the debt of Greece, from its production of wealth; about half of young people are unemployed, almost 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, we destroy Greece.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Should we cancel the Greek debt?
Noam Chomsky:
Yes, as in Germany. In 1953, when Europe has canceled most of the debt of Germany. Just like that, so that Germany is able to pay war reparations.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
So we should also cancel the debt of Portugal? and Spain as well?
Noam Chomsky:
Who hired this debt? And to whom should we pay it? The debt was partly contracted by dictators. Greece was the fascist dictatorship, supported by the United States. Debt, I think, was more brutal than the dictatorship. This is what is known in international law, an "odious debt", which should not be paid, and it is a principle introduced in international law by the United States when he was in their interest to do it. Much of the remainder of the debt, which is called the payments to Greece are payments to banks, German and French, who have decided to make very risky loans with low interest rates, and are now face the fact that they can not be refunded.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
I'll ask you this now Gribaudo Gil, who asks: "How Europe will she turn in the future, with the existential challenges that happen?" Because there is the economic crisis, and There is also a rise in nationalism, and you also have described certain lines of cultural gaps that have been created across Europe. How do you see Europe change?
Noam Chomsky:
Europe has serious problems. Some are the result of economic policies designed by bureaucrats in Brussels, the European Commission and so on, under pressure from NATO and the big banks, especially those of Germany. These policies have a sense from the perspective of the designers. They want to be reimbursed for their loans and investments risky and dangerous. But these policies erode the welfare state, they have never loved. But the welfare state is one of the major contributions of Europe in modern society, but the rich and powerful have never loved. There is another problem in Europe: it is extremely racist. I always thought that Europe is more racist than the United States. So far it was not as visible in Europe because European populations in the past have tended to be fairly homogeneous. So if everyone is blond with blue eyes, then you do not seem racist, but as soon as the population begins to change, racism comes from nowhere. Very quickly. And this is a very serious cultural problem in Europe.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Let me conclude with a question of Robert Light on a positive note. He asks, "What gives you hope? "
Noam Chomsky:
What gives me hope: a number of things we talked about. The independence of Latin America, for example. It is of historic importance. We see this with the meeting of the Summit of the Americas in Panama. In recent continental meetings, the United States was completely isolated. This is a radical change from there 10 or 20 years, when the United States dipped in Latin American affairs. In fact, why Obama made gestures toward Cuba was trying to overcome the isolation of the United States. It is the US that are isolated, not Cuba. And no doubt it will be a failure. We'll see. The signs of optimism in Europe and SYRIZA Podemos. Hopefully there is finally a popular uprising against crushing, devastating economic and social policies that come from the bureaucracy and banks, and this is very encouraging. Or it should be.
Isabelle Kumar, euronews:
Naom Chomsky, thank you very much for being with us.