 Noam Chomsky |
In an exclusive interview with Press TV, renowned American intellectual Noam Chomsky discusses the latest developments following President Barack Obama's inauguration.
Press TV correspondent Afshin Rattansi asked about the new US Pakistan- Afghanistan envoy, Richard Holbrooke and if he is the person to solve the situation there and the recent attack in northwest Pakistan by US missiles that killed several people on Friday and the fact that the White House has remained silent about the attack.
Chomsky replied that it is clear that Obama would accept former president George Bush's doctrine of freely bombing Pakistan. He noted that there has already been serious fighting in the province of Peshawar in Pakistan that tribal leaders trace back to a US bombing of a madrassa that killed 80 people - the news of which was published in the Pakistani media but was never publicly reported in western media.
Chomsky also said that the message of both Afghanistan and Pakistan for the new US administration was to stop the bombing and killing of civilians and come up with a troop withdrawal timetable which the US has ignored.
Rattansi inquired about Obama's appointment of two US foreign envoys, George Mitchell and Richard Holbrooke.
Rattansi inquired about Obama's appointment of two US foreign envoys, George Mitchell and Richard Holbrooke.
Chomsky replied that Holbrooke has an awful record and he cited his role in Indonesia's atrocities in East Timor, when he served as undersecretary of state for Asian affairs during the Carter administration (1977-1981). He added that Holbrooke had also played an active part in the Bosnian massacre of the mid-90s during the Clinton years.
Holbrooke has been accused of promising immunity from prosecution to war criminal Radovan Karadzic now on trial at the Hague war crimes tribunal--this according to Karadzic himself and former Bosnian foreign minister Mohammad Sacirbey.
Holbrooke has been accused of promising immunity from prosecution to war criminal Radovan Karadzic now on trial at the Hague war crimes tribunal--this according to Karadzic himself and former Bosnian foreign minister Mohammad Sacirbey.
Regarding George Mitchell, Chomsky said he has the most decent record because of having achieved peace in the Northern Ireland conflict in 1998 through the Good Friday Agreement.
Chomsky stated that the solution for Middle East peace is for Israel to stop violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and that does not seem to be the new Obama administration agenda.
He referred to Obama's recent comments on the Arab League's peace proposal and his request for Arab states' normalization of relations with Israel which Chomsky pointed out was only part of the Arab League intent for normalization of ties.
Chomsky stated that the solution for Middle East peace is for Israel to stop violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and that does not seem to be the new Obama administration agenda.
He referred to Obama's recent comments on the Arab League's peace proposal and his request for Arab states' normalization of relations with Israel which Chomsky pointed out was only part of the Arab League intent for normalization of ties.
The more important aspect of the original Saudi proposal on which the Arab League offer is based, is a two-state solution, the outlines of which Obama completely ignored in his remarks on Thursday, at the State Department--though he did reference an Israel recognized by the Arabs and a Palestinian state but without mentioning any benchmarks for achieving the same.
Chomsky also referred to a report during the Israeli-Gaza conflict on December 31, weeks before the Obama inauguration regarding how the Pentagon was to deliver tons of ammunition to Israel. The shipment was originally supposed to be delivered by Germany but the Greek government refused to allow the shipment to pass through its territory.
Chomsky also referred to a report during the Israeli-Gaza conflict on December 31, weeks before the Obama inauguration regarding how the Pentagon was to deliver tons of ammunition to Israel. The shipment was originally supposed to be delivered by Germany but the Greek government refused to allow the shipment to pass through its territory.
The Pentagon noted that the shipment was not meant to be used in the Gaza conflict because it was known that the conflict would end before Obama's inauguration. The Pentagon's intent was to cement its future position in the oil rich region and continue using Israel as a forward military base, Chomsky added.
On Iraq, he said that the reason for the US troop's withdrawal, is the non-violent resistance demonstrated by the Iraqi people which forced the US government to sign the Status of Forces Agreement, with a timetable for an eventual troop withdrawal from there on terms far removed what the US was initially insisting on.
On Iraq, he said that the reason for the US troop's withdrawal, is the non-violent resistance demonstrated by the Iraqi people which forced the US government to sign the Status of Forces Agreement, with a timetable for an eventual troop withdrawal from there on terms far removed what the US was initially insisting on.
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