Reviews for 9-11

9-11 by Noam Chomsky Summary and Reviews

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Book Reviews of 9-11

Book Review: Challenging stereotyping
Summary: 4 Stars

Chomskys credentials in analysing terrorism and international politics are unimpeachable. In this series of interviews, conducted by various international journalists, he demonstrates his knowledgeable grasp of the realities of "terrorism." From the outset, he makes clear that definitions of "terrorism" must include the United States with its history of state-supported acts in various countries, most particularly in the Middle East. He makes us aware that the Middle East population is cognizant of American activities there, even as the bulk of the American public is not. He steadfastly refutes the belief, held by many American intellectuals, that the World Trade Centre attacks are due to resentment over the American push for a "globalized economy."

Chomsky recognizes that the WTC attacks were unique - never before had an assault been carried out directly on American territory. Pearl Harbour cannot be equated with the 9/11 attack. He cautions that the attacks were not carried out at the direction of a foreign nation. There is no state of war with another country, and the term "war on terror" is merely political sophistry. Nor, as he reminds his interviewers, is Amerika alone in its negative impact in the Middle East and elsewhere. Each of his interviewers is reminded of the history of their nations in colonial and post-colonial eras.

Amerikan machinations were designed to foster the very forces opposed to them now. Saudi Arabia has been a "client state" of the US since its founding. The Taliban were supported so long as they represented anti-Soviet policies in Afghanistan. And that personification of Evil, Saddam Hussein was provided with weapons, advice and money in his campaign against the Ayatollahs Iraq. He stresses the inconsistencies in Amerikan policies. When Oklahoma Citys bombing occurred and militia groups in Montana and Idaho were identified as likely funders, why werent those states bombed and their governments deposed? Equally, Britain would have been justified in bombing Boston, a major source of funds for the IRA.

What, then, is Chomskys recommended course of action? He reminds us that the United States is the only nation that has been reprimanded by the World Court for acts of terrorism against Nicaragua. Although the United States "dismissed that courts judgement with contempt," Chomsky argues for adherence to international agreements and conventions. He recognizes the Sisyphisian task this presents, but hopes good reporting to the wider public will result in international pressure to bring it about. He knows the American public must be led away from the political rhetoric. These interviews are designed to provide help with that first step to better knowledge and understanding.

The format of this book, a collection of interviews taken over a brief period after the attacks, inevitably result in brevity and repetition. Chomsky is not given opportunity to present resources, although his contentions are ably supported by material in the bibliography. These recount acts and policies undertaken in your name and using Amerikan tax dollars. While the change of approach he recommends entails an epic change in mind-set, the revision is neither impossible nor impractical. He stresses that we all need to live together, and unilateral policies will result in greater expense and increased loss of lives. Neither result is practical nor desirable. It takes only political will, supported by the population of the worlds
greatest democracy, to enable it.

Book Review: Chomksy is a pleasure for those that think.
Summary: 5 Stars

For those that have not been brainwashed by the constant america-bush-war is good barrage by the media with corporate greed pulling the strings, Chomksy serves us with a powerful reminder of why America is so unpopular with the rest of the world and even with our supposed allies in Europe. Chomsky reminds all of us about America's terrorist activity and if there is one crititism to be made of him, is that he is too naive into believing that Americans would actually put as much value into the deaths of third world, dark skinned people as equal to the deaths of New Yorkers. One can be ignored with the other must be avenged by awesome cruelty not even on the person that committed the act, not even on the organization that committed the act, not even the government that committed the act, but THE WHOLE COUNTRY THAT THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION BELONGS even if that country was already in dire straits and that it would result in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. But that is America.

America is a funny country as we so often attack the same people we gave weapons to when during the 80's. Why? To stop the Soviets, we didn't care about he actual fate of the Afghan people just as long as they didn't say they were Communist. Human rights? Can be ignored , what do Americans care about the conditions in third world countries unless we tell them to care of course if they become too left wing or go against American interests. Then we need to bomb them, illegally depose the government, commit terrorist acts on innocent people, or impose a inhuman and widely condemned embargo on that country to teach them a lesson, only then will the American people care, when we want them to.

That is certainly American policy towards nations of the third world and the most important thing Chomsky uncovers, besides the obvious bias of the media in reporting terrorist events when the government wants us to know about them so they can have excuses for wars they always wanted, but the underlying bias Americans have in treating the deaths of Americans and the deaths of people in third world nations.

And how about the Northern Alliance? The Drug Lords of the Middle East now wholeheartedly supported by so called Drug Warriors of America that spend billions of dollars on a so called Drug War, I guess Bush is not thinking about fighting the drug war internationally, I guess he wants to concentrate on the home front. Which is not surprising given his daughters habit to drink illegally and his own habit of drinking and past use of drugs when he was younger. Not surprisingly, Bush has now made it so that students applying for federal aid to go to college must answer if they were found guilty of using drugs and if they answer yes, they will receive no aid. The same thing Bush has done! Talk about major hypocrite! And this is a guy that sneaked into Yale with SAT scores and a GPA that was lower that other applicants that were rejected and a so-called veteran that loves the military yet mysteriously found a way to the Texas National Guard BUT not only that, took a ten month "leave" while serving!!! What a joke! Not that Gore was much better, but I truly feel sorry for a nation that would have voted for such a moron.

Anyway, certainly read up on Chomsky's latest, as always highly recommended by one of our great thinkers of a time when so few of us actually seem to be thinking at all.

Book Review: Chomsky
Summary: 4 Stars

I find it humorous that one "patriotic, America loving" reviewer wanted to charge Chomsky with treason under the Patriot Act, even though the Constitution clearly spells out the criteria for treason, the only crime it explicitly defines. You would figure that someone who loves America so much would find it abhorrent to circumvent the Constitution like that.
It is completely illogical to equate questioning America with hating America. If you had a family member you thought was making a grave mistake, you most certainly would speak up. I see no difference in this case. In fact, I think it would be treacherous if someone who thought a loved one was making a grave mistake stayed silent, instead of trying to help. America is great because everyone is free to express their opinions, and remains viable because Americans can sort out valid opinions from trash. There is no need to censor them, bad opinions will simply marginalize themselves. If Chomsky's words are those of a loony radical, then people will disregard them. However, if there is validity to them, which many seem to feel, then they are a constructive part of American political discourse.
Chomsky doesn't defend terrorists, he just points out that it isnt the hatred of freedom that spawns them. Our foriegn policy (especially post WWII) has alienated and aggravated a large number of people around the world. That doesnt justify the actions of terrorists, it just helps explain why these people are so determined to destroy us.
Overall, I think this is a solid book, although I am not a huge fan of Chomsky's writing style.

Book Review: Chomsky "Writes" a Book
Summary: 1 Stars

Any book by Noam Chomsky will immediately be embraced by myopic, wealthy, over-educated liberals who laud him as an enlightened socialist with an MIT-derived rosetta stone for decyphering the vast right-wing conspiracy controlling every aspect of our human existence and responsible for every wrong done to every man, woman, child, animal and vegetable since the inception of Western civilization.

Mind you, they won't read the book, but simply pronounce his name correctly at the next cocktail party whilst pontificating about the evil inherent in the government of the United States. Unfortunately it would seem, the cliche of the self-loathing liberal has yet to actually become a cliche, and is still an apt description. Why did Islamic terrorists attack the U.S.? We made them do it, of course! We are SO bad! How dare we have a successful economy and culture that has spread across the globe?

By the way...the book is a collection of interview transcripts. Yes, interview transcripts. That's it, folks.