Renowned interviewer David Barsamian showcases his unique access to Chomky's thinking on a number of topics of contemporary and historical import. In an interview conducted after the important November 1999 “Battle in Seattle,” Chomsky discusses prospects for building a movement to challenge corporate domination of the media, the environment, and even our private lives. Chomsky also engages in a discussion of his ideas on language and mind, making his important linguistic insights accessible to the lay reader.

Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a world-renowned linguist, philosopher, and political analyst. He writes extensively and lectures around the world on international affairs, U.S. foreign policy, and human rights. Chomsky has published 15 books with South End Press, including Rogue States: The Rule of Force in World Affairs. David Barsamian lives in Boulder, Colorado, and is the producer of the award-winning syndicated radio program, Alternative Radio. His interview books with luminaries such as Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Edward W. Said have sold in the hundreds of thousands of copies.

Contents

1. Activist Victories
2. US to World: Get Out of the Way
3. For Reasons of State
4. East Timor on the Brink
5. The Meaning of Seattle
6. Liberating the Mind
7. Solidarity and Mutual Support

Praise for Noam Chomsky

'An exploder of received truths.'-New York Times

'Noam Chomsky is one of the most significant challengers of unjust power and delusions; he goes against every assumption about American altruism and huniatrianism.'-Edward Said

'Reading Chomsky is like standing in a wind tunnel. With relentless logic, Chomsky bids us to listen closely to what our leaders tell us--and to discern what they are leaving out...The questions Chomsky raises will eventually have to be answered. Agree with him or not, we lose out by not listening.'-Business Week

Praise for David Barsamian

'David Barsamian is the Studs Terkel of our generation.'-Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States

'In con

Rogues' Gallery: Who Qualifies?
Rogue States
Crisis in the Balkans
East Timor Retrospective
'Plan Colombia'
Cuba and the US Government: David vs. Goliath
Putting on the Pressure: Latin America
Jubilee 2000
'Recovering Rights': A Crooked Path
The United States and the 'Challenge of Universality'
The Legacy of War
Millennium Greetings
Power in the Domestic Arena
Socioeconomic Sovereignty
Notes
Index

An Excerpt from Rogue States by Noam Chomsky

The concept of 'rogue state' plays a pre-eminent role today in policy planning and analysis.

The current Iraq crisis is only the latest example. Washington and London declared Iraq a 'rogue state,' a threat to its neighbors and to the entire world, an 'outlaw nation' led by a reincarnation of Hitler who must be contained by the guardians of world order, the United States and its British 'junior partner,' to adopt the term ruefully employed by the British foreign office half a century ago. The concept merits a close look.

[...]

A secret 1995 study of the Strategic Command, which is responsible for the strategic nuclear arsenal, outlines the basic thinking. Released through the Freedom of Information Act, the study, Essentials of Post-Cold War Deterrence, 'shows how the United States shifted its deterrent strategy from the defunct Soviet Union to so-called rogue states such as Iraq, Libya, Cuba and North Korea,' AP reports. The study advocates that the US exploit its nuclear arsenal to portray itself as 'irrational and vindictive if its vital interests are attacked.' That 'should be a part of the national persona we project to all adversaries,' in particular the 'rogue states.' 'It hurts to portray ourselves as too fully rational and cool-headed,' let alone committed to such silliness as international law and treaty obligations. 'The fact that some elements' of the US government 'may appear to be potentially 'out of control' can be beneficial to creating and reinforcing fears and doubts within the minds of an adversary's decision makers.' The report resurrects Nixon's 'madman theory': our enemies should recognize that we are crazed and unpredictable, with extraordin

Analyzing the NATO bombing, Chomsky challenges the New Humanism: Is it guided by power interests, or by humanitarian concern? Is the resort to force undertaken in the name of principles and values? Or are we witnessing something more crass and familiar?