9-11

9-11, Noam Chomsky, Seven Stories Press, 2001

This short book consists of a number of interviews given by Chomsky, during September and October 2001 with media from all over the world. As usual, it contains a lot of information not found in the American news media.

The Northern Alliance is a collection of warlords whose terror and destruction, while in power, led the population to welcome the Taliban as liberators. Before the US missile strike on the Sudanese pharmaceutical plant in 1998 (which, by itself, contributed to the deaths of thousands of innocent Sudanese), Sudan was ready to give the US a vast intelligence datatbase on Osama bin Laden and over 200 members of al-Qaeda, including photos and detailed biographies, plus vital information about al-Qaeda's financial interests all over the world. The offer was refused by Washington, more than once, because of its hatred of Sudan. Would there have been a better chance of preventing September 11 if the US had this information? There's no way to know, now.

In December 1987, during a previous war on terrorism, the UN General Assembly passed a major resolution condemning terrorism as strongly as possible and calling on all countries to act forcefully to overcome it. One can only wonder why the US and Israel were the only countries to vote against this resolution. The US is the only country condemned by the World Court for international terrorism. In the mid-1980s, the Court ordered the US to stop supporting the Nicaraguan Contras and pay reparations to the Nicaraguan government. Not only did the US ignore the ruling, it escalated the war against Nicaragua (by authorizing the attacking of undefended targets like health clinics) and vetoed a Security Council resolution calling on all countries to observe international law.

For those who have never before read Noam Chomsky, this may not be the best introduction to his work. This is still an excellent, and much needed, alternative to the perception that any criticism of the Bush Administration somehow borders on treason. This, and other Chomsky books, also show just how much the American news media has become a purveyor of propaganda. It is very highly recommended.