For those who wonder why terrorists attacked the United States, Noam Chomsky’s 9-11 may have the answer.
Chomsky is a world-renowned political activist who is highly respected among social justice and peace activists. 9-11 is a collection of interviews with Chomsky that took place within the month after the attacks.
9-11 is not an attempt to pass blame or point fingers, but it is an effort by Chomsky to deliver the truth regarding terrorism. He makes the point that “terrorism is not the weapon of the weak” and that “there are plenty of bin Ladens on both sides.” Chomsky clearly states that the United States is guilty of terrorism. He uses examples of the U.S. roles in attacks on Nicaragua, Sudan and Beirut.
In each of these situations Chomsky said the United States committed a crime that fits its own definition of terrorism: “The calculated use of violence or threat of violence to attain goals that are political, religious or ideological in nature.
This is done through intimidation, coercion or instilling fear.” Chomsky does not always offer a strong explanation as to why the United States carried out such atrocities, but he does use hard facts and statistics that rule out the United States innocence.
A reader may wonder why as a U.S. citizen he or she has never heard about Nicaragua, Sudan or Beirut. Chomsky implies that this is the result of propaganda. Our newspapers, he said, didn’t report the thousands of people that died as a result of the U.S. bombing of the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant in Sudan. Chomsky states that these incidents were “scarcely known because of the primary U.S. responsibility.”
He goes on to imply that the U.S view on terrorism is subjective. For example, after the attacks, the United States declared a “war on terrorism.” However, Chomsky claims when the United States attacked and killed innocent civilians in another country it held the attitude of, “Oh, well, too bad, minor mistake. Let’s go on to the next topic. Let the victims rot.”
Chomsky follows up these opinions with more facts that depict the Unites States as a nation that disregards human rights. 9-11 does not come across as offensive or anti-patriotic. However, it is a book that presents facts that tatter the perfect image some readers may hold of the U.S role in foreign policy.
Chomsky does an effective job of serving as a voice for the innocent who have been killed in terrorist attacks. Regardless of one’s feelings about Sept. 11 or U.S. foreign policy, 9-11 will make for an interesting read, providing one with a better understanding terrorism.
