Noam Chomsky: A Left Response to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The ongoing war in Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster with tremendous geopolitical, economic, social, and climate-related repercussions that are being felt throughout the world. How have these horrific events come to pass? What will the short-term and long-term effects be on the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and on the global political order? And what does a principled, internationalist, anti-imperialist left response to the war in Ukraine look like?In this special discussion, world-renowned linguist and analyst Noam Chomsky speaks with legendary activist and socialist Bill Fletcher, Jr. about the roots of Russian aggression in Ukraine, the background to the conflict, the US role, and how the Left can respond.

This event was made possible through the collaboration and support of sponsoring organizations, including:

Studio/Post-Production: Adam Coley

[w.bridges]

In my humble opinion, when this man talks, we all should listen and learn what he has to say, my regards from Australia 🇦🇺.

[nunoa.fernandes]

Afghan children are starving. God bless Noam Chomsky for never forgetting what is most important.

[kraz]

Disagree on Chomsky's suggestion that it was possible for Russia to get Germany and France onboard. They tried that with Minsk II and it was sabotaged and invalidated by the US, encouraging Zelensky to abandon it. So Russia definitely tried it, Lavrov said it repeatedly.

[grzegkania]

Fletcher - like most people - assumes he knows who the bad guy is but he has no clue why the bad guy is so bad and does all the bad things but knows that he has to be punished and if that results in a total annihilation of the planet, so be it. Chomsky tries to explain why the bad guy is so bad and how to deal with him to avoid Armageddon.

[jolima]

Many commentators here were mad about the interviewer bringing up mainstream media talking points/ questions. I was actually very thankful for that, cause in my discussions I hear exactly those kind of questions, so its good to hear that Chomsky answers to this kind of arguments. Anyways much better then the pure bubble talk on most channels - an all sides.

[stven]

People are complaining about the interviewer not being knowledgeable enough and biased but I think he is a good representation for where most Americans are on this issue. I hope more people who don't fully understand what is going on in Ukraine find this video and take the time to listen, Chomsky does a great job of explaining things.

[citizenworld]

Mr. Fletcher, you are well in over your head. Trying to deflect on the role of the US and hence its geopolitical and financial interests at the expense of other nations, does in no way exonerate our role in the current crisis in Ukraine.
Before you decide to interview a historian of Mr. Chomsky’s caliber, you should research the history of the region in question and formulate your questions accordingly!

[harryd]

Great interview! I routinely listen to Chomsky on YouTube, this is one of the rare of the rarest instances I can remember where interviewer is pushing back on Chomsky, and in the process extracting increasingly clear, more distilled analysis. Really ENJOYED it! Thanks again, please keep up the good work, the world needs you more than ever now!

[alexmitchell]

Apologies, commenting as am listening... the bit about the two NATO countries, Germany and France against the introduction of Ukraine to NATO... that may or may not be true... what is true is the the US "own" NATO. Who wanted to invade Iraq? How much protestation around the world in NATO countries against this invasion? One million people in the UK physically turned up in London to protest the invasion, REPEAT physically turned up (that's more than one percent of the entire population of the UK made the effort to physically turn up... the invasion still went ahead because the US wanted it and the UK, where I live, went along because that is what "we" have done since the end of WW2 (pretty much) - we do whatever the US "asks" us to do. What is happening in the Ukraine right now, and we have family there, was totally and utterly avoidable had the US agreed to dialog, had agreed to adhere to the agreement about NATO expansion (or lack of in fact) after the fall of the Soviet Union.

[elsonck]

What can we do? First off, stop hating the Russian people. They are like you and I. Their children are like our children and innocent victims of rampant imperialism. Their culture is rich and has contributed greatly to humanity. Don't become a participant in US idiocy. And don't seek to vilify Putin as the only culprit--there are two sides of equal criminality (as Noam has firmly stated in this interview).

[marianotorrespico]

Thank you, for the facts and for interviewing Profr.-Dr. Chomsky, the man who tells it like it is, by using facts.

[luukdeboer]

Thank you very much. Noam Chomsky is far from being senile

[blueoak]

Thanks for doing this! Noam Was brilliant! His grasp of history, his ready response, his refusal to be sidelined, was amazing. The truth of history has never been more important.

[elisoni]

A day without hypocrisy is a day wasted
USA and western nations

[antonioribeiro]

Thank you professor.
Says a retired general from my country regardingthis war.
Televisions make us forget the past so we don't understand the present
The present is this war.

[alexv]

This antiwar guy awfully sounds like a prowar. Also seem to be not noticing Ukraine’s NATO aspirations since early 2000s

[charlescanzater]

One of our greatest truth tellers ! Please join the peoples party today ! Honest peace and Justice for all man kind !🙏🏽✌🏽🤗

[spiritualhumanist]

....you missing the nature of international affairs...interviewer have a great chance for CNN, MSNBC or Colbert report.
I really admire Chomsky’s patience.

[SThrillz]

This guy actually brought up Syria as an argument for Russia to act without US meddling, Syria of all places where the CIA has had its highest spending in overseas "misadventure".

[vka]

Prof Chomsky is extremely sharp at his age of 93. The host, Bill Fletcher has difficulty comprehending what Prof Chomsky is saying.