Is He a Neocon? (Pt. 6) | Sam Harris | ACADEMIA | Rubin Report

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report talks to Sam Harris about the accusation that he is a neoconservative.

Watch Dave Rubin’s full interview with Sam Harris here:

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All art on the set are original works by Caylin Rose Janet.

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Sam Harris
Author & Neuroscientist

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[RubinReport]

We've got Sam's answers to his five misrepresented ideas going up individually over the next two hours and then the full interview will be right here. Wanted to have these five in bites so when he's misrepresented in the future people can use these videos as quick answers. Full hour and a half interview will be up after that!

[armanmkhitaryan]

"Are you a neocon?" Harris: "Oh, no, I'm certainly not. However, ...." then go 7 minutes of arguments characteristic of neoconservatism.

[BHTQ]

So no I am not a neocon and then Sam went on to prove he thinks like a neocon

[redhood]

Answer: On Israel, super duper yes. He is using Israeli apologia like Chomsky using Chavez apologia.

[SuperGreatSphinx]

Neoconservatism (commonly shortened to neocon when labelling its adherents) is a political movement born in the United States during the 1960s among liberal hawks who became disenchanted with the increasingly pacifist foreign policy of the Democratic Party, and the growing New Left and Counterculture, in particular the Vietnam protests.

Some also began to question their liberal beliefs regarding domestic policies such as the Great Society.

Many of its adherents became politically famous during the Republican presidential administrations of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s as neoconservatives peaked in influence during the administration of George W. Bush, when they played a major role in promoting and planning the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Prominent neoconservatives in the George W. Bush administration included Paul Wolfowitz, Elliott Abrams, Richard Perle and Paul Bremer.

While not identifying as neoconservatives, senior officials Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld listened closely to neoconservative advisers regarding foreign policy, especially the defense of Israel and the promotion of American influence in the Middle East.

Historically speaking, the term "neoconservative" refers to those who made the ideological journey from the anti-Stalinist left to the camp of American conservatism during the 1960s and 1970s.

Neoconservatives typically advocate the promotion of democracy (and American national interests) in international affairs, including by means of military force, and are known for espousing disdain for communism, and for political radicalism.

The movement had its intellectual roots in the Jewish monthly review magazine Commentary, published by the American Jewish Committee.

They spoke out against the New Left, and, in that way, helped define the movement.

[a]

Every time I watch Sam argue that the rise of ISIS had nothing to do with the US invasion in Iraq he stumbles and gives weak evidence. Great thinker, but I think he needs to recognize the US' role in geopolitical crisis and terrorism a bit more.

[benjaminodonnell]

This series of short videos is *just* what Sam & his fans need for the "twitter wars" launched by Hedges, Greenwald, Aslan, Werleman, Lean, etc. I think it's going to be enormously linked-to and is likely to get a ridiculous number of views and likes (and, unfortunately, dislikes). While that may seem to be an enormous "free gift" from Sam to Dave's new channel, it benefits Sam enormously too. And anyway, I think Sam would see Dave's channel as a useful antidote to the problems with TYT.

[agarjakendu]

Neo-con - The idea that the US is the global saviour and needs to "help." Sam Harris is a neo-con

[Arbitraritorian]

Uncle Sam's short answer: "Yes, I am a neocon."

Of course there are legitimate reasons for intervention, but Harris fails to address the real reason we went into Iraq and the real reason we intervene across the world: NOT for humanitarian reasons, but for imperialistic, economic, empire-building reasons. We went to Iraq for OIL. We slaughtered hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians without a second thought. We exploit countries around the world for resources and force them to pay us tribute. Hawaii, Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Chile, Iran, Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq... we are the savages, Uncle Sam. Wake up!

[ajaypasricha]

Sam Harris really needs to read a little more about foreign policy, especially the motives. It surprises me that he isn't better on these issues considering they aren't that hard to learn.

[SpencerThayer]

He dances around the question. Sam Harris's record on foreign policy prescriptions for the Middle East and nearly every Muslim majority country are indistinguishable from Dick Cheney and his sycophants like Richard Perle. The notion that Neo Cons reject certain socially liberal principles thus Harris is exempt from inclusion falls apart when one considers how socially liberal many Neo Cons are willing to be, i.e., Cheney's well known support LGBT communities.

[thecontinental]

It's not that Iraq "needed" Saddam. They had Saddam, and there was no justification for us to remove him, just as there is no justification for us to remove any bad leader just because we think he is bad. Sure, you could have predicted the chaos that would result from removing Saddam, but that was not the reason why the invasion was unjustified. This all seemed very clear cut to me at the time, and it still does. It's not "depressing." It's just that America doesn't run the planet, and some places will have evil rulers.

[jonwill]

Yep in short Sam Harris just needs to say "Yes I'm a neocon"

[mooney]

The fact that Harris's default underlying assumption was that the US and UK were even trying to 'liberate' Iraq and 'build nations', as opposed to having it/them run in their own strategic and economic interests shows he has no clue what he is talking about. It's notable also that he nor the interviewer even thinks to mention a) the height of Saddam's brutality was carried out with enthusiastic US and UK support, arms and so on, and b) The US, UK and to a lesser extent France essentially deepened the Iraqi people's dependence on Saddam by implementing sanctions that resulted in the deaths of 500, 000 children under the age of five and were described as genocidal by those tasked with implementing them.

[jackstratif]

I like Harris, but he grossly ignores American foreign policy.

[guiney]

I'm very optimistic with the direction this show seems to be taking. thank you.

[djedd]

One of the things that always annoyed me about Harris is that he gets so much attention for his views on Islam, but then inevitably veers into commenting on foreign interventions and the morality thereof, but you cannot do that without a proper historical perspective and at least a knowledge of the geopolitics involved. He is actually rather ignorant in this respect.

[preest_nz]

One of the reasons I can't stand Cenk is he's two faced. To Sam's face he said something like 'now you never said let's do a nuclear first strike on the Muslim world' but then later says something like 'if you're Sam Harris you think let's bomb them, they're just muslim' with that fucking voice he puts on.

Loved these videos Dave. Really really appreciate this chance for Sam to be listened to and engaged with respectfully :)

[iamharjap]

If we are unable to do nation-building at home, how can we build other nations abroad? Also, the intentions to invade Iraq do not seem to have been benevolent.

[LoveDayandAge]

I agree with Sam Harris on many things, but not this. He seems to view the US as a benevolent yet ignorant agent in foreign affairs, instead of malicious in its own right.