Chomsky on Europe

[Sertorio]

Chomsky: Europe May Face Decline, Deindustrialization by Staying in 'US-Dominated System'
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230531/choms ... 07834.html

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Europe will experience a likely decline and deindustrialization if it chooses to stay within the system dominated by the United States, renowned US academic and philosopher Noam Chomsky told Sputnik.

"Europe has a major decision to make: Will it stay within the US-dominated system, facing likely decline and even, some predict, deindustrialization?" Chomsky said. "Or will it accommodate in some fashion to its natural economic partner to the East, rich in mineral resources that Europe needs and a gateway to the lucrative China market?"

Chomsky noted that these questions have arisen in one form or another since World War II.

"The Gaullist concept of Europe linking with Russia as an independent force in world affairs found echoes in Willy Brandt's Ostpolitik and other initiatives, and more broadly in Gorbachev's proposals after the collapse of the Soviet Union," he said. "Again, we can only speculate."

When asked whether he thinks we are on the threshold of a new world order and if the Ukrainian conflict can be a catalyst for major changes, Chomsky said: "There is much controversy about the shape of the emerging world system."

Chomsky explained the basic alternatives are a multipolar United Nations-based system or a unipolar "rules-based" system, where the United States sets the rules and as the record reveals, disregards them when it chooses to.

"The former is largely supported by most of the world. The latter is adopted by the Anglosphere, Europe, Japan and a few others," Chomsky added, noting that Russia' special military operation "provided the United States with a most welcome gift, driving Europe into Washington's pocket and thus strengthening its demand for a unipolar ‘rules-based’ order."

"There are many uncertainties as to how these tensions will be resolved," he said.

Earlier in May, US investor Jim Rogers told Sputnik that political unions like the European Union have never survived in history and this bloc is already experiencing problems.

The renowned US academic and philosopher further told Sputnik that he is hopeful Europe will be inclined toward the vision of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev 'From Lisbon to Vladivostok' before it gets worse.

“I also think there is considerable merit in Gorbachev's proposal for a ‘common European home’ from Lisbon to Vladivostok with no military alliances and common efforts to move toward a social democratic future,” Chomsky said.

The United States chose to pursue the Atlanticist option, based on NATO, which has recently been expanded to the Indo-Pacific region in a Washington-led effort to enlist Europe in its confrontation with China, Chomsky said.

"I hope that the future will tend towards Gorbachev's vision, before it is too late," Chomsky added.

None of the actions taken by the successors of former US President George H.W. Bush in violation of the agreements between him and then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on NATO should have taken place, Chomsky said.

Chomsky noted that Bush and Gorbachev agreed that Germany should be unified and join NATO, but the military alliance should not extend "one inch to the East" of Germany.

"The documents, which are clear and unambiguous, are readily available on the website of the National Security Archive. President Bush lived up to the agreement," Chomsky said.

However, Chomsky said Bush’s successor, Bill Clinton, violated the agreement, overriding the strong objections of high-level US diplomats and a wide range of political analysts, who warned that actions to expand NATO were reckless and provocative.

"His successors went further, also abrogating major arms control agreements that had significantly reduced the threat of war. None of these actions should have taken place, in my opinion," Chomsky said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly called for building a united peaceful Europe from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

Last October, Putin said that he considers it possible to create a common humanitarian and economic space in Eurasia, stating that "hope dies last."

Chomsky is a smart American, as we all know. Too bad there are so few like him around...

[neverfail]

Sertorio: Europe like the United States and all other industrialised, high wage regions of the World has already gone through de-indistrialisation ( just in case you are unaware of the fact which seems highly likely). It came about in the 1970's and was triggered off by the OPEC serial oil cost increases with the higher imput costs from inflationary pressures that accrued after.

It had absolutely nothing to do with "being in any system dominated by the United States" as Chomsky falsely alleges.

(Indeed, if the World had been as dominated by the United States as you stupid lefties like to spuriously contend then those OPEC oil price increases would never have been allowed - and that would have been to the benefit of all of us.)

Chimsky's essay is nothing but pie-in-the-sky bullshit.

[Sertorio]

Sertorio: Europe like the United States and all other industrialised, high wage regions of the World has already gone through de-indistrialisation ( just in case you are unaware of the fact which seems highly likely). It came about in the 1970's and was triggered off by the OPEC serial oil cost increases with the higher imput costs from inflationary pressures that accrued after.

It had absolutely nothing to do with "being in any system dominated by the United States" as Chomsky falsely alleges.

(Indeed, if the World had been as dominated by the United States as you stupid lefties like to spuriously contend then those OPEC oil price increases would never have been allowed - and that would have been to the benefit of all of us.)

Chimsky's essay is nothing but pie-in-the-sky bullshit.

Are you aware of Chomsky's widely recognized intellectual stature?... Do you seriously believe you can challenge him on something like this?... You are entitled to disagree with what he says, and offer your reasons for disagreeing. But bullshit?...

[cassowary]

Deindustrialization is already occuring as factories relocage from high wage countries to low wage ones. What does he mean by "US dominated system"? What it means is the US continue to defend Europe from Russia.

Since the Cold War, closet Communmists like Chomsky has called for US withdrawal from Europe. They don't like the US defending Europe. So in effect, it means they don't want the US to be in NATO. That's what the US dominated system means. They see the war in Ukraine as the US using its European vassals to fight Russia. As if the Europeans don't feel threatened by Russia.

But the Left, since the Cold War, had always pretended that the USSR or its successor state, Russia is no threat. It is only the machinations of the US that is causing trouble.

[Sertorio]

Deindustrialization is already occuring as factories relocage from high wage countries to low wage ones. What does he mean by "US dominated system"? What it means is the US continue to defend Europe from Russia.

Since the Cold War, closet Communmists like Chomsky has called for US withdrawal from Europe. They don't like the US defending Europe. So in effect, it means they don't want the US to be in NATO. That's what the US dominated system means. They see the war in Ukraine as the US using its European vassals to fight Russia. As if the Europeans don't feel threatened by Russia.

But the Left, since the Cold War, had always pretended that the USSR or its successor state, Russia is no threat. It is only the machinations of the US that is causing trouble.

We in Europe do not need the US to "defend" us from Russia. Russia is no threat to Europe, it is only a threat to the US hegemonic fantasies. Chomsky is absolutely right.

[Milo]

Chomsky is a brilliant linguist but often makes the mistake of commenting on other areas.

[Sertorio]

Chomsky is a brilliant linguist but often makes the mistake of commenting on other areas.

A mistake you never make, thank the Great Architect!...

[SteveFoerster]

Chomsky is a brilliant linguist but often makes the mistake of commenting on other areas.

It's not even clear he's spot on when it comes to linguistics.

[neverfail]

Are you aware of Chomsky's widely recognized intellectual stature?... Do you seriously believe you can challenge him on something like this?... You are entitled to disagree with what he says, and offer your reasons for disagreeing. But bullshit?...

Sertorio: various forms of mental illness are more widespread across this earth than you and a lot of others might imagine. Having a high intellect has never protected anyone from it. In your quoted essay I can tell that Chomsky is fantasising about what cannot be.

[cassowary]

Chomsky, like Sertorio, supported the most evil mass murderers.

It was not only Chomsky who was sucked into supporting the maelstrom of violence that characterized the communist takeovers in South-East Asia. Almost the whole of the 1960s New Left followed. They opposed the American side and turned Ho Chi Minh and the Vietcong into romantic heroes.

When the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975 both Chomsky and the New Left welcomed it.

That’s why I detest the left. After having survived the Malayan Emergency, an attempt by communists to take over Malaya and Singapore, the communists tried to take over Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam through insurgencies.

We watched in horror as the anti war movement gathered strength. I can understand if people don’t want to get killed. But these people appeared to be on the side of the communists.