Chomsky: Russia’s war against Ukraine hastened the doomsday clock

CJ Polychroniou*

Newspaper La Jornada
Monday, April 4, 2022, p. eleven

Renowned intellectual and dissident Noam Chomsky spoke to the Truthout organization about the recent events in Ukraine and gave his views on the political culture in the United States, the ideological universe of the Republican Party, political fervor and the prohibition of books.

CJ Polychroniou: Noam, the latest reports on the war in Ukraine indicate that Russia has changed its strategy with the intention of dividing the country like North and South Korea, according to Ukrainian officials. Meanwhile, NATO reinforces the eastern front, as if Russia planned to invade Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia. Washington is silent on peace in Ukraine. We heard Biden deliver a speech of toxic masculinity against Putin on his recent visit to Poland that prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to warn him not to use inflammatory language as he tries to achieve a ceasefire. Has the United States ever believed that conflicts can be resolved in ways other than intimidation and the use of force?

Noam Chomsky: Regarding the current military situation, there are two radically different versions: the one we are most familiar with is that of the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, General Kyrylo Budanov: Russia’s attempt to overthrow the Ukrainian government failed, so Russia falls back to the south and east of the country. It has occupied the Donbas region, east of the Azov Sea coast, and is planning a korean stage to divide the country.

“The head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Sergey Rudskov, tells a different story: an interpretation of the mission accomplished in Iraq, without the dramatic elements. Two stories with the same ending, which I suspect is the correct one.

“The West plausibly adopts the first narrative. That is, the story that Russia is unable to conquer cities a few kilometers from its border, defended by very limited military forces, supported by militias.

“Does the West really embrace this story? His actions indicate that they prefer Rudskov’s version: an incredibly powerful and efficient Russian military machine that, having achieved its goals in Ukraine, is now preparing to invade Europe, and likely to bring NATO into submission. If so, it is necessary to reinforce the alliance’s western front to prevent an imminent invasion by this monstrous force.

“Another idea suggests itself: is it possible that Washington wants to take advantage of the great gift that Putin gave it, by dividing Europe to justify the need to reinforce the Eastern front, which, as is well known, is not in danger of invasion?

“So far, Washington has not backed away from what it laid out in that pivotal political statement last September, in which it encouraged Ukraine to join NATO and ‘concrete the U.S.-Ukraine strategic defense structure and security cooperation’. ‘, by providing this nation with advanced anti-tank systems and other weapons, as well as a ‘robust training and testing program that maintains Ukraine’s status as a NATO Best Opportunity partner.’

“There are many far-fetched discussions about the deep recesses in Putin’s twisted soul that led him to invade Ukraine. Resorting to criminal aggression, he moved his annual military exercises closer to the border in an effort to draw serious attention to Russia’s security concerns, which are considered important by US diplomats; CIA directors and many high-ranking officials who warned Washington of the folly of ignoring such concerns.

“Perhaps exploring Putin’s soul is the right approach to understand the decision he made in February 2022. There is another possibility: perhaps he meant what he and other Russian leaders since Boris Yeltsin have repeated for the last 25 years about neutralizing Ukraine. Despite the fact that Biden’s provocative statement was silenced in the United States, Putin could well have heard it and that is why he decided to escalate his annual exercises and lead them to aggression.

“The press reports that ‘Ukraine is ready to declare itself neutral, abandon its attempt to join NATO and promises not to develop nuclear weapons if Russia withdraws its troops and kyiv receives security guarantees.’

“Hence, will the United States desist and make efforts to save Ukraine from more misery instead of interfering with these efforts by refusing to participate in the negotiations and maintaining the position expressed last September?

“The question leads to Biden’s impromptu call for Putin to back off, offering no escape route, which is recognized as a virtual declaration of war and could have terrifying consequences. This caused considerable consternation throughout the world, even in his team, who were quick to ensure that his words did not mean what he said.

“Biden explained that his comment was a spontaneous outburst of ‘moral outrage,’ revulsion at the crimes of the ‘butcher’ who rules Russia. Are there other current situations that might inspire moral outrage in you?

Yes, there are cases in which the United States, like any other hegemonic imperial power, has sought to resolve conflicts through peaceful means.

– At home, Republicans support tough policies against Russia, despite the fact that their great leader continually changes his chant about Putin depending on the events. Why is there still support among Republicans for Russia and Putin, especially on the far right of the political spectrum? What motivates the extreme right to break ranks with the Republican Party in favor of Russia, when an overwhelming majority of public opinion in the country supports Ukraine?

-It’s not just Russia and Ukraine. While Europe condemns the uncompromising policy of Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Hungary, he has become beloved by much of the American right. Fox News and its main anchor, Tucker Carlson, are in the lead, but other prominent conservatives they join in the odes to the proto-fascist Christian nationalist regime that Orban has imposed by destroying freedom and democracy in Hungary.

“This reflects the conflict in the Republican Party or, to be more exact, what remains of what was a legitimate political formation and that is now on a par with European factions with neo-fascist origins.

“Trump accelerated the trend that began when Newt Gingrich took control of the Republican Party 30 years ago. And Trump is now being outflanked on his right wing, something unimaginable until recently. Much of the leadership is heading towards the Orban model and beyond, bringing idolatrous masses with them. I believe that the party’s debate on Russia and Ukraine should be viewed against this background.

–The lawyers of the Republicans intensify their efforts to ban books on race, as if slavery and racial oppression in the United States were imaginary and not historical facts. Is there a link between banning books and limiting the right to vote? Do these acts represent another indication that a civil war is brewing in the United States?

–The prohibition of books is nothing new in the United States, and to eliminate the votes of the people wrong it’s as traditional as apple pie, to use a stock phrase. Now they return with more force as the republican organization, sensing that it will return to power, seems to migrate towards a kind of proto-fascism.

Some cautious analysts predict a civil war. At least a very serious internal crisis is taking shape. Much has been made of the decline of the United States and to some extent it is real, and its main factor is intrinsic. If we look deeply, much of the internal social deterioration is the result of the brutal impact of the neoliberal programs of the past 40 years. It’s bad enough that Hungary is drifting into proto-fascist Christian nationalism, but when it happens to the most powerful state in world history, the implications are ominous.

-Imposing severe sanctions on countries that refuse to obey Washington’s orders is an established tactic in the United States. Even academics living in countries under sanctions are treated as undesirable. In general, the political culture of the United States does not tolerate dissenting voices being heard in the public arena. Would you like to comment on the foundational characteristics of the political culture of the United States?

–It is worth remembering that this is nothing new. We all remember when the august Senate changed the name of the French fries for the of liberty potatoes, in a furious reaction to France’s reckless refusal to join Washington’s criminal assault on Iraq. We could see something similar soon if President Macron of France, one of the few reasonable voices in the Western circle, continues to call for restraint in word and action to explore diplomatic options. The easy slide into scaremongering goes back a long way, and had already reached ridiculous depths when the United States entered World War I and all things German became anathema.

“Europe is strongly opposed to sanctions, but as usual follows its master, even to the extent of censoring an Iranian philosopher’s article. Putin’s great gift to Washington was to intensify this subordination to his power.

“I can add here many examples from my personal experience, but it must not be overlooked how evil extends to unsuspected distances.

“We live in dangerous times. We well remember how the clock to the apocalypse went from ticking minutes to ticking seconds under Trump, and is now 100 seconds away from midnight, or the end. Analysts who set that clock on time give three reasons: nuclear war, environmental destruction, and the collapse of democracy and freedom in the public sphere, undermining hope that informed and enthusiastic citizens will push their governments to resist the race to disaster

“This war in Ukraine has exacerbated all three disastrous trends. The nuclear threat has clearly increased. The compelling need to greatly reduce the use of fossil fuels has been reversed by the adulation of the destroyers of life on Earth who proclaim their commitment to saving civilization from the Russians. Democracy and freedom are in ominous decline.

“This evokes what happened 90 years ago, but now there is much more to lose. So America responded to a crisis and led the way to social democracy, largely revitalized by the impetus of the labor movement, while Europe plunged into fascist darkness.

What will happen now is uncertain. The only certainty is that it depends on us.

Interview published in Truthout at: https://bit.ly/37bYaIu

Full version at: https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2022/04/03/politica/chomsky-la-guerra-de-rusia-contra-ukrania-accelerate-el-reloj-del-juicio-final/

* Political scientist, economist and journalist.

Translation: Gabriela Fonseca