What We Say Goes: Conversations on U.S. Power in a Changing World

What We Say Goes: Conversations on U.S. Power in a Changing World | Noam Chomsky, David Barsamian | Provocative

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What We Say Goes: ...

	What We Say Goes: Conversations on U.S. Power in a Changing World Noam Chomsky, David Barsamian Metropolitan Books, 2007 - 240 pages average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

enemy of the state

Wow - "What We Say Goes" is a fantastic, eye-opening read. If you consider yourself conservative or right-wing (or just regularly watch "Fox News") then I would consider this book REQUIRED reading. Yes, some of the ideas are tough to swallow. As a proud, full-blooded American, it was difficult to accept, but Chomsky makes you see current events in another light, and explains leaders' true motivations.

Chomsky's arguments are well reasoned. It is NOT propaganda or conspiracy theories, but critical thinking in the most pure sense. His knowledge of current events and history is deep. And while presented as a series of question-answer interviews, there are references provided to fact-check everything he says.

Chomsky talks about elections in America, and how we're electing people based on image and you never hear about issues. I think the most profound point he makes is that, overwhelmingly, polls of American people show that politics do not follow what their own popular opinion is saying. Did you know we're establishing permanent military bases in Iraq? I certainly didn't, and don't think it bodes well for us getting out of there any time soon.

Other gems? The United States instigates revolutions (e.g. the Pinochet coup in Chile on 9/11/1973). We give financial aid to support tyrants in countries with horrible human rights violations (Columbia, Saudi Arabia). Today we're so afraid of Iran developing the bomb, when we gave them our nuclear engineers from MIT (for a price, of course!)

Chomsky discusses the recent U.S.-Israel unprovoked attacks against Lebanon. There's many mentions of the United Nations, and how we completely ignore their laws. He cuts through the underlying assumption in popular media that we can do as we please. For instance, U.S. newspapers' absurd claims that Iran is "interfering in Iraq," when Iran is doing something as benign as opening a bank (pp 101).

These U.S. aggressions are definitely fueling terrorism (a big point made in the The 9/11 Commission Report, but an idea that is given no media coverage). Do we have any justification for attacking Iraq? They unequivocally did NOT have "Weapons of Mass Destruction," and had nothing to do with the September 11 terrorist attacks (please again refer to the 9/11 Commission Report).

If you consider yourself an educated citizen, this book may change your mind.

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Provocative

When speaking against an open enrollment policy, a college admissions counselor once said, "When you are dealing with the exceptional, you must always grant an exception." If one examines in some detail the moods, beliefs, and aspirations of a large majority of American citizens throughout their history, it is apparent that they take these words as literal truth, at least when applying them to American society and its government. Especially in the area of foreign policy, it is believed that what applies to other nations does not apply to the United States. The United States is an exceptional society it is believed, and therefore must be granted an exception when compared to others in the world. The brutalities and atrocities committed by other nations are to be condemned without reservation but when the government of the United States engages in the same activity, its citizens are supposed to shrug their shoulders and dismiss this activity no matter how barbarous it is.

If viewed in this light, the title of this book is very appropriate. Considering the background of its author and his track record in speaking out against some of the more dark activities of the United States government, this is a book that will provoke anger from some of its readers as well as curiosity to others. But being provocative is only the first step in a work such as this, for the author also needs to give sound evidence for the assertions that are inked on its pages. In this regard it must be remembered that editorial policies place economic constraints on the number of pages to be included in the book and these act to suppress the details of all the evidence. But then references are to be included for those readers who refuse to accept the statements of the author without further investigation.

It must be remembered when reading this book that its author is subject to the same limitations in information gathering that everyone else is, and that he, like everyone else is also constrained by his own biases and belief systems. No reader, and no author, can view historical events from the standpoint of apodictic certainty, and this will remain true no matter how much information one finds oneself immersed in. Sorting through information and keeping what seems essential is always a function of the assumptions one begins with, but debate and in-depth discussion assist in fine-tuning one's resulting worldview. Sometimes the latter can be changed radically by these activities, but any changes must also be evaluated in light of new evidence. Such is the situation for those who have a restless desire to get at the truth, whether it concerns the activities of the United States government or some other in the world.

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MORE CHOMSKY?

I thought I knew Chomsky from my undergraduate days in the 1950's when he
was known as a structual liguist. He had a great deal to offer at the time in teaching us about the meaning of words. Decades later he was mainly the radical critic of how we posed as a participatory democracy
promoting peace and prosperity worldwide. After several books and documentaries I thought I had enough of an idea of what he was saying
about the messy situation we've been suffering since the Bush phenomenom.
But "What We Say Goes" gives new insight and focus especially in the
chapters on Lebanon and Latin America

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Excellent, if imperfect, critique of American power

As usual, Chomsky strongly criticizes American and Israeli foreign policy. He pulls no punches and the result is an excellent book. Anyone suffering from the government's lies and propaganda over the last eight years will want to read this book. Every topic- from our horrible health care system to Hugo Chavez- is covered in this book. I highly recommend it.

Interesting writing style

The book is written as a conversation between the writer and Noam Chomsky. It's an interesting style that I hadn't seen before and it makes the book very easy to read. Whatever your opinion about Chomsky, this book offers an interesting style and informs while not just preaching or rambling for pages.

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reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4

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