Chomsky: Confronting the Empire

[Mark Pavlick]

>>
>>ZNet | Terror War
>>
>>Confronting the Empire
>>by Noam Chomsky; February 01, 2003
>>
>>We are meeting at a moment of world history that is in many ways 
>>unique - a moment that is ominous, but also full of hope.
>>
>>The most powerful state in history has proclaimed, loud and clear, 
>>that it intends to rule the world by force, the dimension in which 
>>it reigns supreme. Apart from the conventional bow to noble 
>>intentions that is the standard (hence meaningless) accompaniment 
>>of coercion, its leaders are committed to pursuit of their 
>>"imperial ambition," as it is frankly described in the leading 
>>journal of the foreign policy establishment - critically, an 
>>important matter.  They have also declared that they will tolerate 
>>no competitors, now or in the future.  They evidently believe that 
>>the means of violence in their hands are so extraordinary that they 
>>can dismiss with contempt anyone who stands in their way. There is 
>>good reason to believe that the war with Iraq is intended, in part, 
>>to teach the world some lessons about what lies ahead when the 
>>empire decides to strike a blow -- though "war" is hardly the 
>>proper term, given the array of forces.
>>
>>The doctrine is not entirely new, nor unique to the US, but it has 
>>never before been proclaimed with such brazen arrogance - at least 
>>not by anyone we would care to remember.
>>
>>Full: http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=40&ItemID=2938