In a recent interview with Thijmen Sprakel, Professor Noam Chomsky said there is a “high political figure” who has made “a very sensible statement” about how to solve the Russia-Ukraine crisis. “Namely, by facilitating negotiations instead of undermining them and moving towards establishing some kind of accommodation in Europe.”
Chomsky described what this high political figure might be talking about. It would be akin to what George H.W. Bush proposed in the ’90’s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. That was a “Partnership for Peace” that wouldn’t eliminate NATO but would help move the world toward a Europe with no military alliances. Russia would have been able to join the Partnership for Peace. France’s Macron, according to Chomsky, has tried to suggest something similar to Putin.
According to Chomsky the Statesman he was talking about has suggested something similar: “move towards negotiations and diplomacy instead of escalating the war, try to bring about an accommodation,” saying the Stateman’s “name is Donald J. Trump.”
Now, it’s important to point out that Chomsky is someone who has generally leaned left. He “describes himself as an anarcho-syndicalist and libertarian socialist.” In 2020 he had nothing good to say about Trump, but he appears to have changed his ways, at least as far as when it comes to international policy.
While still not a Trump fan, Chomsky stated “[b]ut let’s tell the truth: he’s the one person who’s said it and it’s the right way out. Others have said it too but not in high positions.” I.e., Joe Biden has not talked about using diplomacy but has instead looked for ways to prolong the war.
Do you think a lot of leftists have come to see Trump as someone who actually has good ideas, especially after seeing how Biden has done in office?
