Noam Chomsky: “Israel” is essentially a US military base
Local Editor, 10-12-2009
During a phone interview with Press TV, socio-political analyst Noam Chomsky says "Israel" functions as Washington\'s main weapons storage base in the Middle East.
"Israel is essentially a US military base, the US positions weapons there, that\'s a very close military and intelligence tie," the Jewish academic told Press TV on Wednesday while explaining the complexity of relations between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Chomsky said on the subject of US weapons which were delivered to "Israel" before its assault on Gaza (2007-2008) that the exchange of weapons between the two sides was not surprising.
""Israel" is receiving weapons constantly. In fact, weapons were sent during the invasion of Gaza. They tried to send them, they were supposed to send them from Greece, and Greece refused to ship them," he added.
"When pentagon was asked about this, they responded (I think correctly) that the weapons were not being sent for the Gaza invasion which was underway with the US weapons of course; rather, the US was positioning weapons in Israel," he continued.
Chomsky emphasized that though "Israel" had influence over the US foreign policy, it still had to act within the boundaries of what Washington allowed.
"Take for example "Israeli" threats against Iran or US threats for that matter, in which if anybody cares it is a violation of the UN charter," said Chomsky.
"Last summer in 2008, right in the middle of the presidential election... Israeli lobbyists tried very hard to push through a resolution in congress calling for a blockade on Iran which essentially would have been an act of war".
"They were rounding up quite lot of senators... and all of a sudden the effort terminated, presumably what happened is the White House... wanted to have a word with them, so they pulled back, that happens over and over, Israel cannot go beyond what the US permits," he added.
"[The US and Israel] consistently and regularly... resort to force and the threat of force... carry out aggression regularly and repeatedly... invade other countries, occupy other countries, [and] invoke terror and violence," he said.
Chomsky also pointed out that the US government and its media had spread exaggerated reports about Iran\'s nuclear program.
Chomsky was cited as a source more often than any other living scholar during the 1980-92 period, and was the eighth most-cited source. He is also considered a prominent cultural figure. At the same time, his status as a leading critic of US foreign policy has made him controversial.
During a phone interview with Press TV, socio-political analyst Noam Chomsky says "Israel" functions as Washington\'s main weapons storage base in the Middle East.
"Israel is essentially a US military base, the US positions weapons there, that\'s a very close military and intelligence tie," the Jewish academic told Press TV on Wednesday while explaining the complexity of relations between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Chomsky said on the subject of US weapons which were delivered to "Israel" before its assault on Gaza (2007-2008) that the exchange of weapons between the two sides was not surprising.
""Israel" is receiving weapons constantly. In fact, weapons were sent during the invasion of Gaza. They tried to send them, they were supposed to send them from Greece, and Greece refused to ship them," he added.
"When pentagon was asked about this, they responded (I think correctly) that the weapons were not being sent for the Gaza invasion which was underway with the US weapons of course; rather, the US was positioning weapons in Israel," he continued.
Chomsky emphasized that though "Israel" had influence over the US foreign policy, it still had to act within the boundaries of what Washington allowed.
"Take for example "Israeli" threats against Iran or US threats for that matter, in which if anybody cares it is a violation of the UN charter," said Chomsky.
"Last summer in 2008, right in the middle of the presidential election... Israeli lobbyists tried very hard to push through a resolution in congress calling for a blockade on Iran which essentially would have been an act of war".
"They were rounding up quite lot of senators... and all of a sudden the effort terminated, presumably what happened is the White House... wanted to have a word with them, so they pulled back, that happens over and over, Israel cannot go beyond what the US permits," he added.
"[The US and Israel] consistently and regularly... resort to force and the threat of force... carry out aggression regularly and repeatedly... invade other countries, occupy other countries, [and] invoke terror and violence," he said.
Chomsky also pointed out that the US government and its media had spread exaggerated reports about Iran\'s nuclear program.
Chomsky was cited as a source more often than any other living scholar during the 1980-92 period, and was the eighth most-cited source. He is also considered a prominent cultural figure. At the same time, his status as a leading critic of US foreign policy has made him controversial.
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