The MIT Interviews

2 CDs

In Part One, Chomsky discusses the real reasons for the U.S. invasion of Panama, the process of how and why Noriega went from being a “good guy” to a “bad guy” who had to be deposed, the media support and cooperation with the Bush Administration and, most riveting of all, the grotesque hypocrisy of the “war on drugs.” He presents his views clearly and in a straightforward manner, illustrating his points with many examples.

In Part Two, he discusses the driving need of American policymakers to find an enemy in order to propel the Pentagon. Since the demise of the Soviet threat, there has been a scramble to develop credible and truly scary alternatives. So we careen from Libyan hit squads to the Sandinistas to Medellín drug lords to Noriega to Saddam. Nothing has quite the staying power of the “Evil Empire.” This segment contains fascinating personal information about Chomsky’s roots and early influences and provides insight into Chomsky, the man and his thought. February 1-2, 1990.