Noam Chomsky tells Al Jazeera “I’m not an absolute pacifist”

• Says he supports U.S. airstrikes to protect the Kurds from ISIL: “I’m not an absolute pacifist”
• Disagrees with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement’s targeting of Israeli artistic, educational and cultural institutions: “I do not suggest boycotting Harvard University and my own university, even though the United States is involved in horrific acts”
• Responding to Erdogan’s criticism, He says Turkey’s government is “deeply authoritarian” and calls Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erodgan, a “murderer”

In an interview with Al Jazeera English’s flagship current affairs show, ‘UpFront’, MIT professor emeritus Noam Chomsky a long-standing critic of US foreign policy and overseas interventions, said he supported U.S. air strikes against ISIL. 

“I’m not an absolute pacifist,” he said. “I think there are times when the use of military force defensively is legitimate.“

"Defending the Kurds against the ISIL attacks, yes, that’s legitimate,” he added, explaining that the "Kurdish areas of Syria” constitute a “fairly decent society” which “certainly merit support” from the US air force.

Chomsky condemned the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan who in a public address criticised “so-called intellectuals” like Chomsky for supporting Kurdish separatists and invited the MIT professor to visit Turkey.

In the interview, Chomsky, who has accused the Turkish government of carrying out a “terrorist” war against the Kurds in the past, called the Turkish president “a murderer” in relation to Turkish army’s military offensive against Kurdish rebels in the country’s southeast. .

During the ‘UpFront’ interview, Chomsky was asked whether he supported the Kurdish PKK and asked to address their acts of violence against Turkish civilians.

“They have carried out attacks on civilians, yes,” he said. “I’m not saying we should give military aid to the PKK. On the other hand, if we are interested in attacking ISIS, and saving the Yazidi, and saving the Kurds, we can’t say we are going to attack them.”

“There’s plenty of evils in the world, but we have to deal with the world as it exists,” he added. “If you want to defend the Kurds you cannot be attacking the Kurds.”

Discussing the spat between Presidents Erdogan and Putin following the shooting down of a Russian jet in Turkish airspace, Professor Chomsky said: “That’s the kind of thing that could set off a major war. And what were the consequences? The consequences were as expected, that Russia greatly increased its military forces in the region, put in advanced missiles, sent a missile cruiser. I mean, you don’t play games like that.”

On the subject of the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, Chomsky was asked by host Hasan whether it was a “mistake” for BDS campaigners to target Israeli artistic, cultural and educational institutions, too.

“I think it is,” he said. “Just as I do not suggest boycotting Harvard University and my own university, even though the United States is involved in horrific acts.”

Chomsky distinguished between those BDS campaigns “aimed at the occupied territories”, the “kind that I support”, and “actions against Israel itself” which he dismissed: “You might as well boycott the United States.”

*ENDS*

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

·  Please credit Al Jazeera English and ‘UpFront’ if you plan to use any quotes from this interview with Noam Chomsky.

· This interview with Noam Chomsky will air in two parts on Fridays January 22nd and 29th. The segments will be available here: www.aljazeera.com/upfront from 19.30GMT onwards. Please add this link to your online copy if quotes are used.

·  UpFront, hosted by Mehdi Hasan, broadcasts on Fridays at 19.30 GMT. 

· Follow UpFront on Twitter @AJUpFront

· For more information, or media enquiries, please contact pressoffice@aljazeera.net