Pirates and Emperors, Old and New : International Terrorism in the Real World

Noam Chomsky is Institute Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. A member of the American Academy of Science, he has published widely in both linguistics and current affairs. His books include At War with Asia, Towards a New Cold War, Fateful Triangle: The U. S., Israel and the Palestinians, Necessary Illusions, Hegemony or Survival, Deterring Democracy, Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy and Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Read more... Abstract: Noam Chomsky is Institute Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. A member of the American Academy of Science, he has published widely in both linguistics and current affairs. His books include At War with Asia, Towards a New Cold War, Fateful Triangle: The U. S., Israel and the Palestinians, Necessary Illusions, Hegemony or Survival, Deterring Democracy, Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy and Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. One of the world’s leading intellectuals “raises provocative questions about U.S. diplomacy” in a brilliant account of the workings of state terrorism ( Maclean’s ). Pirates and Emperors, Old and New is a virtuoso exploration of the role of the United States in the Middle East that exposes how the media manipulates public opinion about what constitutes “terrorism.” Chomsky masterfully argues that appreciating the differences between state terror and nongovernmental terror is crucial to stopping terrorism and understanding why atrocities like the bombing of the World Trade Center and the killing of the Charlie Hebdo journalists happen. “Disturbing reading and as always, indispensable.” ― The Ubyssey Praise for Noam Chomsky “Our greatest unraveller of accredited lies.” — New Statesman “Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet.” — The New York Times Book Review “There is no living political writer who has more radically changed how more people think in more parts of the world about political issues.” ―Glenn Greenwald, journalist and author “A truth-teller on an epic scale. I salute him.” —John Pilger, journalist, writer, and filmmaker "This work deals exclusively with terrorism, both State and retail, with special attention to the scandal surrounding the Iranian arms deal. With meticulous research and documentation, Chomsky demonstrates the true motifs of U.S. foreign policy and the role of the media in ensuring public ignorance of these motifs. He looks behind the rhetoric for a real and comprehensive view of the role of the U.S. government, giving special attention to the disinformation campaign surrounding the bombing of Libya."--Jacket. Contents 6 Preface to the 2015 edition 8 Preface to the First Edition (1986) 14 Introduction (2002) 22 1. Thought Control: The Case of the Middle East (1986) 46 2. Middle East Terrorism and the American Ideological System (1986) 70 3. Libya in U.S. Demonology (1986) 126 4. The U.S. Role in the Middle East (November 15, 1986) 156 5. International Terrorism: Image and Reality (1989) 176 6. The World after September 11 (2001) 208 7. U.S./Israel–Palestine (May 2001) 228 Notes 256 Index 296 About the Author 313 Pirates and Emperors is a brilliant exploration of the role of the United States in the Middle East that exposes how the media manipulates public opinion about what constitutes "terrorism." Chomsky masterfully argues that appreciating the differences between state terror and nongovernmental terror is crucial to stopping terrorism and understanding why atrocities like the bombing of the World Trade Center and the killing of the Charlie Hebdo journalists happen.--Back cover

A brilliant account of the workings of state terrorism by the world’s foremost critic of U.S. Imperialism.