US is the ‘world’s leading terrorist state’: Noam Chomsky

Renowned US philosopher Noam Chomsky has described the United States as the “world’s leading terrorist state” due to the country’s global operations run by the CIA.

In an article published by Truthout on Monday, the American historian pointed to the Central Intelligence Agency’s classified review of its own efforts to arm insurgencies across the globe in its 67-year history.

He said that The New York Times on Oct. 15 chose a wrong title for one story, saying “CIA Study of Covert Aid Fueled Skepticism About Helping Syrian Rebels.”

However, Chomsky believes that the newspaper should choose this title, “It’s official: The US is the world’s leading terrorist state, and proud of it.”

He wrote that “the world champion in generating terror” bent on antagonizing its opposition around the world.

“The first paragraph of the Times article cites three major examples of ‘covert aid’: Angola, Nicaragua and Cuba. In fact, each case was a major terrorist operation conducted by the US,” Chomsky said.

He explained that it was the United States, in the 1980s, that backed Apartheid-era South Africa as it invaded Angola to protect itself “from one of the world’s ‘more notorious terrorist groups,” according to Washington: “Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress.”

“Washington joined South Africa in providing crucial support for Jonas Savimbi’s terrorist Unita army in Angola,” Chomsky wrote.

“The consequences were horrendous. A 1989 UN inquiry estimated that South African depredations led to 1.5 million deaths in neighboring countries, let alone what was happening within South Africa itself,” he added.

In another example, the historian wrote about the “murderous and destructive campaign” the United States aimed at Cuba, including the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and a harsh embargo that still continues.

“The toll of the long terrorist war was amplified by a crushing embargo, which continues even today in defiance of the world. On Oct. 28, the UN, for the 23rd time, endorsed ‘the necessity of ending the economic, commercial, financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba,’” the MIT professor said.

He also briefed the wars the US brought to opposition in Central America in the 1980s and the current bombing campaign against the ISIL terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.

Chomsky concluded that the United States continues its deadly operations by drone attacks in several Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Yemen.

“To this we may add the world’s greatest terrorist campaign: Obama’s global project of assassination of ‘terrorists.’ The ‘resentment-generating impact’ of those drone and special-forces strikes should be too well known to require further comment,” he wrote. “This is a record to be contemplated with some awe.”