Noam Chomsky on U.S. Foreign Policy: Pentagon Budget and the Nanny State (2/8) (1995)

[SmelOdies]

I think Noam hurts himself when he says things like "this was when Saddam was a trusted friend." It's not a nuanced thing to say, I'm sure the government operatives DIStrusted him, but were using him. I'm not even sure our governments have "trusted" Israel, although of course, comparatively they trust Israel above the other Middle Eastern countries. But trusted Saddam of Iraq?

[hugoegbert79]

@SmelOdies They said he was a trusted friend at teh time. You can see the footage of Donald Rumsfeld meeting Saddam, shaking his hand with a big smile on his face in front of the cameras, before going into some back room to sell him guns, bombs and nerve gas.

[SmelOdies]

@hugoegbert79 Footage of them shaking hands and the fact they did shady dealing does not make them "trusted friends." Vito Corleone and Victor Sollazo also smiled and shook hands.

[SmelOdies]

@hugoegbert79 Sorry, Virgil Sollozzo.

[extremetea]

@SmelOdies  why the hell would we trust any country? esp israel. you are aware that the biggest spy ring ever caught in the usa was isreali arent you?? but noams point is valid, saddam was part of the rulers club, n they wined n dined n did deals. our trusted friends have also included stalin and bin laden (maybe were not a very good judge of character).