Criticism and the Boundaries of the Permissible

This was an interesting read for me. It talks about a book review that is summarized here, originally published in the NYT. Chomsky's commentary, excellent as usual, centers around these points: There are many interesting aspects to the article. One is that "terrorism" is implicitly defined as what THEY do to US, excluding what WE do to THEM...A little more interesting is Power's tacit endorsement of the Bush doctrine that states that harbor terrorists are no different from terrorist states, and should be treated accordingly: bombed and invaded, and subjected to regime change... It's of some interest that Power is regarded -- and apparently regards herself -- as a harsh critic of US foreign policy. I don't think, incidentally, that it would be fair to criticize Power for her extraordinary services to state violence and terror. I am sure she is a decent and honorable person, and sincerely believes that she really is condemning the US leadership and political culture. From a desk at the Carr Center for Human Rights at the Kennedy School at Harvard, that's doubtless how it looks. Insight that we shouldn't - but almost always do - need.