The Washington Connection And Third World Facism

2 Pages 587 Words

“The Washington Connection and Third World Fascism”
by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman



“The Washington Connection and Third World Fascism” is an overwhelming work that I found difficult to read at first, but as I got further into the book, I discovered that I was understanding more than I had originally thought. Chomsky and Herman do a great job at dissecting the United States involvement in various third world countries, on all political levels; including, labor unions, the economy, political heads, and local establishments.

To me, the most interesting phenomenon in this book is the simple fact that it is dated in some respect, but all the information, theories, and ideas have not changed. I n many cases, I discovered that a lot of the ideas that the author had brought forth, were, for its time, very radical, and sometimes, considered almost idiotic.

In actuality, I thought the most insightful portion of the book was the first chapter, in which the authors discussed terrorism and media. The two, at first glance, may not seem to have anything in common, but after thought, you start to realize that they have everything in common. Terrorism, in the dictionary is defined as, the use of force or threats to intimidate. Simple enough to learn, impossible to understand. Terrorism, cannot exist without the media. I speak not of just attacks on the U.S., but of all terroristic acts everywhere. In the same respect, the media, in some circles, cannot exist without the threat of terrorism. They almost have to coexist, which sounds absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was headed down the right path. This is not an attack on the media, nor am I empathetic. People need to know what is really going on in the world, not just what cooperate America can squeeze into a thirty minute slot. Personally, I believe that, information, is the cause and effect of terroristic activity.

In the f...