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(Ofer Neiman on FB)
Mr Chomsky,
I am writing an article about your position on Syria and I would
appreciate some clarifications.
1. Today you once again referenced Theodor Postol to argue that Assad
might not have been responsible for the chemical attack. You have said
that Postol is a "credible commentator" and a serious analyst. As I
pointed out to you earlier, there are several reasons to doubt Postol's
expertise, the main one being that Postol has admitted relying on a
pro-Assad youtube star for his analysis. I am assuming your endorsement
isn't based on appeals to Postol's authority alone. What did you find
persuasive about Postol's argument?
2. You framed the question as a contest between the White House's claims
and Postol's critique. Why did you ignore eye-witness testimonies,
journalistic reports, WHO's analysis, Medicins Sans Frontiers's
judgment, and the OPCW's conclusions? (Not to mention open-sources
verifiable investigations form Bellingcat and chemical experts like Dan
Kaszeta)
3. You claimed that while reporting from the regime's side has its
limitations, reporting from rebel territories is not possible at all
because if journalists don't report what rebels want them to, they could
get their "heads chopped off". Since I had referenced it in my previous
exchange, you surely cannot be unaware of the fact that AFP journalists
had reported from the scene in Khan Sheikhoun and that the site was also
visited by the Guardian's Kareem Shaheen. Beyond Idlib, journalists such
as Clarissa Ward and Nagieb Khaja have done excellent reporting for CNN
and Al Jazeera from inside rebel territory. Are you aware of their work?
If not, then what were you basing your judgment on? I hope you weren't
repeating claims from by the regime-embedded Patrick Cockburn who, as I
pointed out to you earlier, has a checkered record.
4. You said it doesn't make sense for Assad to use chemical weapons
against civilians. Some might say it didn't make sense for the US to
drop the atomic bomb on Japan. Have we been too credulous in accepting
US responsibility for Hiroshima and Nagasaki? And if the chemical attack
doesn't make sense to you, does this mean you consider the murder of
13-year-old Hamza al Khatib sensible? (He was tortured, his genitals
were severed, his body was burned, and he was shot thrice before his
decomposing body was returned to his parents.)
5. If you don't think Assad carried out the chemical attack, then who do
you think did it? Who do you think has the capacity?
6. If you don't think the regime was responsible for the attack, why do
you think Russia blocked the UN investigation?
I look forward to your reply"
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