With due respect to Noam Chomsky it is not comparable to the question of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, to the invasion of Iraq by the United States!! Iraq is thousands of miles away from the US, while Ukraine is next door to Russia from where nuclear rockets can be sent to reach Moscow in 7 minutes. Nothing like that existed at the time of the invasion of Iraq by the USA.
However I am at awe as to his ability to dissect the issues of life at 94 years of age while living in one of the most abusive countries in the world today, with most of its citizens brainwashed by their Corporate Media, but the fact remains by him being a US citizen, is proof the US socio-economic reality produces such an individual, notwithstanding the US many faults.
Noam's honesty regarding the question of Vladimir Putin and Russia, shows how he achieves his deep analysis of the issues, describing Putin's statements as the clues to understanding Putin's position as the leader of a large competing country as Russia.
Propaganda vs true facts are displayed even though it portrays his home country the US, as a violent Empire used to taking what it wants abusing its power.
The "shock therapy" applied by the US to Gorvachev's Russia at the time, took advantage of his naivete by not applying his plan of adapting to a new more open approach by the Soviet Union, and is the cause for Gorvachev's image poor standing in the Russian recent history, portraying him as a fool. The fact is the US oligarchs saw their opportunity to take advantage of Russia's openness, by sending a group of "experts" not to help Russia with their transition, but to help themselves to Russia's wealth by instituting systems that absorbed Russia's earnings into Private Swiss accounts, turning Russia into a starving nation with its citizens suffering from long lineups to get any food.
Yeltsin took over by abolishing the Soviet Union and since Gorvachev was the head of that institution it was in fact a way to sack him from Russian politics. However Yeltsin lost his grip on reality due to his heavy drinking, only finally making the correct decision to offer Vladimir Putin the post of Prime Minister and later President to the Russian Federation, to replace him.
Putin happened to be the right person to recover what Yeltsin had lost with the supposed "US HELP" by going to Switzerland to stop the fraudulent foreign accounts bleeding Russia's revenue and began a long process to revitalize Russia's well being as a nation. The CIA used the confusion to stir discontent in Georgia and Ukraine, pitting two brother Slavic nations against each oth
er, bleeding them for the US and European oligarchs pleasure.