Noam Chomsky's statement on killing of Osama bin Laden

[alice wellintown]

Actually, although quite difficult to measure, the growth of democracy
continues at an astounding pace.

All of the measures recognized by the UN, UNESCO, Amnesty
International, etc... of freedom show a steep incline in both
democacies and in freedom snce 1950.

 Look at the Polity Scale. It shows a steep incline from 1950 to the present.


The US version of democracy is not the best model for all nations.
Even the Americans know this is true.  To argue that the US version is
in crisis is ethno-centric and naive. The US version is, well, the US
version. It can not be given to or  forced on other nation states.

Another error here is your claim about the end of cheap energy. There
is energy enough and its price will have little impact on the
developing democracies in the world. The supply and price of natural
gas, for example, won't limit or promote democracy or freedom. The end
of the cartels who controlled the "cheaper" energy (i.e., oil), and
the higher demand for energy in developing nations (BRIC &co.) is a
positive for democracy.

The environmental problems are real. Yes, quite real, but one can take
some solace in the fact that the world has identified these problems
that have no boraders and are keen to address them.

Americans, as far as I know, don't hold their noses, but they are a
pragmatic people. This too is a very good thing.

Things are not as bad as you think; in fact, I have to admit itz
getting better all the time.

> The truth is that we are in the midst of a profound crisis for the US
> version of the democratic experiment and a larger global crisis of the
> limits of growth, combined with the end of cheap energy,degradation of the
> environment and global warming. No collection half measures and no military
> action abroad will meaningfully address this crisis. Obama is truly the very
> slightly lesser of of 2 faces of a system run amok  with personal greed at a
> time of global fever and resource wars.. Whether he is elected or not will
> make no important difference and he probably will be elected. The heart of
> the crisis is that Americans don't have the will to insist on political
> change. We are comfortable and lazy and don't really care how many innocent
> Iraqis or Afghans, Coal Miners, Haitians, Gulf residents, etc. die while a
> powerful elite becomes ever more expert in the  control of oil resources,
> the banking system, and whatever resources they want. As long as we are
> entertained and can drive to work and the grocery store we will hold our
> nose , be "realistic" and  decide who we find the least obnoxious among the
> meaningless choices.  The  powers that control America are not just people.
> People die. Or enterprises with a natural lifespan, but they are  undying
> entities designed for predation and profit . Most corporations give money to
> both parties. A vote for Obama is a vote for this system.
> Things have changed for the worse since the bi-partisan war in Vietnam..
> Dick Nixon was more willing to compromise with popular sentiment, cutting
> military spending and passing key environmental legislation, than Obama.