![\"Chomsky](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/noam-chomsky-afp-670.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe US should stay in northern Syria to deter attacks against Syrian Kurds, well-known American linguist and political activist\u00a0Noam Chomsky said in an interview\u00a0with the Intercept last week.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe other crucial question is the status of the Kurdish areas \u2014 Rojava. In my opinion, it makes sense for the United States to maintain a presence which would deter an attack on the Kurdish areas,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Chomsky noted that the Kurds have \u201csucceeded in sustaining a functioning society with many decent elements\u201d in Syria\u2019s north.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe idea that they should be subjected to an attack by their bitter enemies the Turks, or by the murderous Assad regime, I think is anything should be done to try to prevent that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Chomsky, described as the father of modern linguistics, is one of the most important thinkers of this century and shares some sympathy for the Kurds.<\/span><\/p>\n He backed a petition<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>in 2016 condemning military operations in Kurdish cities and called for peace talks between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers\u2019 Party (PKK).<\/span><\/p>\n For instance, in an interview with Kurdistan 24 last year, he said<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Kurdistan\u2019s independence referendum was legitimate.<\/span><\/p>\n In October 2017, the US was silent and did not intervene to stop the Iraqi assault on Kirkuk \u2013 the Iraqi government\u2019s response to the Sep. 25, 2017, referendum \u2013 leading<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0to Kurdish anger at Washington\u2019s inaction.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Chomsky, the US \u201cpursues objectives determined by power considerations, and they lead to different positions with regard to the Kurds or others at different times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He reminded that in the 1970s, \u201cthere was a time when the United States supported Kurds against Saddam Hussein.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cShortly after, a deal was made in which [the US] sacrificed the Kurds to Saddam Hussein,\u201d Chomsky told the Intercept, \u201cThat led to Henry Kissinger\u2019s famous comment that we shouldn\u2019t confuse foreign policy with missionary activity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Moreover, he described the Clinton administration\u2019s support for Turkey against the Kurds in the 1990s as \u201cenormously destructive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cClinton was pouring arms into Turkey for the purpose of carrying out massive, murderous, destructive attacks against the Kurdish population of Turkey in the Southeast,\u201d Chomsky said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat does not change the fact that now the United States could, with a relatively small presence, deter attacks against the Kurds in Syria, which could destroy the one part of Syria that is actually functioning at a decent fashion,\u201d he concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t expect consistency in humanitarian terms from a great power because those are not the guiding principles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Amb. James Jeffrey, newly appointed as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo\u2019s Representative for Syria Engagement,\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0in September that the US would maintain troops in eastern Syria until key political objectives are achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n