Can you back up that claim with a link?
I only read Chomsky saying:
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a crime.
- The US + Britain have committed far worse atrocities in war (e.g. Iraq, Lebanon, Indochina) than Russia in Ukraine.
- It would be better to attempt de-escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war than to strengthen NATO and continue a proxy war with Russia.
I don’t think it’s fair to say 2 is strictly whataboutism, because Chomsky has a founded fear that strengthening NATO as a military power through conflict escalation will lead to worse outcomes in the long run. That’s why it’s relevant to point out NATO war crimes.
As for 3, that’s a fair point, and I would press Chomsky to provide an option for de-escalation that doesn’t involve allowing Russia to keep any Ukrainian soil.