The Complicated Legacy of Professor Noam Chomsky

In the late 2000s, he remained a vocal critic of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which had begun in 2003. He argued that the war was based on misleading claims about weapons of mass destruction and caused long-term instability in the region.

He gave lectures, interviews, and wrote essays explaining his position. Supporters viewed him as consistent in opposing military intervention. Critics said he focused too heavily on American wrongdoing. His role as a prominent anti-war intellectual continued well beyond the Vietnam era.