Roger Waters is known for several things. One is founding Pink Floyd, another is his commitment to anti-imperialism. His vocal support for Palestinians and other oppressed people has seen him clash with rent-a-gob Piers Morgan before. Their latest interview is no different.
The pair sparred over Israel’s genocide, the US attack on Venezuela and the uprising in Iran:
Their first exchange was on kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Morgan said there “aren’t many people out there flying the flag” for the deposed leader. Waters fired back:
It’s an invasion. The kidnapping of Nicholas Maduro. They made up the daft story about him being a drug dealer, which is absolute errant nonsense. I believe in human rights for all brothers and sisters.
Waters went on:
He represents the people of Venezuela who who live in a completely different way of life than in the United States where I live or in England where you live. But it is one that I admire because it’s based upon socialist principles and the idea of equal human rights for all.
Iran protests and the CIA
Morgan asked if Waters also supported protests in Iran. Waters pointed out the rebellion started due to a cost of living crisis in the country which hit small businesses:
It was the shopkeepers who went, “Oh my god, inflation’s going through the roof. Let’s do something about it.” Of course they do. Why shouldn’t they say? And so did the government. The government sent the police out to protect those grocers, those business owners, those ordinary working people in Iran.
Waters also echoed claims that foreign intelligence services then tried to captured the protests, including by attacking security forces:
But they were attacked by gangs of armed thugs who murdered, we believe, we don’t know, the truth isn’t all out, but armed thugs probably organized by MI6 and the CIA murdered.
You’re the guy supporting empire!
In one heated exchange Waters accused Morgan of being a supporter of imperialism:
…you’re a guy who’s trying to prop up the evil Western empire that is trying to take over the
whole world using war as its main way of doing that. That is why the West is insisting on remaining at a state of perpetual war with anybody with whom it disapproves in the country.
He said Iran and Venezuela were just two example of the US’s imperial ambitions:
This includes Iran and Venezuela. There are only two and the Palestinians- and so on and so forth. So you believe in that as being a reasonable system for the world to proceed.
Morgan fired back that as Daily Mirror editor in 2003 he opposed the war in Iraq;
Roger, with respect, you’re wrong. In 2003, as editor of Daily Mirror, I’d led a relentless campaign against the Iraq war, for example. So you’re wrong in your characterization that all I like is war. I don’t. Complete opposite.
Waters congratulated him on being right that time:
Okay. You so you’ve given me one example. Bravo. Good for you, Piers. Thank you. I’m glad you did. That was the correct thing to do. and and and in hindsight, you are now in a huge majority of people who because they know the lie that was told about weapons of mass destruction back in March of 2003.
There is no ceasefire
Morgan asked Waters if he gave US president Donald Trump any credit for the ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza. Waters was unequivocal:
No, of course not. I don’t give him any credit for anything. There’s no ceasefire. A ceasefire in Gaza? There’s no ceasefire. They’re murdering them as fast as they can go. There was never any ceasefire.
At a time when the whole world seems to have been derailed by US aggression, it’s worth it just to see one of imperialism’s most consistent cheerleaders, Piers Morgan, take down a peg or two.
Featured image via YouTube screenshot
By Joe Glenton
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