Current Events > Roger Waters calls Biden a war criminal, defends Russia and China

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://consequence.net/2022/08/roger-waters-biden-war-criminal-russia-china/

Amidst his ongoing This Is Not a Drill Tour, Roger Waters sat down with CNNs Michael Smerconish to discuss the overly political themes and messages presented at his concert.

Smerconish began the interview by asking Waters why he labeled President Joe Biden a war criminal. Well, hes fueling the war in the Ukraine, the former Pink Floyd member responded. That is a huge crime. Why wont the United States of America encourage [Volodymyr] Zelensky to negotiate, obviating the need for this horrific, horrendous war?

When Smerconish pointed out that Waters was blaming the party who got invaded, Waters countered by criticizing NATO for forcing Russias hand. Well, any war, when did it start? What you need to do is look at the history, and you can say, Well, it started on this day. You could say it started in 2008 This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border, which they promised they wouldnt do when [Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.

Waters also dismissed Smerconishs argument that the US has a role of liberators. You got into World War 2 because of Pearl Harbor. You were completely isolationists [beforehand], Waters argued. Thank god the Russians had already won the bloody war by then. 23 million Russians died, protecting you and me from the Nazi menace.

I would suggest that you go away and read a bit more, and try to figure out what the US would do if the Chinese were putting nuclear armed missiles into Mexico and Canada, Waters added.

When Smerconish noted that the Chinese are too busy encircling Taiwan as we speak, Waters fired back by proclaiming: Taiwan is part of China. That has been absolutely accepted by the whole of international community since 1948. If you dont know that you arent reading enough. You are believing your sides propaganda. You cant have a conversation about human rights and Taiwan without actually doing the reading.

The Chinese didnt invade Iraq and kill a million people in 2013, Waters added. Who have the Chinese invaded and slaughtered?

Their own, Smerconish answered, referring to the Uyghurs and other mostly-Muslim groups who China have placed in re-education camps and been subjected to forced sterilization and forced label.

Bullocks! Thats absolute nonsense! Absolute nonsense! Waters responded.

You can watch the full interview below. Waters This Is Not a Drill Tour runs through the middle of October tickets are available to purchase here.

Trade him for Griner

Pink Floyd is great. Roger Waters is not.

I feel like some people's entire worldview is just "USA bad" and they don't bother examining what they're actually saying provided it doesn't contradict said worldview.

Pink Floyd is great. Roger Waters is not.

When Smerconish pointed out that Waters was blaming the party who got invaded, Waters countered by criticizing NATO for forcing Russias hand. Well, any war, when did it start? What you need to do is look at the history, and you can say, Well, it started on this day. You could say it started in 2008 This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border, which they promised they wouldnt do when [Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.

Waters also dismissed Smerconishs argument that the US has a role of liberators. You got into World War 2 because of Pearl Harbor. You were completely isolationists [beforehand], Waters argued. Thank god the Russians had already won the bloody war by then. 23 million Russians died, protecting you and me from the Nazi menace

I would suggest that you go away and read a bit more, and try to figure out what the US would do if the Chinese were putting nuclear armed missiles into Mexico and Canada, Waters added.

When Smerconish noted that the Chinese are too busy encircling Taiwan as we speak, Waters fired back by proclaiming: Taiwan is part of China. That has been absolutely accepted by the whole of international community since 1948. If you dont know that you arent reading enough. You are believing your sides propaganda. You cant have a conversation about human rights and Taiwan without actually doing the reading.

The Chinese didnt invade Iraq and kill a million people in 2013, Waters added. Who have the Chinese invaded and slaughtered?

Their own, Smerconish answered, referring to the Uyghurs and other mostly-Muslim groups who China have placed in re-education camps and been subjected to forced sterilization and forced label.

Bullocks! Thats absolute nonsense! Absolute nonsense! Waters responded.

What movements did NATO do that triggered Putin?

Hes British.

My comments on this would get me moderated.

Who'd have thought that Syd Barrett would turn out to be the sane one.

He's out of line but he's not exactly wrong

Definitely not wrong here either. The US was not going to get directly involved until we were attacked ourselves

Oof, but he didn't. Thats a hot take.. He should definitely stop talking here.

Who

How can one man be so based??

Thank god the Russians had already won the bloody war by then.

wut

I also went to his show last month. His politics have been eye rolling for years, though they've definitely got more extreme lately.

It really does boil down to 'the West is evil' for him. He labels every US president as a war criminal. You can tell people were kind of uncomfortable in the audience. Like I think most Americans would agree that drones killing civilians in the Middle East is atrocious, but suggesting that Obama should be in prison for it takes it a bit far.

He got cheers for his Trump bashing, which was a part of the previous tour as well. And the cheers were strong against the Supreme Court and the recent abortion ruling. But now he's bashing Biden, Obama, and Clinton and it didn't go over as well in the arena.

There was a brief negative spot for Putin, but nothing really about Ukraine.

US/UK plan: undermine Germany's resources in Africa, and starve them out.
USSR plan: let Germany get all their solders dead at Stalingrad - we have a hell of a lot more than they do.

He labels every US president as a war criminal. You can tell people were kind of uncomfortable in the audience. Like I think most Americans would agree that drones killing civilians in the Middle East is atrocious, but suggesting that Obama should be in prison for it takes it a bit far.

Who'd have thought that Syd Barrett would turn out to be the sane one.