Roger Waters sat down with CNN’s Michael Smerconish during his ongoing “This Is Not a Drill Tour” to talk about the overtly political themes and messages he delivered during his show.
Smerconish asked Waters why he called President Joe Biden a “war criminal” at the outset of the conversation. The former member of Pink Floyd replied, “Well, he’s stoking the war in the Ukraine. “That is a serious offense. Why won’t the United States of America press [Volodymyr] Zelensky to engage in negotiations to avoid starting this terrible, terrible war?
Smerconish noted that Waters was “blaming the party who were invaded,” to which Waters said that NATO should not have forced Russia’s hand. “Well, when did the last conflict begin? You must examine the past before you can assert, “Well, it began on this day.” You might claim that it began in 2008. When [Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the exit of the USSR from all of Eastern Europe, he made a pledge that NATO would not act in a way that would push right up to the Russian border.
Smerconish’s claim that the US plays the role of “liberators” was also rejected by Waters. “Pearl Harbor is the reason why you entered World War 2. Before, you were [totally] isolationists, Waters said. “Thank God the horrible war was over and the Russians had prevailed. 23 million Russians lost their lives defending you and I from the Nazi threat.
Waters continued, “I would advise you to go away and read a little more, and try to imagine what the US would do if the Chinese were launching nuclear-tipped missiles into Mexico and Canada.
Taiwan is a part of China, in response to Smerconish’s remark that the Chinese are “too busy encircling Taiwan as we speak. Since 1948, that has been unequivocally accepted by the whole international community. If you’re not aware of it, you’re not reading enough. You are buying into the propaganda of your side. Without actually reading the material, it is impossible to have a conversation regarding Taiwan’s human rights situation.
In 2013, Waters continued, “the Chinese didn’t invade Iraq and kill a million people.” “Which people have the Chinese invaded and killed?”
Smerconish responded, “Their own,” referring to the Uyghurs and other primarily Muslim ethnic groups that China had imprisoned in “re-education camps” and forced sterilized and labeled.
“Bullocks! That is total rubbish! Absolutely absurd! Waters answered.
The entire interview is available to view here. Tickets for Waters’ “This Is Not a Drill Tour” may be bought here and run until mid-October.