In a new interview with CNN, Roger Waters discussed the provocative political messages featured in his current This Is Not a Drill Tour. While doing so, the ex-Pink Floyd singer/bassist shared what many might consider eye-opening views regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
When CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked Waters why President Joe Biden was featured in a video segment of the show labeling a number of politicians “war criminals,” Waters responded, “Well, he’s fueling the fire in the Ukraine … That is a huge crime.”
The 78-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer continued, “Why won’t the United States of America encourage [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to negotiate, obviating the need for this horrific, horrendous war?”
When Smerconish suggested that Waters was “blaming the party that got invaded,” Waters seemed to turn the blame on NATO’s actions in the region.
“This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border,” he maintained, “which they promised they wouldn’t do when [Soviet leader Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.”
Waters also took exception when Smerconish brought up the U.S.’s historic role as “liberators,” firing back, “You have no role as liberators! You got into World War II because of Pearl Harbor. You were completely isolationists until that … awful day.”
He added, “Thank God the Russians had already won the bloody war almost by then. Don’t forget, 23 million Russians died protecting you and me from the Nazi menace.”
Later in the interview, Waters defended China’s recent threatening actions toward Taiwan in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s recent visit to the latter country.
“Taiwan is part of China!” Waters declared. “That has been absolutely accepted by the whole of international community since 1948.”
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