Straight Talk on the Trial of Pol Pot by Mike Ely, challenges the dominant Western narrative on Democratic Kampuchea and the Khmer Rouge. Ely critiques the media’s portrayal of Pol Pot’s leadership as one of unprovoked ‘genocide,’ instead emphasizing the devastation caused by U.S. imperialism—the secret bombing campaigns, the Lon Nol coup, and the economic collapse that preceded 1975. The article questions the reliability of Western sources on Khmer Rouge policies, arguing that mass deaths resulted primarily from war, famine, and imperialist sabotage rather than systematic extermination. Ely also examines the contradictions within Democratic Kampuchea, including nationalism and policy errors, while maintaining that any serious evaluation must consider the historical context of imperialist aggression.