of hello and welcome to press tv spotlight, i'm marsia hashemi, thanks so much for being with us. well, as the united states continue to give its full support to the israeli regime in its ongoing genocide in gaza. the islamic a resistance has increased its attack. on

american basis and interests in the region. since 2020, after the us's assassination of anti-terrorist icon, lieutenant general qasim sulaimani, the resistance in the region had been demanding in to american presence, and since october of 2023, as the us openly supports the genocide in gaza, the resistance has increased as attacks by rockets, missiles and drones on u.s. interest, and now the americans are themselves considering if it is worth it for them to... stay in the region as they continue to lose more soldiers in these acts of resistance in west asia, well we're going to take a look at this on this spotlight, i'd like to welcome my guests to the program. said mutalabi, iraqi politician a former political advisor to the iraki government out of baghdad, and rick sterling, activists serious solidarity movement out of welnut creek. california, thank you both for

being with me, let's start this off in baghdad, well sad, according to washington, there are about 2,500 american troops serving in iraq, and 900 in syria. let's start from here, why are they there when both governments have asked the american troops to leave? yes, thank you very much uh, best regards to you and the your viewers, um, in... 2014 when isis was introduced into iraq by the americans and certain arab countries, the government at the time asked the united nation and the security council for assistance in combatting isis, daesh, and the americans took this opportunity and sent number of forces alongside canada, australia, france and number. of other countries and

they stayed after we finished with isis and we destroyed daesh completely uh with the help that we had from iran and russia and partial help from the united states and france and australia and canada. now after that the americans took this opportunity and in iraq and ask the government to change the status from fighting forces into advisors and trainers, so basically they are a fighting force, but the their title is trainers and advisors and now iraq is asking them to leave after the repeated assault on iraqi sovereignty, repeated attacks and with the...

high level, high high number of casualties that they caused among iraqi troops, troops that work for the iraqi government and paid by the iraqi government, they were attacked, basically they belong to public mobilization units, which answers to the prime minister, after attacking number of these forces and causing the number of martidom between marters uh among these forces, the government is now under tremendous amount of pressure from the public and asking the americans maybe to find a solution to their presence here in iraq, okay, stay with me, stay with me, let me get rick in on this conversation, your perspective, do you think uh that the americans will actually leave iraq? uh, i think they are are ultimately going to be forced to, um, and we've seen a preliminary

sign in in syria where the us has closed down a base um near the kamchili airport um the neoconservatives in the... us are highly alarmed by these reports that the us is seriously considering removing the bases from iraq and syria at the request of of course of the those sovereign governments - because they are most concerned that the signal that it will send to their staunch ally israel um so you at the same time the excuse that the neoconservatives in the us are giving for maintaining the basis is that they need to be there to uh quote and quote fight against isis, which is in resurgence. of course, as as your other guest was noting, the us has had a has a has used isis as a tool in its war to undermine the sovereignty of syria and

iraq. well side, let's look at syria, i mean the resistance has attacked american bases many times there, and let's start with the legality to begin with of american bases in syria. when the sovereign government there does not want them there and and of course we know that the americans are there uh in the near the oil fields and and stealing syrian oil? well the americans are there under uh basically occupation there is no legal precedence for any reason for the americans to be in syria, they won't ask by the syrian government, they they don't have an authorization from the security. council, they're just there as an occupiers and basically what they're doing is they are stealing uh syrian oil and maybe their next move will be for them to ask to join opec because their job now is only to steal oil

and gas and that's basically the their role of course with assisting ices andra and the other terrorist organizations that operate in syria so this no excuse for any american troops in syria, the syrian government definitely didn't ask for their assistance and as i said, there is no mandate from the united nation or the security council for their presence. okay, well rick, even prior to this genocide that's taking place in gaza and the american support for it, do you think that the resistance had a right to attack american bases in syria? well, definitely there uh... you now, as as was stated there, it's an occupation force, and so it's against the wishes of the the sovereign government of syria, and actually about eight or nine months ago, the russian intelligence chief, the the chief officer of the russian

intelligence agency, accused the u.s. of training isis forces at at their their base in el tempf, and that they would be used both against syria. and against russia and indeed uh some months after that accusation we saw a resurgence of isis attacks near palmeira in eastern syria. well uh sad there have been hundreds of attacks by the iraqi resistance on american bases and interests since especially since october of 2023 and this has become quite common. would you say that iran's 2020 missile strike on the american base of ainel assad uh it's somewhat removed the... taboo of actually striking out at american bases or how do you see it? oh, definitely, definitely the idea that the americans consider themselves invincible and untouchable, and no one dares to attack their bases or their interests. uh, so the repeated

as attacks, as you said, by the iraqi resistance and by the the famous attack from from that originated from iran and... on that base was on the inal assad base uh that was historic and definitely this untouchableness that the americans were boasting about was completely shattered and followed by now i don't know hundreds of iraqi attacks uh or resistance basically attacks on on the basis and they basically it's a tit fort out now the americans attack killing public mobilization. unit and the public mobilization unit answers them back with more missiles and more drones, may trap drones, so now we've reached a situation where the americans need seriously to sit with the iraki government and decide on the future of

these forces, how they are going to leave, when they are going to leave, and will there be a cease fire for until they leave, so this... and do you think that they want to, let me just jump in here, do you think that one of the reasons they want to sit down and talk to the iraki government, it's it's partially because of the number of attacks and and the number. of american troops that they've been losing? definitely, it's very embarrassing for the americans to sit to be a sitting duck to receive these attacks and they every every time they attack iraq attack the sovereignty of iraq, they're losing political influence here in iraq and converting the public whoever maybe had some sympathy to the americans are now... completely turning against the americans, so politically, psychologically, it's very

damming, damaging to the americans whenever they retaliate against the public mobilization unit or against any other target here in iraq, so definitely they need to sit with the iraq government and find a solution to their position. okay, well rick, washington's continued support for the zionist genocide in gaza is making us more of sitting target in the region, um... first of all, do you agree with that, and if so, why is the israeli regime worth so much to the united states? well, while the or why the israeli regime is worth so much is is increasingly coming to the to the four in the question as the us public is becoming aware and and is realizing the extent of of uh us investment in israel and the the cost, which of course now we've just had the international court of justice. issue, it's ruling, and um, if if genocide is happening, then the us is a collaborator in that,

because we've been supplying all the weapons, uh, they didn't wait a single day to to cut off funding to anna, because of accusation that that some members had assisted hamas, some members among 12,00, they didn't wait, basically in one day they cut off funding, meanwhile they have continued funding uh the genocidal operations of israel, so lot of people, the the recognition of the reality of of designina state is increasing daily in the us, the israeli reputation is plumiting daily and along with that the us, so um, that's they're realizing the cost, and i think now the figure that i've seen is that there been 150 separate attacks on us bases in syria and iraq. in the last three months, this is this has made a real big impact and and now uh

there's the contradictions are emerging in the us as well between those who are have a longer term vision of us interests and those who are just want to follow israel's lead wherever it goes. well rick, staying with you, i mean is the average american though getting this news about these attacks that have taken place in iraq and syria in your... perspective uh, no, the the're they're not, that's not really being emphasized in the media, they're hearing that the us is um is talking about withdrawing, the administration is most concerned that they don't have fiasco like they had happened when they withdrew from afghanistan, so i think uh on the one hand their negotiation with with baghdad uh, they may be uh legitimately seeking to find a way. out or they're just stalling for time, which is what i think the iraqi resistance is saying, uh, we can't let them stiring this

along, they need to leave uh asap, right? well, sad, the main reason for the increased number of attacks against, excuse me, against us interest is because of washington support for the israeli genocide in gaza, yet, instead of the us demanding and end to the zionist genocide, it labels the resistance front as terroris when... signist terrorists get washington's full support, how do you explain this? well, there is a historic guilt in the west, we know the holocaust didn't happen in palestine or in iraq or iran or any other islamic country, the holocaust happened in europe, and wasn't only one holocaus wasn't just germany, all european countries, including britain. and many, many, all the european countries participated in the

slaughter of the jews, so now the only way to cover for this criminal event that happened at the beginning of the century, last century, they have to pay for this historic guilt by doing whatever the designist require of... them and as a retribution for their actions in europe, now they're trying to move the guilt from europe into the middle east. where historically jews and muslims and christians lived in harmony for a thousand year, even more than a thousand year, so the the idea the americans, in particular, the americans, they feel this guilt because they didn't assist in what happened in europe against the jews, and with the exodus of jews

from europe into america and creating this... very powerful uh lobby groups that actually change and select representative in the government and in the in the senate and in the different arms of the us government uh therefore they do receive this unlimited support from the united states to to help uh in covering for their historic guilt. okay, well rick, i mean it is quite mindbockling when we we think about all of this, um, as what is happening in palestine, as we speak, this genocide that is taking place, and of course we know that the uh genocide of in in the 40s now, it's being commemorated, and yet they're not paying much attention to the genocide that is taking place at hand, but if

we look at everything and with the us, and if it is removed from the west asian region, how do you think that that would affect this area? uh, very positively. um, if the us was to to end its support of israel, israel would have to come to an accommodation with its neighbors, what should have been what what happened right from the start, but instead you had the uh the gradual spread of the zionist ideology and the gradual spread of american jewish support for israel, especially following the... siday war in 1967 and until it it it basically had lockhold uh on the us the western political establishment uh not only the us but in the the uk as we see and also in france and and in germany uh this is now crumbling as we see increasing numbers of people in the west saying what are

we doing supporting a country that's committing genocide and especially among young american uh jewish uh activists, young jewish people as well as uh throughout throughout the youth in in america. they're starting to question uh, what's go what's going on there, why are we supporting a country that's committing genocide? we should be on the other side supporting the palestinians, so there's massive protests continuing here, there was a big uh, a big action yesterday in the city of oakland at the uh judicial court as a cases. being filed against uh joe biden uh for collaborating with the genocidal actions in in gaza right, definitely it seems to be change on the horizon where well sad as we continue to see increasing attacks by the resistance on american basis, is this another indication of the ultimate collapse of american hirmany? i

do believe so, i do believe that the roth. is now moving or started from inside the united states, the civilization that they have started few hundred years ago, it is collapsing from within side, there is an unworkable relationship now in the united states between different sectors of society, prices are going up, income are less are the same or being reduced, medical care. doesn't exist, there are lots of problems, education is its lowest form in the united states, uh, there are many, many problems that the united states is civilization is crumbling, and definitely that will lead to to reduce the american control overseas and the american hegem germany and the american influence that

they had in the past is reducing, we have to remember there's now talks of new world currency. to replace the dollar, that will mean the end of the any american control over the world, if the dollar is replaced by new world currency to be controlled by other other national or other entities, so yes the americans are losing in the inside the country and definitely outside they are losing. rick, your final thoughts about this, are we looking at? the beginning of the end of american hegemony and also with the so-called international rules-based system. yes, i, i totally agree with. with your the other guest um that this is a a real milestone, what we're seeing now is going to go down in the history books as a an important milestone in the in the uh decline

the west, of course the american public is doesn't benefit from the one trillion dollars a year that's spent uh on military armaments, we're not supporting that, the infrastructure in the us is is crumbling apart, the cost of higher education is gone through the roof, something like $40 or $50,000 to year to go to university uh, so i think just as the people in in west asia will benefit from the us withdrawing from the area, so will the so will the public in in the united states? and on that note, i think both of you being with us on the spotlight side on mutalabi, iraqi politician and former political advisor to the iraki government out of baghdad and rick sterling activist serious solidarity move. member out of walnut creek, california, and thank you viewers for being with us once again on press tv spotlight, i'm marza hashimi, signing out for myself and all the

group right here in tehran, hope to see you right here next time, goodbye.

thank you, thank you!

when palestinian. journalist shirin abu agali was killed by an israely sniper on may 11, 2022, the israelizes men to get across a clear message, that they don't want any narrative other than their own and the decades old occupation of palestinian lands and their aggression. it wasn't the first time is really sought to put gag on the alternative narrative, and every time it has... watch the history of the israeli measures and palestinian counter measures in this documentary.

السلام فلما السلام ونظره تؤلم قلبي في المنام

كلام. خيفه اصدق هذا العالم لما بيحكي عن الانسان شايف امه بتبكي ضناه علشان مات في الغرب جعان sorry so just let me get this straight yalda so we are bombing the poorest one of the poorest countries in the world that has been under humanitarian blockade there has been famine, these people have been decimated, and we are bombing them because a couple of guys in dingies in support for the palestinians who are having a genocide committed against them, they're objecting to that, and we're bombing them, come on now, i mean, this is just insane world for us even think, i'm so sorry your amazon packages are delayed, i really am, like i wish mine came on time, but you know, genocide guys, genocide, there are two mothers a day dying in gaza right now, it's 109 days into a...

conflict in which humanitarian crisis has been declared to the world day in day out by the way by the way dr. there are many who are yemen watches who are who monitor and follow the hoothies who say this is doing wonders for their branding actually that it isn't just the palestinian cause that they're focused on so call a cease fire now and then the positive branding if you want to stop the hoothies doing what they're doing than believes would would stop doing what they're doing if they have. really said that that's why they're doing what they're doing, they have not previously blocked those roots for any other reason except this one, so yes i do, and i also think the west needs to start to understand that you cannot just go around playing cowboys in the world, there are consequences to your actions, you cannot just go around bombing people's countries, ignoring international law and expect no repercussions, for every cause there is a consequence.

your headlines on press tv, hundreds of palestinians are killed in fresh israel strikes on gaza just after the international court of justice ordered israel to take steps to prevent. acts of genocide. iran says the ruling by international court of justice on the israely war on gaza is bitter proof of international crimes including genocide committed in gaza. a lebanon's resistance movement has both targets an israely military base in shebar farms using a new type of missile.