interest, which we have basically very little knowledge. and at the end of the day, don't impinge on our interests. we have -- i think we have, anyway, sir, in my lifetime have seen a bloating of national interests. freedom of the seas, now freedom of the air for transportation. certainly, unfortunately, energy is a national security interest but to be a parent of a 20-year-old who's considering the marines, to think that some day i might have to face a dead son because my government thought it was worth spending his life so mrs. mohammed could vote, would be very painful, i think. and so i don't think i'm arguing for isolationism. i think i'm arguing for perhaps a better definition of what's really in our interest.

.. the. >> with adhd and then it may be made malt -- musharraf to look over things. the first option is keep your mouth shut and let the cards fall where they may.

but to be realistic we cannot do that. we have put forth 34 more years, we have built our position on the least on supporting tyranny. whether it is in saudi arabia, the persian gulf war to protect israel we have maintained the church 80 and tyranny and the tyranny in egypt and not taking out they have not let that tierney exists as well. the problem for all of us to face if there is a change in government for those dictatorships security is compromised, the compromise of the securities that began with the destruction of some

is multiplied because it a government that follows those three governments will be less effective or more influence by domestic islamist i would doubt for example, egypt would renounced the treaty but be less willing and expanded the cooperation and not willing to kill the egyptians would be willing to help the palestinians. what i take away from egypt situation looking at the utter failure of the american educational system to prepare americans for how the world is not how we wanted to be. the idea that any responsible politician of either party or the media would expect a democracy to

emerge in egypt is either a signal they don't know american history or they have no respect for what we have accomplished in a hundred years to do the interview? egyptians who are middle-class, educated and english speakers doesn't make sense really in the time of turmoil with the prolonged period 32 million muslims in egypt would reach for the alien ideology like secular democracy like the face from islam strikes me that our education system has left us in a bind i

finally just kept my mouth shut the host was insisting that to a cairo was on the verge of becoming philadelphia with governing itself. >> we have only time for two more questions. with that iran nuclear facilities that originated with a joint american and israeli faction can you give insight on who or what is behind that and as it is still going on? >> i have been out of the government for six years ago by just listening to the media is apparent u.s.

officials are extraordinarily concerned what they call cybersecurity and from my own time and government with the military was ordered to develop and the ability to attack cyber targets but i have read either the u.s. or israeli lowered joint effort to go after the iranians computer sister of day system or whatever it was. i don't know that for a fact i can just give speculation that over the last few years still working at the agency's cyber warfare was becoming a password of the important concept attracting large amounts of funding. >> we will take one more question but i will point*

you to an article about creating the virus between israel and siemens which is the company's generators that were sabotages. >> 298, likud america the -- could america, it could the country with the country now to be able lot comment now going around for a long time getting it under control? could america survive that

what they go after? could they survive by doing policy and different groups the anticipating avoided could be doing in the future. >> we have to limit you. you have asked three questions already. be well answer one of those. >> if i understand correctly one to know if we could possibly change policies? >> it seems there is no choice for america at this point*. >> i see. i will answer that. that is a common concern. i am 58 years old one of the

biggest changes since i was the boy was america could do almost anything whether to go to the moon nor win the cold war but now everything is too hard to reduce the deficit, a change foreign policy or control the border everything is too hard. life is hard. when we talk about we'll imagine if we had done anything except to move up daylight savings time three weeks in the last 40 years perhaps we wouldn't be in the position we are today. there's nothing on the earth that is worth a dead remained except oil. and i said to somebody earlier today i was surprised that americans to value israel and the security haven't been among the most aggressive in pressing for american energy and self-sufficiency because we can stop supporting the

tyrannies and deny a the hannity that hold our enemies together. but like everything else it requires leadership. that is more than cheerleading. unfortunately i haven't seen a president since mr. reagan who is worth a bucket of warm spit when it comes to being a leader. >> i guess we will leave it there. [laughter] [applause] [inaudible conversations]

discussion of nonfiction books from the campus of usc, the beautiful campus of usc. we areg >> host: my final guess moving to foreign policy and talk about her new best-selling book, the first book for you? what is it like to be on the best-seller list with your first book? >> guest: gratifying to

hear that people areng reacting to it and connected to it. it is very grateful. >> host: it is about onet family in afghanistan so a personalizes the challenges it is called it "the dressmaker of khairo khan" and tells the story of them? >> guest: a young woman who is supposed to be a teacher and ends at the coming in on to burn your. fit as those years or so tough she was left as the head of the family with brothers and sisters counting on her and became a dressmaker in. >> host: the interesting thing is that she never had sewn before andt:g became a successful dressmaker. >> guest: and a corresponding years going back and forth right thing abouteak the book which i think celebrates the sunland stations on the heroine's whose stories are neverwh told, she realized prettyt

quickly she was a lousy but seamstress but a very good businesswoman. the seamstress kept coming to her house those that knewo that the family was counting co on them the same way and she was good with the business planning and keeping track of accounts and paying people and she became the zero entrepreneur because of those 37 how many women did she employee does she workes today? >> about 100 women in her neighborhood. some of them would so in her house which her living room became a factory was its own community center. young girls would do what they would have done in school to swap jokes and talkhe c w about less since thn listen to music or talk dicaprio.ardo and that experience taught her she did not want to gob back to be a professor and now on her third visit shet

teaches entreprenuershiprep skills all over afghanistan. >> host: it is a book about afghanistan and women there in the days of the taliban and then a policy of our engagement and a chance to understand how our policyg playsou out with the 01 a story of "the dressmaker of khair khan." we would like to take your calls that is the process of how many times did you travel to afghanistan? >> guest: the seventh times since 2005. one-third of 2008 andn one-third of 2009 there last year i was there in july for

the kabul concert and i was there seven months pregnant a great way to engage with the women through commonbe experience. >> host: your career as aa political televisionlevi producer for abc. how did you make that transition? >> guest: very carefully. i left abc. , you have had my former boss is on and i have knownn your colleagues since i was watching tv. i left because there were some stories that i wanted to do but not the way the news was going i cared about the economic development stories. they were women in of war were almost never told if i say war store you think about the young men of war but it leaves out soed manyh people they want to makee su sure there is a community tow go back to win the war is

over. >> host: is camilla her mi name? could you tell the tales without endangering her? >> the trick is you see that they did everything they could to stay within the taliban rules they wore a.the on the street and they did not work with men they stuck in with those roles so when i asked her should i use your real name? of course, i want people to know how much work i did on my a committee i worked very hard to stay within the rules and a one them to know about my business now and is very self promoting. >> host: explained how much her life changed beforeos and after the taliban to get a example of the transition. >> it was dramatic.atic these young women were justli like those that so many off us know schools, universities, plans for working in the future

than overnight that ended. none of that was possible because of the taliban rules and offices were closed to women, and a woman who was a teacher could not go to work. that was over. so they find the opportunity that remained. they did but they could to become entrepreneurs. >> host: another way totw connect with us is through twitter.o wha let's listen to a call from arlington virginia. >> caller: what do you think will happen to these women and others in afghanistan to own their owna business our god on their own and whenever government takes over from 80 allied with the taliban? what do think will happen?

once the u.s. leaves and things go back to the normal sen by chaotic situation tribal situation in afghanistan? >> guest: an excellent question.en when i talk to women is that the real fear they are not opposed to negotiating with afghan brothers as they calls wi them. because their rights are fodder for negotiation. all they ask for is the right to go to work and school which the afghan constitution gives them. it is up to the international community to see ifcom.hin women will have a seat at the table forco discussions under right now to. late as 2011 becomes 2012 and 2013.inthin something the american people can do that you want

to make sure women have a seat at the table. >> host: do theywo understand and appreciate what the western allies cousins is all about? >> guest: very personallyll because it shapes their daily life i spend time with high school, an principals, lawmakersd and with the international community presence has treated to contribute as much as they can and they don't the international community to be there there is a finite times the world is in the country but to contribute to the future and t askingall they're for. >> host: new jersey you are on the air.o. >> caller: i am from eshoo

i have read your book and i am so grateful but one of the questions that i have i will buy yourr book just so i can even understand but is for thoe afghan people who have has alleged war with the russiansai and all of the international stuff that has happened now the united states being there how do ordinary people react to the united states with karzai being against? can they held the matter is their hostility? i thank you very much for once again writing a book.

thank you so much. >> another exelon question. what fascinates me is the are stories that are not in the headlines of stories are so often not tall.fghan people think the bombing and could not-- kidnapping. and regular family is better just like those here who do the best they can every day. and those stories are almost never told but in terms of your question about the impression of the international committeeio presence it depends on where you live a lot of women are grateful for the fact they're grateful they can work but no question that these campaigns can take a

hold on people's lives when the bombing takes your child as a casualty you can understand why your view ofio the international presence is lefts the nine but the women that i speak to andt. say we don't want the world here forever we just want to makeld gains to serve our country so in the international community to be a part of what doesn't get worse. >> host: what part of the country was she and? >> guest: said no. area of kabul, a suburb that means good home by traffic is about 30 minutes but it just a couple of minutes or my else. >> host: where people watching her association with you did that put her in any danger?

>> there were people whoa never talked about what thehe taliban years were like for them. i may to great pains to do everything i could do not let anyone at risk. bl headscarf and now make up and i think i was incredibly disappointing because they said the american journalist whoom come to interview you they would think pamela anderson would show up. not add dowdy version of ourselves. [laughter] which was true and done on purpose. but surely this is just a snapshot of this is not a book thaat takes a political stand by just to show evenome incredible times a managed to find a way for so manyer other people in their

neighborhood. thatod is why they were willing to talk to me because i just wanted tost w know what your daily life was like because so few people knew they were breadwinners not even supposed to be on the street. >> host: oregonnt is our next caller. >> caller: thank you. i would like sues then don't wiggle the book.n t we don't get the title.if y we watched the earlier programs about the kabul beauty school and you have any connection with at at all while you were there? >> host: day you have a second question?mo >> caller: most of the time and that kabul beauty school program she talkedhe about the importance of the very fancy dress is for the weddings. is that what they're learning to do?

>> guest: of course, i know the story but the difference is that this took place during the taliban years when there were nohan foreigners in afghanistan. this is about what the young girls manage to do four themselves when no one was paying attention and almost everybody had forgotten. there is a couple of interesting scenes about wedding dress is in weddings are very important part of afghan life and was true then as is now but the address is now are much fancier than they were then. the reason it had a dress and making business sec could stay in businessg people have left so thosely

made in your living room that was the market opportunity. >> host: up next is a call from new jersey. >> caller: ikl want to know whether or not the work that camilla is doing now willh influence the other muslim women in other countries? >> that is an excellent point* to be cut as i talk about this in the introduction when i met her i was on "the financial times" piece piece when we got done was powerful women and earning the end coming earns respect that is whyepr she thought it was so w powerful because it changes people's lives overnight androle they have more of a role to be educated plan they have

money coming into the house. she doesho believe anth entreprenuership and it isludi up tong afghans that men and women could provide jobs in ay country that is clearly economically struggling. >> host: my from "l.a. times"an festival of the bookr talk about a group of women and one in particular, "the dressmaker of khair khan" with the author gayle tzemach lemmon her first book. here is a question from twitter. how do you gain their trust? did they worry how you write their story? >> guest: i love this question because it means so much to me personally. al years very hard for wo to keep going back to explain i had enormous respect for their families and the work they had done. wth and all i want to do is

create a snapshot just of aut documentary but in a book and people have been through so much and scenes through so much and it is up to you as a journalist to go back through the stories that you write to along the way to show up and you just prove to them you care very much around telling their story in the honest way it is not spectacular but it is decent and what these women did for the sake of their community. >> host: how did you find this story? you have a differentthis opportunities. >> it was a unique moment i was in the middle of writing

"the financial times" storyanis and also for harvard businessca go and some of them are interesting and then i met ai woman who was telling me passionately about herwa third business and widea entrepreneurship was thehes answer and i said i am and barely 30 and i know you're not 30 andno how you know, that much? she looked at me as if it were so obvious berkshire hathaway great business under the taliban i was supposed to be a professor but those years may be the entrepreneur because i learned about business and my family was counting on me. what of story that stands for so many others. >> host: colorado is next. >>y s caller:. >> host: are you there? let's move on to georgia. are you