this is c-span3 with politics and public affairs programming throughout the week, and every weekend. 48 hours of people and events telling the american story on american history tv. get our schedules and see past programs on our website. and can you join in the conversation on social media sites. coming up, david cameron discusses the g8 and nato summit. in an hour and 10 minutes,ed senate appropriations committee looks at national guard steady. in about three hours, the new york university law school hosts a discussion on race and law enforcement. that's followed by a forum looking at terrorist financing since the 9/11 attacks. >> david cameron addressed the house of commons wednesday on international plans to promote

economic stability, multinational agreements to prevent iran from developinging nuclear weapons, and the plan to leave afghanistan by 2014. his remarks came during time set aside during last week's g8 and nato summits. this is 1:10. >> the g8 we reaped important conclusions on dealing with our debts, and the risks in the eurozone. deficit reduction and growth are not alternatives, you need the first in order to deliver the second. there was no debate about this, it was my view, chancellor merkel's view, president obama's view. indeed france will balance its budget at a faster rate than britain. in britain, in two years, we cut the deficit we inherited from the last government by more than a quarter. and our approach has been endorsed again by the imf this week and the oecd.

at a time of tight budgets, a proper growth plan requires not just a credible fiscal policy, but also structural reforms to make our economies more competitive, active monetary policy, and innovative use of our hard won credibility to assure inconvenientment in long term infrastructure. we are taking all of these steps in the u.k. and promoting them across europe as well. prime minister monte and i have gathered ten eu lead hes to call for the completion of the single market in digital and services, classic structural reform. president hollande is coming forward with proposals. the ecb has helped supply liquidity to european banks. i will be pursuing all of these elements at the council tonight and at the formal council in june, after which i would be making a statement to the house.

growing our economies also means doing everything we can to get trade moving. at the end of the g8 meeting there was a serious discussion at the potential for an eu/u.s. trade deal. the eu and u.s. make up half of the world with's gdp. there's a huge amount of work to be done. this could have a positive impact on both sides of the atlantic. mr. speaker, the greatest risk facing the eurozone and the world economy is the situation in greece. the future of greece is for the greek people to determine, it is for them to decide what is best for their country. i don't believe we can afford to allow this issue to be endlessly fudged or put off. it should be a straightforward choice between staying in the eurozone with the responsibilities that entails or taking a different path. the eurozone needs to have contingency plans in place for both eventualities. this should involve

strengthening banks, protecting financial systems and decisive action to prevent contagion. whatever the outcome, this government will do whatever is necessary to protect the country to secure our economy and our financial system. alongside the discussion on the economy, i have two further priorities at the g8 to continue the good work of the g8 on development and support the arab spring and support democracy on reform. the new alliance aims to help 50 million people lift themselves out of poverty over the next 15 years. they need to show transparency. this is a great combination of promoting good governance and helping africa to feed its people. i'll be building on this during the olympic games in the u.k. encouraging the private sector to create jobs is one of the

best jobs to sustainable growth. aide has a vital roll to play. for the first time in a decade, the amount of aide given to the world's poorest countries has fallen back, promises are being broken and this is wrong. britain continues to honor its commitments, other nations should continue to do likewise. we will once again produce the report which shows who has and has not kept their promises. the g8 also raised important questions on iran and syria. it was significant that the russians agreed to this text. i raised burma and the need to support the nations of a lasting and irreversible democracy. i want to make this a feature of the g8 next year. mr. speaker, let me turn to the nato summit. some people write off nato as a

relic of the past. i believe it is vital to our future security. the threat nato countries face largely come from beyond our borders. fafled states, terrorism, nuclear proliferation. it makes sense for nato to be prepared, link up with partners around the world, act out of area, and spend less on weapons like battle tanks and more on the technology needed for tomorrow's conflicts. all of these things were agreed at the summit. that's not to say nato shouldn't take steps to defend nato and europe. it was particularly good to have a special session with the partners who work with nato around the world, and in particular, the 50 country that is make up the nato led alliance in afghanistan. attacks by the insurgents are down. transition to afghan control is on track. over the next few weeks, we will reach the point where 75% of the

population will be living in areas where afghan forces are in the lead for security. the vital next steps are to deliver the final stages of transition. to continue the buildup of afghan security forces and assure they are funded for the future. britain is pledging 70 million pounds. it's right that other countries should step up and contribute to the future of afghanistan. the summit, i believe macked a turning point in these contributions with almost a billion dollars being pledged to support the afghan security forces. britain has played a leading role in this alliance for reasons of our own national security. some three quarters of the most serious terror plots, had linked afghanistan and pakistan. i'm now advised that figure has fallen to around a half. our aim is an afghanistan able to take care of its own security without the need for foreign troops. an afghanistan that can prevent al qaeda from returning and pose

a threat to us and our allies around the world. after ten long years our servicemen and women will finally be coming home. i pay tribute to their service and sacrifice. it's beyond measure, and we remember in particular, all those who have given their lives in this vital task to keep this country safe. >> let me start with the nato summit. on afghanistan, we welcome the summit's confirmation, that the transition from isaf to afghan security force it's set for completion by mid-2013. let me echo the words about our troops, they have served heroically in afghanistan for over a decade now. i am sure i speak for the whole house when i say we want to see them home with their families, and home in the right way.

to that end, can the prime minister give a clear timetable of expected drawdown of british troops between now and 2014. can you tell how many british personnel you expect to remain in afghanistan after 2014 which services are likely to be drawn from and confirm this will remain under a nato command control structure. can you tell whether he's had discussions -- the political situation in afghanistan, does the prime minister agree to honoring the sacrifices and bravery of our troops, means taking the political challenge there as seriously as we take the military challenge. given the final stage of the military campaign is now underway. what concrete steps will now be taken before the chicago summit to secure an inclusive political settlement with afghanistan and

between afghanistan's regional partners. does he agree with me that the international community has been talking for a long time about the political sentiment we need. and we need far greater urgency to be there when our troops come home. let me turn to the g8, mr. speaker. on syria we join with the government in calling for an immediate stoppage of blood shed. on the issue of the global economy, what we desperately needed was a plan for growth. a plan for growth for europe, and the international community. i have to say, he did entertain this side of the house with the description of president hollande as his new best buddy. given that he endorsed his opponent in the most fullsome term. he said, nicolas sarkozy has my support, i say it clearly.

now, mr. speaker, the foreign office, we're a bit per teshed about this. they started briefing, and said, all the chip the on one card, it turned out not to be the eighth, it was an error of judgment and not what was advised. you can tell whether he was advised to see perfect hollande. i think we can all concur after today, the prime minister has a habit of shooting from the hip. i think that's certainly true. the reality is, the reason why we didn't get the conclusions of this summit and the action we needed is that the international community is divided, not united as the prime minister said. it's divided between those who believe we must have a decisive shift toward growth, president obama now joined by president hollande, and those who believe the answer lies in more of the same. the german chancellor and this prime minister.

for two years he's been the high priest of austerity. he's been telling the world that austerity alone is the answer. now, of course the recognition has dawned that it isn't working. he finds himself on the wrong side of the argument. that's why he's scrambling around to say president hollande is his great friend. recovery turned to recession. no growth for 18 months. 1 million young people out of work. he was fond of quoting the imf report from yesterday, what he didn't quote -- growth is too slow and unemployment too high. policy policies to bolster demand before low growth becomes entrenched are needed. that's not his position. his position is more of the same. and so we have the ultimate irony of a prime minister who's delivered a double dip recession lecturing other people on how to

get growth. now what did the prime minister actually achieve in this summit? we know some of the things he did. he watched the football, he went to the gym, he even squeezed in some sight seeing. the even thing that isn't a photo op is making a difference to the world economy. in other words doing his job. at the g20 last november, the prime minister signed a communication that said, countries will take steps for action. the global economy has gotten worse. where is the agreement? the chancellor went on

television and said the speculation about the breakup of the euro was damaging britain's economy. can the prime minister, when he replies explain why he provided to do just that last wednesday and say may up or break up. it may have rhymed, but it did nothing to help our economy or anyone els. and mr. speaker, given the seriousness of the position in greece, do you really believe that for him to issue an ultimatum to greek voters over the weekend about their election was really such a good idea. i would have thought he would realize it wasn't such a good idea to get involved. finally on the european summit tonight, a stronger firewall would make a difference. but the crucial thing is demand. doesn't he accept that without a plan for growth and plan for

demand in europe, we can't get away from deficits in europe. the problem with this prime minister is he can only offer more of the same. all he offers is more austerity, it's not working in britain. it's not working in europe. it's a failed plan from a failing prime minister. >> five minutes and absolutely no plan. nothing positive to say. i thought it was a -- it's a good joke. it is a good joke about sarkozy. we all have our faults. but i'd rather have a reputation for being loyal to my friends than knifing my brother. the honorable gentlemen started with nato. he asked some serious questions. he asked for a clear indication of the draw down.

we're going down to 9,000 troops by the end of this year. clearly we need to set out a pathway with between now and the end of 2014. i want it to be based on the conditions on the ground and how well the transition is going in the three provinces we're responsible for. and we'll keep the house updated on how -- we don't want the great cliff edge at the end. he asked what would be left at the end of 2014. what we made a clear decision about, is that president karzai asked us to provide training in afghanistan. we have the assistance of the australians and new zealanders. that is the baseline of our commitment, but clearly we will listen to any other requests. he asked whether it would be a nato led operation in terms of training, yes, it will, therep won't be nato combat operations after 2014. he asked about the relationship with with pakistan. it is essential that they are

reopened. i spoke to the prime minister when with he visited the u.k. about it a week or so ago. i spoke to president zadari. i'm confident progress will be made. but it does need to be made more rapidly than we currently see. he asked about the political challenge. he's right about this, i said all along, alongside the military surge, you need a political surge. we're working hard with the afghans to join us. they need to lay down weapons, join the political process, that will be open to them. we have to be prepared that the political process won't advance as far as we'd like. that's why we must make sure the buildup of the afghan national security forces goes to plan sorgs we can hand over in good order, and i believe we will. i welcome what he says on syria and burma. on president hollande, i mean, he said something that i think he should adapt slightly and repeat. the national debt is the enemy

of the left and the enemy of france. we've never heard him say anything clear like that. if you look at what president hollande is doing. he was asked how he would stimulate growth. he said, the means cannot be extra public spending, since we want to reign it in. he asks about our approach on growth. we agree with the italian prime minister. we need structural reform in europe. we agree with the german chancellor, the deficit reduction is vital in getting interest rates down. the problem is, europe hasn't had all three. we support all three those things. i say to him that nobody i can find -- not even the left wing party in greece backs his idea of an extra 200 billion pounds of borrowing into the british economy. that is the labor policy, it

would wreck our economy, our prospects, which is exactly what they did in office. >> is there anyone at the g8 summit emphasize that the basic calls of the economic and political crisis in europe is not the greek debt? it is the single european currency and lack of a lender of last resort, which is now a threat to the global stability of banks. and may i put it to the prime minister, that until the leaders of the great nations grasp that fact and act upon it, that the turmoil in europe will continue. >> i think my friend makes an important point.

a single currency requires an active interventionist central bank behind it. i think this realization is something we've been saying for a long time. it's one of the reasons why i've been skeptical about the single currency, i think there is a growing realization, that alongside plans to deal with deficits so you have fiscal credibility, you need an active monetary policy. just as it's the u.k. between our nations, if you're going to have a working single currency, you need that sort of monetary policy too. >> i welcome the change of rhetoric over the weekend. the prime minister recognizing that austerity alone will work. at least from his point of view in europe. could you tell us whether or not the german position has changed at all? because it doesn't seem like it? and until the german position does change, i find it very hard to believe the eurozone is possibly going to come up with anything that is convincing and

credible before the greek elections on the 17th of june. >> i have great respect for the gentleman. i would say that the german approach is changing to an extent because the germans know that alongside deficit reduction, you do need to have greater coordination of the currency, they don't want to take the foot off deficit reduction until they have move a political system around a single currency. i understand their kens many it's one of the reasons i never wanted to join a single currency much i always believed a single currency involves a single economic go. . i think that is the struggle to try to convince countries in europe that alongside deficit reduction, you need a more active monetary policy.

>> thank you, mr. speaker. does the prime minister agree, the bank of england and the banking regulators in the u.k. need to amend their operation, in order to assure sufficient money and credit available to fuel the private sector led recovery, not just more cheap money for the state. could they not learn from america which is doing this very well, and avoid the problems which europe is plunged into by doing it far worse than we're doing it. >> my friend makes a very important point. when i say active monetary policy, i don't simply mean a central bank that engages in quantities, you need to assure that all the monetary insti tugszs are properly capitalized and properly working. i think around europe, there's a lot of work that needs to be done on that. >> with regard to the prime minister's discussion with the

president of pakistan. will he deploy barack obama's offense i offensive courtesy to pakistan, the united states has violated the sovereignty of with deadly effects. and will he say that britain stands shoulder to shoulder with with our commonwealth partner in defying american colonialism. >> i wouldn't put it like that. the point is, i think we need to, with our american allies and the special relationship work very closely with them to try to deal with the terrorism that has come out of afghanistan, and is still coming out of parts of pakist pakistan, it's in our national interest we do that. i urge all friends and partners to show patience and understanding with pakistan, because they are the biggest victims of terror of all. they have complex politics, and they need to be given the space

to resolve some of these issues and they need to know that their friends like britain will not leave them after the afghan conflict is over. but are there for long term partnership, friendship and support. >> mr. speaker, of course i associate myself and colleagues, but the tributes to our serving forces particularly in afghanistan and those who have given their lives. on the globe sal ecomy, would the prime minister continue to make clear, although we are not in the eurozone, and shouldn't wish to join the eurozone, it's in our interest to support the other countries in the eurozone by supporting their structural reform. and increase across the whole of europe is in their interest and ours, and construction at home is the best way of getting us into the growth that we need in this country. >> i think my friend is entirely right, it's in britain's

interests that the problems of the eurozone are dealt with. we have made consistently a whole with series of suggestions about firewalls, strengthening banks, about consistent and strong contingency plans. the point i was making is it's become ever more urgent to make those plans, it's not in our power about whether greeks will decide to stay in the eurozone or out of the eurozone. we have to prepare for every eventuali eventuality. >> this morning the european parliament by a very large majority passed the call for action stance. >> i'm against the financial transactions tamm. for a simple reason, the european commission did a piece of research into a transactions test. what it sounds like, it's taxing the bankers and the rest of it,

actually you end up putting up the costs of people's insurance policies, putting up the costs of pension policies and driving all that offshore. i'm not surprised some of the european countries support it, because they see it as a good way of taking a lot tax out of the u.k. and spending in europe. i'm not falling for it. >> there is increasing pressure for political union between certain member states. whether this is by enhanced corporation or by governmental treaty or other stealth measures. does my friend accept that irrespective of the european union act passed last year that such a fundamental change in the relationship between the european union and the united kingdom would with necessitate a referendum? >> i think the right position for the u.k., if we were to pass

power from brussels to -- we should hold a referendum. where i do agree is clearly the single currency has within it the seeds of greater political union, and we have to work out in this country, the coalition how to respond to that, and how to get the best deal for britain as that situation develops. >> you talked about the continued importance of nato, and some of the things that had been agreed. but the changes that have been agreed are largely peripheral, and the need for reform is pretty profound. is there not a danger that the understandable focus of the economic crisis is sucking the life out of the need for reform in nato. we need to focus on that, and

notwithstanding the understand able needs of the economy, make sure the change program that's so badly needed to get decent interoperatability within with nato doesn't lose its momentum. >> the gentleman speaks with with great knowledge of this subject. there has been one nato reform, which i know he would welcome, which is to try to cut down on the bureaucratic headquarters. to be fair to secretary-general rasmus, we've also delivered the ballistic missile defense in capability. where i'm an optimist, perhaps more optimistic than him, i think the reality of the situation is going to drive us toward reform. everyone faces tough budgets. the fact that america is providing almost three quarters of natos funding and assets is unsustainable. other countries are going to have to step up to the plate,

look at their arrangements, cooperate more as we're doing with the french. in order to deliver more of the teeth and less of the tail. >> nato is vital to our security and may i congratulate you on the role you played as the leader of one of the most important countries. the secretary-general's program for smart defense is key to the future of nato. >> i thank my friend for his remarks. the truth is, that there is duplicated capacity over europe in terms of defense, and much of it is not deployable. what we need is for all countries to undergo the quite difficult and painful things we've done in terms of strategic defense reviews so work with out the systems that you need for the conflicts of the future. recognizing that we're less likely tgh