the world right now it's global i mean that's the first thing you can say the pentagon is a little hard to tell in detail the pentagon usually admits to about yearly to about eight hundred military bases or sites from macro to micro but in their count they don't include anything in a war zone and at tom dispatch you know we've done some reporting for instance on the afghan war the present afghan war zone where we have upwards of four hundred bases again from tiny combat outposts to enormous basically american towns with boardwalks with fast food joints and whatever that we just built more or less from scratch and there are certain countries where the countries are embarrassed that their military bases there it's really hard to say i mean eight hundred to a thousand maybe more depending on what you're counting it's an awful lot it's an imperial presence of a kind i don't think we've ever seen in history and it's particularly strange because the bases traditionally bases more or less where the

way you kept colonies but for us bases are actually the thing when you see global it's a frightening word it sounds like every single country throughout just globe has some form of military presence from the united states that i can't swear that it's every so it probably isn't every single country but a striking number of countries i don't actually know the number right here but i mean if you think if you if you take this another way and you think to yourself. the u.s. military now has a kind of secret military inside it and those are the special operations forces which have been incredibly peeved up and taken over certain activities that once were more cia type activities in the bush and now obama period those special operations forces and there are thirteen thousand of them according to the washington post stationed outside the united states their station now in seventy five. true there are only one hundred ninety two countries in the u.s.

i think that's the latest figure so you're talking about somewhere upwards of forty percent just for special operations forces so it is a lot now it's very interesting that to draw that dividing line between declared war as an undeclared wars which you raise this point in your work often most americans are aware of declared wars with iraq but afghanistan over the last several years what about the un declared boys how come nobody really talks about bad wars skirmishes whatever you know it's hard to know in this country what people know i mean i mean even the wars the afghan war for instance has disappeared more or less disappeared for years at a time from i think from the media well from public consciousness you know it's hard to say with the u.s. media you could always find something i mean there's something there and that is that is it's not that there's ever no coverage but you have to be a news jockey like me you have to be reading the inside pages of the papers the war in the pakistani border line and americans obviously know very little about that i

mean we are proud of our drones and so we're caught always between calling it a covert war and actually. that actually bragging about it and americans are remarkably detached from the wars that being are being fought in their names and the various other military positions and so on and so forth on the globe it's one of the things that i focus on as is just the degree to which we are doing things that americans could know about basically don't we have to put some of that blame on the media who is essentially responsible for bringing some of that information to the u.s. and i have to ask you do you feel like the media and the military are sort of sleeping in the same bed at this point i think the military made of but there's a there's a history with the military of a post vietnam history of trying to put journalists in bed with it when you are embedded with the military there's an element of stockholm syndrome there just has to be with it and you tend to if you're out. with american troops in afghanistan

you are in the end i mean your life is at stake you are in the end going to identify with american troops let me ask you this you spent years the ciphering sort of the military's agent of the u.s. foreign policy when when when should that line be drawn between you know reasonable national defense and really kind of paranoid expansionism is that line ever drawn any more no but basically it basically is no longer drawn and so what you really get is you get american treasure poor into by the multi-billions into you know into into remarkably strange wars approach i've long been convinced that if osama bin laden you know had a dream for him in a nightmare for us it was to involve us in in inconclusive wars in distant lands that would cost us a fortune there's a kind of intelligence national security bureaucracy that's fed in this country all fear and americans are irrationally scared of terrorism since two thousand and one

the number of americans who have been you know killed by by terrorist actions is it's a shark attacks but below anything else dangerous in our world you know and yet the fear level is so who remarkably high and everything is justified upon us those lines are drawn and we don't think seriously about what our national interest is and we're paying for it now you've mentioned money and apparently the pentagon is going to be able to enjoy as much as seven hundred twenty six billion dollars next year or something along those debts and i have to ask you i mean it might seem a sort of a naive question but it has to be asked couldn't this money be put to better use and especially now in this economy of course you know commanders in afghanistan can walk into a village they have they have a fund so they can find an afghan village elder if they want to do a hearts and minds sort of thing they can see that the infrastructure is weak that they have canals or field or whatever they. just pay money to people to start

digging out those canals you can't do that in the united states we're a can't do nation here we can't build anything we just we just decided not to build a tunnel between new jersey and new york city where i live because it was too expensive but we can spend billions building these bases very efficiently if they're extraordinary in a way can do x. these huge bases in afghanistan or iraq or wherever else i think it's quite startling actually and what about the cost of civilians on the ground civilian lives we have piled up many towers in response to the towers that went down to two thousand trees three we have piled up many towers of dead they don't have memorials nobody thinks about them i mean except obviously their families and their countries we don't know the numbers in iraq or afghanistan but they are they are startling numbers not only has the idea of peace gone just gotten the idea really of diplomacy in the normal sense as opposed to

a militarized kind of diplomacy but the very idea of victory the most basic thing to military culture is going on in one of your latest articles you ask this question how old will you be when the american envoy stared state goes down as you often bring up this point of a terror of an internal state of war you know is that essentially it america's destiny and in one war i'm starting out i actually think not this can only go on so long all things of course must end but in the american case you know we cannot simply continue fighting trillion dollars to three whatever it might be a trillion dollar wars at infinite my this country simply can't afford it and washington thinks that we're in a slow long manageable decline i think this country like the soviet union in an earlier period it's in decline now most this is what americans know asked the question is this country in decline sixty five percent of americans the most recent poll say yes we are in a state of decline americans feel. this washington doesn't fully feel this yet but

that reality is going to shape this war world of ours will it continue to go on for the next couple of decades or what i know it's a time when i don't know i don't think it's a couple of decades no i mean longer no i think it's less i think it's really significantly less i think we are in a much steeper decline and we realize we won't be able to afford. to eternally. it will be a necessity to to lessen the american military on the military mission on the planet talking about these issues and us wars and us military isn't. there many authors out there here in the united states talking about it how come this point does just not get across to washington is it so different planets i think washington is in many ways remarkably sealed off from most fresh thinking i think one of the startling things and disturbing things about the arrival of the

barack obama in foreign policy terms is that is the people he chose to put around him you know obama picked james jones as his national security adviser general marie a retired marine general who is a friend of john mccain's going to him alexion is coming up right out nothing is really going to change after that right it's going to be the same thing over and over again it will be worse it will be worse because the we know before the election happens and without being there are november second without even thinking about it we know that whoever comes in the group the the america will be a country that will be able to do less and congress will be able to do less less is going to happen for a while i mean lesson in the sense of anything new any change anything that would really set of some a different course i think this is not going to be a happy moment. not a very optimistic prediction time go hard thank you very much for sitting to us today it's a pleasure. dear

mom i'm sorry that i had to do this i've been in so much pain in the past year that i can't take it anymore the stomach and chest pains have been getting worse and no doctor has been able to help me please know that i'll finally be at peace and with no more pain i wish i could have had a life with that was a bit always pictured her being my wife and mother to my kids i love you all see you all in heaven when your time comes i'm going to meet jesus christ. thousands of u.s. troops in iraq received one of these drugs a drug called lariam and it may have prevented many soldiers from getting sick the question tonight is whether or not soldiers were adequately warned about its rare side effects serious life changing side effects. wealthy british style.

markets why not. come to. find out what's really happening to the global economy with mike stronger for a no holds barred look at the global financial headlines tune in to cause a report. from feinstein. screen starts on t.v. don't. more

news today violence is once again flared up. these are the images cobalt and seeing from the streets of canada. china operations are all day.

latest news in this week's top stories on our t.v. russia seals the deal to build vietnam's first ever nuclear power plant in a bid to help the country develop as an independent and modern state the agreement was signed as dimitri medvedev visits had only to boost cooperation with the region . fresh tensions flare as georgia has reportedly arrested a network of twenty people all georgians for spying for russia has refused to either confirm or deny the claims. and the first ever joint to russia on the u.s. drugs and afghanistan has been hailed a success forces have destroyed four drug labs that confiscated

a ton of very went worth over two hundred thirty dollars. let's now take a look at what's happening in the world of sports with kate. hello welcome to the sports news page here the headlines marching on alexander could recall scores a senate win three now it's time to catch six points clear at the top of the russian premier league. ball moving up a little gravel late one nil when it falls into rice six places to twelve in the english premier league. last the most and highest mccall usually loses the final of the st petersburg open but kim clijsters triumphs into. a new start was football was an instant petersburg have restored a six point lead at the top of the russian primarily after

a comprehensive stream male who went over a lot who are in a real relegation battle the host went in front of the quarter of an hour off to dine colossal vitrified home in. their second in three minutes before the break looking at the strong launch the cross and some of the players a cough provided news even if. then six minutes off the restarts danny rushes strike us through again isn't in the second of the afternoon to take his time in the season to twelve so it isn't it again six points clear of the gang from a ruby in. the wall there was a dramatic finish in a minute left unfinished in makati late in the first off market fashion was sent off for a second card after what looks like a debatable call by the referee but luck i still took the three points distance to secure stats in the dying minutes at the corner fly taking the brunt of the spot celebrations and that's not checked defaced in the table. i'll sweat song

one and one many times one cause the only goal time in the fifty second is at times to back this field lot thank you after this back five inches on. mistake the drop zone along the severe. walls was not chicken seated and only adult only in the gang so that he didn't have to school and he cries out in kenya john salvaging a point for the visitors who stick to six table. i am the last game of the day ten on satin fang back to draw a long long effect as to sky news ground on the top two so much nets it open for the all and then off to thirty nine minutes before alexa yvon off level to the one side straight off to the interval but stay with quickly on the back foot as rizla naku chef sall read off the fifty three minutes however sanson held on for the draw on the points. and on saturday fourth place sponsor at moscow came from behind to say in the hunt for a place in europe next season one side find themselves

a goal down went on ruth gauche netted off to twenty minutes but spot tuck went into the bright level aiden mcgeady provided the cross in its top scorer verisign on the finish line won one was the way it stayed until the final minutes and substitute it's in was last was not done with ups and even make no mistakes on the spot spotlight sometime this week since reports the m six placed on moscow also remain in the face for you right the league's passata coming from behind to lead the wanting to look better on c.b.s. but one leg gelato days that is it is a surprisingly often our not been six minutes the pace of taking the lead heading franchitti to the levels. and on days with missed dentical at the two on the face that got to the chinese ones today would send us some good off this entire time it's three one i was tired and was shocked at the force right cross

from alexander fulton i i read england maxi rodriguez scored the eighty six minute winner as liverpool rose six places to twelve after one though when adults and the reds. just a point out of the relegation zone but the late victory ensured that and back to back wins for the first time that really hurts and while earlier there were two dogs in england kevin nolan scored a hat trick on a daily added a brace this new cost with thrashed ten on sunderland five want to st james's park the black cats have titus bramble sent off after fifty three minutes and grabbed a late consolation for darren bent's aston villa against birmingham and scholes. tennison compliance has won the w t a championships all to continue while number one caroline does not speak in the final rise to power through the i said to take it six three and was cruising through the second one first not to be found a full time to bench me took it seventy five to level the much thoughts the belgian regained her dominance again in the final set tactics six three six to try fate. in

the meantime michigan has kind of surprising victory over former champion economy and fire at the st petersburg i think because i play i lifted the trophy after a straight set six three seven six when it comes to the second from kazakhstan to win a team from title and they're going to have success and come good at it this year it. has moved on to the ice now and that was a stunning result in the kontinental hockey league as working as you grok came from two goals down two in st two on penalties defending champions. and the other big results on sunday night sky awesome piece as bad one for three western clothes the swedish h.t. did on the visitors were two goals up after the first period that were pegged back at you then she took the victory on penalties the army yeah got net is the visitors were never in overtime as albion got one two one afternoon east after human xcor twice in the third period to win five three a time to die rhys sponsored moscow

whenever behind and won three one hundred you set us about the number one for three on penalties asked in a moment. as i say that was a shock three one defeat for not a mood to god because i had opened for the house the end of the first period so straight to the second one cooking that would add to the power by double and there's advantage however it's just passed all sites and that's a good power play from the being lined up on the lock and that's not to say zip ghoulish maybe only i mean it's still a mess to go advantage in a quick counterattack sculls did give a lot of hope of saving the gang of the strike back to strike. this is place they got the big trade turning. right a g.p. now and while champion who guy runs are held off a strong challenge from yamaha teammate valentino rossi two in the portuguese much

a g.p. for the third year in a row the runs over to rossi with eleven laps to go before speeding save for an eight point six second victory on the ride and read the physio so perhaps not only race of the season but still around so it was his first victory in two months it's fine it could wrap up the season. and then the next sunday. a lot of places are water and i've been i was crushed many times i think everyone by you know in the lab a then. i thought is going to win the race but little by little i was simply my love dying he was just filling in the same base so i got him. and then. finally to rugby and this weekend russia with russia thirty two points to six by argentina's reserve side the loss was their second to that team in as many weeks done to their preparation for next year's rugby world cup with all his which of empathy. is less many years ago the two thousand and eleven rugby world cup gets

under way new zealand and davidson's russia have a lot of work to do no one is expecting miracles but the newest nation to take part in rugby showpiece event needs to improve fast if they're going to be competitive against the likes of australia ireland in italy and says russia's new backs coach a report. there are you know they do the right to be the world cup oh no i so want to be involved in a short time but i know it's hard for the players they know themselves they need the front so they need to work hard to contact. pretty much everyone everywhere particular sneezed and you know we're slowly going to go through the courses that is this decision making here to make about who's going to go the world cup so you know those are things that you know obviously of diamond in the call i will work on myself i'm going to have to work with the guys on technique and skill work to continue their preparations for the event in new zealand russia been playing two tests against argentina second string the russians last year fine count of over

forty points last we can and we're hoping for a much improved performance seven days many town time for the majority of the first half they would give a good account of themselves and would have been in front but we would go kicking and opportunistic troy from of this to strum half promised to benny hill. the trail back to school points going into the home time frame. despite applying some early pressure falling resumption russia would soon find themselves further behind as visitors long probables managed to bundle is way over the line from close range on the home side with less of a mountain to climb just minutes away turn despite being down to fourteen men the certainly didn't individuals and one publish still is was on hand to finish a slick move and put argentina into twenty to sixteen russia needed to convert to tries just to draw level those to be no way back for russians who are beginning to tire and argentina's green of fitness would prevail as they would run into late

scores to secure a thirty two point six victory. in the first office portables of the night here are apart from the try against a run a play by those who came in the first ten minutes because he controlled most of what we had most of position we were in small with and the result is there is a negative side that's the thing that has something to work on but i think doing way when we keep the cells in the game we were able kick his ego has been working all or you know a lot you know with my style i'll fly after that one fly off but the last two games we have given a few guys are on the fur in general prefer a lot of game time and that's great for the development and improve performance by the russians no way to plan it may continue then build on the old camp but in reality the team needs to become much beaten stop making elementary mistakes a big and on the chance of even competing on the same level with some the world's top sides in september to conquer levon rich uncle to be hunting. and that's all

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you're watching r t one of the. morning here in the russian capital welcome to the program russia will build a vietnam's first ever nuclear power plant dmitri medvedev said the deal will help vietnam develop as a powerful independent and modern state of the russian president's visit to. closer cooperation with southeast asian countries. reports from the vietnamese capital. many deals were signed today during the russian president's official visit to. this deal is perhaps the most important in this deal is said to be worth over five billion dollars and will certainly help establish stability in its energy sector vietnam of course suffers from a lot of blackouts are a lot of electricity shortage that helps. help the country stablish itself.