forever blurred the united states of america. now you might think that standing ovation was for a popular us politician will think again as israel's prime minister a rude congress we ask whether this foreign leader could be more popular than america's own president. and of all netanyahu stole the show on the hill and the israeli palestinian conflict dominates headlines let's not forget about the rest of the action in the region and take a look at the mercenaries in the u.a.e. and rising violence in yemen. and from yemen to pakistan as lawmakers debate

pulling aid to islamic god in the wake of the osama bin laden killing china is actually beefing up its friendship with that country prompting some to ask whether the united states threats may be falling on deaf ears. and the death penalty in the u.s. this time the question isn't to kill or not to kill instead when it comes to executions are states or cheering their inmates to death. good evening it's tuesday may twenty fourth on lucy kept a note here in washington d.c. and watching our t.v. and just a few hours ago and what here in washington there was this was the scene in a packed house chamber on capitol hill take a look. may god forever bless the united states of america. that's right president barack obama the leader of the united states of america

addressed the oh wait a minute that's bamma us the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu now i'm really sorry viewers all that while the clause must have thrown me off track about this whole thing so let's let's back up and try again now the israeli prime minister's speech today had all of the trappings of the state of the union address by an american president with soaring approval rates in fact and that's when you also got twenty nine standing ovations from lawmakers and compare that with the twenty five that president obama got during his january speech to congress now some critics are warning that this is an indication of something more than just congressional support for israel in fact some goes far as to say that the israeli prime minister wields more influence over congress that america's president now one such critic is former alaska senator mike ravel and also ran for a presidential candidate in two thousand and eight and earlier he joined us and here's what he had to say take a look on this particular subject no question do you know who is more perfect then

the president because the congress has sold out to apec and so they play you do executive office to congress or vice versa but right now the congress is his input input in terms of middle eastern for polls has america's foreign policy toward israel actually changed it hasn't changed at all in his speech content it was just war at the same. place. the embarrassment was or should that you know concede and upbraids the president. would you suggest that he is not going to happen but that's to be expected from you could you know believe but what do you mean by that. well netanyahu doesn't want any peace he never has he's never been characterized as peace he would show ron from the same school class. that what they

want to do is they're prepared to go ahead and over time push the palestinians from the west bank and from jerusalem why is it that so many monikers on the hill are reluctance to ask the different difficult questions that need to be asked when it comes to us as really foreign policy. the reaction you see is the grovelling that's what we're rattling to the interest of apec but members of congress and and with people with respect to the ninety six and sixty seven borders that's a given that has been given in international law. and international beliefs since nine hundred sixty seven so it is so he articulated nothing new but this is what not what israel wants under the leadership and you know now there are subverted strong forces within israel we don't buy into this scenario but like the

united states they are ruled by a military industrial clique and that's the way the united states is ruled and of course the obama is obviously part of that clique but obama in this particular his shoe in the congress just because you lack moral courage and it's not him not to speak high that senator i mean why is it we value free speech and open debate here in this country and yet it seems like when it comes to the question of israel it's one of those sacred things that if you're a lawmaker and god forbid you speak out you say something that sort of doesn't toe the line that's almost political suicide what is it that has made israel such a critical issue for our politicians it is political suicide and it's political suicide because the jewish community primarily a musters whatever monies are needed to defeat anybody who doesn't told the line or raises their head in opposition or to turn around and support anybody who

will unilaterally support the interest of israel or those of the united states or america it's it's un-p.c. i pick i mean our american interest should be first and foremost that's not the case for the middle east it certainly is not the case for israel and that's shameful that's a shameful chapter in american history that is that really what you think that a part a lobbying group is really the sort of the fear that's that's behind this is it isn't that simple that it and the political donations and money. it is that simple and you know you have to do is look at the record if somebody stands up in congress opposed to israel you see the the wealth of the nation from the jewish community focus on that person's defeat so politicians are born interested in having a job then and doing what's right and so if they want to keep their job then they've got to keep keep themselves clean on the israeli issue and respond to

a text that ends for their support of the united states of america does not control its foreign policy with respect to the middle east and senator is there anything unusual to you about sort of having the president give this major address about the arab spring and the middle east sort of go away on his trip to europe and to have nothing out who address the makers. as if as if he's wanted as if he's president obama or something were it is there anything that that sort of stand out to us strange about an office address before honduras. what's strange is that a foreign leader as more power than the president on this subject. that's what strange. but that's the tragedy of america's foreign policy i see no immediate change in that regard unless there's a change in the government of israel and as i pointed out there are large factions

in israel to do not buy this war been callup me they do not by bringing about the oblivion of the palestinian community they do not buy that but they are not in power and so maybe an election war changed that in the future but. at this present time in american history we are stuck with a situation where the congress and the president of the united states are moral cowards when it comes to justice but should be brought about in an adjudication of the interest between palestine and israel moral coward strong words from a former u.s. senator and presidential candidate mike ravel. well pivoting from israel to yemen now were clashes have taken their deadliest turn yet. now according to reports forces loyal to yemeni president of duellists ali used guns tanks rocket propelled

grenades in a violent standoff with the opposition tribesmen in the heart of the capital city and the gulf cooperation council has been trying to broker a peaceful transition from power for sala but this weekend marks the third time that such a deal collapsed the u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton said that she was outraged over the violence urging the yemeni president to stand down now meanwhile is a group of here in the united states a group of u.s. lawmakers reserved of their outrage for the secretary of state herself five members of congress have written to clinton demanding an explanation of u.s. policy towards americans who run hired gun operations of course i'm talking about mercenary forces now all of this in light of blackwater founder erik prince is the latest exploits in the u.a.e. which we talked about at length last week now a lot to make sense of here so we decided to invite jeremy scahill to help us make sense of it all is a national security correspondent for the nation magazine and he's also the author of this book right here blackwater the rise of the world's most powerful mercenary

army and i first asked jani for his thoughts on that and yahoo's super welcome reception in congress take a look. he had at least thirty or forty pending ovation depending on who you ask for warmer reception the president obama has received certainly from the republican but you could argue also from the democrats it seems that we enter the political season here in the united states that d.d. could could potentially get the nomination for either the democratic or republican party i mean it's really incredible the amount of enthusiasm that is thrown on benjamin netanyahu particularly in light of the fact that he made the outrageous statement that based on those that are living in israel here that actually went so far as to say that israel is not like the belgians in the congo like the british in india which i replied no you're like the israelis in doing exactly what the world sees you do and which is condemned regularly by many nations around the world it's

the united yeah i mean i love this little from you know week where obama is touting his the u.s. role in helping to block or see building in the in the arab spring to be the essentially getting this rolling reception parents out to help but pivoting to blackwater agree and on this program last week talked at length about the sort of legal issues associated with erik prince as the new ventures as you've written yourself his new company what was it reflexive reflex reaction the likes of reactions or are too hard to write hopefully it's not going to the same kind of reflects some reaction that they had an unfortunate tragedy in. all right that was jeremy scahill he's a national security correspondent for the nation magazine and author of blackwater now with the discovery of osama bin laden right under pakistan's nose that country's value as an ally to the united states has come under scrutiny now pakistan has gotten more than twenty eight billion u.s.

dollars since nine eleven making it the third largest recipient of american foreign aid that's not a small sum now of course outraged lawmakers on capitol hill have just now discovered that there's been sending all of that money abroad to a country that's not exactly the closest of allies and you know what they're saying no more take a listen thank you stan is most recognized united states does not give out blank checks. now that was u.s. senator lugar his warning to pakistan at last week's senate foreign relations hearing there's another hearing this morning looking at the issue but you know the american lawmakers debate pakistan's worth as an ally and neither country china has made it very clear that its support for osama bot is here to stay now from getting pakistan fifteen fighter jets to plans to build a military base for pakistan's navy beijing is really reaffirming us friendship loud and clear so what does this all mean and where does that leave the united states and for the answer let's turn to asia times correspondent pepe escobar who

joins us from brazil pepe always great to have you on the program now our thanks we we talked to you a lot about the great countries and sort of their their dominance in economic issues but they're really playing a strong role in foreign policy here tell me what you make of the close relationship between china and pakistan where china pakistan have been close so rice for fifty almost sixty years no infection yet commemorates sixty years of very very close ties so to understand what's going on at the moment number one but instead of public opinion is with american interference kind of has been even more of the good lot in killing could be could be. the could be pushed to use in a tribal areas and it could be business many karachi so the routes rochambeau kuwait because he seems to be good with the washington and not to islamabad he's spread out everywhere so china limps again fake

a fully saw an opportunity to step in and start some really managed relationship to get some of that you can clues or to. number one next month's in the because extenders going to be a meeting of the shanghai cooperation organization what could happen and you can beat a thunderbolt if you really happens and spec is that will be admitted as a. member of this seal so you know minute show this means that pakistan will be part of the asian nato so i can imagine i'll just as you know asked specially in washington all especially our favor our hawks here in washington but that raises the broader question i mean how do we expect clips the era where the united states is sort of the dominant ally of all of these countries and the dominant power i mean to listen to the rhetoric from some of these folks on capitol hill it's as if you know if the americans withdraw that the money that they've been sending to pakistan that said pakistan is essentially screwed but that's not really the case

is it but the problem is this i would say the suburb of fellows effect passes for the u.s. congress. how pakistan works it's an extremely complex and fragile country they have beautiful ration relationships and yet not only which i would have tremendous a relationship with they have clues or relationships and they keep with the central asian countries in even trying to get closer to a rat as well but to some of our look at number two what i was going to city for rather remember this week because this is going to be essential for the next weeks months and years this is a space port to go review and see it's in the guy who just stan area of pakistan which a moose brute already a put rather this in the koreans managed to port sooner or later the lease is going to expire and pakistan is what the chinese not only to manage the work but to brooke as you said a new families at the other what does that mean not only that you're going to have

chinese ships you know chinese military chinese pakistani joint military base in the arabian sea but this. absolutely crucial knew why there would be a crucial move in the kite flying toward the pipeline works what i usually call pipeline because it's part of the pipeline that will come from your own compact. the pipeline they're going to build it and the chinese stepped in to say look instead of growing older we lose it we run it. so they don't have an extension ourselves from pakistan to china so you can imagine china we are france the energy front and the military front wanted to play metric front as well that's why some people in us will know little bit of pakistan are so desperate when suspicious ironic because remember you know we are already a lot of the hawks in the hell are ready see china as the number one military threat even though the united states spends six times more than china on its

military and more than the entire rest of the world combined so what's your sense i mean the americans see this as some sort of a giant threat or are they understanding that hey perhaps there's you know the political and economic realities of today i bet the united states isn't the sole influential power here you know but the saying is we are we have closed to try to understand the way to russia to reach sake in terms of well to consider in the long run the number one threat to america generally and that's. one china that's why when the i.m.f. remember that request of the i.m.f. last month before did an extra scramble that be by two thousand and sixteen china's going to be good no one economy is what the chinese are already counting on it to make as good you know look how to deal with this possible with the special good it's so good trying to function for ok we're going to do within the next few years to try to slow the chinese don't you can't make us largest creditors you know radio

in a way to become a member with. economic power to work with the bric countries they were less true to foreign policy agenda they're going to be even more influential inside the i.m.f. before talking to others reading the chinese best and to see what the next leader of the chinese so we took in one week to analyze the future. says rick christie i guess i don't it you. it has to be ruthless so you know any. rate i want you to have six about it it's stupid pentagrams full spectrum governance structure we need to go through the rules over spaces so to speak it was a different composer john but the student had to do it now but i know that you're a reporter but i want you to put on your elected politician hat for a moment here and you know at the end of the day because of the fact that pakistan has nuclear weapons the americans are not going to just completely withdraw all of that funding to pakistan they have

a very vested interest in maintaining good ties with that country as broken as they may be so what would you do i mean would you continue to to send aid a current levels would you try to make i don't know more financial deals how would you reject their relationship so that it is less broken essentially. look. this all go ok to bust the top of my head one possibility you get american generals made to people right if you know afghanistan and the us you people. next month you guys like spent we want to see but ok let's agree on a package so the afghanistan conflict so every one of the regional players would be set if spike and the major players us russia and china would be some science or do you think this is going to happen of course while the senator escobar we all know the politicians because of this guy we hear from russia by doing oh beautiful is that a coca-cola plant well that was some of the not his favorite rank. so to see it was

already before he was there so you're you know they just make a rush now that was bin laden is grown we have to serve our credit with the pakistanis not a problem was already there for the rest they use very briefly me and you get a sense that the united states sort of makes the mistake of viewing certain countries as a client state as opposed to a sovereign power as a pretty story if that's the case with pakistan. for instance why not just use him bearings first of all because bahrain is a u.k. clients that's more than the us client it's a us military client because of the us first fleet so there's no interference in bahrain and libya because it's an independent because they have been you get me to take them to the best of course and that's for this for foreign players to know these works if it's sad but true and i'm afraid that you won't make a very good politician because i think telling the truth doesn't really work is the case for an elected leader thank you so much they ask

a question correspondent in recent times now we're taking a look great when we get back we will be talking about the issue of torture using the death penalty in the united states stay with us. give us some closure see the story. is if you understand it and then you glimpse something else here's the other part of it and realize that everything. i'm trying hard welcome is a big issue. what drives the world the fear mongering used by politicians who makes decisions.

who can you trust no one. is you deal with the global machinery see where we had a state controlled capitalism is called sessions when nobody dares to ask we do our t. question more. but the topic of capital punishment is of course not without controversy but the rape in which that some us states have begun executing their death row inmates could in fact amount of torture now that is at least according to some critics who are furious with the states for literally experimenting on humans or so they say with lethal injections now all of this because of a massive shortage of a key drug used for state executions so if you're a busy death penalty state what do you do when your preferred execution method tries up with a case of some like texas and oklahoma and a whole host of others they got very creative executing human beings these are

people mind you with the same as have a drug used to euthanize dogs and cats now this issue is the subject of a recent piece by the nation magazine reporter lillian saguaro she's also an associate editor at the nation and she sits on the board of the campaign to end the death penalty take a look at part of that interview him. well basically what happened and we'll exaction i should i should mention has has been held in the way that it been used in the past several years by the supreme court in a landmark decision called a first degree the current controversy occupied to do with the fact that numerous states are are now breaking with this protocol and as you mentioned in your introduction because of the shortage of one of the crucial drugs in this protocol so what would you but you can be understood that there is very very broad comprises the method of execution that was upheld by the supreme court first it's a drug but the end of. the first started to read it no wonder i don't feel anything

pretty much right now i don't feel anything a second drug the drug that paralyzed this drug actually and i didn't mention my p.c.p. but interestingly the drug is actually meant to paralyze a prisoner so that there is no sign which ng nothing that would make people uncomfortable as they as they watched my situation taking place outside of what's actually happening to the second drug but their drug is a drug at the heart of the problem as discovered years ago that the first drug in the mix doesn't always work. with you know whether the drug has been fired . or other factors but if the drug first drug doesn't work then the third drug administration of that third drug has been found to be absolutely excruciating recruiting people and so maybe the average american doesn't really care because rope. possibly committed some gruesome crime is torture but the reality is that the constitution protects prisoners from cruel and unusual punishment so when the

supreme court took up this issue in papers three in two thousand they ultimately determined that there wasn't enough proof that this one protocol. meant that prisoners to a realistic chance of being tortured. that other words you know it's because even when it happened it was never a shift and usually go that way well what we're finding now now that the states are tinkering with their at their drug is that there has been evidence that recent executions were prisoners were tortured to death and of course i talked about the state of georgia specifically now it really does sound like outrage and i want to mention that a lot of folks abroad a lot of countries abroad are really do view this as a barbaric process of sorts i want to turn briefly to this the shortage of the drug that you mentioned i find it interesting that sixteen states in the united states have an active death penalty death penalty chambers here in the u.s.

and only one company is making this product is there anything about that that strikes you as strange is that just too controversial for other companies to get into this business. the reality is that actually it's rather that there's a shortage of it's actually much. an execution drug it's used for other. hospitals which is part of the reason why. we're looking to replenish their supplies actually sought out other sources but also find sources of sodium and also it's not so much about the drug itself it's about the way it's you know as you mentioned you can in your intro. there's been a lot of back and actually to try to get companies to bar the use of their drugs that are not necessarily execution proscriptions ordinary drugs that are used in combination or executions so it's not so much about that drug itself as that would be for you and you know instead of figuring out how to humanely deal with this issue the shortage it seems of states of the century shirt turn to various shady

companies that we documented abroad for example the company dream pharma which you've written about in britain which operate out of our rented driving school building i mean where is the federal government when it comes to. well that's a very good question because actually part of the controversy now and you bought it it's very you haven't. or are sort of slow to act on this but it got a question of how do drugs were imported so when states began looking to dream pharma to replenish their execution drugs. cross boundaries of the law in order to try to quietly drugs into the united states so. it is executed because they realize that they have broken better all while trying to obtain them but at the same time do it on its traditional has ignored the act yeah right it a great inspiration has sort of thrown its hands up and said this is not for us to regulate we are not in the business of regulating expiation growth so it's a little bit of even

a response from the federal government of course you know the great unspoken truth here is that the good. story should maintain. its own books and actually has its own dollars you're killing prisoners it just doesn't carry it out right right and i do want to point out the irony one of the stories we're talking about in our tauriel meeting earlier was how the f.d.a. regulates breast milk and the sale in use of breast milk for women in the united states but of course the death penalty drug says a whole different matter. one quote that actually really stood out to me in your piece was from a report that you cited that said the way in which texas actually human executes human beings is quote riskier less transparent and has less oversight then be euthanasia caps dogs birds and lizards do you see any sort of impetus for states to change the way they're dealing with us to share is there just not enough media attention to this trend. in terms of the sort of question of humaneness than usual punishment i actually think that they will be comfortable state

community comfortable execution getting them and beings are going to be feeling troubled by biology by situations are going on less there are some from outside pressure and in the example of the court because actually there are states that are by their own rules and regulations are supposed to make public their execution protocol that indicate attacks as part of the problem with that is violated their own administrative procedures act by failing to disclose that it was switching to the drug dealing to disclose its plan so that hands out report that said you know more precautions when it comes the rising of animals but you know i think i'm have to put more prisoners to death and any other state in the country by leaps and bounds and so no i don't think that the states or our officials really think so much sleep about how they're how they're pretty. and i think it's either.