bad worldwide protest smog guantanamo bay's tenth anniversary with activists and human rights agencies condemning president obama's broken vow to shut it down. and with the implications of the ongoing bloodshed in syria still hard to predict we sat down with professor of middle east politics dr jeremy salt to get a broader view of what's really going on in that region. thank you jeremy for joining us here on r.t. as well as call put it when it comes to the middle east there west talks idealistically and acts brutally if it's true if you agree with this what should be done what can be done to prevent syria from falling into these patterns look at what's been happening in the middle east and the policies the western governments of followed they have always had the the noble motive we're doing this for this very very good reason but we don't have to be terribly skeptical or cynical to

understand that actually behind the noble motive is self-interest if we look at what happened in egypt the west backed mubarak right to the very last and there was no longer possible to back him while it was indefensible they dumped him and with him with the president of tunisia and then they moved very very quickly on libya what was happening in libya that was so absolutely terrible in many cases in the name of human rights they kind of attacked libya the same with syria you know it's kind of it's a it's a protest movement it's democratic change and reform which are very worthwhile motives to support but there is another agenda here which has to do with broader global and regional strategies what has the libyan scenario failed in syria will the western powers change their tactics i think that libya was the template for syria kind of went to the u.n. they got the no fly zone was lucian and that opened up libya to aerial attack and i think therefore that they could repeat this in syria but it didn't prove to be

possible largely because of russia actually because russia made it plain that it would not support another no fly and no fly zone of a solution in the security council so this left the government of britain france and the u.s. in particular with you know they had to work out what policy they were going to pursue or still think they would like to intervene in syria. but they realize it's not saying is that nothing is libya is a different situation altogether stakes are much higher the risk is much greater the dangers are much greater because intervention in syria how would you describe or whether you're talking about a buffer zone over the top american military humanitarian chordal as a french foreign minister does it still at the same thing the invasion of another country and syria would resist that iran will get involved actively get involved so it's hard to fallback position i think is to support. certain activities inside syria which are calculated and in the downfall of the assad government and

its replacement by. government will be formed presumably from the exiles from the agitating against they presume would take take over in your book the unmaking of the middle east you chronicle the lawn and lead a history of western invasions in arab lands with all the efforts by the u.n. and arab league beaten row of arab league is the threat of foreign military invasion for syria is in the past right or not yet of course is still a possibility of course as to the possible to put the body rather do because it's so risky for intervention would be so risky however it was done would be to kind of maintain the support for what's happening inside syria on the side of the opposition like their calculation would be that sooner or later this precious if they maintained will result in the collapse of the assad government well as compare syria with the leave the air and iraq to what extent the syrian national council

similar to libya's national transitional council or iraqi national congress rocky national congress was almost a fiction the leader of no support inside iraq whatsoever could live outside iraq for a long long time and he was pumped up because they wanted to create this exiled body called the iraqi national congress so there was an iraqi voice in the propaganda war against saddam hussein the libyan situation the lives of the libyan transitional council as you know basically would affect us from the government tripoli they jump ship when it got too hot and they took a very informing the they went to benghazi and the transitional national council for all of whom we didn't know we knew someone for all of them they said we can't say the syrian national council is largely composed of the mixture of people who have the roots who are inside syria but the dominant i think exiles. has been in

paris for a long time like read one. who's based in washington and has very very close ties with the state department you know what kind of clout what part of holder these people have inside syria i would say not much. you know so there are similarities between these councils and of course you know that the transitional national council on national transitional council in libya. recognize the syrian national council as a legitimate representative the syrian people it's not that simple as that but so it's kind of part of the campaign against syria of which that that that now the lead part is now the libyan government is now part elections at various levels are currently on to go in in syria with more had so what do you think will bashar al assad remain in power as a result and we have a very very dangerous situation in syria which could have exploded into a very very nasty. total breakdown inside the country it could lead to regional war

in this context let's see if this you give me a few months and see how the process works or bashar does have. a base of popular support so i don't think you can say that the party would be doomed the moment they call free elections that could do well why do you think human rights watch talks and foreign media neglects the damage done by militant groups in syria it's somewhat of a mystery to me it's a mystery and the city has made some pretty. provocative claims in with regard to syria one of them is that i think it was military people dressing up as doctors in hospital because any verification of that if it's a claim made on the basis of unknown people right and similar claims have been made by other human rights organizations human rights watch the. u.n. human rights council its committee is all one way it's all about what the government is doing and making very very extreme claims the government's response

to the death of two hundred fifty six children for example. four thousand five thousand of dart there is no desegregation which is what the critical reader would want you know you see these because were they coming from doesn't even know how many people have been killed in syria so far in its report. the human rights council report said four thousand but there was no explanation of that figure where they go. a few days later luvvie pillai who's the un human rights commissioner through security council and said five thousand. and the figure echoes around the world and i think it lodges in the popular imagination is five thousand people being killed by the syrian government by the security forces by an order whatever whereas in fact i don't think it's any doubt at all that a large number of military of civilians have been killed by armed gangs about of

it but by defectors so what we actually need to do is to aggregate these figures like how many people have been killed by the syrian army how many of them were innocent and target innocent how many of them were men who picked up arms. how many civilians have been killed by armed gangs so forth and so on you need to break the whole thing down but these figures are not broken down since we are in turkey let's talk about turkey a little bit turkey definitely wants to be associated with the changes in this region to be seen as a leading play in this movement so may turkey use this momentum to its advantage turkey before the policy for the last seven years of creating zero problems on the borders. and that meant kind of dealing with iran doing with syria and turkey and syria had a rather complicated relationship over many many years. and so these problems were

resolved and they did lead to very good stable balanced relationships with syria and with iran in particular and all of the sudden the policy was reversed instantly like turkey did a sharp right hand turn i think the turkish government seem to think that the syrian government for the protest movement got up and running and i think the calculated the only question of time before the syrian government goes and therefore i think it want to put it want to be riding a wave ok put on the crystal the way the question the wave of reform and change in the middle east and to be seen as a leader of this movement. turkey maybe fifteen but the fact is that. syria as i consulted. this is not libya. if anyone interferes with us like across our borders to cause an earthquake in this region so the stakes for everyone including turkey in this situation a very very high for turkey made this decision that i think that affable go therefore we support the opposition therefore we put we support the syrian national

council of space and istanbul therefore we support free syrian army do you think that was a wrong decision in doing so they have antagonized iran they have antagonized iraq . because now iraq has come out quite strongly in support of syria and of course the living is governed by his ball has also been very very critical of turkey so the change in foreign policy has kind of that dump the zero problem and what they've done that is create problems now if if if our side goes ok then so we're tough but if if if if if he doesn't somehow manage to ride this out. well then i suppose it's going to be paid on someone's face you know and they'll have to be a pullback from a position that you had to clear it actually is not really tenable any longer you've got to deal with this government here like it or not is turkey being sincere in its intentions saying it wants to billet in syria instability in the region it's

aligned us all with with qatar with saudi arabia with united states britain and france that's where it is that's what stands and so the rhetoric about humanitarian intervention a buffer zone humanitarian strip has been a kind of simple thing in discussion about syria over the last six months until he's gone along with that but they know the dangers they do of course they know the dangers that if there was a move across the border if turkey somehow we're talking to taking the lead right it would open up a pandora's box of problems you know and i. you know turkey itself has said you know there's no question of invention but it seems to me this is definitely a big bit of ambivalence over this issue like it's an option that somehow as to where it might be carried out. you.

i am mission free accreditation free transport chargers free. range mims three. free studio type free. download free blog plug in video for your media projects a free media. tom. if something inappropriate for a public they can easily be. casualties of war ok. i wish you would have never happened but if. a t.v. camera becomes an unnecessary what does their own safety all foreign nationals including journalists and inspectors should leave. and it's clear what happens with such witnesses i got on my site. ready.

to. shoot a merciless shooting. when an uncomfortable question leads to a grave accusation the world who is more xeno following. the president who isn't supposed to hide anything. or it's someone asking him why do you make a secret out that when the powers to be suppress the voice of those who think different or when you get experiencing very serious problems often the saakashvili government came to power in two thousand and three but a book that was when the problems began piling up. interviews were now off limits to our journalists they were often be set up and humiliated in public and one of the attempt to protect property puts life in real danger is that we have been

deprived of the only means of earning a living i have gone to the original sit all the papers. at them legalized the ownership rights on the basis of companies freedom becomes just a stage prop. the headlines on r t a storm brews over iran as the west accuses it of provocation amid suspicion is developing nuclear weapons well to iran blames the u.s. and israel for the assassination of a fourth scientist in two years some. violence in syria claims the life of a foreign journalist for the first time since the unrest began as the arab league valves to continue its observer mission despite one monitor already deciding to quit. worldwide protests marco guantanamo bay's tenth anniversary with activists and shimon wright's agencies condemning president obama's broken bow to

shut it down. you don't into your world this force now your territory we're not far off from friday the thirteenth atlanta and already striking for robert cooper here that's right it's barely twelve months have gone by since the poland's first ever formally one driver rory almost lost his life in an accident this year is not looking too good either he's just broken his leg we have more on this developing story in just a second. have you ever said this is sports a pointy head over the next ten minutes or so including the stories in print. capital plus cheska moscow take a massive step towards the cage i'll play offs up the expense of cross-town rivals spartak. first blood liverpool will take a narrow lead into the second leg of their carling cup semifinal with manchester city thanks to steven gerard. let the games begin the in order all winter

olympics get going on friday we have the lowdown on what to expect in austria. on the ice where we started with the continental hockey league it's not too often the heavyweights. spartak struggle to make an into the playoffs but a place in the last sixteen was essentially up for grabs when the sides met on that wednesday constantine to top off watch the action. ok darby between sports talk and to sca what's to become even more important as the teams battled hard for a place which comes with a chance of a playoff in the western conference both sides were under extreme pressure to ask us off for ten defeats in eleven matches among them a repeat of the cage hill record a humiliating loss to or move a nothing well spark tuck struggle to get back on winning form with a new coach behind the bench and they should aim for with no real science for

success the game started cautiously with both teams putting defense first the hosts had possession but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock mean away through the opening period we call it a fork in must first in the rebound after you get the feel of the shot who earned his first point in the sixth game since his second comeback from the n.h.l. in the second test back at collecting penalties and sparta finally converted that in and won the chip having an extra man a grandson of it's his college and various mikheil of yours to get paid for me failing to level matters scoring his fifth of the season the nekton again continued in the last frame right up to the fifty three minute when sergei shaka capitalized on a power play for his fifteenth goal of the season to give them a man billy sparked up threw everything at their rivals for an equaliser the red and whites pulled a goaltender but only in vain as the visitors shot an empty netter to seal

a final score of we won i think forces fundamentals game so good in the forests. and build it. still bit better with my game in the first four into so maybe less panic now and hopefully it's going to get going i think we have a lot of our legends isn't there that i can put into the park and that you know that hurts when you know that many things i want for lunch only the refs going to start calling the other way. you know you're we've. got our moments where we should have a very. calm managed to bounce back up to nothing defeat to be two rivals and ten points separate the teams in the rankings and it seems sparkplug will need a little miracle to secure a live police in the playoffs. but brings us on to football where it's advantaged liverpool in their carling cup semi final clash with manchester city

steven gerard making all the difference thirteen minutes in converting a penalty kick following this challenge and daniel agger by city staff and salvage the referee pointing to the spots with cup and doing the rest all in all a deserved win for the reds with the second leg gone for discussion out on the field on january twenty fifth crystal palace be part of one will and the other first leg semifinal id. but also just the one english premier league game choose the night top of whedon's night i should say tottenham going level on points with second place manchester united following a two no win over mid table everton are lennon. netting either side of the break in the one sided encounter. over in spain valencia are through to the last eight of the cup of the re the spine a second leg home defeat to severe on wed and stay to the second half we go with the visitors break the deadlock twenty minutes after the restart for bert. netting

after finding himself one on one with a plenty a shot stopper though needing just four minutes to level mothers even write tickets first to respond to the broken ball severe would then regain their lead right at the death thanks to an own goal from vick to rule is so two one civvy on the night two two and i get meaning it's palencia advance to the next stage on the way. with a basketball. philadelphia's six game win streak come to an end but new york knicks making their home support help be a modest and square garden the hosts totally in control cheering the first half leading by thirteen points after the first quarter and a dozen at the big break philadelphia though hadn't been six games not out for nothing going into the clash edging closer to the knicks in the third period but their efforts would prove fruitless new york retaining a double digit advantage lead on twenty seven points from carmelo anthony and

twenty from the marri stoudamire the biggest contributions to the knicks fourth win in a row. to the latest from the car rally now responded not only rumor as one stage ten in the cars category in argentina roma coming home just inside four hours following the three hundred fifty one kilometer run. to kick a however overall leader stephan peter hans will cross the finish line just twenty one seconds after him leaving nine time champion peter hopefuls lead after ten days equal to more than nineteen minutes so the african developers were third while in their bikes come respond. bort claimed his first stage victory at the rally his compatriot marc coma was second two minutes ahead of the prey of france who finished today third but did maintain his overall leading position. robert

suffered yet another setback in his return to health to the formula one grid the twenty seven year old breaking his right leg in a fall at his home the same one he badly damaged in her rally crusher early last year cooper who was purged with russian for tally petroff missed the entire twenty eleven season with multiple injuries to the initial accident both drivers are of the team but paul qubits is on ready admitted he wouldn't have been ready for the twenty twelve season in any case as he is yet to recover sufficient mobility in his right hand to drive f one cars boss the final down in the kelly was willing to take a wait and see approach with a talented driver before the latest injury news broke. jr off from over sixty countries will get to find out what it's like to sit at the top table from tomorrow with the normal youth olympic winter games to to get underway in austria even sikorsky casts his eye over the first ever global event. extraordinary talent

getting noticed in the youth ranks is nothing new across the sporting spectrum but now aspiring winter athletes have the chance to call themselves the limbic champions in the fourteen to eighteen year old age category sixty three sets of medals and fifty disciplines are up for grabs in the side of the nine hundred sixty four and the nine hundred seventy six senior winter games russia have sent sixty seven athletes to the inaugural event with the figure skaters facing perhaps the largest amount of podium pressure three time domestic champion. and junior world championships runner up you. have every reason to feel confident the games will be similar in structure and format to the sorts the twenty fourteen olympics making for a perfect rehearsal for the russian duo it's going to be much more than just the condition for me myself and my team might. seem to represent our country at the games it's

a big responsibility and the new exciting experience of the same time will have a great chance to for what it's all about two years ahead of such a two thousand and fourteen what it feels like to even communicate with other athletes under the pressure and hopefully when. we expect some good results from our team at the games hopefully each of them to fulfil their potential despite the pressure which is always there when it comes to. the russian youth hockey team also feeling the pressure facing off against arch rivals canada on that friday the thirteenth starting date the red machine celeb though have had plenty of practice time and the kids still supported m.h.l. youth hockey league these past few months while around one thousand young athletes in total will be vying to take baby steps in the quest to become the next legends of their sport and with the likes of lindsey vonn sidney crosby and benjamin rake basters the opportunity to seize the day and the podium has never been greater.

r t. finally chinese most famous animal has benefited from the country's most popular but ball player retired a time n.b.a. all star yao ming helping release six giant panda bears bred in captivity back into the wild this week the thirty one year old who protected the ring from n.b.a. opponents for almost a decade now offering that same protection to some of his country's most loved inhabitants making retired from the hardwood last july two to repeated foot injuries the two metre twenty nine centimeter told sensation thus turning his attention to helping conserve china's national symbol might be getting very busy very soon as the wildlife center into the host up to forty eight giant panda is over when it's completed as well as up to one hundred raids so. great to see and that is all your sport for now world weather is next here in twenty four hour party .

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storm brews over iran has the west accuse it of provocation amid suspicion is developing nuclear weapons all of this while tehran blames the u.s. and israel for the assassination of a fourth scientist in two years. another scandal erupts in afghanistan centering around a video appearing to show u.s. marines urinating on the corpses of militant fighters sparking an uproar among afghans. and bottoms and syria claims the life of a foreign journalist for the first time since the on the rest began the arab league vows to continue its observer mission there despite what a monitor.