mark you see it has nothing to do about civil liberties it has nothing to do about human rights it has nothing to do with the syrian people it's just that it's leverage to get out there go after hezbollah or to go after iran and that's why you know we have al qaeda in the united states on the same side in syria amazing geopolitics i think just on the sectarianism aspect i think that tends to get played up in the absence of politics i don't think there's any fundamental political divides between a lot of these different kind of sectarian groups and i think ultimately does speak to a certain lack of a certain lack of shared ideas or a sense of really what they're trying to come together and achieve so i mean i think sectarianism can be overplayed a lot i think there's an interesting there's a lot of scaremongering at the moment about the al-qaeda elements in syria and the syrian army. starts both from assad and also kind of from the west as well and they're getting nervous about it as well so i think actually that does tend to be

scaremongering these things probably overplayed keypads i would just tell you if you let me let me stay with you i mean if you're saying that scaremongering this is internationalizing it ok and this again is what we heard assad must go because when you say when the united states says when britain says when france has or somebody has to go they have to go don't think internationalizing it bringing in the al qaeda element. helps make that happen. well yes of course i think that's true and i think we saw with what we saw with the un security council china and russia vetoed the resolution and now it seems like it's going to go to the general assembly again it seems like they're going to try to have combinations of assad's britain and france are talking about working together to find ways of helping the free syrian army they're just trying to boycott the process because it didn't work for them it's the same that you see of a lot of kind of global elites where when they don't get their own way they just

try and find alternative ways to meddle this thing happening for quite a long time in syria remember the arab league which is not hardly made up of great democratic countries themselves we have bahrain which at the moment is cracking down on the hospitals for protests the range of protesters is just completely ignored by the west i mean i feel very sorry for the bahraini people because you know they have suffered some hideous crackdowns over the you know the past year and that is just ignored because it's not in their interest to bring that to the fore i have to say one of the other aspects that you really see here are the kind of external agents kind of brought in like the international atomic energy agency which is for to syria which no one thinks realistically has nuclear weapons but is brought in in a way to get people on the ground and to meddle and put the pressure on and to meddle in a sovereign countries affairs now that's not something america would ever tolerate america would never tolerate another country going in and saying oh well you know

we want to crack down on fire you have the death penalty you know there's no respect for national sovereignty in this region a tool ok i think to that extent. neo colonialism where the west is basically saying these countries are unable to govern their own people we need to come in and teach them how to do democracy ok hurry problem let me go to kurt now it why i tend to agree with you patrick because the more there is these creeping in interventions into into syria when we know that from from lebanon there are arms going in. to syria right now that's been established ok and it's and is this is another mission creep here i mean once this whole process of regime change and that's the ultimate goal right here it's just going to it won't go through the united nations they'll be a coalition of the willing and then western powers and their friends in the church and the chattering league or the arab league as it's officially known will support that. term neo colonialism. you know i will say and i'll pretty pretty directly admit one of the one of the worst parts of course with the united states'

involvement in iraq was. well there are lots of problems that we could talk about of course but one of the most important problems was that it. deal legitimized for the near future the idea of intervening even when it's appropriate. you know i don't even want to use the term regime change because the sort of baggage that carries along but. i don't think because there was those sorts of strategic ideological concerns of the rock that it needs to be necessarily made that that's what the united states and other countries are talking about now i don't think this i don't think talk about intervention in the syrian context needs to be the same sort of conversation i don't think it necessarily is neo colonialism that we're talking about but having said that i think we can use the the iraq context to bring up a really important point here which is of course one of the big problems with that in the very recent history was fairly poor planning in terms of what happens after the fall of the regime one of my big concerns right now with syria as much as i

want to see some kind of involvement i think there's a real obsession with the fall of assad how do we bring down our side how do we make this regime fall how do we do this but there's not a whole lot of conversation about what comes after and peter you mentioned the sectarian question earlier i think this is a real concern for for syrian society whether bashar assad's regime comes down because of intervention or if it comes down at all and it calms down just in terms of the civil war. we do have to be prepared for what's going to come afterward and i don't think the world is discussing that very much what's going to happen when we see it with the very real possibility of sectarian violence erupting between of course the sunni majority the i'm not alone and everybody knows it is a regime change and i don't know if he's going to stay in the. all ok all around me if i go to you know what's what's happening here how is how is syria evolving and

what are the new poor political realities that are possible with safe parent that equally there is a regime change and the ice either externally or internally what kind of syria is going to be left behind will it be very much divided will it be partitioned will you see outside powers and i'm thinking of iran i'm thinking of saudi arabia are they going to scramble for some kind of more influence if this is a real fluid situation. well can i first just work on what. actually said. syria at the beginning of this revolution people were not calling for ranging change they were calling for reform what they got in reply security forces opening fire at civilians detaining them torturing them some to death that's actually what happened is it took about a month and ten days until the the ceiling of the mines were raised to what is now the toppling of the assad regime the assad regime has continued to deny that they

do this these u.n. syrian ambassador to the u.n. claims that they're actually protecting these demonstrations russia itself has called on the syrian regime to refrain from excessive use of force so i mean all parties here agree that the syrian regime is using excessive use of force is killing its own civilians i don't understand why we're talking about. an intervention would then would then effect on syria what that would have after effect that would have if the situation continues the way it continues it's going on now it's going to become much worse and then the likely possibility of an intervention at that stage would be a catastrophe but what we're asking for now is some solution for some sort of protection for the civilians we've seen a failure of that from from the international community we've seen a failure in politics because countries like russia or china are supporting the syrian regime i think russia in particular and we've seen collision of statements between russia and between syria and don't understand why russia continues to support any theory obviously has passed libya it's called libya and respecting

sovereignty how do you want to jump in there go ahead. yes i do you know rami makes a good point that things are really bad right now there is a lot of violence going on and i want to make it clear i don't think concern for what might happen after the regime should necessarily be a reason to say we're going to wash our hands of the whole affair but what i what i do think needs to happen is a realistic assessment saying ok if the regime falls can it be worse than what's going on right now. and how how can the world be involved at this point don't wait until it's too late to see that it doesn't indeed get worse i think there needs to be a really proper realistic assessment done of how to help the situation after the regime and how to be involved and i'm going to tell you here gentlemen we've run out of time in the can we be very nice if the international community would talk to all syrians and see what they want many thanks to my guest today in washington

london and in cairo and thanks to our viewers for watching us here at the scene next time and remember talking. to you. want. to be soo much brighter if you move. from place to crash it. starts on t.v. dot com. please

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. syrian regime under siege from the un is the general assembly adopts a non-binding resolution but moscow votes it down saying opposition violence should be condemned as well. greece's next bailout could be creeping closer despite the ever mounting demands while some euro free countries are proving to be the real winners. and we'll look at why one of the premier putin's harshest critics blogger alexei of all these being showered with praise by the foreign press despite some of his controversial views.

midnight in moscow i met très a good to have you with us here on r t our top story the u.n. general assembly has adopted a non-binding resolution turning up the heat on the assad regime and for calling for president assad to step down russia among twelve states voting against it saying the draft fails to address the armed opposition moscow maintains the conflict should be solved by the syrian people without foreign pressure damascus says the move would only worsen the crisis and encourage armed terror groups activists say the syrian troops are intensively shelling rebel held neighborhoods while the government insists it's fighting an armed insurgency artie's marie if an ocean reports from the syrian capital. damascus one day two funerals the men in both coffins were killed falling victim to the ongoing crisis in syria but at the hands of different sides. shake

a dick thirty seven reportedly received five bullets to his chest and his head has become the first religious leader slain in the capital for process for announcements those who knew him say the mom had tried to stay in the middle of the present crisis but couldn't help condemning the armed and to government forces that he blamed for bloodshed in his country. but i would like to go back a few months ago we had people saying words like freedom and peaceful where is the freedom if they simply kill those against them is this the freedom they wanted. a brutal irony that shaikh said dick himself was gunned down by those whose violence he put himself against. he was killed because he was calling for reform and the end of clashes those who did it only want chaos and no death. we'll this is the message to all islamic leaders the word of truth may cost your life either you try to

defend your country or stop the violence or stop bloodshed you are not safe if you are saying the truth money people pay the price for truth he was one of them in. malta for some a traitor for others an internet page of the opposition news network sharm gives a chilling picture of the hatreds driving the conflict in syria. he was killed and his soul was sent to hell this is what he deserves. people don't have police officers. and he saw it is really a very deep crisis very rare that even you will see me turn to a demonstration or a protest was that's exactly what happened at these funeral procession. those who gathered to pay tribute to. so did you and then to government protest have not only brought flowers and grief but also political slogans and demands.

were afraid for our children and people and brothers and sisters. witnesses say the bullets caught the young boy at the threshold of the mosque and his body fell insight we have in islam. respect chin with for respect with holy mosques and we believe we have to avoid any kind of violence in mosques but unfortunately with this kind of crimes with this guy and both that i see the situation there is no hole in this for any god with fallen schools and even more violence syria seems to find itself in a vicious circle with little hope of finding their way out. very notion r.t. damascus syria. for more on the situation in syria i'm joined by camillo trucks here that are of syria comment online magazine joining us from montreal so a top u.s. intelligence official has admitted that al-qaeda is working alongside some factions

of syria's armed opposition this video that we're looking at here purports to show that a terrorist group active in syria with al-qaeda links so as the u.s. is considering extending support to the rebels do you think this could mean that washington and al-qaeda are kind of strange bedfellows here fighting themselves on the same side of this equation. we have done it before in in afghanistan. the problem is that both sides think that they are using the other side and that they can manage to handle them for example the islamists and apply that they think we can we can have an alliance with the americans or with any stick was the sources but we will be in power and the americans think that they can use the al qaeda i think are only if they have to do gets through the if the is going to regime and they will somehow manage to get through to them so yes they are working together

unfortunately it but if you know. now the cia also claims though the u.s. is calling for assad to step down however his fall could lead to a power vacuum that al qaeda or other extremist groups could exploit but isn't the regime change what nato states want in syria. which is a i mean like could they are they are they expecting al-qaeda to fill this gap or are they saying that like you had just said that you know they'd it would be a tool for which they could achieve the downfall of the of the regime and a third party more amenable to the global system would be able to step up and bring in a new government. we have to understand how this isn't making a space in washington d.c. and some people really don't care what would happen in a city after for example there are factions who just want to do punish the city under a shame for i've heard that from someone in washington d.c.

they want to punish the state energy in florida they were held in eighty two i think when when hezbollah attacked u.s. troops in lebanon so some really still remember a lot of rounds they think or others would still want they just want the other was to mistake they think that it would be elections and studio a secular enough so it probably wouldn't or they slam this will not win so they just want to be hopeful for now all they want to focus on is not to get rid of the regime and they think they can manage some home now with calls from nato states to supply syria's rebels with weapons where do you think an army opposition policy could lead. to it isn't so really because there is. i mean. the syrian army is so much larger than that again army is not something that they can handle through arming the opposition this is just a stepping stone towards more serious steps that they would take. which means

military intervention through turkey probably because the opposition would just lead to mortar along that city violence that the syrian army it would have to deal with with increasing violence so it cannot lead to anything. constructive and finally the state support france's call for creating humanitarian corridors in syria is that a step closer to though toward military intervention. again all of us have to guess if they're bluffing or if they're serious many are hoping that they are bluffing that this is just another step in the typical i don't you know felt like more pressure on the sudan regime they've been doing that for forty years they have so many instruments to do it. but this is starting to sound very serious there's no going back if they if you again he's got to have to do that any in turkey they have so much opposition. to any midstream void within syria the

opposition parties are very serious in the people opposing it and the us will probably stand the studio if it gets to that level of mature confrontation i'm still hoping that not serious about it that it's on the oppression of tactics right camillo truck a editor of syria comment online magazine thanks for your insight thank you. well international pressure on syria grows it's over for libya as the country marks a year since the revolt against the gadhafi regime the celebrations are tainted by ongoing gunfire on the streets and claims of torture. but first greece is edging closer towards its second bailout as the german chancellor said to be optimistic that a deal could be reached next week the leaders of italy and greece held a conference call ahead of monday's eurozone summit greek officials have already signed off on creditors earlier conditions including major budget and job cuts the move saw violent protests on the streets of athens the eurozone leaders demand

greater supervision of athens finances doubting the drastic measures can be put into place if greece doesn't get one hundred thirty billion euro rescue package it'll go bust in march when its next debt payments are due looking at greece's downward spiral some e.u. countries say they're glad they've decided to stay away from the euro parties tom barton reports. the days nearly fifty three year old team leader jimmy collison lorries keep rolling off the production lines here its county is main woods but one dose swedes know there's a crisis on them for you know we don't know if it's so much about hard up in profit making cars in fact scam you was hit by the eurozone crisis when economic trouble loomed many lower yield as what comes and the black headlines came in we have a crisis in the euro the you with maybe going down and so on and then our customers get their head but the lorry make-a like sweden of rule recovered fast from the

initial downturn and has so far managed to dogs much of the pain felt for the south in two thousand and three swedes shocked other reuse members by voting against joining the euro it was just one factor which now sees the country with one of the world's lowest governor. debts and one of the healthiest looking economies in europe we have most pathetically changed our problems with the fiscal side so we don't have all those debt problems and budgetary problems that many other countries have but big debates lie ahead the rest of the u.s. still by far sweden's largest trading partner and here as elsewhere everyone is watching the embattled euro as a guide to their vote in a possible future referendum some put it simply mike economist rolf england who campaigned against the euro back in two thousand and three i think the euro will

collapse before sweden where you are in the whereas around eighty percent of swedes say they're glad they're not in the euro the figure is reversed for their politicians mostly europhiles argue this crisis isn't the euro's fault it's about debt if you compare sweden which has been outside the euro for just over ten years and fiddler which has been a member of the euro for the same period we have warm identical economic developments both politicians and people here seem to think that there will be another referendum on joining the euro sooner or later but what their choice will be assuming there's still a euro left choose is anyone's guess this is a swedish kronor coin it's become a symbol of that momentous no vote of swedish prosperity versus the chaos of the euro but sweden can't ignore that its economic and political fate is tied

inextricably to europe and as for predicting the future of the krona well political in tom barton r.t. . as russia's presidential election draws closer the media hype around it grows louder opposition blogger alexei in a volley a harsh critic of lattimer putin has emerged as one of the darlings of the foreign press that all he is praised for is anti-corruption campaigning but it's his radical views and nationalist comments that sometimes get glossed over as art he's a nice in our way reports. he's the anti corruption crusader making waves in and outside of russia for his push for transparency and exposing multi-billion dollar holes in state projects to a political phenomenon blow good opposition dolling alexei devalued the often gets glossy coverage and is rarely asked tough questions by international media whether comparing the vile need to julian a son's or calling him one of the most influential new political figures he's

hardly challenge to prominently praised and very present they used a small print production that is the very basis of the political system which would involve go he's not a scoring when speaking at rallies which has been at their biggest numbers in decades because it's got to tell. him. you know these are good guys notice they're going to put in zero eight zero zero scam really don't because it's just a number of news popularity in major cities and on the web soars in comparison with the rest of russia is good when you heard the foreign media coverage won't make him any more popular they keep writing about move on the but his recognition race in russia is only some three percent many russians who do know now of our need do for his sometimes shocking nationalism. what if it was the words that dressed up as a dentist here he compares migrant workers to rotten teeth that need pulling out.

the name with little to do but i see and hear non russian intruders to come. is smiling you'll need more than a sliver to kill them. with i'm still going to commit to spending inside russia you find much more criticism of the blogger and his questionable connections to radicalism than abroad where it's usually buried barely mentioned or brushed off as a larger russian problem we tried calling contacting and finally caught up with not vide me but to no avail i didn't see it but i know that it was for that as the reason it was not with. the preston that's at the bottom of the bodies and i want to know it's not my fault i know that's it will be seconds later he did find time to tell russia's rian news agency he's ignored by much of the russian

press because that's what it would be with me because i was going to propose that it was mostly due to the system and what he was up over the seemingly more ready to speak ironically to non russian channels about the country's corruption problems and criticised and put forward a real solution other than how to make sure russia is for russians and he said now r t moscow get updates around the clock and everything work covering it r t dot com here's what else is a click away right now. the f.b.i. agent will have high level documents detailing president obama's movements in a french restaurant but the top secret files had on our website. at electric shock weapon used to incapacitate criminals has killed hundreds of people over the last ten years in the u.s. alone find out more about the controversial use of tasers at r t dot com. it's been a year since the uprisings that brought down the regime of moammar gadhafi in libya

but with some former rebels armed to the teeth and still largely in power the country's future is in the balance human rights groups say libyan militias are out of control in the interim government is. are unable or unwilling to control to rein them in there's also evidence of the torture and abuse of khadafi supporters amnesty international warns the armed groups pose a serious threat to democracy in libya pharaoh's manji editor in chief of the pan african social justice network tells r t the situation is worse than it was during kentucky's reign. ever since the day to wean vision of libya that has being. gross human rights violations is not just torture there is. indiscriminate killings there are extra judicial killings there's summary execution leave them coto gadhafi. members and it's found to have been some really executed nobody has been cool too.