today in our t.v. locked and loaded with rhetoric u.s. arms sales tripled in two thousand and eleven as well as congress' contempt for both china and iran are these fears justified or are we jumping the gun. and president bush promised that no child would be left behind when it comes to education but president obama is creating thousands of orphans with his hard line stance on deportation and had a look at the effect this crackdown is having on the children of illegal immigrants . and a storm named isaac might be able to delay the g.o.p. but it certainly can't stop the pala its ron paul supporters are battling the elements and they aren't super their shot in the spotlight will tell you about the shadow convention and the wrong halls swansong.

it's monday august twenty seventh eight pm here in washington d.c. i'm liz wahl and you're watching our t.v. we begin this monday taking a look at the top global players in arms sales when it comes to selling weapons the united states takes a strong lead recent reports reveal that arms sales by the u.s. tripled to in two thousand and eleven to a record high of over sixty six billion dollars and no other country comes close as you can see the u.s. accounts for seventy nine percent of weapons sales russia comes in at a distant second at six percent china lags even further out three percent so who is america selling to turns out the top customers are in the persian gulf saudi arabia as the top recipient india comes in second united arab emirates third in israel comes in fourth so what are the implications of this to talk more about this i was

joined by retired lieutenant colonel anthony shaffer from the center for advanced defense studies we first discussed how the dramatic ways first discuss this dramatic jump and u.s. sales. well obviously we're in the first world and i hate to say that we have a huge military industrial complex which requires all sorts of parent beating but that's part of the deal frankly as we start to look at managed military operations in iraq and afghanistan the brutal truth is this we have an industry which is looking for new markets there's a hint and i think that's one of the things that you're seeing now is that these individuals these groups large corporations which really are trying to grow by seventy seven percent per year is looking for new markets and i think they're finding new markets and a lot of the areas you just mentioned saying this is all about business. and let's be doubly honest here a lot of europe called or russia to also begin expanding its own arms market back

into the lot so this is not just the united states this is a large large global market that the for. frankly the russians and chinese both look as well so i think it's a very right area of competition but they have a mother very far behind at this point the u.s. now. kind of owning it with seventy five or seventy five percent when it comes to the sale of lap and so they have a long way to go before they can come even close to touching the last oh absolutely i mean we're talking about the u.s. ten times larger in its exporting of weapons right now than the russians with that said no one believes for a minute that expanding these markets is going to help make things more peaceful obviously the more the greater influx of these weapons into any country especially some of those in the middle east which are greatly unstable i think we'll both go

very far to continue to see further just the stabilization of the middle east as we go and want to talk about who exactly were selling these weapons carol the top recipient was that saudi arabia i think it was a significant. that with saudi arabia being a u.s. ally in the persian gulf the theory has been is that we maintain good relations with all of these specially saudi arabia as we saw during the gulf war ninety one the idea is they will maintain stability of their own oil fields exports the whole region the persian gulf is one of the largest producers. of information relating to everything that's going on worldwide so you know right now everything that we're doing has to do with all the issues relating to what we need to do or the world on energy and. also beyond that the united arab emirates i mean beyond excuse me and beyond saudi arabia we have the united arab

emirates and oh man there are also a top part at the park as there is also in this region what is the significance of this and terms of iran these countries being in close proximity to iran i think that's one of the key issues as you look at the geopolitical chess match going on right now the iranians are really being isolated more and more i don't believe that i believe most of the actual sanctions have not worked whatsoever and in many ways as we noticed over the weekend where the nonaligned nations actually actually meeting there into hiran i think it's only added to the whole as i mentioned before a situation where i think more and more we had fuel the more potential we have to start a fire that all these weapons being would produce and sixty six billion dollars that's how much that's how much was raked in by selling weapons and it looks kind of weapons are we talking with actually we're talking about everything from f.

sixteen fighters down to basic fire or we're talking about him sitting for whatever the current flavors the full spectrum of and the theory is obviously by arming and helping our allies these out. lifeson would be able to do especially if all across the border during the cold war we had enough you know basically two areas soviet and united states irvine lined up behind them a few nonaligned nations or if we're out outliers now it's not quite so black and white and i think obviously the more that we can arm these folks least that's the theory the got the thinking is what was our pentagon is that these folks would be available to actually support us and maintaining the lines of communication lines of commerce relating to the first gulf so we're saying this strategy and a way to isolate iran and away i mean is this kind of gearing up to go to war with the country well that war is inevitable i believe that the right of high level

of all the the language being used israelis with their right. let's remember that a lot of war so start over people having the idea that they can gain ground by being using military force i think it right now unless something dramatic changes in a few more within the next eighteen months if not sooner so i think that's why you see this large export of our weapons to ally what we believe to be countries such as you a such as saudi arabia but with their radically being there and willing to use their weapons that we sold them in supporting military operations to secure or ever the objectives are that point and so now we are seeing we're seeing these sanctions these ramped up sanctions against iran and now we are seeing weapons being sold to neighboring allies if any how can we expect iran to react to all of that well badly i think that what you're seeing right now is that the

government of iran feels put off they do feel that they are being isolated i think they've been very. crafty and getting around sanctions right of the russians assistant or. the iranians in a number of aspects to your program. giving exporting weapons to the iranians so in many ways you're see at this and least unless this power comes when the iranians in the west the russians are still kind of siding with the reins so i think what we can see over the next six months is a continuation of a lot of rhetoric from both sides but the moment something bad happens. is one tank or discretion or you could see a long conflict within hours and that conflict would see a lot of people lost very quickly and frankly could walk into a larger conflict with the middle east certainly all sounds scary i think the last thing most american people want right now is another war you mentioned before that this is all about business but what is the foreign policy goal all the united

states and all of that. good question right now there is no global strategy for united states which is then something generals as far and wide i've talked to are concerned about the array of the stated policy of isolating the iranians as the primary focus on but beyond that we really don't have this we don't know what we're going to do with the arena and green party price to resurrect itself and part of the current government we don't know what's going to happen in syria so without a clear cohesive strategy other than trying to isolate the iranians this point and supporting their right the israelis there's really no clear path meanwhile as you describe this as a business who is profiting. well any company you can think of within the current structure of our production assistant following walking martin general dynamics a lot of arms manufacturers this is again big business and something that they have

been producing a lot of weapon systems for the u.s. military over the past ten years that market is diminishing risk even more diminishing seaquest ration or whatever comes out of that over the next year so they're looking grim on the market so they will continue to do what they can plunge in markets right affan a very interesting thank you so much for coming on the show appreciate it that was retired lieutenant colonel anthony shaffer from the center for advanta defense studies thank you those. well they're america's children left behind as immigration remains a divisive issue in the u.s. the number of deportation cases hits a record high and as a result parents that are deported are forced to leave behind their children many of these kids grew up in the united states many of them born here so u.s. citizens according to the immigration and customs enforcement forty five thousand such parents were removed from the u.s. in the first half of this year meanwhile the president has vowed to only deport criminals and not separate families but in many cases that is exactly what's

happening to discuss i'm joined by axel couple errol founder of kwanzaa mag axel welcome so what happens to children many of them born here when their parents are deported well first of all thank you for having me on one of the main and very very hard breaking situations that's happening right now is that children of those that are the border are left to their own devices pretty much leaving that and foster care some of them are even put into adoption because they considered the parent that as having broken the law and therefore committing or abandoning the child committee and there's a new child and the child giving to social services and then the input for adoption and separating the family and then the porting the parents this is a very very crucial and very heartbreaking situation right now and something that must be addressed. as an urgent matter of urgency and what happens i mean because

these children are american citizens so this is this is their country and their parents are being shipped off and here they are at a young age forced to fend for themselves in a way they no longer have the parental guidance i mean what does that do to you know the future of america's children and that that that you know what does that kind of create this vicious cycle. correct and a lot of the reports and what's behind the numbers what's behind the use of statistics which now we're seeing about five thousand and fifty two hundred children who are left to fend for themselves what we're seeing is really. traumatic scars that are left behind a lot of the children experience the harshness of seeing a parent being taken away with two years a lot of them you know a future that is no longer theirs that is completely out of what they know they've grown up here with their families they are american many of them being born here

and all they know now is a broken family they have no parents and they're put into it a completely different and and really foreign situation and that could have real real harmful repercussions down the line because you we are essentially destroying that family structure that was in place for these children now the obama administration set a new record on deportation in two thousand and eleven nearly four hundred thousand on documented immigrants removed by immigration and customs enforcement and this is the same president that promise to only remove criminals so what do you think do you think he failed to fulfill that promise. well i think what is happening right now is that and in order to pander to a lot of the empire and gratian rhetoric that is happening cause a country that is that it has taken over our debate over the past few years some decisions had to be made as far as what the policy would be would disagree with

many of the direction that that have taken but what we're seeing at least in the last couple of months with a lot of pressure and a lot of real real struggle that a lot of the immigration groups a latino groups have pushed for as we're seeing the slowly a more sensible outlook to what what have happened so far and particularly in this case with separated families we're seeing that slowly they're backtracking and seeing more of the complexity of the issue and what really is it's and for example you know with children really addressing what what are the elements of case by case basis but we're far far far away from a sensible policy and that this is why we need to push forward particular and sensible policy in immigration legit legislation that will really address this in the next legislature meanwhile what we are hearing mostly from republicans and advocating this hard line no mercy approach to immigration we're seeing policy

proposals things like ending in-state illegal in-state tuition for illegal immigrants calling for the federal government to literally build a fence along the border of the u.s. and mexico and selling this even refined system to make sure that no illegal immigrants are hired how do you feel about some of these measures that are being proposed. well this is what's crazy about that is that them both sides of the equation right now are hearing a lot of rhetoric and banter doesn't apply to sensible solutions that is the main problem we know we have an issue of and and we can address it in the appropriate manner i mean we're seeing in the g.o.p. it just recently adopted stances right before the conventions that are put forth by chris go back to rhodes and seventy and who is tied to groups like fair federation american for immigration reform which has ties to

a native those individuals and policies and you can check a video right now that we have on our facebook page on friends i mean that exactly pinpoint who is behind that and this is all it's crazy but the rhetoric has increased to the point where we're talking about building higher fences we're talking about. adding a roan's to patrol the border when in reality which we should be looking at is what is driving immigration and particularly what can we do to really implement sensible policies to make the line shorter for those who want to come and particularly for those who are here to really provide that has a way to integrate into society instead of breaking families apart instead of talking crazy talk about lot lecture five fences that some foreign and instead of pandering to groups extreme right groups that have syria or motives that are not aligned with most americans feel immigration policy would be. ok i want to bring up one thing but the other argument as what critics say about this they say that these

parents that they're the ones to blame because they're the ones that brought the that came to the country e legally in the first place and put their family and this position what do you say to that argument. well it's again it we're looking only at the numbers and the statistics and the assertion that this is a crazy decision by parents parents are forced to come over today that we don't understand is a lot of would have been created in latin america particularly in mexico and south of the border with a lot of the violence going on violence fueled by a lot of drug policy that we have towards the country it's forcing families who are not putting their children in danger but rather who are looking for the children to have a better life for their future children to have a better life they're looking for the best in their children and when. we criminalize that we're essentially saying that our nation has been legally closed

to this idea that we are build by immigrants and that we're vilifying and criminalizing those that are making an enriching this country very interesting and a sad situation that many children are finding themselves and thank you so much for coming on the show the picture that i was axel a couple aero founder of the cleansing may thank you. well they're public a national convention was scheduled to kick off in full force today in tampa florida and said they were chairman of the republican party pounded down the gavel to begin the r. and c. and then quickly recessed until tomorrow afternoon that's of course due to the fact the the threat of tropical storm isaac but bad weather did not keep thousands of loyal ron paul supporters away from tampa where two events were taking place a three day paul festival and a rally ron paul sponsored himself it was made possible with the leftover cash we had from his presidential run our to correspondent christine for them now is in tampa and gives us a look at both of them. a

typical political gathering it is not. just a few miles from where the two thousand and twelve republican national convention is about to kick off there are no coats and ties to speak of i am wearing a skirt with the constitution that i had made this is a bronco shirt and on the back of it it's the constitution the complete constitution this is ron paul he's the political honey badger the freedom loving political honey badger is often treated more like a rock star. the seventy seven year old doctor and congressman from texas has now run for president three times each time gaining more popularity this election is very important but let me tell you there's something even more important than all of them in that is the cause that we're

leading in the cause of liberty the initiation that we're getting right now. that attention coming once in a while from the mainstream media that has largely ignored him but more so for more and more followers who have made his cause their own liberty freedom less government smaller government more rights to do what we want to do rights the keeper money that we worked hard for and earn these loyal disciples come from around the country and around the world was up at four or five of the lauding what to do the bit snowy. clothes and you know you have to see the venues is like it was a small type on the other side of the city at the florida state fairgrounds the poll festival has been going on for three days now as you can see at a little less well attended than ron paul's own rally but here we have yet another part of the ron paul machine and yet another venue for those people refuse. going

to give up on their candidate well back in may at the primaries in ohio i voted ron paul you know i tried my darkest pretty much here to stick it to the r. and c. and show that you know. paul would have won if it was a fair election. back at the rally a call to action i have been taught and i have been convinced that patriotism is that cold that permits us in a free society to criticize our own government when they're wrong. and a promise that this revolution is just getting started was in tampa florida christine for sound on t.v. . discussing where i was joined by artsy producer manny robb allow and i asked him at this convention was the end of a chapter to the ron paul revolution take a listen. you know i think that remains to be see. definitely ron paul had

a very big impact in the following i think this years while he was running this year was was was huge compared to previous sums that he's that is run for president but is this is last year i think it's far from it i think that the movement that he's established transcends that and that we're i think we definitely have a lot to see from the libertarian movement whether or not it's from ron paul it's definitely from from the movement that he started an interesting thing paul told the crowd at this event that he declined a spot at their republican national convention he said thanks but no thanks he had sad. how this convention kind of like a convention of his own and paul of course has proven to be a stark contrast with mitt romney really separating himself from the republican establishment so i mean what is the significance of that what do you think this says i mean i think all this is that ron paul stays true to himself and is true and consistent with the things that he preaches about and you want to call it preaching

but ron paul is is the one candidate i think you could say that really distinguish himself from the other candidates this time around and for him to have a whole other convention is just you know a sign of his consistency in that arena say there are things that i don't agree with with my own party with the republican party and i have i have a set of principles that i bought by in that the people that support me by by and i want to make sure that that platform that there is a is a platform for me to convey those principles and that's exactly what he was doing with his with his separate convention that he was holding and i remember back during the republican. debates there are a lot of those debates said that one of the moderators had asked each of the candidates to describe use of one word to describe themselves ron paul used the word consistent and i think he does stay true to that to that attribute want to talk about a couple of specific things he focused on at this. his proposal to audit the fat

you know he always had that monitor and the fad he is gaining leverage in terms of auditing the fad now there is this pro proposal to audit the pentagon. talk about this i think this is great that you bring this up because ron paul there is one thing that he's definitely known for and if you were following the occupy protests that's that's that's one thing that a lot of people within the movement were always calling for audit the fed audit the fed and this is something that ron paul has been standing behind for a very long time. unfortunately he doesn't have that kind of support from the rest of congress but with new legislation that we're likely to be seeing regarding auditing the fed we might actually see some headway being made in that regard now not only audit the fed you also bring up the audit the pentagon now even though ron paul is not going to be speaking at the r. and c. his son rand paul will be speaking and that initiative that he's taking to bring up the subject of audit the pentagon is is kind of central to the speech that he's going to be giving at the r. and c.

so it's going to be interesting to see what rand paul has to say and whether or not it's going to be a perpetuation of rand paul's movement through his son rand even though it kind of hasn't appeared that way but it will be interesting to see whether or not the case and you know ron paul he really pushed this issue of auditing that the fad other thing small government has antiwar stance you know not interventionist mass a edge and with this kind of being the culmination of ron paul's campaign matter how do you think that all of these issues that he has really pushed and brought to the forefront how they will continue to be pushed and how they will continue to play a role within the republican establishment i think that it's very difficult to answer that question because we live in a country that is dominated by a two party system republicans and democrats you there hasn't been a case where you can say that there's really been an effective third party say the green libertarian party or. movement or even members of the tea party haven't had

maybe with paul ryan is their first kind of. swing at the white house but it's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out now you bring up the noninterventionist approach that ron ron paul brings to the table well the reason that i see that this is going to be tricky for the libertarian movement in the future right now there's absolutely no dialogue in place about the war in afghanistan from either pull from either the republicans or the democrats the one candidate that has been vocal about a noninterventionist approach to foreign policy and getting our troops out of afghanistan has been ron paul so the legacy that i think we're going to see come out of ron paul's constantly running for president every other year is that is that there is a movement out there that is growing that is that has a noninterventionist approach to foreign policy and above all other things i think that's going to be ron paul's legacy going out of this thing now we see it we just saw christine starry there you know the normal ron paul crowd has very energized

a lot of them very young followers and supporters do you think that this kind of signifies the rise of the libertarian movement absolutely enver and we've even had instances where we see super pacs coming out by by young voters by young americans that are saying you know there needs to be another party there needs to be a real debate in this country that's not just coming from the establishment two party system and i think it's young people that are starting that movement and i think that it's young people that it will eventually lead the way into a seeing a new party in this country do you think young people these days are just sick of this two party system and want an alternative i think young people are upset and frustrated because they keep hearing the rhetoric from washington saying from the obama campaign saying hope and change and how much did we actually see in the four years of obama and then you have a nominee. like mitt romney who is really not that dissimilar to president obama

in. as far as their ideologies are really not dissimilar you can be especially if you compare the united states to other countries of the world that really do have fascist socialist. right wing left wing parties that are very very easy to distinguish ideologically you don't really have that here in the united states so yes i think people are very frustrated and they're the ones that are going to be leading leading a new movement to to really change the rhetoric not only in washington but politicians across the country i think it's interesting i think that's why ron paul on both ends of the spectrum have or you know republicans and democrats have called ron paul's i. they've been described as radical so he's managed to upset people on both sides of the political spectrum which kind of proves the point that he certainly has his own views and separate himself from the establishment he's consistent but at all and says he's actually whether or not i stand or you that he's radical he is

a consistent person those are pretty the ceremony that's going to do it for this hour but for more on the stars because it head on over to argue to channel you to dot com slash r t america or you can check out our web site r t dot com slash usa follow me on twitter at last while back here at ten pm. we just put a picture of me when i was like nine years old on what you call the truth. a confession i am a total get a friend that i love. and. i think it's kind of the cancer. i'm very aware of the world with its place.