i'm. going to be. coming up on r t it's a new year but twenty thirteen will go down as a very bad year for violence in iraq a look at what's happening inside the country after u.s. troops left and we'll look at which country is thought of as the greatest threat to world peace. plus n.s.a. leaks and possible military strikes in syria in two thousand and thirteen were just some of the topics that the obama administration stumbled through our tea takes a look back at the year that was in the beleaguered white house. and raising the minimum wage the measure was approved last year by several states but only two days into this new year one former congressman says raising it actually hurts more than it helps the lower class is that really the case to find out later today show.

it's thursday january second it's four pm in washington d.c. i'm sam sax and you're watching r.t. and we begin in iraq which is just coming off its deadliest year since two thousand it according to the united nations mission to baghdad seven thousand eight hundred eighteen civilians were killed in sectarian violence this year alone in iraq at an iraqi security forces deaths in that toll rises to more than eighty eight hundred although the war in that country officially ended in two thousand and eleven the violence continues and pieces hard to find iraq is that lasting legacy of u.s. intervention in the middle east which might explain the results of a new global poll conducted in over sixty five countries around the world at the end of two thousand and thirteen done by the worldwide independent network in.

gallup the poll asked people which country do you think is the greatest threat to peace in the world today and far and away the not so distinguish honor's went to the united states with twenty four percent saying america as the greatest threat to peace other nuclear armed nations rounded out the top three with pakistan and second at eight percent and china in third at six percent and some of the strongest anti us sentiments came from russia and china where roughly fifty percent of respondents in each country pointed to the u.s. as the greatest threat to peace even residents in allied nations like mexico brazil spain and germany as well as residents in islamic nations like algeria and indonesia all picked the u.s. as the top threat to peace other nations like lebanon iraq in tunisia picked israel as the greatest threat to peace meanwhile those living in poland in georgia found russia to be the biggest threat to peace now despite the overwhelmingly negative attitudes the world has toward u.s.

policies that threaten peace the poll also asked the global community which country they would prefer to live in and the united states top that list as well by nine points so there's that consolation for americans but what should we take away from these numbers as iraq continues its descent into violence is it time for the united states to rethink its role as the world's policeman so joining me now to help answer that question joined by retired brigadier general david rieff sed he's vice president the potomac institute for policy studies strategy and planning division. brigadier general raised thanks for joining me let's let's start with iraq a brutal two thousand and thirteen do you believe that this violence is a consequence of the u.s. invasion of iraq in two thousand and three in the occupation that followed years after. sam i don't think it's a there's a direct correlation between our occupation and what's happening today i believe more than anything else it's the way the situation in iraq was left and then the

power brokers inside iraq settling disputes or grasping for those elements which will give them control in the future within that country which is a very rich country relative towards natural resources and i think that's what a lot of the fights about at this point in time when you say how we left i remember in the two thousand election mccain john mccain caught a lot of flak because he said you know i'd stay there fifty years one hundred years as long as as long as it takes are you saying that the u.s. left iraq too soon. i don't think we left too soon because obviously the way our nation conducts wars and engaged is based on the political will in our countries just wasn't behind it at that point in time but i believe from at least how i gauged in anbar province and i was there for a body year and a half through the middle of two thousands. i believe we could have set them up for a little bit better of economic success which would have ensured a lot more of the security that was there was needed at that time and by not study

not those economic deals and those structures you can put all the policemen or all the military you want the world when that oversight of that thumb when the parents aren't there anymore be an iraqi forces or u.s. forces things are going to happen and unfortunately when people squabble for that for those financial assets it's going to get brutal what happens now you know what's to be done in that country we can't leave you the u.s. population isn't willing to put more to send more troops back to iraq at this point obviously the president and congress are going to be on board with that so does the u.s. have any sort of role in creating peace in that country at this point. that's a great question sam and if i have the answer to that one i wouldn't be sitting here but i would offer i think we continue to need to stress those things that the united states stands for those things which are right and that will manifest itself

across time when you gave your intro you spoke about that a lot of people don't like the united states but they'd still like to live here and you mentioned that that was a consolation almost like a consolation prize you might view it like that but the people of the world i still think i still believe and a lot of people still still think this that the united states is that country that's the beacon we need to continue to act like a beacon don't waver from those those policies those issues and eventually things will work out but but consistency in foreign policy and things like that they take time and effort and unfortunately innocent people are being caught in the middle right now in a very tumultuous middle east with the arab spring and all that comes with that well on that poll you just mentioned you brought up that disconnect of the u.s. being far away though the leader in this poll is as the greatest threat to violence and yet a plurality of people around the world still want to live there how do you explain

that disconnect it doesn't suggest that that the world still wants the united states there they just want the united states to live up to the ideals that the united states says it is trying to live up to rather than exporting violence across the world yes and i think you just hit the nail on the head unfortunately in a couple of the countries that you mentioned that have the highest anti u.s. opinion there's a lack of a freedom of press which is one of the things when people look at the united states they very much strive for that dichotomy in those two views speaks exactly. one of the one of the troubling things no one who is can who is doing anything bad likes the police around and i shy away from that term police. action because i don't think the united states is trying to be the world's policeman but that's how the perception is changing altering that perception where we where we manifest our good qualities with them without being too heavy handed there is an art to that

there's not a science engaging with every country's going to be a little bit different and we have to be exceptionally careful in the way our government and gauges throughout the globe or we will run into opinion polls that that you cited and those who don't have the freedom of the press won't get the good side of what the united states offers or is trying to do and retired u.s. marine brigadier general david released he's also the vice president strategy and planning at the potomac institute for policy studies thank you you're welcome sam as we transition into the new year there's at least one person who is grateful for the end of two thousand and thirteen artie's marriage david looks at president obama's trouble there and some of the stumbling blocks he faced. in the last few days billions of people around the world have been raising their glasses and saying tears to the start of two thousand and fourteen but perhaps no one is excited to kiss two thousand and thirteen goodbye more than president barack obama in fact it's something he addressed in his end of the year press conference after being

asked if he thought it was the worst year of his presidency i have now been in office five years close to five years. was running for president for two years before that and for those of you who've covered me during that time we have had ups and we have that had downs and. if i look at this past year there are areas where there are obviously been some frustrations where i wished congress had moved more aggressively bill while the president is frustrated with congress many americans are equally frustrated with obama over his policies last year let's take a quick look at the issues that will define president obama twenty thirteen year in office starting within a tory s.m.'s say in june of two thousand and thirteen former government contractor edward snowden blew the lid off of the national security agency's secret surveillance program and the revelations show the n.s.a.'s reach had extended to major companies world leaders and american citizens and his first public comments

about the leaks this is what obama had to say by sifting through this so-called mehta data they may identify potential leads with respect to folks who might engage in terrorist. this does not apply to u.s. citizens and it does not apply to people living in the united states the president's defense of these programs even as they've come under fire in the court system and within the white house's own review panel have alienated privacy and civil liberties advocates so let's move on to the syrian disaster for the past two years the crisis in syria has worsened but most americans could agree on one thing that a u.s. led war in syria would not be the answer and fact according to a reuters it's this poll from august of two thousand and thirteen only nine percent of respondents were in favor of intervening militarily in the country but despite

the overwhelming public opinion president obama remains steadfast in his september speech to americans that it's harder to strike be the next course of action ultimately a diplomatic solution was announced however some analysts have said that obama's drumming up of support for military intervention chipped away big at his liberal base and that takes us to what was supposed to be president obama's most significant legislative accomplishment health care now although the health care dot gov website was nearly impossible to use when it launched what was perhaps more detrimental as the president backtracking on one of his most prominent claims no matter what you've heard if you like your doctor or health care plan you can keep it if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor if you like your private health insurance plan you can keep your plans for years president obama had been promising millions of americans that they could keep their health insurance if they wanted to

but as we finally learned in two thousand and thirteen that's not exactly the case for president obama forgot to mention is that only grandfathered health plans would be able to meet all of the law's new coverage requirements he's made some temporary reparations to fix the bugs but health care remains a thorn in his side and. now these are just three of the many lows obama saw last year which help explain why the president ended his fifth year in office with the worst public approval ratings of his presidency if you just take a look at this poll sir aggregate you'll see his approval dropped from about fifty three percent in january last year to forty two percent in december and those are the numbers that close out obama's twenty thirteen so even though twenty fourteen signifies a new year it may not necessarily signify a clean slate for the oval office and washington and david r t. two major newspapers around the world began the new year by taking

a stand for edward snowden first the guardian's editorial board on wednesday made a case for a pardon of edward snowden arguing mr snowden through journalists in the absence of meaningful reliable democratic oversight had given people enough knowledge about the nature of modern intelligence gathering to allow an informed debate on the other side of the atlantic on the same day the new york times also praised snowden calling him a whistleblower and saying when someone reveals that government officials have routinely and deliberately broken the law that person should not face life in prison at the hands of the same government president obama should tell his aides to begin finding a way to end mr snowden's vilification and give him an incentive to return home. in york times went on to bullet point several of the n.s.a. violations as revealed by snowden including the hacking of data links that google and yahoo the efforts to undermine encryption and proof that the director of national intelligence james clapper lied to congress last march march when he said

the n.s.a. was not collecting data on americans. moving on to first and fourth amendment rights need not apply on the united states borders just before new year's a federal judge in new york ruled that the government's controversial searches of individuals laptops cell phones and other devices at the border do. do not violate an individual's right to privacy and free speech a lawsuit was brought by the american civil liberties union in other organizations after a university student on a train from montreal to new york in two thousand and ten how does a laptop seized by customs and border protection officers for eleven days the a.c.l.u. argued such searches were part of a broader pattern of aggressive government surveillance however u.s. district judge edward korman dismissed that claim he argued that such searches are very rare attend in a million chance he said and that if people don't want to be searched then they should travel with electronic devices he basically said quote while it is true that

laptops may make overseas work more convenient the precautions plaintiffs may choose to take to mitigate the alleged harm associated with the remote possibility of a border search are simply among the many inconveniences associated with international travel this is the fourth court to rule on the issue two other federal appeals courts up held the searches while one court ruled that such searches should require reasonable suspicion. workers around the country are ringing in a new year with a new raise workers will see a bigger paycheck this year in thirteen states with new york new jersey connecticut and rhode island raising the state minimum wage several other states including arizona colorado and florida are increasing the cost of living wage for workers california will be increasing its state minimum wage to nine dollars half way through the year in washington d.c. and parts of maryland will also see minimum wage increases in two thousand and fourteen now twenty one states require employers to pay workers above the federal

minimum wage which is still seven dollars and twenty five cents an hour president obama and democrats are hoping to increase that federal minimum wage sometime this year to nine or ten dollars an hour but they're facing a lot of opposition from the right and that opposition is perhaps the best in cap's lead in a recent op ed by former congressman ron paul who argued raising the minimum wage increases the price of labor thus decreasing the demand for labor so an increased minimum wage will lead to hiring freezes and layoffs unskilled and inexperienced workers are the ones most often deprived of employment opportunities by increases in the minimum wage joining me now to further make this kind this claim is brian doherty and he's the senior editor at reason brian welcome the show thanks so for today's minimum wage to have the same purchasing power that it had in the one nine hundred sixty s. it would have to be increased to ten dollars an hour what effect would such an

increase have on the economy. well i mean there's no way to quantify it but we do know that this people think and earn the minimum wage tend to be the lowest skilled among us and in many cases being youngest among today's worth remembering more than half of the people earning the minimum wage in america people between the ages of sixteen and twenty four generally workers the minimum wage it's not really right when there are people trying to earn an entire family income so you look at the people who are most affected by. these are people who need most of all to get. in the job market one of the best ways to increase your ability to earn more money in any job market having had your foot in the door and if we lock out which we inevitably will no employer is going to hire an employee who needs money so if you're a value your employer in the end up being less than whatever the minimum wage is you're not going to get hired and this can have

a really bad effect on your entire life and again it is worth remembering we're not talking about family. we're talking about and the data does show that states that already have a higher minimum wage than the federal law and i are. not where the real act well i'm really wondering though if these laws in this of supply and demand necessarily apply to the labor market like ron paul was suggesting and like you're suggesting there have been several studies done on this issue in virtually every single want to show no increase in unemployment when the minimum wages increase a two thousand study compared fast food employment in neighboring new jersey and pennsylvania after new jersey raised their minimum wage employment was affected another study in two thousand and ten from u.n.c. university of california u. mass looked at every single pair of neighboring counties in the u.s. with different minimum wages and found no discernible impacts on unemployment so why doesn't the science seem to back up these spoken warnings about raising the minimum wage first of all the car that you're talking about they now is mostly based on all of them sort of if you actually look at the payroll. but there is

there reason and science that we come up with regularity and laws if anything regarding economics there are so many things that go into affecting any given choice and would make that there is no way for empirical studies that looked at just one thing to actually know what caused a million things that could affect what makes a restaurant or any other restaurant choose to make any given hiring decision so we actually look for laws and regular that go beyond just looking at what. science is all about and it is economics in its entirety becomes utterly meaningless chaos if we do not understand that other things being equal if you charge more for something people are going to demand a lower quantity basically an economist who is trying to look at the world and claim that a lot of demand is not basically saying that economics is the science of work and we have plenty of very. in almost every other so. that when the price of something

is increased demand for the last thing you should look at the supposed study which are always being done for a political. one place in the world where you know the laws of economics fall apart and you should look at that really so the economist in two thousand and twelve it's not exactly a bastion of liberal thought said evidence is mounting that moderate minimum wage wages can do more good than harm and i'm wondering if we're neglecting the stimulative effect of an increase in minimum wage low wage workers basically spend all of their income many if they had more income through a minimum wage increase they would spend that too and spending it generates economic activity economic policy institute estimates that a minimum wage increase to ten dollars would create thirty two billion dollars in new economic activity and of course that's all done without adding a single dime to the deficit which i'm sure reason hates so why isn't this a good idea because it doesn't cost the lowest skill. the youngest workers yeah

absolutely if you raise the minimum wage they from seven to ten you're going to attract some people generally not the lowest skilled people who might go i don't feel like working burgers for seven dollars you know white kid needs a job during summer vacation for college maybe i'm willing to do it absolutely you can attract people in the market that way but you're still harming the lowest wage workers and if you if all you're looking at is the notion that we want to help we want the people who already. have more money for them to spend then that's all you care about go ahead but if you care at all about getting people at the bottom of the job ladder working on if you care at all about not encouraging companies to automate in ways that are going to cut low wage labor for example or down the line in ways that. are not going to show then go ahead but again it's extremely silly to claim that the law that the entire facebook economic suddenly stopped working in this one area where it's politically convenient for us to want to put in place

we're right on time only one more question here aside from the economic share the reality is that there are millions of americans who are working full time jobs and making minimum wage that they can't get by on and they're having to rely on federal benefits to to make ends meet what should we be doing about those these people in the short term in the immediate term to address this rather serious problem with our economy. we need jobs we need more people have more jobs and the way you get you cannot make room is not government management not the government ordering people around the world wow it is grow it allow them to hire who they want at the price they want to hire it not but job of any given business to higher minimum wage workers to you know make up policy about what amount of money people getting when. there's no line of thinking i mean my answer to the question is we shouldn't be doing anything about it except allowing the force of the economic growth to work and my wait wait wait for the free market to work brian doherty senior editor at

reason thanks for coming on earth do americans have faith in their lawmakers to address the many problems the country is facing a new poll suggests. the associated press and o.r.c. center for public affairs research finds that fifty five percent of americans believe the government is doing a poor job representing the views of most americans and just one out of twenty americans say that they're willing that excuse me one of twenty americans say that the american system of democracy works well and needs no changes again just one out of twenty americans think the american system works well despite the mistrust lawmakers at least on the state and local level are still at work passing laws and there are quite a few interesting new laws set to take effect in two thousand and fourteen artie's making lopez breaks them down. well happy twenty fourteen everyone january first brings with it not only a new year but also new laws that come into effect the moment the ball dropped in

times square some forty thousand new local state and federal laws kicked in across the country here's a look at some of the interesting ones that we found now in delaware residents can no longer possess sell or distribute shark fins inside state lines shark has become an increasingly popular phenomenon globally in recent years and is used in eastern medicine as well as to make shark fin soup estimates suggest that up to seventy three million sharks are killed and uli for their fins and fears are that the shark population is in danger as a result and speaking of eating in oregon a new law on the books now allows mothers to take their placentas home after giving birth it's a growing trend for new mothers to eat their placentas for the nutrients inside usually in pill form some cultures call for mothers to bury it in the ground to protect the newborn babies for old and some people like to make art out of it like amanda england who creates frame of all prints for portland area families illinois

is the center of a new slew of laws that just might raise some eyebrows both illinois and oregon have banned teens under eighteen from going to tanning salons so looks like they will have to get their winter glow from the sun's reflection on the snow also in illinois drones are now prohibited from monitoring hunters and fisherman this lie is in direct response to the people for the ethical treatment of animals a new initiative called air angels which encourages drone hobbyists to search by sky for illegal hunters pay even sell off the drones for that explicit purpose the website says that the drones are for those who are fourteen and older and can be used for other things like catching people who are drinking while in possession of a firearm and last but not least the final installation of a two thousand and seven law signed by president bush means lights out for manufacturers lou. only the federal law stops companies from producing the two most popular bould in the country the forty watt and a sixty watt bulb in place of those incandescent lights will be the more expensive

how it involves compact fluorescent bulbs l.e.d. lights and high efficiency in can death and the goal here is to reduce energy consumption in the us and to save money those are just a few of the interesting laws that we found do you know of any others well right on our you tube page and share some of your favorite in washington meghan well as are taking in finally today the second day of the year just so happens to also be the busiest day of the year for online dating sign ups perhaps trying to fulfill the new year's resolution to not be lonely in two thousand and fourteen troves of people flock to the net after the ball drops to find a partner this time last year on january second two thousand and thirteen match dot com saw a ninety four percent increase in daily sign ups and just in time for the online dating surge zoosk has a study that can help you find the right match women think twice about taking your profile picture outside zoosk says indoor pics will get you sixty percent more

intention but for guys it's the opposite they get nineteen percent more attention if their pictures are taken outside or gentlemen make sure that that outside picture is not a selfie selfies will get you a percent fewer messages and get this you might think posing with a furry little dog makes you more appealing it doesn't both men and women see their popularity decrease by fifty three percent if they pose with animals ultimately the way to get the most attention online zoosk fines is to post a full body pic of yourself which will boost your messages by an average of more than two hundred percent. and that will do it for now for more on the stories we covered go to youtube dot com forward slash r t america check out our website r t dot com forward slash usa you can follow me on twitter at sam sachs we'll see you later.

brings cladding community fears its good name has been tarnished after an incidence of people in clown costume scaring members of the public the copy cat craze believed to have been started by a man known on facebook as the northampton clown involves people dressing as the circus characters to surprise passers by and public places i know what you're thinking you're thinking that sounds a whole lot like the terrifying clowns of westminster george osborne with his big red nose and floppy feet scaring citizens into taking on ever more debt for fear of missing out on the property ladder or the equally horrifying stephen king like clowns of ben bernanke m.r. carney wearing their big red frizzy wigs and staring menacingly in through your window at night pointing teeny tiny scored down to the bankers. i've got a quote for you. it's pretty tough. if they were it's not story. it's

just this guy like it's me or about jon stewart of working for the people most issues the beach for me to work for interim prime minister. of the.

question but i asked him for this post right here for this they wanted to take my life. put in for this they wanted to cut my head of but they couldn't cut it off because her head was like this i said stop it she thought he could cut with the much at all like this but her head was in the way you're not afraid why would i be afraid of us care if they want to come and mess with me i'll whack them i'll veto them my land is mine so we would fight for your land on your model of course i would have enemies i could never leave my land.