disgruntled baathists, tribal leaders, tribal leaders who were so upset about what was happening, felt disinfranchised and angry about their displacement that they would join anything that was anti-maliki. >> is this story only possible in an iraq that is unstable? that allows this sort of seed to grow into what now threatens to become a permanent country within a country? >> well, i think not only that, but iraq has been a solid training grounds for him. i think he witnessed day by day the inability of iraqi leaders. he witnessed how the americans basically operated in iraq. he learned a lot. he suffered the defeat of al-qaeda when the tribal leaders rallied behind the government, and mor more or less abandoned the resistence. he has seen a lot inside iraq. i think he found his moment when syria opened up. he rebuilt and regrouped, and he obviously is extremely calculating. he has not only the division but the political leadership. every move he has made so far indicates that he is not just a terrorist running around throwing bombs. he's calculating, running corporationing bringing in the men around

the failures are something that makes everyone feel disinfranchised. i think you could have imagined a different history for the region than the one we were dealt by-- >> let me give derek a chance to respond. let's go to florida and derek harvey. do you agree with the ambassador that had these countries been more successful we wouldn't be talking about how they were formed into states. it wouldn't matter quite so much that there never was a transjordan, later jordan. if jordan had been a more successful country. >> i agree completely with the ambassador in this case. i think that issues of governance, institutions that are well run, development and economic prosperity, and security, being age to live in a society where you don't fear for your life or your property are keys to successful in the region. and unfortunately we've had a series of authoritarian regimed over many decades since sykes picot that unde undermine those very things. we could have had a very different situation. we could have had a very different outcome in iraq with more enlightene

when we pulled away maliki disinfranchi disinfranchised them. to be overturned maliki can't stay. they want to see a new government and their leaders included in that government before they would move to political reconcilation. >> and what is iran's influence at this point? >> it is really significant. the iran and russians are power politics experts. you saw what they did in syria in propping up the regime. watch what russia did in crimea. they understand the power politics. it is in their national interest to support them but it isn't in the united states. they are providing significant support and certainly political backing for maliki who most people in iraq want to go. and the russians and iranians have a seat at the table and maliki is able to claim i have international backing. i brought in iran and russia to help with this crisis. there is no body us helping us. that is the problem we have with not having military strength backing up our diplomats who are trying get a seat at the table for political reconcilation. >> thank you, general