the french. >> he was a french general. he was a difficult character. he humored washington while pursuing his own strategy. the french made it seem as if washington was the commander of the american and french army, but that was something of a fiction. you can see he was the head of the french army, that they are pretty much carrying their own strategy, the washington comes belatedly along with. the french were indispensable, not only in terms of having that navy that traps and surrounds cornwallis, but it was an old- fashioned european siege were you are building trenches and the parallels keep getting closer to the enemy, and that was the work of french engineers. we need also a french military know-how. >> 900 pages. we talked about how you broke down the different sections. how long did it take you before you began writing the book? >> i do the research before i start writing it. i spent six weeks. i did not write a word until i spend at least four years. i like to know what i am going to say before i sit down and start writing. >> the you follow c

so we needed not only french navy, to an extent french army, but also french military know- how. >> nine hundred pages. >> right. >> we talked in our first interview about how you broke down the different sections. how long did it take you before you began writing the book? >> i do all my research before i start writing it. and so i spent six years and so i didn't write a word until i had spent at least four years researching the book. i like to know what i have to say before i sit down and start writing. >> and about the different sections. do you follow it chronologically? >> i follow it chronologically, one thing, because i knew that this was going to be a long book. one thing that i did to try to make the narrative move quickly and make it more manageable is that i break it down into 67 chapters. it's really a lot of small chapters which i think is the reader sensitive forward motion that you're making progress in the book. and then each of the 67 chapters is broken down into three or four different scenes. so it proceeds more or less chronologically, and i hope has a kind of kaleido

president is attempting to push forward in order to try and help the french economy get off its means these people do not want and added two years to their service and they are prepared to take to the streets and disrupt the life of the country for as long as it's necessary in order to get the job done we're going to try and get over to the french senate where hearings about the pension reform are taking place and see what the people there have to say about the whole thing.

the announcement came during talks between the russian french and german leaders in the french resort to deal with. is the following the meetings. yes to nato russian president dmitry medvedev showed relations between his country and the european union are on the mend by agreeing to attend the nato summit in lisbon next month speaking at a joint press conference with angela merkel and nicolas sarkozy the russian leader spoke of a growing need for greater structure of european security and it seems he's finally being heard. we're happy dmitry medvedev will be taking part in the russian nato summit in lisbon that's because nato has a new strategic concept is aimed at corporation with other countries including russia i think russia has confirmed that we have to fight against terrorism and nuclear weapons and i think we should tackle these issues together and not be enemies anymore. the summit in the french seaside town of divvied appears to have bridged more than a few gaps the french german or russian leaders found common ground on creating a new monetary system and maintaining dialogue

the french senate votes yes on the controversial pension reform. but will the french people have the final say on this controversial decision. and also the program smalling traffickers in iraq become the new health care as it was the fuel spills into rivers poisoning the population water supply. and a common goal but no common vision while recognizing afghanistan as the world's greatest drugs russia of the u.s. column to bring on how to deal with. this is all too thanks for being with us this hour it's just after midnight here in moscow right now and kevin zero in with our top story and the french senate has approved the pension reform raising the retirement age to sixty two the decision to support president sarkozy's proposals been agreed to in a vote that went to the wire of his countrymen of joining us now live with the lakers so despite the intense public pressure that we've witnessed it seems mr sarkozy got his way in the. kevin it was a very close decision by the french senate the votes are one seventy seven to one fifty three so a very short

discuss multiculturalism today i'm joined by an ability to me in london she's a french journalist and commentator and in stockholm we we go to kent and go to all he's a member of parliament for sweden's democrat party and another member of our team on the hunger all right i think it's really important discuss our terms what multiculturalism is and i'd like to go to well now be infamous comments from the german chancellor let's listen what chancellor merkel had to say about multiculturalism in germany. of course the multicultural approach living side by side and being happy with each other this approach has failed. right now bill if i go to you is that how you understand the concepts the policy of multiculturalism the way it is expressed by the german chancellor and the german example. well i think if i may quote anglo-american mo calls were words she said we kidded ourselves a while we said they want to stay some time they will be gone but this isn't reality and she was obviously talking about the migrant workers who came to germany in the night in sixty's invited by the german govern

the french senate approves the controversial pension reform but the people on the streets of france may still have their final say. in russia and the u.s. agree a pakistan is the world's greatest drugs and that is but there's no agreement between the two on how to combat it. and the people of iraq facing you how has it petrol traffickers who spilled soda in fuel into rivers poisoning the well to supply. international news live from moscow this is all see with me thanks for joining us the french senate has approved deeply controversial pension changes raising the retirement age from sixty to sixty president sarkozy's plans were met they sweet with a wave of demonstrations on strikes across the country police have broken through fuel depo brocades which have caused shortages the french leader says the measures are vital to reduce this country budget deficit and for he thinks for a national future but those on the streets say the plans are in a time on that basic rights he's catch reno's. it was a very close decision by the french senate the votes are one seventy seven to one fifty three s

the french government stands firm on its plan to raise the retirement age is a violent protests and industrial action paralyzed the country union say around three million people have taken to the streets and energy supplies have also taken a hit forcing france to import electricity. and there are more protests this time in london are going to british government announces the biggest reduction in public spending since the second world war nearly five hundred thousand public sector jobs will go along with multi-billion pound cuts to the defense budget the aim is to reduce record debts that swelled during the global financial crisis but some economists are saying the cuts should have gone even deeper. and a twisted show of loyalty the terror attack on the chechen parliament on tuesday may have been a pledge of allegiance to al qaida that's according to the republic's interior ministry three people died seventeen injured one for terrorists trying to seize the government building. those are your headlines up next it's cross talk with host peter lavelle this time he asked his guess whether multi-cul

president is attempting to push forward in order to try and help the french economy get off its knees but these people do not want and added two years to their service and they are prepared to take to the streets and disrupt the life of the country for as long as it's necessary in order to get the job done now this of course is the heart of the french capital and it's been like this or pretty much the entire day we're going to try and get over to the french senate where hearings about the pension reform are taking place and see what the people there have to say about the whole thing. only the heavy police presence outside the french senate reminds passers by that the protests that are grappling the country took place here just a few days ago the police of course are standing guard over what is happening in the senate when the real work on the pension reform is currently under place the decision could come as early as today and as late as sunday but the government has already said that they will not back down to public pressure public pressure of course has been immense for days trade

the russian french and german leaders agree that nato and russia should face their challenges together meeting in the french resort of the bill for a bit of sas who attend next month's nato summit in lisbon. and the u.k. has announced cuts to its defense budget worth of almost five billion dollars which will be to delay the renewal of the country's nuclear deterrence three jobs last. fall similar calls from germany and france has caused washington to worry over nato its capabilities. but those are the headlines here in our next it's crosstalk artie's beautiful valley asks his guests whether multiculturalism is failing in the world. oh and welcome the crosstalk i'm here to live well the issue of immigration has led to the top of the agenda throughout europe and the united states german chancellor angela merkel says attempts to build a multicultural society in germany have utterly failed is multiculturalism evolution or is it merely the stuff of cheap populist politics and elections coming . to. discuss multiculturalism today i'm joined by an ability dani in london she's a french journal

the french are good people, they gave us money. but here, -- >> officials cooperate with their french counterparts. this is the second time the authorities have supported the family. the first time was three years ago. but they went back shortly afterward. >> i planned on staying in france for three or four years to earn enough money for a house in romania. we need a bigger house because we have a big family. 18 people with children. >> some in the neighborhood have already -- and another house is being built here. the owners of this house are still a france, sending money. they say it is the only employment that they can find. out of the estimated 7000 living in this town, only 50 have a job. >> we left romania once before because we cannot leave it -- lead a decent life here. i am 24 years old and i have three children. how can i offer them a decent life here? >> many years see that future elsewhere in europe, regardless of the restrictions being put on them. >> many countries find it difficult to accommodate the romas. the resul

here in moscow tear gas and water cannon have been used against rampaging protesters in france french authorities have resorted to extreme measures to battle violence sparked by students and trade unions while the senate debates a controversial pension reform bill. is in paris force. yanga loud and proud to try and speak for their own country these people might look like they're attending a student party as they're all students this definitely feels like a party but in fact it's anything but it's yet another day of protests in the heart of the french capital paris these people are nowhere near retirement age yet this is exactly what they're protesting the proposed pension reform that you but i start to see the french president is attempting to push forward in order to try and help the french economy get off its means these people do not want and added two years to their service and they are prepared to take to the streets and disrupt the life of the country for as long as it's necessary in order to get the job done we're going to try and get over to the french senate where hearings ab

the french senate approves the controversial pension reform but the people on the streets of france may still have their final say. also this hour rush on the you are sick really afghanistan is the world's greatest golf course except in that case but there's no incentive between the two on how to combat it. and the people of iraq face a new health hazard petrol traffickers who spilled stolen fuel in the rivers poisoning the water supply. news for russia and iran the world this is all see with me thanks for joining us the french senate has approved deeply controversial pension changers raising the retirement age from sixty to sixty two president sarkozy's plans were met this week with a wave of demonstrations and strikes across the country police go broken through fuel depo blockades which have caused shortages in the french media says the motors are vital to reduce his country's budget deficit and for its financial future but those on the streets say that plans are an attack on their basic lights oh she's cancer you know it's not about how small. there was a very close decision by the f

the french senate approves the controversial pension reforms but the people on the streets of france may still have their final say also in the program petrol traffickers in iraq become the new health hazard as the fuel they take spills into rivers poisoning the populations water supply. have a common goal but no common vision while recognizing afghanistan is the world's greatest drug pressure in the u.s. can't agree on how to deal with we report. hello this is r t thanks for being with us this hour it's now just after one am moscow time i'm kevin zero in with our top story the french senate has approved deeply controversial pension changes raising the retirement age from sixty to sixty two president sarkozy's plans were met this week with a wave of demonstrations and strikes across the country but police have broken through fuel depo blockades which cause shortages the french leader says the measures are vital to reduce his country's budget deficits and for its financial future but those on the streets say the plans are an attack on the basic rights artie's country reports. it was a

at a meeting of the french risotto president medvedev says he will attend next month's nato summit as. well that's what the headlines next it's time for cross talk well. his guests whether multiculturalism is failing in the world. oh you know welcome to cross talk i'm peter lavelle the issue of immigration has leapt to the top of the agenda throughout europe and the united states german chancellor angela merkel says attempts to build a multicultural society in germany have utterly failed is multiculturalism evolution or is it merely the stuff of cheap populist politics and elections coming . to. discuss multiculturalism today i'm joined by an ability to me in london she's a french journalist and commentator and in stockholm week we go to kent could all he's a member of parliament for sweden's democrat party and another member of our team ill on the hunger all right i think it's really important discuss our terms what multiculturalism is and i'd like to go to well now be infamous comments from the german chancellor let's listen what chancellor merkel had to say about multiculturalism i

that's necessary in order to get the job done now we're going to try and get over to the french senate where hearings about the pension reform are taking place and see what the people there have to say about the whole thing. only the heavy police presence outside the french senate reminds passers by that the protests that are grappling the country took place here just a few days ago the police of course are standing guard over what is happening in the senate when the real work on the pension reform is currently under place the decision could come as early as today and as late as sunday but the government has already said that they will not back down to public pressure the government and the french president sarkozy is saying that it is not likely how the economy will recover from the current protests however is yet another question economists have not yet had a chance to count what damage has been done by the strikes and protests that have grappled the country for days but just to compare in two thousand and seven a nine day transport strike cost the country four hundred million euros

it ends the dominance of the french rival eurostar. the german transport minister is reaching the end of a long bureaucratic struggle which should soon start paying off. so far, the french have vetoed attempts by deutsche bahn to use the tunnel, allegedly for safety reasons. >> they want to put together trains in brussels arriving from frankfurt and amsterdam. they want to send them jointly through the narrow tunnel, which means passengers could not walk the whole length of the train, a clear breach of safety legislation. >> authorities finally yielded to the pressure and amended regulations to allow them to pass. a test evacuation of the german train last saturday took less than 20 minutes. 15 trains daily could soon connect amsterdam, cologne, frankfurt, and london. >> our market analysis shows that in the frankfurt-cologne region alone, 1.1 million passengers alone want to travel to london a year. there is huge market potential we do not want to ignore. >> travel time between frankfurt and london will shrink to five hours in 2013, t

. >> police clashed with writing youth in several french cities -- rioting youth several french cities as the riots escalated. police responded with tear gas. the interior ministry took almost -- says almost to wonder people have been arrested were -- 200 people have been arrested nationwide. >> i was scared. it is one thing to see on tv, but very different experience. it is really difficult. >> unions are targeting the country's fuel supply. for seven days, workers have been striking at all french refineries. gas stations are running out of fuel, especially diesel. >> my wife is annoyed because she has a diesel. we looked all weekend, to no avail. >> the strikes are affecting rail travel in france and

died the french senate said to vote on increasing the retirement date for the countries with brackets but raging protests. workers say they do not want to be paying for the mistakes or the fact cats while the business is say it's time to get off the streets and get back to work. also to come up common goal but no common vision while recognizing afghanistan as the world's greatest drugs threat russia and the u.s. can't agree on how to deal with. traffickers interact with company were held as the fuel very small spills into rivers poisoning the populations water supply. this is r.t. live from moscow it's a friday evening here now you're most welcome home kevin owen with a top story and french police have broken the blockade of a refinery crucial for the capital's fuel supplies a worker. captured the hearts of at least three people were injured in the clashes a special operation end of the blockade that would last and for more than a week causing significant fuel shortages about twenty percent of fueling stations remain empty across the country with no end in sight to the education meanw

over is following events for us in the french capital. the senate is working on pretty much all day every day figuring out the final details fine tuning the proposed pension reform that will see their retirement age rise from the age of sixty to the age of sixty two and the french are definitely not happy about it they've been taking to the streets of the country not just the capital paris making sure that their anger is heard with some protests turning violent and police forces. being forced to use tear gas to disperse angry crowds and of course those protests are ongoing in paris there are dozens of them daily from the students to the pensioners everybody young and old taking to the streets making sure we're attempting to make sure that their voices are heard and that the government pays attention to their demands but it seems that this is probably the first time in a very long time where the government is not prepared to back down is not prepared to renegotiate with trade unions and is simply staying very firm on its position saying th

french senators pass the pension bill but the people's rivaldo rumbles on while they bring britain verges on a boiling point as the government slashes jobs and social benefits. and a russian archaeologists get gold as olympic construction workers stumble upon an ancient temple in the host city of sochi. it was all the latest news for you twenty four seven welcome to the program and now to our top story u.s. commanders in iraq ignored evidence of torture and often failed to investigate the killing of civilians now these are the major findings from the leak of four hundred thousand secret american military files from the whistle blowing web site wiki leaks now the data describes widespread a brutal torture of detainees by iraqi troops but some document showing american authorities often turned a blind eye the fact it was condemned what is. the largest ever leak of classified documents saying it will only serve to help america's enemies the files also reveal that sixty six thousand civilians were killed in iraq since the u.s. invaded even though washington had denied it kept any such record

the french senate has approved a controversial bill to raise the country's retirement age by two years despite weeks of nationwide protests and strikes the proposal is now one step closer to becoming law but students and workers are not finished demonstrating artie's confident as has the story crowds outside the preg senate are shouting one thing they are not tired despite the fact that there are senate recently passed the fringe controversial pension reform thank you there are time a age from sixty to sixty two hundred of people continue to take to the streets of the french capital demanding to change the minds and the mindset of the current government all of the slogans that they're shouting are somehow directed at the french president nicolas sarkozy they're calling him all sorts of names basically insisting that the pension reform is a violation of their rights of their given and earned the right to retire at the age of sixty and this is all of course despite the fact that the french enjoy one of the lowest retirement ages in the world and have a huge an external debt the fourth in

well whereas the french are still taking to the streets in huge numbers the british government's also proposing austerity measures appear to be taking a more pragmatic approach to the issue evidence of the taxpayers' alliance explains . i think we did have a few small protests around westminster here the other day mostly led by the unions who have fears about how this will impact on public services and job losses but i think the important things to stress is that mostly broadly speaking people in britain are giving their support to these cops the most recent polling said that you know people are on board people understand that the u.k. has been spending more money than we have running a deficit and every year that we do that our national debt gets bigger and bigger and people understand that there now is a need to cut spending because if we don't do it soon then we're going to be paying more of our debt interest and we'll simply have more pain later here with r.t.m. coming your way in a few minutes counting people to counter problems. russian relook of russia's biggest q. and a sessio

you know americans we have the right to assemble just like the french but do the police just not allow it we're going to beat the issue with adam kokesh and jim hansen next we'll speak with one former cia agent who's gone rogue after writing a memoir exposing the intelligence agency he claims that the agency is just a place where taxpayer dollars are wasted on a few tile espionage programs and now his book is a bestseller we're going to speak with the former deep cover agents and find out why the cia is targeting one of its own then another journalist is fired after he said he was scared of muslims on airplanes n.p.r. commentator juan williams had his contract terminated and we have to ask is enough enough is the media becoming a little too politically correct then has the tea party lost its way some of the original founders argue that their original message has been lost thanks in part to the politicians who changed the group's message to gods gays and guns whatever happened to protesting wall street government bailouts or going to speak with one of the founders karl denninger to find

the french senate is set to vote on the increasing or increasing the retirement age while the country is wound by waging protest. workers say they do not want to be paying for the mistakes of the fact cats while the businesses say it's time to get off the streets and get back to work also on r t petrol traffic girls in iraq become the new health as the fuel a small goal spills into rivers poisoning the populations water supply. and a common goal but no common vision while recognizing afghanistan as the world's greatest drug thread on the u. west camps agree on how to deal with the. still bulk use of just open oh i'm not put she has a role in the world buckle pulls it's a grown more business in twenty minutes. a warm welcome to you live from our headquarters in central last. this is archie with me and you saw now way at six pm here in the russian capital four pm in paris and french police have broken the blockade of a refinery crucial for the capital's fuel supplies and workers union that captured the depot said at least three people were injured in clashes well special operation ended

chain with me and he said no way it's four pm here in the russian capital two pm in paris and french police have broken the blockade of a refinery crucial for the capital still supplies a workers' union that captured the depot said at least three people were injured in clashes a special operation ended the blockade that had lasted for more than a week causing significant fuel shortages about twenty percent of children stations remain empty across the country with no end in sight to the. meanwhile the senate is expected to approve president nicolas sarkozy's proposal to raise the retirement age to sixty two the reason behind all these protests are seen as covering those are of all is following the events in the french capital. the senate. is working all pretty much all day every day figuring out of the final details fine tuning the proposed pension reform that will see their retirement age rise from the age of sixty to the age of sixty two and the french are definitely not happy about it they've been taking to the streets of the country not just the capital paris making sure that thei

you can find out why french people are heating up their protests against pension reform aimed at tackling the country's financial problems. also a report on how next convict turned priest of dedicated his life to helping other ex offenders and he's doing it the old fashioned way. a story still to come but first washington's in a state of denial following the publication of nearly four hundred thousand secret u.s. files on the war in iraq leaked by the whistle blowing web site wiki leaks they suggest american forces often turned a blind eye to cases of iraqi torture and killings the documents detail u.s. forces handing prisoners over to iraq interrogators despite overwhelming evidence of inhumane treatment many detainees allegedly went on to meet a violent death u.s. military officials say their orders were not to intervene directly washington's refusing to investigate the allegations despite calls from several arab countries and the un high commissioner for human rights. in iraq itself saddam hussein's former deputy has been given a death sentence from the high court because he's was foun

russian rather french and german leaders in the french resort of deauville aimed at bringing moscowand the e.u. closer together president medvedev said he hoped his presence at next month's summit will help russia and nato find compromises in problem areas he didn't rule out moscow becoming part of the alliance is global anti-missile defense system german chancellor angela merkel in turn confirmed europe is considering russia's proposals for a new security structure but former british euro john stevens says european defense is impossible without moscow's participation. things of common descent always since the cold war and i do think that the more your appear. later becomes the more strong a european pillow in nato is the more open it is going to be towards russia i think that particularly in germany and also in france but also i think in britain there is a recognition that defense of europe with russian participation is meaningless with the the challenges that you face from the far east in particular from the rise of asia economically strategically is the immense and russia has to

a million rejections over raising the retirement age the french protest on mass as the country struggles through yet more crippling strikes. and drugs officials from russia tried to work with the new west wipe out afghan girl when production but says america's sole focus on taliban poppy fields is not enough. and counting everyone north south east west and up russia as a nation wide census reaches all ground to get an up to a portrait of the country's people and needs. you're watching r t coming to you live from the russian capital eight in the morning here welcome to the program and now to our top story there's more protest in ahead for france as strikers commit to yet more stoppages to vent their anger over plans to make them work a longer tear gas and water gannon have been used against demonstrators while president sarkozy tries to curry beside a vote or raising the retirement age to sixty two party's got that he is in paris. iyanla loud and proud to try and speak for their own country these people might look like they're attending a student party as they're all students and this def

this is a sign that government needs to negotiate with treat us more so we have to say to the french people that is the who chose the deputies and members of the senate who make the laws laws are not made in the streets laws are drafted and approved not by revolutionaries fortunately we live in a democratic state and people who we select to be in power adopt laws besides it's necessary to respect the laws and in a year and a half we'll have the opportunity to say that we made a mistake and change our leaders but until then these are the people who run the country the my way or the highway philosophy certainly attention grabbing but who will back down first is still anyone's guess throughout the entire week this street outside the french senate was filled with hundreds of angry citizens protesting against the controversial pension reform over the weekend the city of paris is eerily quiet the reason for that a very prosaic one the french people still oppose being made to work two extra years but they're not about to protest it on their legitimate. kashrut as r r t. many of the millions

the french said it's a truce an increase in the time of day for the countries paralyzed by the strikes and great work. workers say they do not want to be paying for the mistakes or the fact cats all the businesses say it's time to get off the streets and get back to work. also a common goal with no common vision while recognizing afghanistan's world's greatest drug spread pressure on the u.s. can't agree on how to deal with. petrol traffickers in iraq because of the new health hazard as the fuel they take spills into rivers poisoning the populations water supply. this is r t live from moscow very good to have you company it's eleven pm friday night here now on kevin zero in with our top story the french senate's approved the pension reform raising the retirement age to sixty two the decision to support president sarkozy's proposals been agreed in a vote that went to the wire the approval comes amid ongoing protests that hit the country more than a week ago earlier french police broke a blockade of a refinery that was crucial for the capital's fuel supplies now tonight has been reported

and german leaders in the french resort of w. singing from the same hymn sheet and all smiles at a summit in the french seaside town of deauville the leaders of germany france and russia were so keen to emphasize their newfound similarities they even spoke alike dialogue and operation verne ship they were not after concrete results rather the aim was to shape future relations and central to this was me the middle age of accepting an invitation to attend the nato summit in lisbon next month. we're happy dmitry medvedev will be taking part in the russian nato summit in lisbon that's because nato has a new strategic concept is aimed at cooperation with other countries including russia i think russia has confirmed that we have to fight against terrorism and nuclear weapons and i think we should tackle these issues together and not be enemies anymore. this is significant because the summit in lisbon is a kind of milestone as the north atlantic treaty organization is rethinking its strategy for russia to be included in this process is

a million rejections over raising the retirement age the french protest on mass as the country struggles through yet more privileged strikes. and drugs officials from russia tried to work with the u.s. to wipe out afghan here when production bought says america's sole focus on taliban poppy fields is not enough. and accounting people to counter problems russia's nationwide senses reaches all around to get it up to a portrait of the country's population. you're watching r t coming to you live from the russian capital nine in the morning here welcome to the program well there is more protesting ahead for france as strikers committee yet more stoppages to vent their anger over plans to make them work longer tear gas and water cannon have been used against demonstrators while president sarkozy tries to hurry the senate vote on raising the retirement age to sixty two parties got to do you know a lot of what is in paris for us. iyanla loud and proud to try and speak for their own country these people might look like they're attending a student party as they're all students this definitely feel

. >> police clashed with writing youth in several french cities -- rioting youth several french cities as the riots escalated. police responded with tear gas. the interior ministry took almost -- says almost to wonder people have been arrested were -- 200 people have been arrested nationwide. >> i was scared. it is one thing to see on tv, but very different experience. it is really difficult. >> unions are targeting the country's fuel supply. for seven days, workers have been striking at all french refineries. gas stations are running out of fuel, especially diesel. >> my wife is annoyed because she has a diesel. we looked all weekend, to no avail. >> the strikes are affecting rail travel in france and belgium. rail employees are fighting for improved work conditio. eurostar servicebetween belgium and london is completely interrupted. an end to the protest is not in sight as demonstrators plan to start the country's airports and airlines on tuesday. >> earlier, we spoke to our correspondent in paris who told us more about the popular support for the strikes in france. >> there is a lot