west fighting a global war without end soon as the enemy and what defines victory in the greater middle east think tarion an ethnic conflicts or see rejecting borders imposed after the first world war the great unraveling of the west miele colonial project in the region and beyond is in play is this the meaning of the west's eternal war. hello and welcome to crossfire all things are considered i'm peter lavelle is the west fighting a global war without end if this is the case who is the enemy what defines victory and what about borders in the greater middle east sectarian ethnic conflicts are seen rejecting borders imposed after the first world war the great unraveling of the west new colonial project in the region and beyond is in play is this the meaning of the west's eternal war. across not the politics of endless war i'm joined by my guest phyllis bennis in washington he is the director of the new internationalism project at the institute for policy studies and in new york we cross the odd abdel nor he is the founder and president of the us committee for a free lebanon or a cross in fact

is the case who is the enemy and what defines victory and what about the borders in the greater middle east sectarian ethnic conflicts are seen rejecting borders imposed after the first world war the great unraveling of the western neo colonial project in the region and beyond is in play is this the meaning of the west's eternal war. across not the politics of endless war i'm joined by my guest feels bennett's in washington he is the director of the new internationalism project at the institute for policy studies and in new york we cross is the art abdel nor he is the founder and president of the us committee for a free lebanon all right cross talk rules and if it means you can jump in anytime you want to listen i go to you first here just recently president obama said at the national defense university about the war on terror we define we must define the nature and scope of this struggle or else it will define us how did you react to that because i think it already has defined us. well i think that part of the timing and the content of president obama's speech was very much bound up with t

of course that's important but all the paul i'm not talking about our policy in the middle east is promoting our interests our security interests our economic interests our corporations interests was is not defined not my interests corporations ok ok it's not my interests lie interests of u.s. corporations but i mean u.s. interests are not being advanced by these interventions ziyad u.s. interests are not being observed the u.s. economic corporation and other interests are not being advised by the policies we're applying and the approach we're taking towards the middle east it comes completely at odds we're basically saying something with i went on doing what that was a go ahead fellows go ahead fellows there the one big exception is the huge influential industry known as the arms industry you go they are the ones who benefit when the who has intervened i thought if you look at the model for example or here is that of the u.s. in the in the iran your own war you had the us sitting back and saying kill all each other's young men use up each other's treasuries and we will go in on

. -- ignore the middle east. turbulence will impact the worldwide debt crisis, and if there's economic problems in europe, we have economic problems here. sure. [laughter] >> going back -- >> sorry. >> can you move it? >> that's all right. going back to the -- >> thank you. >> -- gentleman's question. >> yes. >> if you think about iran, say. it's not the middle east, but you have the same moderate -- we hope -- some moderate muslims, and then you have the ruling elite which are, who are very radical muslims. how can we support the moderates without tainting them in the eyes of their own people? it's a problem in iran, it could be a problem in egypt. it's certainly a problem in pakistan, that association with americans is toxic. they lose all their credibility with their own people. and that was the reason that obama was sort of caught in iran. he didn't mow how to support -- he didn't know how to support the moderates during the green uprising. it wasn't a revolution, because it didn't work. after the election. h

that's us at the middle east. we want to pay that are rebalanced towards asia or other parts of the world and they make up in the headlines with libya, sharia, iran, what have you. if foreign policy that all public policy is about choosing and priorities to barf in the business literature and sometimes not fighting the urge to crowd out the import. what we have to do is not look at the middle east or use the clichÉ. you got to look at the entire chessboard. they've got to look at the middle east compared to everything else in other parts of the world, but also know something about the middle east. one of the things we had to learn from iraq and afghanistan as we can sit around and about way and debate generalization of foreign policy, but at some point it comes up against local reality is, geographical, historical, political, economic and there's real realities in the middle east. we may say we want. the next six months a year to be peaceful thriving democracy. i wish you well. ain't going to happen. as a result w

to to play hegemonic role in the middle east to micromanage political outcomes in key middle eastern states so that those states strategic orientation is subordinated to u.s. foreign policy preferences and the middle east has a regional order which is essentially run by the united states from that perspective the problem with the islamic republic of iran is that. it won't play along with this with this kind of hedge monic ambition it said it's very open to improved relations with the united states but that has to take place on the basis of equality and american acceptance of the islamic republic that's not the washington agenda for the middle east and it drives this very hostile posture toward toward iran judith agree or disagree with what we just heard. i partially agree and partially disagree i think that what drives american policy in iran remains the fact that the iranian revolution was hostile to the united states we lost a key ally it was very costly to the united states and the revolution like so many revolutions turned out to be quite brutal. the memory the american embassy h

you should also consider sthawr your presence in the middle east than in the middle east. ultimately relevant to your -- [inaudible] with china. and i think also another level it's important. i think people in asia since i have written the book i have heard from many in asia they are looking at us to gauge how trust woat we are and how much stamina we have. if we push mubarak off the pedestal and wash of our hands of egypt. what will it say to allies there who are thinking should we you know go against china and connect ourselves to the u.s. when we refuse to lay red line on syria and get involved when we shows ourselves to so conflict diverse in the middle east. what signal does it send to china or what signal does it sound to north korea? in america, strategic con thinking we come not to see it as a world. we come think we can have decite policy here. no relationship to policies over there. the it's becoming more integrated. the chinese as they are growing, they are coming out of asia. they are going global. one of the places they are going to is the middle east. >> we t

in the middle east. i have been to every country in the middle east a number of times over the years except ran. like all trips and visits, you are supposed to be much enhanced andy lightened when you come back. and that is if you keep your radar turned on, and your transmitter shut down low. and you listen. and i did a lot of listening in this trip in particular, because it was my first trip representing the united states of america as secretary of defense. i read a lot about the middle east and its vibrant cultures and complex politics. it came to me not through academics nor travel or national geographic magazine but in june, 1967, you all recall what happened in june of 1967. the six-day war. and when that six-day war broke out, i was taking army basic training in fort bliss texas. in this region of the world which i knew nothing about burst into my world in a very sudden way. in particular when your drill sergeant at fort bliss suggested half the recruits there in the barracks would be going to eith

well i don't know if it's going to match the american involvements or position in the middle east china east china they're not i think looking to compete with anyone or to balance with anyone china ease regaining their position as a major international player in their goals for the middle east china has a unique position in the fact that on the one hand it has very good and long relations with the palestinians and all the arab world including iran for example in the same time they have in the past twenty years developed very good relations with israel as well so that would have been an interesting position to talk to everyone moreover china is very well known to be against conflict against violence against the use of weapons bringing somebody into the middle east who is supporting finding solutions with out using violence even if they actually take action not only by statements but also by pushing the palestinians the village in lebanon the hamas in the south and so on to lower the flames to use less and less violence that can be very useful for everyone. and what does aid zero has to g

of either middle east or china. so petitte to asia. interpreted in the middle east. pivot toward asia and pivot away from. think about it. from ruler to public intellectual. americans want to wash their hands from the middle east. some my argument is not so fast. and the least is still strategically important, strategically vital. a lot at stake there, but it is also not separate from the china issue. it is a mistake. is another big mistake to think that our arrival in china, the asia-pacific. the middle east, completely irrelevant. but rather i think the middle east will also be an iran of american chinese rivalry. moving west. there energy needs are from the middle east and central asia. they looked out. the art from central asia to pakistan. set up countries that are of vital interest to stability of western china. they're looking for markets. building pipelines doorways. so for the chinese, rising strategic concern and interest whereas we sort of thing that these things have nothing to do with each other. a bina

that is us with the middle east. we want to balance north asia or the parts of the world and suddenly we wake up in the headlines or libya, syria and iraq what have you but foreign-policy like bald public policy is about priorities. from the business literature at sometimes about not letting the urgent crowd out the important. what we have to do is look at not simply the middle east as a coach a one square on the chessboard but we have to look at the entire country. we have to look at the middle east compared to everything else we may want to do in other parts of the world are here at home but also we have to know something about the middle east. one of the things we also learn from vietnam from iraq and afghanistan is we can sit around inside the beltway and debate the generation of foreign-policy but at some point it comes up against local reality, geographic historical cultural political and economic. there are real realities in the middle east and we may say we want syria in the next six months or year to be a pe

concern is that china today gets 70% of its energy supplies from the middle east. india is about the same. europe as well. in the global economy is so interlinked that even if the u.s. is not dependent on middle eastern oil, i feel like the instability in the region where the chinese economy and the european economy. so, you know, i think we should step back and do less, but i don't think we can ignore the middle east because it is going to -- turbulence there will impact the worldwide oil prices. and we have seen it with the european debt crisis. if our economic problems in europe, we have economic problems here. >> going back to the question, if you think about today it is not the middle east, but you have this same moderate and we hope, some moderate muslims. then you have the ruling elite who are very radical muslims. how can we support the moderates without changing the many as of their own people? it is a problem. it could be a problem in egypt. it certainly is a problem in pakistan that association with americans is toxic. they lose all their credibility with

it's a binary choice between the middle east and china. my way is to say your focus in china is well played. you shouldn't think of asia only as east asia. you could consider that your presence in the middle east, decades in the middle east ultimately is relevant to your rivalry with china. and i think also at another level it's important. i think people in asia sin i've written the book i heard from many asia say they are looking at us in the middle east to garage how trust worthy we are. and how much stamina we have. if we push mubarak off the pedestal and wash our hand of egypt. what will it say to allies there who are thinking, you know, should we go against china and connect ourselves to the u.s.? when we refuse to lay redlines on syria and get involved when we show ours to be conflict adverse in the middle east. what signal does it send to china or north korea? so, i think, you know, in america strategic thinking we come to not see the world as the world. we come to think we can have discreet policies and gis here that have no relatio

plans for a nuclear free middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic talks meeting of israel's alleged alternative increases its fleet of submarines with nuclear capabilities. the classics meet contemporary russia is renowned. to raise the curtain on its. back stage to visit one of the most expensive cultural projects. you're watching are. not a global day of action against poor wages and eroded rights as workers worldwide marched to make their voices heard in turkey a rally turned violent with riot police calling to break up demonstrations our europe correspondent piece all of the reports. what we're seeing is demonstrations across europe and across the whole entire world on this may day the first of the of the month in turkey those demonstrations state turned violent protesters clashed with the police we've seen tear gas used as well as flash bang grenades and there's also reports that raw sewage was used in a water cannon blasted it protesters there here in germany but things are really starting to get under way here now earlier on wednesday we saw clashes between. supporter

the continued lack of seriousness in dealing with the establishment of a nuclear free zone in the middle east karo went on to say that it cannot continue waiting forever for the implementation of this within the region now the egyptians are calling on middle states and international bodies to be able sponsibility again quoting implementing legitimate international resolutions the argument however from the israeli side as well as the american side is that a nuclear arms free zone in the middle east chemically a reality until there is a broad arab israeli peace plan in place and iran could see its nuclear program the meeting currently underway in geneva is aimed at reviewing progress in implementing the nine hundred seventy nonproliferation treaty which is designed to prevent the spread of nuclear arms across the world while we spoke to british member of parliament german corben who's also vice chairman of the campaign for nuclear disarmament and he says that a nuclear free middle east will remain elusive unless washington and brussels pressure israel to stop its atomic activities. well israel

arab states and iran say that israel's presumed nuclear arsenal poses a threat to peace in the middle east as well as security in a statement by the egyptian foreign ministry its it was pulling out of the talks to quote the same a strong message of non acceptance of the continued lack of seriousness dealing with the establishment of a nuclear free zone in the middle east we want to say that it cannot continue waiting forever for the implementation of this with a new show and knowledge options are calling on member states and international bodies to bear responsibility again quoting for implementing the legitimate international resolutions the argument however from the israeli side as well as the american side is that a nuclear arms free zone in the middle east chemically a reality until there is a broader arab israeli peace plan in place and iran could see its nuclear program the meeting currently away in geneva is aimed at reviewing progress in implementing the nine hundred seventy nonproliferation treaty which is designed to prevent the spread of nuclear arms across the world. spoke to b

so, i don't know what your plans are, but, please, don't take over our role as middle east peacemaker. i mean, we love putting our politics and our international reputation right into the middle of thousands of years of mistrust and hatred. oh! oh! and we're so close, too. i mean, we've really-- we've really warmed up that old holly land slot machine. i mean, it's just about ready to pay out in nobel prizes. if you jump in now, you'll get all the credit, and-- and our afexate nickname, the great satan. plus all the free effigies will you can burn. but i guess you guys win. take the middle east. we'll be over here painting afghanistan. it sure is fun. ( laughter ) we'll be right back. ( cheers and applause ) ,xp >> stephen: how are you, folks? welcome back, everybody. nation, despite the senate's recent kefeet of universal background checks the gun control debate rages on. will america abe place where anyone corporate can get a gun regardless of mental health or criminal record or will we face the nightmare. there is some good gun news coming from a very strange place. your u.s.b. port

plans for a nuclear free middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic talks hinting at israel's alleged os no alternative increases its fleet of submarines with nuclear capabilities. and where the classics meet contemporary russia's renowned marine ski theater prepares to raise the curtain on its second only to go back stage to visit one of the most expensive cultural projects ever. forecasting live from moscow twenty four hours a day this is not what it's a global day of action against poor wages and eroded rights as workers worldwide botched their voices heard in turkey already turned violent with police called in to break up demonstrations we live now to europe correspondent peter all over with more on this pizza may day has already turned sour in some parts the world hasn't bring us up to speed. well what we're seeing is demonstrations across europe and across the whole entire world on this may day the first of the of the month in turkey those demonstrations stay turned violent protesters clashed with the police we've seen tear gas used as well as flash bang grenades and the

against what it is calling the failure to implement a nine hundred ninety five resolution for a middle east free of nuclear weapons now the cairo argument is an implicit reference to israel that has never either confirmed or denied having nuclear arms and it is also not a signatory to the nonproliferation treaty arab states and iran say that israel's presumed nuclear arsenal poses a threat to peace in the middle east as well as security in a statement by the egyptian foreign ministry its it was pulling out of the talks to quote send a strong message of non acceptance of the continued lack of seriousness in dealing with the establishment of a nuclear free zone in the middle east caro went on to say that if not continue waiting forever for the invitation of this with a new ship now the egyptians are calling on member states and international bodies to be able sponsibility again quoting implementing legitimate international resolutions the argument however from the israeli side as well as the american side is that a nuclear arms freezone in the middle east chemically a reality until there is a

blogger on the middle east thinks the syrian opposition movement has failed to distance itself extremist elements among the rebels. somewhere responsibility and if the syrian opposition read represents you know the other factions on the ground in syria then you should take responsibility as well for stopping those actions and at least it should distance itself from the groups not just the newsroom which hasn't done so far i think to this kind of confusion so i fear the new one or both. the west and the u.s. in particular and the leaders of the syrian opposition the broad i've not really been clear enough not they can make condemned car bombings and similar actions clearly and kind of distanced themselves from the groups that are likely to behind be behind some of them. and more world news coming up in just a moment. welcome to teal one i hear you can feel it. there are three choices in life the first is to work in a macmiller door to live on a miserable way like a slave. the second is to jump the wall and catch the american dream. most of their cars and lose their. pollution just as they

middle east and central asia. they look at the arc of central asia to pakistan come in here and abroad if you want to call it. i said that countries that are of a vital interest to the stability of western china. they are looking for markets, building pipelines, roads into this region. so, for the chinese come in the middle east is a rising strategic concern and interest where we sort of think these things have nothing to the teacher repeated as a primary choice between the middle east and china. so am i able to sort of say the focus in china is well played. but you shouldn't think of asia's only east asia. you should also consider that your presence in the middle east, decades ultimately is relevant here to the rivalry with china, and i think also at another level this is important i think people in asia, and the book i've heard from many in asia who say they are looking at us in the middle east to gauge how trustworthy we are and how much stamina do we have? succumb if we push mubarak off the pedal school -- ped

plans for a nuclear free middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic talks and to get israel's alleged arsenal. creases its fleet of submarines with nuclear capabilities. and with the classics contemporary russians are now. prepared to raise the curtain on its second order told we go backstage to visit one of the most expensive cultural projects effort. in a very good even if you just joined us level the first of may. now the last hour of it to go and indeed tear gas and water cannons that is what mark may day in some parts of the world as workers marched against poor wages and eroded rights demonstrations turned violent in europe in particular as record high unemployment a mounting debt plague the continent peter all of us in berlin for. what we saw here in berlin earlier on wednesday was a demonstration by supporters of the far right a far right political party here in germany now that ended up with clashes between those supporters those demonstrators and the police some stones thrown some bottles thrown people small skirmishes there now in terms of violence some of the worst

that's us at the middle east. want to pay that are rebalanced towards asia or other parts of the world and they make up in the headlines with libya, sharia, iran, what have you. if foreign policy that all public policy is about choosing and priorities to barf in the business literature and sometimes not fighting the urge to crowd out the import. what we have to do is not look at the middle east or use the clichÉ. you got to look at the entire chessboard. they've got to look at the middle east compared to everything else in other parts of the world, but also know something about the middle east. one of the things we had to learn from iraq and afghanistan as we can sit around and about way and debate generalization of foreign policy, but at some point it comes up against local reality is, geographical, historical, political, economic and there's real realities in the middle east. we may say we want. the next six months a year to be peaceful thriving democracy. i wish you well. ain't going to happen. as a result we g

plans for a nuclear free middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic talks to israel's. alternative increases its fleet of submarines with nuclear capabilities. and where the classics meet contemporary russia is renowned. to raise the curtain on its second we go back stage to visit the most expensive cultural. life last year's here in moscow this is. when it's a global day of action against poor wages and eroded rights as workers worldwide march to make their voices heard in turkey a rally turned violent with riot police calling to break up demonstrations and clashes have also taken place in the german capital well i've not to be to all of the who's there for us now to tell us something may day has already turned sour hasn't it for many places in the world what's happening where where you are and beyond. here in berlin we've seen violent clashes between police and fall right wing political demonstrate is here that was earlier on on on wednesday now there is a concerted effort going on around make sure that the fall rights current mix with the the leftist demonstrators wh

the administration has argued misses completely separate from the middle east and we have a choice of the middle east toward china so that was interpreted to mean a bit towards or away and for a rumored to public intellectual for americans my eighth argument is not so fast. it is strategically vital is not separate from the china issue. it is another big mistake by looking at the asia pacific and the middle east is irrelevant the rather i think it is the arena of the rivalry and the chinese are moving west from central asia to pakistan to set up countries that are of vital interest of civility there building pipelines, railways , so for the chinese middle east is a rising strategic concern and interest now we think these have nothing to do with each other. so mine was to say that it is well played but he should not think of asia but the presence ultimately is relevant to the rivalry with china and also the people in asia to say they're looking at the middle east to gauge how trustworthy and how much damage we have? if we push mubarak off the pedestal and wash our hands what would it s

plans for a nuclear free middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic talks hinting that israel's alleged arsenal tel aviv increases its fleet of submarines with nuclear capabilities. and where the classics meet contemporary russia theater prepares to raise the curtain on its second to the torah we go backstage to visit with the most expensive cultural projects ever. all over again even cheaper just joined us kevin over here they are to new center tonight just after eight pm now moscow time and first starting this news just in we're hearing that three additional suspects in the boston marathon bombings have been taken into custody that's coming from the u.s. city's police department and its official fate police haven't given any further details but reports suggest the three college students connected to some of naya of the nineteen year old surviving bomb suspect was also in custody c.b.s. news reporting to be late as people being questioned were taken in for harboring or aiding sort of brothers after the bombings and two is said to be charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice a

qaida linked illness for a front fighting against president assad's government and here is our middle east correspondent paula slayer with more. the group was seized in southern turkey and that is according to local media reports the media also saying that they carried a two kilogram sunda with the nerve agent sarin now turkish authorities haven't yet commented on this report and we all waiting to hear from them questions the united states and france in the past have said that they believe it is a sound however that is news in chemical weapons but they haven't been able to who to produce any kind of evidence to prove this the british government has written to the united nations spanking new alleging we knew incidents of chemical use by assad's forces and at the same time the french government says that it is testing samples of f. was smuggled out by journalists but all of this is hearsay at the moment whereas on the other hand we have them here what we're seeing is fighters from the al nusra front allied with the syrian rebels court with the siren and of age and guess it is important also

of nuclear free middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic talks hinting at israel's alleged arsenal well tell of even creases its fleet of submarines with nuclear capability. and where the classics we contemporary russia fear to propose to raise the curtain on its second order tori if we go back stage to visit one of the most expensive cultural projects. in here it's just after nine pm no moscow you're watching r t our top story that it's a global day of action against poor wages in a road rights as workers worldwide march to make their voices heard in turkey a rally turned violent with riot police called in to break up demonstrations clashes have also taken place in the german capital it's called live there now peter all of us there for us hi peter i say things not altogether they're not quiet in berlin and elsewhere. well what we saw here in berlin earlier on wednesday was a demonstration by supporters of the far right a far right political party here in germany now that ended up with clashes between those supporters those demonstrators and the police some stones thrown so

middle east are in jeopardy egypt pulls out of atomic israel's and. its fleet of submarines its nuclear capabilities. and where the classic seat contemporary renowned prepares to raise the curtain on its second toria backstage between the most expensive cultural projects ever. costing live from moscow you're watching. now it's a global day of action against the poor wages in the road rights as workers worldwide marched to make their voices heard in turkey a rally turned violent with riot police called in to break up demonstrations. to our europe correspondent peter all of whom has more on this for us. well if you can still see you there we will hopefully a few technical problems but you're back. there would have some to shout about record high unemployment announced only yesterday. that's right and it's not just in the e.u. may the first has become a global day of action we've seen demonstrations take place in the far east in places like indonesia the philippines and south korea where workers have been out on the streets campaigning for their own righ

professor jeremy middle east expert on the middle east thank you very much indeed thank you. and of course we want to know your take on the upcoming syria peace conference mediated by russia and the u.s. just ahead to r.t. dot com to take part in our live poll and so far let's have a look at the results so far and about forty five percent of you think that missing won't bring any results and because actually it won't even happen slightly a few of you believe this summit will yield a peace plan which the divided syrian opposition simply won't be able to stick to and not many of you around seven percent of you think that assad will agree to step down. the same amount of you so percent thing that the western powers will stop funding and arming the syrian opposition so if you have and just head to our web site r.t. dot com and have your say. so the syrian conflict causing tensions in neighboring countries stoking fears it could spread across the entire region iraq it was reportedly fired from lebanon into israel just a day after an attack on part of the lebanese capital in the la

karl sharu a blogger on the middle east thinks the syrian opposition movement has failed to distance itself from the extremist elements among the rebels. it is a modern responsibility and syrian opposition read of dissent. you know the other factions on the ground in syria then it should take this most of it just went for stopping those actions and ideas to try to distance itself from groups not just the most which hasn't done so far i think to this kind of confusion so i fear you want all those to the west and the u.s. in particular leaders of the syrian opposition group i've not really been clear enough not taken to condemn the car bombings and similar actions clearly i'm kind of distanced themselves from the groups that are likely to become be behind some of them horrific scenes a military base in afghanistan as he was in twice in the air before hitting the ground in a massive fireball killing all seven american crew members to go target a home for the female. also there hundreds of rally and the libyan capital tripoli demanding lawmakers passed a new bill that would bar former me

policy in the middle east. a renown scholar but practitioner insider who served two years in the obama administration delivers a smart, sharp, sober, fast-paced and riftding critique of the policies. ann marie slaughter, a wakeup call by a deeply knowledgeable scholar. anyone interested in the middle east and china or the future of american policy should read it. having said that praise to you -- (laughs) -- tell us what you think we ought to be doing. >> well, i think we ought to take rol in the wod and particularly the middle east i think is very critical not only because we spend a decade there and made the middle east essentially the marketer for our global role but i think also many other countries around the world in asia, for instance, where we want to focus are looking athe way we are approaching the middle east, the way we are watching our hands of it, treating this crises as indicator of the direction of our foreign policy, how serious we are, how much investment we're making in porn policy, how much