saudi has 18 million, roughly 18 million saudi citizens. so despite the fact that they have a lot more money spread over 18 million people, they can't provide the lifestyle to which people in the gulf are accustomed. and, you know, that gets, that gets noticed by saudis who look and say why can't we live as well as they do? and then for the more conservative ones, they say we don't want all of those polluting influences in our country that they're allowing in theirs; western universities, alcohol, movie theaters, things like that. i mean, saudi arabia has a tourism directorate now, but they -- tourism does not mean what it would to you and me. they want saudis, they want muslims who come to the annual pilgrimage in mecca to then travel around the kingdom and spend money and see things. so muslim tourism. they are not looking to get you and me on a -- or anyone else -- on a, you know, camel trip through the empty quarter, you know? it's not, it's not tourism like we would think of it because, obviously, the tourist place most foreigners woul

an inside look at saudi arabia. this interview is part of booktv's college series and is 40 minutes long. >> now joining us on booktv, karen elliott house. she's written a book about saudi arabia, studied, reported on that country for years and years. but before we get into the book on saudi arabia, karen elliott house, how did you get from texas to become publisher of "the wall street journal"? what was your route? >> guest: i went from matador, texas, population 900 to the university of texas in austin, from there to the "dallas morning news" for one year, covering education, and then their washington bureau, and i got hired there by "the wall street journal," and was a reporter, and then ultimately foreign editor, and then president of the international operations, and then publisher of "the wall street journal." >> host: how many years did you do that? >> guest: publisher. >> host: yes. >> guest: four years. >> host: what did you think of that? >> guest: it was a lot of fun but it's more fun being a reporter tha

we need to engage the other regional ours like saudi arabia -- powers like saudi arabia, like turkey. we need a regional cooperation system which i have discussed in detail in my book in persian gulf and in the region. we sought a regional cooperation system, we sought close cooperation between iran, saudi arabia, turkey, the regional ours, even bilateral cooperation between iran and the u.s. would not be with able to manage the crisis in the middle east. i would prefer, warren, to stop here and then to go to their questions. [applause] >> thank you. i'm going to ask hossein a couple of questions of my own, and then we'll go to the floor. i'm sure you have questions and comments. hossein, what you just said, you mentioned saudi arabia. and the need to include them. i wanted to ask you about something that's current right now. as we know, zarif, the foreign minister of iran, at one point proposed going out to the gulf states to try to present the iranian case which sometimes is not popular in the gulf states. and i think he wanted to go to riyadh, and there was no invitation forthcomin

is near the saudi border. saudi arabia's concern is not isis, per se.it is what radicalization as a whole could cause inside the kingdom. kind of a ticking time bomb. the longer it survives, the more difficult it is to deal with the consequences. here is my conclusion. there is a balance of terror between the iranians and the saudi's. the only thing that can break it is compromise. >> i do want to press you on one point. how concern should we pay that steps of isis'many next would be a threat to some territory or assets in the kingdom of saudi arabia? how concerned are the saudis about that as well? you give the impression that they are looking toward other things. experts were surprised by isis' year.in iraq this or shall werprise not be concerned about that? have beenains in iraq explained by analysts. they received a lot of support from the sunni tribes. it was a reflection of the weakness of the other side. i think the country that should be most concerned about territorial gains should be jordan and lebanon, not exactly saudi arabia. the very natur

in saudi arabia means studio. a lot of their teaching to do that to you. is this just in the span of several years bolstered by the fight against assad in syria the isis has advanced so far as to declare an islamic caliphate across the territories that it now controls both iraq and syria the question is whether saudi arabia sees the isis as a serious threat it has warned against foreign military into ference in iraq and now iran is reportedly sending fighter jets to help the iraqi government fight the jihad as army. will saudi arabia sit still lots of questions one thing is clear the coltrane of sectarian tensions is only getting more explosive in washington i'm going to check out our team one middle east affairs journalist says that the saudis are seeking to gain the upper hand not only in the region but also in europe. two states which are involved in the isis approaching this is on the one hand we said already saudi arabia but on the other hand as well there is turkey we have saudi arabia is a country which is very much engaged in europe saudi arabia is

allies like saudi arabia if you can convince them, commends them to negotiate. but for 40 or 50 years, you have not been able to convince your allies and you blame iran. i don't know, you have 67 countries. and this is not the issue with iran. but can you find one piece of evidence with any higher-level of these individuals saying that they would wipe israel off the map? >> you would find a lot of statements, very high level and they said that we would not be a part of this peace process, it was that if there is a deal, they would not be able to disturb this process. were there any changes in the u.s. position, or that there was no statement of wiping them off the map? therefore we have to think a little bit about this because it's on yahoo! everyday, asking for a military strike against iran. and so why are you putting this on them to attack them. but if they deny the holocaust like an earthquake in the u.s., you know, say 10 times a day repeat attacking iran and they understand the changes that it is the reality of the situation there was not great public rela

much engaged in europe saudi arabia is doing a lot for ready. if you go for example to boston you will see brand new mosques financed by saudi arabian foundations and this is not a liberal and not a tolerant islam they are preaching there and then we shouldn't forget that both countries as well are allies of the west we have now the huge debate also in context of the isis debate off these so-called european volunteers joining the ice these forces and other east limits forces in the middle east the what might happen when these people when these terrorists might come back with all the experience from a battleground this should be alarming this network we witness here so isis is maybe just the most violent and the most terroristic part of that network and to be without international more world news and make of know it but after this break. as a new physician i swear by the book to go. to the best of my ability and judgment. i will prescribe for the good of my patients. i will not give deadly doses to anybody. or advise others to do so. i will never

the head of saudi intelligence is prince bandar prince bandar was the saudi ambassador in the united states for decades he returned and the person who took over from him at that time was prince turki prince turki had been head of saudi intelligence so that harken market they're both very very close indeed now the thing is that the united states national security agency has been providing signals intelligence because the united states and saudi arabia despite their occasional differences both have both . two main targets for saudi arabia it is a round and of course the americans have their grievances with iran but also the al qaeda in the arabian peninsula specifically india and then in yemen the saudis are very concerned about infiltration of al qaida supporters and of course the americans have maintained surveillance but thinks of hotted up with the creation of isis coming out of. syria we have the saudis the qataris and would you believe it the israelis are supporting the sunni isis and in fact. baghdadi the self-proclaimed. head of the. islamic. caliphate has said the site cia hel

is near the saudi border. saudi arabia's concern is not isis, per se.it is what radicalization as a whole could cause inside the kingdom. kind of a ticking time bomb. the longer it survives, the more difficult it is to deal with the consequences. here is my conclusion. there is a balance of terror between the iranians and the saudi's. the only thing that can break it is compromise. >> i do want to press you on one point. how concern should we pay that steps of isis'many next would be a threat to some territory or assets in the kingdom of saudi arabia? how concerned are the saudis about that as well? you give the impression that they are looking toward other things. experts were surprised by isis' year.in iraq this or shall werprise not be concerned about that? have beenains in iraq explained by analysts. they received a lot of support from the sunni tribes. it was a reflection of the weakness of the other side. i think the country that should be most concerned about territorial gains should be jordan and lebanon, not exactly saudi arabia. the very natur

in saudi arabia sends thirty thousand troops to the border with iraq after a wave of radical islamist insurgents reportedly force iraqi border guards to flee . and a standoff between asylum seekers barricaded an abandoned school and authorities puts berlin on edge triggering protests in support of the refugees. for the welcome it's nice to have you company you're watching r.t. international. now despite the ukrainian president saying he's ready for another ceasefire violence in each of the country rages on during a phone call mr poroshenko told us vice president joe biden he may reestablish the truce but let's see the reality at the moment going on on the ground the city began one of the main hubs of anti kiev resistance has come under renewed artillery fire overnight shells landed on a local cancer hospital that you can see the building was badly damaged in these are pictures from the city of climate or skin other target of kiev's military operation residential areas are being hit there some shells explode as you can see near a playground and you government forces say one man was kil

the saudis. there was no call in the county. that was very much like saudi arabia also where there was no musical instruments you don't have musical instruments and you don't sing. and they probably still do. but i was invited to the american embassador took me to the welfare service they call the at the welfare service but most of the people were americans or caribbean and at that time. said there were a lot of koreans in that service. >> host: if your jewish-american are you allowed it and it? >> yes. not the jerusalem correspondent on the latest trip but yes there are jewish americans to get into saudi arabia without any particular difficulty. because with the profits time jews and christians were seen as people of the book. they did not have as much problem and the saudis today to have a much greater problem with the shia muslims and christians or jews. we rank pretty low down but not nearly as low as the shia because there heretic sam polluting islam. we are not. we are believers. >> and finally you have the analogy of the

and i think give the wahhabi to saudi arabia means studio. a lot of their teaching go to do that to you. just in the span of several years bolstered by the fight against assad in syria the isis has advanced so far as to declare an islamic caliphate a pos the territories that it now controls both iraq and syria the question is whether saudi arabia sees the isis as a serious threat it has warned against foreign military into ference in iraq and now iran is reportedly sending fighter jets to help the iraqi government fight the jihad is. saudi arabia said still lots of questions one thing is clear the holderness to carry intentions is only getting more explosive in washington i'm going to check out our team. somebody of riyadh is seeking to gain the upper hand in a region his german ginnis manuel oxen right one site they finance and they support isis with their actions on the other side they supply their troops to the border ready for interfering so this is also a justification and of course an excuse for maybe later on entering iraq saudi arabia

saudi arabia means studio. a lot of their teaching contributed to the kid a year. just in the span of several years bolstered by the fight against assad in syria the isis has advanced so far as to declare an islamic caliphate apos the territories that it now controls both iraq and syria the question is whether saudi arabia sees the isis as a serious threat it has warned against foreign military interference in iraq and now iran is reportedly sending fighter jets to help the iraqi government fight the jihad is army. will saudi arabia sit still lots of questions one thing is clear the coltrane of sectarian tensions is only getting more explosive in washington i'm going to check out our team. could plug for a website that was a huge story is the great pictures too long. when it comes to nature showing what it's capable of new york sort of front row seats are going to miss. up close look at these sudden the ball. well here they come touching down on the big apple you would want to be underneath that watch it from the safety of our you tube channel oh is over twenty tho

northern border do you think it's true that saudis are financing the isis. i do not think the saudi government finances ice's or any other terrorist organizations. certain individuals organizations based in saudi arabia or in the other gulf countries may be involved in. saudi arabia just like other countries in the region has suffered from terrorism which prompted its government regulations to criminalize any connections to such organizations it is true that saudi arabia and iran are in a religious confrontation rather a fight for leadership but i believe that there is no link between these extremists and the saudi government oh as i've already said they might be funded by individuals who have nothing to do with the government. ok now earlier on you mentioned that division that there are divisions that political parties create within the iraqi army tell me are those divisions to blame for the total breakdown of the military. i think that there is more to the crisis in iraq than just armed conflict there are also the political differences the confrontation be

returning to the saudis asset as well.but most experts were surprised by iraq this year and to to get ahead of the next surprise is this one of them? >> isis gains in iraq claimed by a number of analysts having to do with the iraqi army and getting support from the suze tribes not exactly what isis could do but a reflection from the of their side. i think the countries that should be most concerned about territorial gains not exactly saudi arabia led the very nature that setting arabia should not be that concerned about what isis would do. but the x factor is this kind of phenomenon and the sydney tribes is for this group to operate and i do think they have an influence over some tribes but that kind of leverage to influence reassures them in the kingdom that this is day unmanageable threat and i would be surprised otherwise have. >> we will open up to questions now i will ask the ambassador the first question but then please i will call on you and we will bring microphones to you. but do you have thoughts on what was said

arabia and that is something that they do want from the west eventually they don't want saudi arabia they've just sold saudi arabia seventy five billion dollars of equipment from the west so don't tell me that this is not a western calculate move there is tons of equipment going into this area and it's not coming from russia it's not coming from china it's all it's coming from the west you know kick out and go ahead i want you to jump in go ahead ok i believe we don't need to go through with the if and when to spare i see they're ready and i don't know to have you got a conspiracy there if you like the look of the seventy billion dollars i tell it was very well publicized and i wouldn't go ahead and watch seventy five billion dollars what the weapon was not a conspiracy jumping if i may if i may scott what is going to go on is very much six sitting on water between shia and sunni or between and not a site where in war when they had al and seventy billion dollars worth the weapon that we're going to extend the united states does not have interest and they can fly it's in sync video th

arabia and that is something that they do want from the west eventually they don't want saudi arabia they've just sold saudi arabia seventy five billion dollars of equipment from the west so don't tell me that this is not a western calculate move there is tons of equipment going into this area and it's not coming from russia it's not coming from china it sounds coming from the west you know kick out and go ahead i want you to jump in go ahead ok i believe we don't need to go through with the if in going to split i see there already and i don't know if i have not if it's various is there if you like to look on the seventy billion dollars i tell it was very well publicized and i wouldn't go ahead and watch seventy five billion dollars what the weapon was not a conspiracy will jump in if i may if i may scott what is going to go on. six thirty on the water between new water between not a secretary and war when they have seventy dollars worth of great extent unite this does not have. any other walling it. and. if it. doesn't then. and i believe president obama is. selling. it is. and. cou

the top general in the united states says the country may launch an assault on isis insurgents while saudi arabia sent thirty thousand troops to the border sparking fears of an armed invasion. welcome once again my name's neil harvey and you're watching r.t. international. and we will start with eastern ukraine where there is no end to the violence with more deadly gun fire and recent shellings in civilian areas we've got to believe beautifully. would you not look at the. villages of condor a shove in the lip ganske region have buried their dead after an airstrike which government forces say was accidental eleven people killed in one attack the youngest victim was just five years old. but he years earlier. nor did you so there might be a move their reply let it go because it would be rejected to me if i knew what to do to receive it. is that you who are got the larger lot bob. but. another airstrike a sit in the region leaving at least one woman that shells landed on a local cancer hospital as you can see here it did some considerable damage the residential areas of the city of kramatorsk

in europe saudi arabia is doing a lot for radicalizing if you go for example to bosnia you will see brand new mosques financed by saudi arabian foundations and this is not a liberal and not a tolerant islam they are preaching there and then we shouldn't forget that both countries as well are allies of the west we have now the he which he paid also in context of the isis the bait off these so-called european volunteers joining the ice these forces and other easily missed forces in the middle east the various what might happen when these people when these terrorists might come back with all the experience from a battleground this should be alarming this network we witness here so isis is maybe just the most violent and the most terroristic part of that network. so they'll miss out chink a trailer so just spy german intelligence is arrested a man who allegedly hunted secret government info over to the n.s.a. details on the scandalous shaking bird in secret agencies to the core coming played also on the way britain's queen named the u.k.'s biggest ever warship while the future of britai

general in the united states says that the country may launch an assault on isis insurgents while saudi arabia since thirty thousand troops to the border sparking fears of an armed invasion. welcome my name is the harvey and you're watching r.t. and. we will start this hour with eastern ukraine where there is no end to the violence with more deadly gun fire and recent shelling in civilian areas we. believe beautifully. these are the villages of condor a shove in the leg screeching who have buried their dead after a strike which government forces say was accidental eleven people were killed in one attack and the youngest victim was just five years old. but a years earlier. nor did you think there might be a move their reply larry god is no good you're used to it and you would do you really it. is that you who are got the larger lot barbaro but. more another airstrike a sit in the screeching leaving at least one woman and shells landed on a local council hospital and as you can see that it did some considerable damage residential areas of the city of kramatorsk in the dinette screeching h

there is always a division in saudi policy from the former ambassador in washington and had of saudielligence who had a very forward policy for supporting jihadi movements in syria. and those in saudi arabia said, no, no, this is a disaster. this is according to people who basically want to get rid of the we make the middle east. now it is the latter group that turned out to be right. it may be too late. isis is very strong now. it doesn't mean money. it doesn't really need the weapons will stop it is advancing on all fronts. it is really question of legitimacy of the saudi monarchy and the other governments in the region. so i think the saudi's are very much regretting their policy in the past. that isn't much they can do about it at this stage. >> patrick cockburn, do you think the islamic state is going to advance onto baghdad? that they don't necessarily have to try and take bad, which is difficult in the city of 7 million people. shia.jority are there are things they can do that they haven't done yet. the sunni enclaves could rise up. some are close to the center of the capital.

arabia but on the other hand as well there is turkey we have saudi arabia is a country which is very much engaged in europe saudi arabia is doing a lot for radicalizing if you go for example to boston you will see brand new mosques financed by saudi arabian foundations and this is not a liberal and not a tolerant islam they are preaching there this is nothing new what we're seeing in the region is the same aligned so forces arrayed against the people of the region that we saw since the second world war when when london and washington were allied particularly with the gulf monarchies in supporting the so-called muslim brotherhood and other much more violent sectarian forces in the region against those countries and states and leaderships which were actually delivering land reform social reform distribution of wealth and the nonaligned pro global sell or pro time quote quote unquote thought well policy. another crisis is looming for ukraine creasing natural gas reserves kiev has already resorted to tapping its long term storage tanks after russia cut off supplies over unpaid bills and

saudi arabia's stock market will open up to foreign investors for the first time the saudi market is the biggest in the middle east down the so. biggest in the world that is close to direct foreign investment that's off to china the move is part of why government efforts to diversify the saudi economy away from oil and now we're going to talk about corporate news and what's been going on here it most cable has a cold i suppose as opposed to the twenty five maybe. a loss of the company says this is down see that restructuring houston making basis in the cupcake. pace of russia have signed an agreement aimed at speeding up deliveries the websites of vice president wendy giant types the deal will help the company keep up its rapid growth in rough south russia metals giant sevastopol is finally offloading its u.s. assets the us its own fellows. around two point three billion dollars fine tom. it's time to get to the business desk and tim cabaye now also at the will does it on pills is that right yes it did we got ph yes farm standard and to be honest i never really thought about it put t

a top general in the united states says the country may launch an assault or nicest insurgent was saudi arabia sends thirty thousand troops to the border now sparking fears of an armed invasion. hello good morning i'm kevin and it's just past midnight now here in moscow you're with r.t. international and first more pledges from kiev to commit to a cease fire but the shells the bullets continue being fired in east ukraine none the less all the while bringing more misery to the people there and for the villages of congress shove to respect it's been a particular week of tragedy it culminated this friday with the funeral of one of the conflict the youngest victims who celebrated his fifth birthday just one day before the attack that killed him and his father he was there just hours after the homes were left in ruins by an airstrike and now grieving locals buried a. beaut. wouldn't want to put it down and i would like it. to me. the moment the bump on the beach what if you just thought it was a good to see you know what. you . may want to go move forces say a woman's been killed and several

one has to do with -- we talk about saudi arabia benefiting. there's an aspect of oil that i think we need to put out of the table. if iran was to become a normal state tomorrow, not a u.s. friendly state. normal -- or u.s. friendly for that matter, first and foremost, my view is russia will never allow that. russia will do anything in its powers to keep iran simmering, at least. why? because iran coming into the market. it's the only one that has access to the caucasus and the lake -- it also has access to central asia. also, if iran was to come into the normal sea, u.s. or other western states can leave the pipeline which exist but need a lot of repair. they they can go straight to the gulfage out. that breaks russia's monopoly over oil and gas, which is east/west. this would be a north/south way. i personally do not believe until any circumstances mr. putin would allow that. whatever we think about iran, we have to think about this aspect that is absolutely very important. therefore, i don't think russia will play games. they always play bac

i rumor speaking to saudi's and saudis and saying, we don't need to do what the egyptians did because we have of h and and not -- abdullar not mubarak. the useful role that we can play is helping the governments of the region that have not fallen into civil war and help them begin programs of reform that let off the pressure and diffuse the anger that led to the movements of 2011. the last point was iran. i am hopeful that we will get a deal. that would be the best outcome iranians, and our allies in the region. with theto be tempered realities that we face. it is going to be difficult. we need to start thinking about what we will do if we do not get a deal and if we do get a deal. they are equally important. i am struck how many people around town are focused on what is next. there will be an important debate to be had. many do not get that deal, will take it as a sign that the irradiance are determined to get ians are determined to get nuclear weapons. they may be right. from my perspective, war is not a good option will stop war -- good option. war could be the worst option. thee d

top general in the united states says that the country may launch an assault on isis insurgents or saudi arabia since thirty thousand troops to the border sparking fears of an armed invasion. neil harvey and you're watching internet. and will start this hour with a crane where there is no end to the violence with more deadly gunfire and recent shellings in civilian areas we. believe beautifully. would you like to look at it if you can. villages of khandahar shocker in the lugansk region buried their dead after an airstrike which government forces say was accidental eleven people were killed in the attack and the youngest victim was just five years old you could do you. know you can skid you're going to do did you used good news because you could lose used three years earlier darn nor did you think there might be a move very well larry god is no good you're used to me and you would you really it . is that you who i. know there are strikers sits in the region leaving at least one woman dead shells landed in a local cancer hospital and as you would be able to see here it did some considerab