that doesn't mean we have to push back turkey into the darkness. turkey is a strong ally. turkey is a bridge between different worlds. the only issue is how to go about achieving that. that's what we talked about. so let us have at least one choice where we are not totally in agreement and that will give us time to think about future elections. >> question for both presidents, please. iran and north korea, what is the current policy which is largely one of recent years produced other than given time to north korea and iran to advance their nuclear ambitions. thank you. >> well, i think it's important to distinguish between the two countries and what they've been doing of late. north korea's actions over the last several months have been extraordinarily provocative. and they have made no bones about the fact that they are testing nuclear weapons, testing missiles that potentially would have intercontinental capacity. and in fact, we are not intending to continue a policy of rewarding provocation. the parties that are involved in the six-party talks, we have contacted. they

turkey, the objective is turkey play its role as a bridge. i think it is important europe has borders, to have a friend tears, because that is a stabilizing factor. i cannot allow that stabilizing factor in the world to be undermined. that does not mean we have to push back turkey to the darkness. turkey is a strong ally and a bridge between different worlds. the only issue is to help to go about achieving that. let us have at least one point on which we are not totally in agreement. that will give us some time to think about future elections. >> one question for both presidents. iran and north korea, what has the current policy of recent years produced other than a given time to north korea and iran to advance their nuclear ambitions? thank you. >> i think it is important to distinguish between the two countries and what they have been doing of late. north korea's actions over the last several months have been extraordinarily provocative. and they have made no bones about the fact that they are testing nuclear weapons, testing missiles that

yes, they were running an advertisement for turkey saying come to turkey. we want to you travel to turkey and see the wonders of our great country. now why would they be doing that? because most countries are now very aggressively involved in trying to attract international designation tourism to their country. why is that the case? because we know that on average, an international traveler spends about $4,500 per trip, and that means they're purchasing hotel rooms and car rentals and going to see exhibits and parks and all kinds of things. and the fact is it's job-creating in a country where international travelers visit. so most countries are now very active trying to attract people to their countries. japan is, great britain, italy, turkey, france, you name it. here's a little sample of what's happening out there. this is an advertisement, "sweet secrets from japan," to learn about japan and its culinary arts and traditions, this is an advertisement saying come to japan. come and travel in the country of japan. advertisements from france. picasso, norman

turkey is a very strategic country right at all. the european orientation and nato relationship make it a bridge of stability between the euro atlantic committee and the nations of central asia and the arabian gulf. how would you describe our relationship with turkey today? >> thank you. although i am definitely greek, my father -- my grandfather was born in turkey and he came through grease on his weight to the united states. i think i have a cultural understanding of both of those nations. turkey is a very important friend and ally to the united states. i would categorize our relationship at the moment it is a strong relationship. we are conducting a great deal of information and intelligence sharing. we recognize the threat to turkey post that the kurdish separatist movements, and i believe it is an important as strong relationship and one i intend to focus on is confirmed. >> general mcchrystal,

with respect to turkey, president sarkozy and i discussed this before, i'm not a member of the e.u., the united states is not a member of the e.u. so we can't dictate the terms in which any country enters into the -- i do think turkey is an enormously important ally in nato. they're helping us in afghanistan, in that critical effort. they have a growing entry and are interested in a further integration with europe and i would encourage that. so i said publicly, i think turkish membership in the e.u. would be important. now, president sarkozy, as an actual member of the e.u. has a different view, but i think it's very important to note he strongly supports the work that turkey is doing in nato. i believe he's interested in further economic integration and what the united states wants to do is just continue to encourage discussions and talks and a process whereby turkey can feel confident that it has a friendship with france, with the united states, with all of europe and that to the extent it's defining itself as part of europe, it has an opportunity to be a party. but again, that's s

and every time they go to turkey the most notice some significant differences between turkey and themselves. so this is a much more complicated country than in the notion of a few crazy ayatollahs and nonet lunatic quote on quote president. it is a serious country in the midst of an extremist been shot but of which if tackled intelligently is bound to win if one can judge on the basis of its own socio-economic levels in its history. yes, ma'am? >> i wanted to ask you to examine the scenario of iran that doesn't come back to the u.s. and agree to negotiations even after the civil down after the elections. but should the u.s. attitude be? hillary clinton already spoke of crippling sanctions. haven't we some how box ourselves and all ready with comments like that and even the dateline of the end of the year? what should the response be in this country if they don't come back and then just a question about obama speech yesterday there's been a lot of criticism that he was a bit too squishy in terms of his use of language he talked about violent extremism. he never talked about islamic extremism

turkey is deeply concerned with the nuclear tests conducted by the dprk on may 25th. we believe the nuclear test was a clear violation of u.n. security council resolution 1695, and 1718. earlier on turkey had expressed concern over the launch carried out by dprk on 5 april. we believe this undermines stability, mutual trust and confidence and the region even further. turkish authorities have condemned the nuclear test in strong terms and support the security council to send a strong and unified response of two dprk for this act. we believe that the resolution adopted today contains the necessary elements for such a response. it is our strong expectation that dprk and international community comply with this and abide by the provisions of the resolution appeared at the same time, turkey recognizes the importance of encouraging the dprk to return to the six-party talks. cherokee looks forward to these talks and considers them the best vehicle for negotiation. -- turkey looks forward to these talks. this is important for stability and a boat region. all the parties to th

host: any advantage to allow turkey? guest: i think the economic advantage in europe, and a sense it would increase competitiveness within the european union. very active, aggressive, competitive turkish companies which would press european companies to be -- a huge market of tens of millions of new consumers. by the same token, turkey is very, very poor. poorer than portugal would join the european union, porridge and greece when it joined. and one reason the european union worked so well is that the european union understood when it was creating conditions that they had to subsidize those countries initially to bring the standard of living up to a certain level. the cost of doing that and the european union would be enormous. and then there are all the cultural and religious problems that make the headlines of whether europe thinks turkey is really a european nation, and this raises questions about islam. it is a very dicey -- host: bruce stokes rights and " the national journal." we have another 15 minutes for bruce s

and every time they go to turkey they must notice some significant differences between turkey and themselves, which are probably attractive to them, so, this is a much more complicated country than the notion of the knew crazy ayatollah, and an absolutely lunatic quote-unquote president, it's a serious country which is, unfortunately, in the midst of a kind of an extremist binge, but with which if tackled intelligently is bound to -- if one can judge on the basis of its own socioeconomic levels and its history. yes, ma'am? sn>> i wanted to ask you to examine the scenario of an iran that does not come back to the u.s. and agree to any kind of negotiations, even at they settle down, after the elections. what should the u.s. attitude be, hillary clinton already spoke of crippling sanctions, haven't we somehow boxed ourselves in already with comments like that and the vague deadline of the end of the year? what she response be in h country if they don't come back and also a question about obama's speech yesterday, there has been a lot of criticism that he was a bit too squishy in terms of his us

folks up for a work in a turkey plant in iowa. they recruited mentally disabled man to work in this turkey plant, ship them off to iowa, house them in old rundown schoolhouse that didn't have a heater that worked. and iowa is a little like chicago. we need leaders in winter. so they blocked up the windows to try and keep the heat in the place, and then they deducted $500 a month for room and board, and another $600 a month for kind care resulting in these workers working full-time at a turkey plant getting paid $60 a month. that too is wage that. so then the question is if you can agree that we've got a crisis in which death and that it's not somewhere else, it's right here all around us because every study shows that 50% of restaurants are stealing wages from workers, 60% of nursing homes, landscaping is notorious, residential construction is notorious. it's not somewhere else, it's right here with us. so if we agree we've got a crisis, then the question is why? how come? well, i think it's a variety of factors. first it's clearl

this is reelly for our people who deal with turkey. i will say that with respect to iraq, turkey is very active. turkey has a number of economic projects under way in iraq. they've been very much bowl sterg their relationship with iraq. and i know, having talked to turkish visitors, there's a great deal of interest not only in the northern part of iraq but also in bolstering their relations with the shiite part or the southern part of iraq. so i see a turkey that is increasingly interested in having a good relationship with iraq and we very much welcome this process. >> president obama's speech in cairo has produced a lot of renewed hopes for the arabs of the region and for america. the policies there. today, can you reiterate for us, for the arab audience, that you are looking forward for the day when america leaves iraq as a one country united and sovereign? i mean, united. not like what vice president biden in the past has looked for, a division of iraq and into three parts? >> we are very interested in having a long-term and succes

i mean, this is really for our people who deal with turkey. i will say that, with respect to iraq, turkey is very active. turkey has a number of economic projects under way in iraq. they've been very much bolstering their relationship with iraq and i know, having talked to turkish visitors, there is a great deal of interest not only in the northern part of iraq but also in bolstering their relations with the shiite part of the southern part of iraq. so i see a turkey that is increasingly interested in having a good relationship with iraq and we very much welcome this process. >> president obama's speech in cairo has produced a lot of renewed hopes for the arabs and for america and their policies there. can you reiterate for us and for the other audience that you are looking forward for the day when america leaves iraq as a one country united and sovereign? i mean, united, not like what vice president biden in the past has looked for, a division of iraq to three parts. >> we are very interested in having a long-term and successful relationship

the sec and is a turkey. it is the world's 17th largest economy and larger than saudi arabia with an excellent army. and it lives in a sea of chaos. whenever internal problems it has as all two countries it is not in chaos produce the turkish influence spreading in the balkans, you see it in the caucuses, but you see it south and iraq and in the negotiations they carry out between israel and syria produce see the alliances they have created with israel, and the extreme caution with iran treats turkey under any and all circumstances. you see a country that is the merging but when you remember over 500 years turkey was the center of the islamic world. the ottoman empire. that should not be that god. the last 100 years were odd clout turkey encloses itself and the anglo-french organized the region, the baltics, and the balkans i should say and the area south of the middle east. but as that area leaves the control of others, including the americans, the turks become much more important and influential. my third a

it's the country of turkey saying, come to turky, come and visit the wonders of turkey. well, good for turkey. they're you will there trying to promote international tourism. but the same is true with france and with india and japan, great britain, so many other countries. why are they doing that? they're doing it because it is unbelievably job creating to have international tourism come to your country. on average, an international tourist spends about $4,500 on hotels and cars and tourist attractions and food. so it's unbelievably job creating and boosting of the economy of the host country. but even more important than that, our country needs to do this and we are not because starting in 2000 -- going to 2008, we now have 600,000 fewer visitors in a year from overseas than we had eight years ago. why is that the case? it's because some people feel that we don't want them to visit our country. quite the opposite is true. and so we suggest rather than keep losing economic opportunities from international tourism, let's at least join the discussion and get in the game

that is turkey and poland is simply a store called and geographical accidents where russia meets the west and therefore the place where the americans will play the game they play the best which is technology transfer and kickstart the necessary economies. the united states power will grow continually since 1870 the single most important factor of the world has been the continual growth of american power measured in every way from where it was in 1870 mischa's earned two today is an extraordinary story. when you sit down and grasp the economic growth during this period it is interesting those in the great depression is a ball, not a major event. from the point* of view of 100 years, things that are enormously significant such as the spanish-american war, really are not and you should have read about that it was in all of the papers, elections ran around it, it was a driving issue. things come and passed away and some things are permanent i have tried to look for what is permanent. for me is the shift in the demographics system, the rise of american power and i finally would point* out

policy against kurds of turkey and iraq? >> the second question is so complicated that i will not be able to give you an answer about the kurds. all i can tell you is that every saturday we play soccer in munich and my best partner is a kurd. gives me the best -- gives me the best opportunities. and i love him. he is a kurd from turkey. but i will answer you the first question. second question it was a joke. for me terrorism is violating, killing innocent people for political reasons. so don't ask me what i'd think about people who make illegal wars. >> you have got to talk into a microphone. i don't mean to be a nasty guy about it. >> you are really going to skip the second question? >> the second question, i think the kurds are really an unfortunate people. i have no -- you know, i could say i have no solution for the kurds. there are kurds in iran. kurds in iraq. kurds in turkey. they are mistreated in all these countries. and i don't have a solution. i just admit that i don't have a solution for everything. what i would

every time they go to turkey, they must noticed significant events is between 30 and themselves which is probably attractive to them. this is a much more complicated country in the notion of its ayatollah's and its "president." they are on an extremist bench, but it as its own socio- economic history. >> i wanted to ask you to examine the scenario of an iran that does not come back to the u.s. and agree to any type of negotiation even after they settled down after the elections. what should the u.s. atmosphere -- added to people filigr attit? what should the response be in this country? and about obama's speech yesterday, there has been a lot of criticism that he was t was to -- that he was he wasa bit t squishy. did he go too far in reaching out? >> if iran chooses not to come to the negotiating table, that would set in motion consequences we don't need to talk about before they make that decision. i am not so naive a person as to think that if they don't come to the table, it should have no effect whatsoever. it will have an effect. but we don't need to try to entice them to come to

indonesia, pakistan, bangladesh, india, and turkey. david makovsky? guest: in the arab world, they tend to see threatening -- they tend to see america as threatening because they are secular. europeans tend to see america as religious. there are different attitudes. like i said, i think the president was right to extend a hand. i think if you do not try to extend a hand, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and you will have a much more polarized environment. i think given his life story, he is the perfect person to articulate american values and interests, and i think it went a long way toward doing that yesterday. host: "thanks to the path that president obama has set out on there will be a nuclear exchange, the only question will be how big."

in turkey, 1920s, they were required separation of mosque and state. one of their primary responsibilities is to overthrow its government if ever it becomes a theocracy and it's happened several times. and what is ironic to me is that i found a better sort of stronger fabric spiritually in the society in turkey than i did in iran because religious faith is an organic thing and can't be dictated from the top down and i think the more people aren't inclined to embrace it. i would say if you're inclined to violate the separation of church and state, you would be better of having a healthy environment where people can choose to be religious and that's what we treasure here in the united states and that's what could happen in islam. we went to this church service, wow, to stand there with our camera looking at thousands of muslims worshipping was quite a powerful experience for me as a tv producer it was clear to me -- i had the choice here i could edit it in a menace than way. cut in a few guerillas jump over barbed ward and jihadist music and i got one sc

do when we learn to walk going after turkeys and if you have a copy of a photograph of my published map of that moment and i thought of case we have got quilt patterns, we have got quoz, and then reading another book won by john hanson mitchell called abilene walking across vermont, a good book, he talks about the spanish concept panacea. it means several things, i think initially it was used by the old people in texas to describe a place where a longhorn is mormon. the longhorn has a special affinity for that spot where it was born. and then i learned that apparently is used in bullfighting in mexico and spain. analysts correct in my version in portland, the currency of the bowl is a place that imagines in the ring that is its bought and wants to keep the matador and out of that spot and the matador wants to keep the bowl from getting to add. so they began fighting. well, i'm not talking about fighting, i am talking about really the vicarious definition for the longhorn. it comes from a spanish word which means to love so as i use it here it is a place that we have a special affini

in turkey, bangladesh, indonesia, we have seen them elected woman to lead. the struggle for women'd quality continues for many aspects of american life and in countries around the world. i am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons. [applause] our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. i do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. i respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. it should be their choice. that is what the united states will partner with any muslim majority country toemployment ta financing that helps people live their dreams. [applause] i want to discuss economic development and opportunity. i know that for many the face of globalization is contradictory. the internet and television can bring knowledge and information, but also a sense of sexuality and mindless violence into the home. trade can bring new wealth and opportunities, but also huge disruptions and a change in c

it has made turkey pay for gas. turkey, charging 15% will be self-sufficient in natural gas. they would be happy. pakistan and india -- it does not happen. the sanctions are not only hurting the iranian people, they are putting our allies at risk, hurting the turks and damaging pakistan. i do not think the sanctions have been effective. that is a minority position. >> it happens to be one that has strong evidence behind it. thank you. >> i do not think that anything that has happened in iran has changed the limited options that the obama administration had prior to what has happened. even before these things happen, there were suspicions about military strikes. sanctions effectively haunt the population and strengthen the hard-liners. i do not think anything that has happened in iran has change the dynamic. the only thing that has changed it seems to me is that because the election was at the center of the controversy, it is not possible, despite mr. alex damany's making this a systemic problem to making the argument that this is a crash -- despite khamenei's makin this is sy

kept some of our commitments on the joint strike fighter, even though we both think it is the total turkey. that is still in the budget, that is limiting our 10,000 airplanes, we get 10,000 airplanes that have devastating support capability, no air force in the world has ever seen a capability like this. air superiority that it again, unheard of at any point in history because of the superiority of the superfighter. astonishingly, because these new airplanes came in. this capability would actually exist at the onset of any conflict we need to get into, that is absolutely a first in u.s. air power history. we are never with close support or air superiority and we are rarely even ready to do the strategic bombing we shouldn't be doing. those are the possibilities, if you take a sensible look at the history of what worked in combat and what didn't. i am extraordinarily pessimistic about whether this would happen but it is certainly worth pursuing and letting people know the missed opportunity if we go along with the system as it is, the promotion of officers for maximizing budgets and coverin

later on this afternoon, the secretary met with foreign minister ahmet of turkey. she is looking forward to hosting the foreign minister in his first visit to washington as foreign minister. they'll discuss the jiechi to partnership between our two countries -- the strategic partnership between our two countries. this will include counter- terrorism cooperation, turkey's yeu bid, and developments in the middle east, around, and north korea -- iran and north korea. she will meet with a member of the republic of korea, an important ally of the united states. they'll be discussing the upcoming summit between president of the united states and the president of the republic of korea. it will clearly talk about the current situation in north korea and the u.s.-korea alignment -- alliance. as the president mentioned this morning, george mitchell will be departing for the region on sunday. he starts with a stop in norway and will travel to the region for talks with israeli, palestinian, jordanian, and egyptian officials. you will ask me, what about syria? that is a possibi

in turkey, pakistan, bangladesh, indonesia, we've seen muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead. meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of american life and in countries around the world. i am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our worst -- our sons. [applause] our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. i do not believe that women must make this change places as men in order to be equal. and i respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. but it should be their choice. that is why the united states will partner with any muslim through cal woods or a country to support expanded literacy for girls and to help young women pursue employment through microfinancing that helps people live their dreams. [applause] finally, i want to discuss economic development and opportunity. i know that for many the face of globalization is contradictory. the internet and television can bring knowledge and information but also offensive sec

indonesia, pakistan, bangladesh, india, and turkey. david makovsky? guest: in the arab world, they tend to see threatening -- they tend to see america as threatening because they are secular. europeans tend to see america as religious. there are different attitudes. like i said, i think the president was right to extend a hand. i think if you do not try to extend a hand, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and you will have a much more polarized environment. i think given his life story, he is the perfect person to articulate american values and interests, and i think it went a long way toward doing that yesterday. host: "thanks to the path that president obama has set out on there will be a nuclear exchange, the only question will be how big." guest: i agree with the caller correctly about iran, which i write about in the book. we have three chapters on iran in the book. mike co-authored dennis ross -- my co-author, dennis ross, is now working for secretary of state hillary clinton. people might want to read that book for some clues. but i think ev

in the gulf set up in 1981 to defend, provide collective defense against iran, but also with israel, turkey, and other friends in the region that are threatened by iran. fourthly, i think the report recommends that the u.s. should make clear american withingness -- willingness to block oil exports in the event of a crisis because iranians tend to use the threat of closing the strait of hormuz as one of the weapons in their quiver to try and intimidate the other members of the gulf. we think that the u.s. should not only press for other persian gulf oil exporters to develop alternative means to export the oil by building pipelines that avoid the strait of hormuz, but also it would be very helpful if they could build up their excess oil capacity to cushion in the event that a crisis comes regarding iran's nuclear program. fifthly, we think the administration should review contingency plans for a possible preventive strike to disarm iran, and this should not be taken off the table. tehran should not think that just because it's acquired a nuclear weapon that it's home free, and by stressing th

jordan, turkey, the list goes on. and some of them undoubtedly are seeking this capability because they have legitimate energy needs. turkey, for example, has a really severe energy deficit, and they're looking for a nuclear program as a corrective for that. but i would venture to guess that a lot of them including many of the countries of the gcc, including yemen which doesn't have much by way of running water so it's not so in dire need of additional sources of energy are doing this from a strategic perspective. they're essentially looking for a counterweight to to the emerg, what they see as an emerging iranian bomb. so this has a great deal to do with, obviously, the balance of power in the region, but it has to do with the fact that our strategy when it comes to the iranian nuclear program has to be robust enough not only to deter and contain iran, but the other countries that are lining up behind iran. the outcome's going to be the same. we are on the cusp of a very serious proliferation cascade in the region, s

the boundaries of the middle east countries were fixed by western powers after turkey was defeated in world war i. the french took over syria and lebanon. the british took over palestine and iraq. the areas allotted to israel had been under the control of the on the man empire from 1517 to 1917. during this 400-year rein, it was only sparsely populated. it was the oppressed jewish population and muslim immigrant groups and small groups of christians in the area. the actual boundaries of what became the state of israel were set by the united nations in 1947 when formally established in 1948, the attacks on the state of israel began immediately by the neighboring arab states. arafaf formed the palestinian liberation organization or the p.l.o. in 1964. he formed a state within a state and the palestinian homeland of jordan. arafat stated that jordan was palestine. not until the 1967 war that the arab nations backed the p.l.o. for the purpose of taking back land that israel had won in that defensive war of 1967. in 1967, arab forces massed against israel surrounding the tiny nation. the e

she ended up in turkey where she and other girls were tortured and forced to engage in prostitution. she escaped with the help of police who arrested the nine men who trafficked the woman and her sister. they found help from local n.g.o.'s and now she works and lives her life as a free woman. so there are some -- some of these tragedies, we've seen heroic actions take place, some encouragements that we are making the progress we'd like to see. prostitution is not the only form of involuntary servitude outlined in this report. it contains true stories like a family in india that were bonded laborers until freed with the help of n.g.o. young boys abducted from their school by militia groups and tortured until they submitted to serving as soldiers. an eight-year-old girl given away as an unpaid domestic servant after her mother and brother died. these are real people. these are real stories. the u.s. is not immune from the problems of modern-day slavery. the 2009 trafficking in persons report highlights young girls brought to california from egypt by a wealthy couple who forced her to w

in the case of iran, that decision could lead other countries in the region, maybe turkey, maybe eat it, maybe saudi arabia, to revaluate their nuclear plants and nuclear acquisition. we think there is a window of opportunity here but things could take place that undermines his process. that gives us a sense of urgency. >> why should a nation interested in nuclear power, particularly iran or north korea, care about what the united states and russia are doing? specifically for ambassador khan, does pakistan have any understanding of the islamic world using a the global 0 recommendations? >> you want to deal with the last question first? >> i can tell you pakistan has no reservations in going forward on the global zero program. i say that in spite of the fact that some of the countries in my neighborhood, i can mention iran, the need to have a nuclear weapon which they don't admit to right now. i have no doubt that given the position in the islamic world, pakistan taking the lead, going forward on the aspirations and goals of global zero, will find most of the other islamic countries f

in turkey, bangladesh, indonesia, we have seen countries elect a woman to lead. and this equality continues in many aspects of american life and countries around the world. i am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons. [applause] our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all of humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. i do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. and i respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. but it should be their choice. and that is why the united states will partner with any muslim-minority country to expand literacy for girls and to help people pursue employment that helps people live their dreams. [applause] finally, i want to discuss economic development and opportunity. i know for many the face of globalization is contradictory. the internet and television can bring knowledge and information, and also the sense of sexuality and mindless violence into the home. trade can bring wealth and opportunities, and hu

india he is so popular that [unintelligible] my question is that, since he was in the muslim world in turkey and egypt, do you think that he will continue to have a high rating in those parts of the world in the muslim world because they also have a high rating at this time. his message to the muslim world, do you think this is [unintelligible] and an investment for the future in democracies? >> the president has dedicated a significant amount of his time since coming to the white house in reaching out to the muslim world and becoming engaged in the search for long-term peace in the middle east. i think he believes it will pay significant dividends to keeping our country say. as i said earlier, to improving our image throughout the world. >> he will be speaking to the american medical association on monday. since he believes in your gut and had a a good teacher, a friend of mine says -- >> where are you going with this one? >> yoga can treat people at no cost and can save billions of dollars. do you think he is ready to declare that yoga could be part of -- >> let me cleave to the fact that

iran's immediate neighbors like turkey and iraq had called mahmud ahmadinejad to congratulate his victory. do you think that is a stand against the people on the street or an alliance to the current regime. how do you interpret it? thank you. >> well, i think it is hard to interpret it as anything other than standing in complete opposite of where the iranian people stand today. yes this did this? ask them. i don't think it is my place to discuss why a government does that. at a time when they are risk everything they have got to earn their freedom, was on their side. if we have a long term vision, that will lk more of a -- will become more of a vision. >> i would like to ask you about the relations between chavez and ahmadinejad. they have established relations in recent years. what do these two governments have in common to be so close? also, my second question is if you think that iran should have nuclear energy, isn't that up to the world? thank you? >> well, on the first question, the french have an expression. that means people who resemble one another assemble with one another. i th

and the back channel communications between, brokered by turkey suggests that the time is right for promoting that kind of an effort. only israel can make a determination as to whether israel wants to give up the golan heights, which is key to having the peace talks proceed. but it is a very different world today in the era of rockets than it was in 1967 when israel captured the golan heights. syria obviously wants the golan back as a matter of national pride. former prime minister -- former secretary of state kissinger told me that he found president hafez al assad to keep his word on the negotiations for the disengagement in 1974, so that obviously any arrangements would have to be very carefully negotiated under president reagan's famous dictum of trust but verify. but it seems to me that now is a good time to promote that dialogue. the advantages would be if weapons could be stabilized, it is an ongoing question to the extent that syria destabilizing lebanon. syrian officials deny it. there is no doubt that syria supports hezbollah and hamas so that israel could gain considerably if some

turkey, for example. i would venture to guess that many, including many such as yemen are in dire need of additional sources of energy are doing this as a strategic move. when we decide what to do this has to do with the balance of power in the region and the fact that our strategy with their nuclear program must be robust enough to deter and contain iran and also the other countries lining up behind iran for whatever various reasons. the outcomes would be the same. we are on the edge of the serious proliferation in the region. the third trend is the impact that this program will have on the pace of freedom within iran and soap. no one has ever done this. -- within iran and the region. it might be a good steady to do. when you did the timeline as to what happened with personal freedoms, free-speech, they line up closely. the lesson is that as iran gets closer to nuclear capability it feels freer to deal as it will with its internal population. is to the closures of newspapers, persecution. in a very real

in turkey and egypt. do you think that he will continue to have a high rating? and the muslim world, they also have a very high rating at this time. also the investment for democracy there. >> look, again, i think the president has dedicated, obviously, a significant amount of time since coming to the white house in reaching out to both the muslim world and also to be looking for peace in the middle east, and i think he believes that he would pay some of and dividends to keeping the country safe and to improving our image around the world. >> this president -- a yoga teacher at the white house. >> where are you going with this one. declaring that yoga can be part -- >> let me cleave to the part that i have not seen the final speech. i will take it that you can put your legs behind your head and ask questions. >> and had to do with the ama. a public plan or some variation on a public plan. >> offering the doctors a seat at the table if they take it. if they do not, is at their own peril. >> the doctors, as everybody have, have had a seat at the table. obviously,

as far as i know, iran's immediate neighbors, like turkey and iraq, have called mahmoud ahmadinejad to congratulate his election victory. do you think that these kinds of messages go directly to mr. ahmadinejad is a stand against the people on the streets, or an alliance to the current iranian regime? how do you interpret it? thank you. >> well, i think it is hard to interpret it anything other than standing in complete opposite of with the iranian people stand today. why they do this? ask them. i don't think it is my place to justify or explain why it is that if the government decides to legitimize the regime. all i am telling you is that people in iran will not forget such a key moment, at the time they are risking everything they've got. if we have a long-term vision, the will become more aof an issue to think about that the media. -- more of an issue to think about than in the immediate. >> i would like to ask you about the relations between president hugo chavez and president, in a shot. they have had the privilege -- president ahmadinejad. they have had a privileged relationship

we were in the largest town in european turkey just across the border from bulgaria, where we were serving. the brigade commander invited us to come down. we spent a wonderful day with him. he took us to the largest mosque in europe outside of istanbul. it was a massive structure. my wife and daughter immediately began fishing in their backs for head coverings -- in their bags for head coverings. he told us they were christians and did not need to do it. my wife and daughter said that they were in a mosque and of course they would do it. do you see the point in counterpoint? each try to be respectful of the culture of the other. there was a magnificent speech last week in cairo. he gave jesters that drew warm applause when he used the phrase, "me peace be upon him" after speaking of the prophet mohammed. -- he made gestures that drew warm applause. i had a similar experience in korea. i was in the combined forces command. the deputy was a korean four- star. the korean language is complex. the native speakers of have their language simplified. we do not even have the multiple versions of "y

., australia, canada, greece, turkey, would all be working together, that is a pretty interesting mix of countries but that is what we're doing because there is a common concern that we all have and i think we are making some good progress there. it is also an international effort. we created a task force, 151 to be a coordinating element for piracy and right now, the task force is being commanded by a turkish admiral, u.s. ship. >> other questions? >> i will spot here. >> has been some talk lately about getting rid of basically the idea or the goal of being able to fight two major conventional wars in different theaters. it is time to revisit the idea. i wonder what your take is on that and should we not retain the capability to fight, say, north korea and iran should they both flareup at the same time? >> i think that is one of the fundamental questions as we work through the quadrennial defense review is to determine what the needs and how do you put in place these force planning constructs that allow you to design the force that you need. at the end of the day, we are going to liv

and i think of calling noam chomsky in turkey it was february of 2002, he had not just gone there to speak but to stand with a young publisher who was facing years in prison for publishing noam chomsky work. i called noam to interview him before he went to court not knowing what would happen to him as well. when i rang him up, he answered the phone and said to you know what time it is, i thought i had calculated correctly, he said it is for it in the morning. i said i can call you back and he said no, i am not now, let's talk. but it is that bravery, that courage, his resistance to the war in viet nam and his writing about the wars in vietnam, the death squads and latin america, what happened to vietnam and cambodia, what is happening today in israel and palestine. his opposition to the wars in iraq, his relentlessness that is such an inspiration to us all. [applause] i think looking at the essential noam chomsky, of this a book case of that is on the cover is filled with noam chomsky books. he has written over 100 of them. and is not just writing, because when he excludes the line h

khrushchev into such a corner that he will react so violently -- that is what they did the deal in turkey. you have to get someone out or he would just lose it. there's no measure to the damage he can do to his own people. host: here is another message from twitter. let me turn to one domestic issue concerning sonya sotomayor and her nomination. these writers say that the poll found that most americans would be willing to pay higher taxes so everyone could have health insurance and the government could do a better job of holding down health care costs than the private sector has. your reaction? guest: i have not seen the internal on the pool yet. but it is remarkable how precisely the poll comports with the editorial position of "the new york times." we have all the with polling and you have to be careful with the freezing. i have dealt with health care since 1993 with the clinton health-care plan. that is not what i have seen in the pulling of the years and recently, but it depends how you phrase the question. -- with the polling over the years. there are polls recently that americans ea

there is talk about that in the gulf and in egypt and in turkey. in that sense, perhaps something of the regional type might be an arrangement that proves to be feasible. nonetheless, one cannot exclude the possibility that there will be no agreement and that the question arises, what? i will be explicit on this subject. i think the notion of a military strike against iran is a no starter. it is a nonstarter for the 90 states and it has to be such for everybody else. that means israel, specifically. -- it is a nonstarter for the united states and for israel. we have an unfinished war in iraq and afghanistan. we could have some military action in korea. there is nothing good for america in having a military collision with iran over this issue. the consequences of that would be extremely damaging in the region and for us. the iranians will have the capability to retaliate against us in iraq. they can make our lives more complicated in afghanistan. they can certainly interfere, within limits, but i interfere with the transportation of energy to the st

talked about that as being a high priority, interviews he has done, this speech to the parliament in turkey, as well as that speech, and i think he outlined a series of things that the administration will focus on in terms of democracy. >> i am not talking about speeches. what is his next step? >> let me finish and i will give you some action. the president continues to work on the peace process and we will have some readouts a little bit later for you today on some of that. the president will be engaged in dealing with the parties there.

france, england, italy, yugoslavia -- not yugoslavia, again, i made the mistake, it's turkey and japan and india and so many other countries, kosovo. they're all advertising, all pushing for international tourism to come to their country because they know it creates jobs, and, more important, they understand when you go there, you leave those countries with good impression. boy, i think if ever there was a time when we need people to come to this country and leave with an understanding of the culture and the character of this great country and at the same time create jobs in this country by buying gas, buy hotel rooms, buying airplane seats and doin doing -- and going to the tourist attractions and understanding about america, it is now. so my hope is in the next day or so we might be able to find a way to bring those who voted against cloture to understand we've said, you know what? want to offer amendments? offer amendments. there is no obstruction. a colleague came to the floor and said, i'm voting against cloture because i was obstructed from offering my amendment and that was a co

east arms race -- egypt, saudi arabia, turkey are all going to be states that want a nuclear program. there is a greater chance of there is a greater chance of iferation. if it can throw its weight around the region, it could intimidate moderates and emboldened extremists. so there are sets of concerns. i think the caller was referring to the fact that the president said that the united states did not object to iran having some -- civil nuclear power. is that a change in american policy? if i'm correct, secretary of state condoleezza rice said if the issue that iran wanted was in power, we could solve the problem. but i do not think there are any differences between the president and the former administration on the need to stop iran from getting in a car bomb. what is crucial to point out are the people that are the most worried, are not just israel, but it is all the arab states due to a historic enmity with iran, these regimes are very nervous and quietly working with united states. when the president was trying to see yesterday as we have got to end the gap between what you say pu

of the soviets would partition iraq, turkey and greece and said that more soviet space throw the world with peace and security of the near east would be over. now for the other domestic repercussion common this to, as my year can and it warned if not abandoned anti-semitism would prosper in the west and we would see a new anti-jewish education that would make it more difficult for jews to assimilate and they would appear "as the alien political factor. they warned the position of the issues would be greatly undermined as it becomes evident to the public is in the supporting a jewish state we were supporting the extreme objectives of political zionism to the detriment of american national security interest. finally, a jewish state could not survive unless the u.s. entered with its own troops come economic aid and with arms and the conclusions united states should take no further initiative to implement or aid partition. again, what struck me with some differences according to the time period, house similar this is to the realist argument today. some of the same arguments, anti-semitism