[01:13] And and and people are saying on Rumble there's no audio and no audio on YouTube as well. >> Okay. All right. Let me see what I can do here. Um Wait a minute. >> Okay. Does that is is that helping? I don't know. Let's see. Okay, guys. Is that um unfortunately we had some problems some tech glitches this morning. Um I did something. Did that make any difference? No.
[01:46] Huh. Oh, it's good now. Okay, we're good. Oh, it is? There's sound now. Okay. Guys, all right. Let's start Okay. Let's start from scratch. My apologies. So anyway, this I'm this is why we keep saying that we need Robbie. Robbie West is our producer. He So I'm managing for today. But anyway, welcome everybody. You didn't hear what I had to say. This is Deconstructed with John Kiriakou for Tuesday February 24th. And John I said great greetings to each other. So now we can just get to the
[02:16] show. So John, what does it say that I didn't think when I was compiling the the rundown this morning that the State of the Union address tonight is not be a top story. It's not a top story. What does that say? It says that people have finally gotten used to Donald Trump. And let me add something. I I did a short spot on Fox News last night. And Kevin McCarthy, the former Speaker of the House, was on right before me. And the interviewer asked him The
[02:48] interview was the Jesse Watters show, asked him a similar question. Like what what do you expect with the State of the Union address tomorrow and why is it not a bigger deal? And he said, "I expect the State of the Union to be the longest State of the Union address in American history." is what he said. Um doesn't sound pleasant. No. >> [laughter] >> And that tells me that it's just going to be kind of a Donald Trump you know
[03:18] self-love fest. And that he doesn't really care you know, what people say or how people react or or anything. He just doesn't care. It's really I I don't expect any big revelations. I don't expect any news. He's going to honor the men's Olympic hockey team. We beat Canada for the gold yesterday. The women's hockey team had a delay in their departure from
[03:49] Italy. So they're not going to be there and he's going to have, you know, this guy and that guy and this thing that Ronald Reagan started by honoring people who are in the crowd. Yes. But I don't think we should expect anything substantive. He'll probably take a couple of potshots at Iran. Mhm. Which would surprise no one. But I don't I don't expect anything substantive. Yeah, I mean that I find that a little bit depressing. >> [snorts] >> But I mean it's like it doesn't I mean well,
[04:20] I'll just say to me the supreme the it's the State of the Union address. It has always been a disappointment. It's one of those things that there's a lot of anticipation for like inaugural addresses and it usually fails to deliver. So this is not particular specific to the current president. He doesn't take it very seriously. Maybe it's not to be taken seriously. It's become a total clown show with like it's all about the guests. It's like who can we troll each other with with our guests.
[04:51] So That's really I think the emphasis is going to be this new thing, right? These angel families that I'd never heard of. You know I never heard that term until yesterday. Right. Angel families. You know, it's like when they revived in recently the gold star families. I mean gold star families that was a thing in World War II. But wasn't after that and then suddenly, you know, it's like oh well, you know, obviously. So angel families are the families This is kind of repugnant really. It's families of
[05:22] people who were who were murdered by illegal immigrants. Right. As if there's such a massive category. >> Yeah. Right. Right. It's this gigantic community. Hundreds of thousands of Americans killed by illegal immigrants. I mean look, one's too many. But still you know, this it's it's so racist. It's so foul. >> It is. It's terrible. It's so foul. All right. So should we just get into and oh, please like, follow and share
[05:52] the show as always and you know, we I for those who are just joining in when the audio was out, Robbie West is out today. So I'm I'm running the board and it won't be nearly as smooth and I apologize in advance for that cuz I've got to run the board and try to keep John I both have to keep track of the comments and your questions. But we do love your questions. So please you know, keep them coming and we'll get to them. We always try to get to all of them. Yeah. >> Okay. Should we talk just get talk
[06:22] Should we talk about Iran? Or We also have this a story out of Afghanistan and >> Afghanistan strange trans story, too. Yeah. Yeah. Yes to all of it. And whatever you'd like to start with. Maybe we'll save Iran. Let let people join in. It's only 5 minutes into the show. Charles Kushner, right? We were just talking Charles Kushner, Jared's dad. He former real estate guy from New Jersey, spent some time in jail. We won't get into that. But anyway, he's the US ambassador to France. What a great job, right? Like
[06:55] the best. Usually reserved for a very high-end political donor. Right. So he he decided to make some intemperate remarks about the killing of of Cantan De Ronc, who's the right-winger who was beaten to death apparently by some by some left-winger you know, left-winger goons. He was himself a right-winger goon. Not that this justifies what happened. But anyway France is trying to keep prevent itself
[07:25] from exploding in the streets into you know, spasms of urban violence between far-left and far-right groups. And while this is all going on, the you know, Kushner decided to weigh in and say oh, we're deeply concerned blah blah blah. The the French government issued a statement yesterday asking him to butt out and please like mind your business. This is an internal affair of the French Republic. We are not interested. We have no lessons to learn from you. They declaimed Kushner they the United States as part of basically a vast right-wing
[07:57] conspiracy, the international reactionary or I think or I think it's what they said the movement, the international reactionary movement. Pretty harsh words. After that, Kushner was summoned to the Elysee Palace where basically he was going to be told informally by the by the by the by the French why they're upset and to convey that to the State Department. He didn't show up. This is the second time he's ghosted his his French um
[08:28] contacts there. >> and and let me let me add something. Listen, I spent years as the junior guy in those meetings, right? Being the note taker in a variety of ambassadors meetings with the ministers of foreign affairs or defense or interior whatever, public safety, whatever. You cannot ghost the foreign minister. I don't care if he was the foreign minister of Botswana. You cannot do that. And doing it
[09:00] especially in a country like France you're risking being expelled from the country. Ridiculous. You can't do it. Do you think I mean I don't I doubt that France has ever expelled or any major country has had to expel a US ambassador, right? Oh my god. >> So but looks like they're on that path. So the French government they're not just talking. They're seething. They they banned Kushner from meeting with
[09:31] any French officials. In other words, if he calls someone who works at the French DMV, they're supposed to hang up the phone and say I'm sorry, I can't meet with you. >> Yeah. Um this is I mean this is pretty bad. That means he can't really do his job, right? I mean his job is to liaise with French officials. He can't do his job, which is to represent the President of the United States. So >> [laughter] >> what happens next? I mean do I mean does this go up the does this end up at the
[10:01] is this a call where Trump has to call Macron and say our bad, won't happen again. It it's going to start with a call from Marco Rubio. Mhm. And he's going to apologize on behalf of the president. Um and they're going to try to smooth things over. This is This is one of the things Listen, Ted. I know I had never seen this in it in the course of my career. I never heard of it. It's not done. You don't do it. It's
[10:31] horrible. And so this is going to have to be a an apology from Marco Rubio to the French foreign minister. The French are going to consider expelling Charles Kushner. Wow. Because this is a direct insult to the French government. You can't do this. And so What are the odds of that happening? 50/50? You think? Could go either way. Yeah.
[11:02] I think that they've had enough of this guy. I mean Do you think this is Do you think he Do you think this is him going rogue or do you think that he is taking a cue from President Trump where he he's kind of asked Oh, what if I didn't show up? And then you know, Trump said don't worry about it. Or do you think it's just like he's just decided not to show up. Who knows, right? I Sure. My guess is he did this on his own. Mhm. >> [clears throat] >> See, this is the shocking thing to me.
[11:34] Is these guys think that they can just do things like this with impunity. The rules don't apply to him. There are international norms by which you have to abide. And you can't You can't just give the middle finger to the French foreign minister and say, "Nah, you're not important enough for me to talk to today. I'm not doing this." Right, it's literally it's literally the That's the reason he's there. Yeah, exactly. Okay, then. >> Exactly. All right, John, should we do some questions? Yes, absolutely. All right, Sinking.
[12:06] Thanks for the seven Canadian dollars. Did you see that Netanyahu gave Trump a key to the country as a gift? I wonder if that includes the greater country or just the country as it is now. Do you know what it's what No, what Knowing what you know about the [laughter] Mossad, do you think the key is bugged? >> [laughter] >> Yes, and it's very heavy because it's packed with batteries. >> [laughter] >> Um $5 um much love for Robbie and his
[12:40] wife Kizzy currently about to go into surgery. Um the By the way, the prognosis is good, guys. So um Okay. >> her her attitude is very good. Her spirits are high. Um thanks very much for the donation, DBG. Hi, guys. Um why do you think those who are anti-West shy away from criticizing China and those who are pro-West are not able to criticize Israel or the US? An ex of this An example of this being
[13:10] Jeffrey Sachs loves to point out the US but is silent on zero COVID policy deaths or Uyghurs. That's a good question. It's a fair question, for sure. I I I will say, and I know that you you've had exactly the same experience that I have. Um we we both worked for Russian media and we both criticized Russia. Both of us. Um if you don't have your independence, my god, you don't have anything. But this is an important point that our
[13:41] viewer is making. Um As Americans, we should feel free to criticize anybody with whom we disagree. We're Americans, for god's sake. Yeah. And you know, Brian Becker and I had a couple of um debates about the Uyghurs. He always believed that the whole Uyghur thing was completely made up. Oh, it's not. It's not? No, I've been there. I've seen it. Um yeah, no, I mean I I watched an execution in in uh in uh in Kashgar, which is also known as Kashgar. Um they
[14:12] they >> I've been to Kashgar. They literally brought they This was in the at the height of what's called the East Turkistan Independence Movement when they were blowing if they were blowing up like Chinese post offices and buses like they were going out of style. Uh this was I believe I want to say 1999. Mhm. And um there's a there's an old city um which is the traditional old Silk Road city of Kashgar. It's By the way, now probably all gone because the Chinese were The Han Chinese were deliber they were
[14:42] tearing it all down. In fairness to the Han Chinese, these places were squalid, no running water, no no plumbing, foul. But on the other hand, really insanely charming and world heritage site. It should have been restored and you know, turned into tourist hotels. People would have loved it. They're so cool. But anyway, um they in they I'm at one point I didn't know what was going on. They brought in a flatbed truck with loudspeakers and these poor [ __ ] guys um who were had were allegedly Eat 'em
[15:15] guys and they announced something and you know, I don't know I don't I don't know I don't understand Mandarin, but it was clear the people were horrified on the streets and they [ __ ] shot the dude right on the [ __ ] street on the back of the truck. Um it was shocking, to say the least. But the Uyghur stuff, I mean, you know, are they genocidally killing millions of Uyghurs in like death camps? No, that's not that's not happening. No. Um but but they are committing cultural genocide by importing Han Chinese into
[15:48] Xinjiang and and supplanting them turning them to a minority in their own in their own homeland. Um They're They're They are propagandizing them. Um you know, it's it's everything is super political there. Like John, even the time of day is political. Like if you're in Xinjiang, so China is bigger than the United States, right? But it's it's it's sort of like it's the same size of the United States if Alaska were attached to the lower 48. But it's like that. So it has and it's about the same
[16:21] kind of shape but it only has one time zone. Beijing. What? All the way out in the east. Yeah, it's one official time zone. So at 7:00 in the morning, you know, official national time, it's 4:00 [ __ ] in the it's 4:00 in the [ __ ] morning. You've already overslept at 4:00 in the morning in Xinjiang. So people get up and uh you know, they they have to listen to some party cadre over a loudspeaker outside from the phone pole. It's like, "Get up and build
[16:51] socialism, losers." And so >> [laughter] >> Like you are literally Even for someone like me, it's a method to turn me into a rabid like Milton Friedman capitalist. And so anyway, they So if someone tells you in Xinjiang like, "Oh, meet me for lunch. Meet me at 1:00." You'll if they say like you'll be like, "Do you mean national time, Beijing time, or do you mean local time?" If they use local time, they're pro-independence for the Uyghurs. If they say national time, they're loyal to
[17:22] the to the national government. Everything's political there. But anyway, sorry. >> my god, I I've never heard that before. That's incredible. It's It's really dumb. Um I think I've told you this story, but um we we busted down the door of this Al-Qaeda safe house in Islamabad. Grabbed a whole bunch of guys, like a dozen and a half of them. And there were there were three that You know that old song, "One of these things is not like the others"?
[17:52] Yes, exactly. These guys did not look like Al-Qaeda people. They looked Chinese. And [snorts] so um we brought them in for interrogation. I started speaking to them in Arabic and they just had these blank looks on their faces. They didn't understand a word I said. So we had a half a dozen other languages in our little group of guys and so we threw all these languages at them and they're just staring at us. And um finally I said, "I wonder if these guys are Chinese." Like maybe they're
[18:23] Uyghurs. They look like they could be Chinese. They look like they could be Tajik or maybe Uzbek even. Mhm. So we had one guy, Tim, who spoke Chinese. So he came up and spoke to them in Chinese and they just lit up and they responded in Chinese. And he said they're Uyghurs. I said, "What the heck were they doing in Al-Qaeda safe house?" Oh. >> It turned out things were so bad in China for them that they went to Afghanistan looking for work. And they and they ran into somebody up
[18:54] north and this guy told them This Afghan guy told them, "Oh, you should go to Tora Bora. I heard there's work there." So they go to Tora Bora. They have no idea that 9/11 has taken place. We start bombing the [ __ ] out of Tora Bora and these Arabs say, "Come with us. We're going to run. We're running from the Americans." They cross the border into Pakistan. They go in this safe house. We bust down the door. We grab them. They had never heard of 9/11. They had never heard of Osama bin Laden. They were looking for construction work in
[19:27] [ __ ] Tora Bora, Afghanistan in October of 2001. Yeah, things are things are very bad for them. Yeah, no doubt. That said, that is all It's also true that between '96 and 2001 um the Taliban did allow um the Uyghurs who were part of the East Turkistan Independence Movement to come to uh you know, to to come to Afghanistan and train in their camps. Um, so some Uyghurs I mean but they weren't there to do jihad against the
[19:57] West. They were there to train to do jihad against the Chinese. Yeah. Everyone all the Uyghurs I talked to in in Kashgar said, "Oh, you know, the Americans are going to They were listening to Radio Free Asia." They were convinced John that you that we were going to come and rescue them from the Chinese and give them back their independence which they used to have between 1933 and 1944. Um, there was a briefly lived Republic of East Turkestan whose who who was a lion who they were allied with Nazi Germany.
[20:28] Um, and they still had some leftover like old Nazi planes at the airport but they still used. Of course. Um, you know, totally totally it's so wacky so remote. Um, anyway, it's a lot I'm sure it's a lot more connected now but that's because Uyghur culture is being eradicated. You know, I went to Kashgar in 2007. Um, I went because Paramount Studios had hired me to um,
[21:01] to go to Afghanistan and um, and to rescue these children these three children who had acted in uh, in the movie The Kite Runner. Um, but I went to Kashgar first because they told me they wanted me to get sort of a lay of the land and then from there to to Kabul. And looked exactly like Afghanistan. It's the one and only time I've ever been there. I'll never ever have reason to go again but I was struck at how it
[21:32] looked exactly like Afghanistan. Interesting. Um, I can remark a comment from Jeronica. I always compared what China is doing to the Uyghurs to what the US does to black families while Israel was more like apartheid South Africa pretty evil stuff. I think a better comparison is maybe what we did to the Native Americans. >> Native Americans. I was going to say the same thing. Yeah. Agreed on Israel. Um, yes, totally agreed to on Israel.
[22:05] Um, I guess we probably should talk about Iran. Um, look I'll just I'll just let me just frame what's going on. So at the latest point we know that the US has at least 150 planes uh, near or over Iran right now. A dozen military ships in the Middle East. Um, US Embassy in Beirut just evacuated what they called non-essential personnel. I was going to mention that. Uh, the we have the two carrier groups are already there. Um, joint chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
[22:36] Staff who's currently uh, Dan Keen or Raisin Keen is his uh, apparently his his his nickname. Um, he's been publicly telling the press everything's going to be cool if we decide to go after Iran there's nothing that they can do about it but privately warning President Trump that there could be there's a risk of high casualties if the US does this. I don't know. >> did you see did you see the reason for that? I was I was going to ask you that. What is the reason for that? None of our allies are helping us.
[23:06] Not a single one of them. Well, why would they? I mean this is a this is a gratuitous attack just like Iraq was. You know, a war of choice is one thing but this is gratuitous. You're right. And I mean there's not even been an attempt to gin up a you know, a casus belli, right? Um, and then I thought this part I really wanted to pick your brain about this part uh, John. So um, he was also privately worried about depletion of stockpiles. Now,
[23:36] John, you and I are both in our six our low 60s. I've never heard of the US government being in danger of running out of munitions before. Uh, I mean is this because we gave so much [ __ ] to the Israelis? The Israelis. Yes, it is. And we just haven't had a chance to to to manufacture and and refill the supply. So literally we literally not only uh, participated in financing and arming
[24:06] a genocide against the people of Gaza on behalf of Netanyahu and his bloodthirsty regime. We also imperiled American national security and our ability to project power and to protect ourselves. Is that basically the story? Yeah, we put ourselves in danger. That's [ __ ] insane. Yes, it is. Yes, it is. So, um, it looked Let me May I interrupt you for one second? >> Please. I I got to say something about Israel. I've been obsessed with the clips that
[24:37] Tucker Carlson has been putting out on social media about his um, about his trip to Israel. You know, he um, he met with with Mike Huckabee at the airport. Huckabee wouldn't have him into the embassy. Uh, and and Tucker was you know, allowed to enter Israel. He interviewed the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III. He interviewed the Catholic Archbishop of of Jerusalem.
[25:08] Huckabee would not have him in the in the embassy. Huckabee had the traitor Jonathan Pollard into the embassy but not Tucker. And then as they were leaving Israel the Israelis grabbed two of Tucker's producers. A man and a woman. The woman they let go. The man they were asking him like things like, "Who did you meet with? What did they say? What questions did you ask? Let me see your phone. I want to download your phone. Who do you talk to on a daily basis?
[25:39] What's Tucker's position on XYZ?" And the guy wouldn't answer any of the questions. So the Israelis came out and told Tucker, "Just get on your plane and go. We'll put him on the plane when we're done with him." And Tucker's like, "Absolutely not. You're not kidnapping my producer." And this kid is like 24 years old, 25 years old, panicked. The Israelis were intimidating. Um, and Tucker refused to leave. And finally they they kicked him out and kicked him loose and said, "Okay, the
[26:10] kid's free to go." But the Israelis, you know, either we're at the point now where you you're either with them and when I say with them I mean 1,000% with them or you're an enemy of of uh, of Zionism and you're anti-Semitic. And I think that we are just about at a tipping point where the where the Israelis will have done themselves irreparable damage politically in the United States. Cuz there are people who consider
[26:41] themselves or have always considered themselves to be you know, pro-Israel if not Zionist pro-Israel. Mhm. And now it's cuz they never really paid very close attention to the issue. >> Right. >> And now they are. And they don't like what they see. Yeah, John I think I think we're we're past that point already. I don't see I don't think there's there's coming any coming back. Um, the Israelis are I mean the the AIPAC lobby in this country is so desperate and it and it reeks you know, you following
[27:13] their socials and following the socials of their allies in Congress. You know, you can just you they're they're scared. You know, they they know you know, it's they are one administration away from really just not having the same relationship with the US as they always had. Um, I don't know how that's going to look. I don't know if that would be a Buttigieg or a or a Newsom or someone else but or even a Republican maybe. You know, a friend of mine said I'm sorry to interrupt you. A friend of mine said
[27:44] something interesting on on social media yesterday and he said, "You know, we're all up in arms about about Netanyahu and the way he's manhandling the US government and and you know, Donald Trump is falling into into place and just doing as he's told. Newsom has said nothing. No. >> Shapiro has said nothing. Kamala Harris has said nothing. Bernie Sanders has said nothing. AOC has said nothing. Hakeem Jeffries has said nothing. The Democrats are completely implicated.
[28:17] It's as simple as that. No, I mean that is true. And you know, the progressive base of the Democratic Party they're watching. They're paying attention. Well, and did you happen to see the the after-action report the that the DNC uh, wrote "Why did we lose the election in 2024?" Uh, it was it was kept from the American people of course. These things usually are released. This time it was not released and finally yesterday somebody leaked it. And the reason why the
[28:48] Democrats lost the election to Donald Trump is because they would not take a position on Israel standing up to the Israelis and so Democratic voters stayed home. Yep, that's exactly what happened. People sat on their hands. Mhm. Yeah. They they should have voted for Jill Stein in my opinion but that's >> I agree. Um, Ray Hepburn thanks for the 10 pounds. Random question during the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence which by the way I can't believe didn't pass like >> We were just talking about that a couple
[29:18] of weeks ago. >> We were. What would be the CIA's position on that John and would they attempt to influence it? No, something like that they wouldn't tempt attempt to influence because they're going to have really really good relations with the Scots just like they have really really good relations with the you know, the Brits. That wouldn't be that wouldn't be an issue. So I think that's 200 yen maybe? No, it's got to be more than that. It's got Maybe it's it's I think it's 200 won. Thanks very much for the donation there. And thank you for your very kind
[29:50] words. Thanks for the $4.99 to Cleave 2. Just wrapped up a quick show with Carrie Prejean. Any interest in swinging by the show at some point? Also, your last name, are you Orthodox? Thanks. Me? I'm not Orthodox. Yes, I I mean, I could be. I mean, do I not Do I It's funny, you don't look Orthodox. Yep, I sure am. And somebody's correcting me that the that the interview with the Catholic Archbishop was in Jordan. Thank you for that. Thanks for for the correction.
[30:22] See, so he was not free to just go around Israel the way he might have wanted to. He was not free. No. No. I mean, such so incredible. Uh, all right. So, let me see here. Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba Um, good morning, John, from Stephen. Do you ever plan on coming to the Midwest, specifically Northwest Iowa. That's very specific. >> [sighs] >> Yes. But, um, we haven't gotten I'll I'll
[30:54] tell you the truth. I'm I'm planning I'm working with a gang of people. We're planning this nationwide speaking tour. You know, we wanted to start it in February, then March, now April, then May, and the the issue is I need either a sponsor or an investor. I've approached three people. One said maybe. Two said yes, but we're bogged down with their lawyers who seem to work in such slow motion that we're actually moving backward because I can't rent the venues without the upfront money. As soon as we
[31:25] get the upfront money, we're going to start renting those venues and going all across the country. So, the the quick answer is yes. Um, I just don't know when. All right, TBD. Um, okay. Let's talk about Afghanistan, right? So, um, you know, basically the news out of Afghanistan vanished along with the US forces in in 2021. Apparently, American media outlets don't care about a country unless we're invading and occupying it.
[31:56] >> It's 1988 all over again. It is. It is. So, um, Everest, but things actually life has gone on in over the last 5 years. And so, the question now is is Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for Islamic terrorists? Pakistan has been complaining for years about these Islamist groups, particularly TTP and ISIS-Khorasan, in which is basically the Central Asian branch of ISIS,
[32:27] who have camps in Eastern and Northeastern Afghanistan, which is kind of like traditionally wherever It's sort of like no man's land where it's way up in the mountains. It's a very remote, very even by Afghan standards, it's very hard for any government based in Kabul to get to it, and these people are always protected by local tribes. So, anyway, the they bombed these seven camps. The Taliban government says, "You didn't kill any terrorists. You killed a bunch of innocent civilians, including women and children." The Pakistanis are like,
[32:58] "Oh, well, we are sick and tired. We [ __ ] told you to stop [ __ ] around or you'd find out." This seems to me, John, to be kind of like I think a a story that's not well understood in the West. I mean, I don't think the the Taliban are not friends with ISIS. Okay. No. They don't like them at all. They would love to kill them all. Yes. But, they just I think the the Taliban are too weak to really provide um, ironically, the Northern Alliance government under Hamid Karzai
[33:29] and then under Ashraf Ghani, they were too weak to have security throughout the country. And now the Taliban are too weak to have security throughout the country. Um, I think as long as they're isolated from the world diplomatically and economically, that's going to continue to be the case. And and then, you know, there's this I guess no one cares about Afghanistan's sovereignty. No, I mean, UN Security Council isn't going to meet over this. I mean, what do you think of all this? I wasn't kidding when I said I think
[34:00] that this is 1988 all over again. The US isn't interested in Afghanistan anymore. It's frankly not so interested in Pakistan anymore, either. No. Um, the bottom line is we don't have any national interest in the region other than in counterterrorism. Mhm. >> And so, if they're going to um, just be out there killing each other, we don't care. Uh, you're right about ISIS-K. Uh, ISIS-K is in Pakistan. They
[34:30] are not allied with the Afghans. In fact, they've attacked the Taliban as not being radical enough. Mhm. And so, just to put it crudely, the shit's going to hit the fan in that part of uh, South Central Asia. And we don't care. And a whole lot of people are going to be killed. Mark my words, too. One of the things that ISIS-K likes to do, or the Pakistani Taliban, which is also not connected to the Afghan Taliban, Right. is they love to attack
[35:01] police training camps and military camps. Because they're not what an American would vision a police or military training camp to be like. They're just, you know, there's kind of a cheap fence up around part of it. It's otherwise open. There aren't enough weapons for everybody. They train with, you know, broom handles or whatever. And a whole lot of people are going to die. And so, and then ultimately when something happens that does draw the attention of the US, Europe, or the
[35:32] West, um, [snorts] again, everything's going to get conflated, right? Like the Taliban are going to be blamed for the [ __ ] that these groups carry out. Yes. >> Even though they they're not even though they are themselves opposed to it and enemies of these people. Yes. That's right. Um, yeah. I mean, I I hate by the way, I just want to just say I hate the US policy towards Afghanistan. We should recognize the Taliban government. We withdrew. We handed the country over to them. We should recognize them and bring
[36:04] them back in and and try to integrate them into the world into the world. >> Exactly. And maybe we could use that airbase again if we wanted to. Oh, exactly. I bet I mean, I bet we could. I bet we could. Yeah. The we should The only people who are even trying to be slightly friends with the Afghans is the Chinese. Cuz they want them They Rare earth metals. They're digging up the minerals in the East. Yeah. Okay. [sighs] Let's see if we have any I know we have more questions here. And again, I apologize for being slow at getting to
[36:36] them. Okay. Yeah, thank you, Sembach, for the grandma core vibe I'm rocking. Yeah, I was thinking this is like the the worst ISIS video ever. Um, you know, the my background for people watching. Um, question, Philip Blair wants to know, am I a Huguenot, aka a French Protestant? No, I am I'm Catholic. I served mass and everything. Um, serving mass in in I even Can you guys
[37:07] even block me? Yes. Yes. Yes, we could. >> [laughter] >> And And and yes, we will if we if you need to be blocked. We would rather to quote Donald Trump, paraphrase Donald Trump, I would not don't want that to happen. Like to make a deal. Better that not not happen. But, if you can't make a deal, bad things will happen. Um, okay here. Uh, um, let's see. Oh my god, there's so many questions. >> There's so many. >> Please ask my question. Uh,
[37:39] Pink Lady, can you put it back in? Cuz it's like literally I'm like 300 or 400 comments behind here. Would it be possible for you guys to potentially start taking calls from watchers instead of just chat questions? Well, we did do we did do a call-in show, if that's what you mean. We could do that again. That'll be I'll definitely need Robbie for that. Um, I think we'll have Robbie back either later in the week or certainly by next week. Um,
[38:10] let's see. If Kamala had said she'd support an arms embargo on Israel, I would have voted for her, says Elliot, but she couldn't even do that. No. You're not going to get any leadership from any of the current American politicians on that issue. >> [snorts] >> Um, okay. So, Cleave 2, John, question for you. Any any thoughts on OCU UOC crisis in Ukraine? Oh my god. Honestly, we would need at least a half an hour to
[38:41] talk about that. Yeah, I blame Hillary Clinton. And I I'm not trying to be funny in saying that. It was Hillary Clinton that split the two because she believed that it would weaken Russia. And um, I've seen evidence that money changed hands. And the next thing you know is there's a split after the two churches had been united for 1,000 years.
[39:11] Now they're Now they're split. So, this is it's it's a disaster for Orthodoxy, and it's thanks to Hillary Clinton. Literally, Hillary Clinton's responsible for her own personal schism. Literally. Um, so, M Flow, have we ever been to Portland? I've been to Portland more times than I can count because my former in-laws lived in Portland. I was surprised at how rough Portland was. Like I was right downtown. And I was surprised. It was a
[39:42] little It was a little rougher than I expected. >> a gritty town. You know, it's very you know, very post-industrial not even post-industrial. It's very industrial. A lot of rust. I mean, for people you and I are from Ohio and Pennsylvania. So, if we say that it's it's poorer than I expected. Um it's What was the thing I also kind of like I mean, it does do some cool stuff though. They have like commercial rent control. I don't know if they still do. They did. >> Commercial rent control. Commercial rent control which allows you know, for for
[40:13] quirky stores and and and restaurants because they don't have to come up with as much money. So, they can experiment a little bit more. They also have this green belt thing where they they control urban sprawl by like sort of the you can't build beyond this point. There's a lot to like about Portland. One thing that I did not know is it it's a it has an incredible history of recent history of race riots against black people. Like back in like the 1920s like black people
[40:44] and or teens maybe it was but black people were basically run out of town by like mobs of racist whites. Um and it's like still the demographics are still affected by that. I I was shocked when I learned this. You know, I just learned something about uh Tulsa, Oklahoma the other day that I never knew. I mean, I know about the whole race riot and stuff. There was a group in the the first wave of Greek immigration was was 1890 to 1920.
[41:14] And [snorts] a whole bunch of Greeks moved to Tulsa. Um and were hired as scabs during a major strike there. And so the the Greek community so took to Tulsa that they built not just a church. They built a cathedral in the center of Tulsa. And then um there was a move against the Greeks. And they burned the church to the ground.
[41:44] They burned all the Greek stores to the ground. At the end of it, they had gone from they had gone from something something like you know, 1,600 Greeks to like four families. And everybody else had fled. And and it was another 50 years before Greeks started moving to Tulsa again. And now that the community is just minuscule. Yeah, the idea now of like Greek Americans being controversial is is bizarre. It's crazy. You know, I mean, it's like it's like who who even knows.
[42:15] Um def- might be a dumb question. There are no dumb questions. There are only dumb people. Um is there purpose to the FBI opening an office here in New Zealand last year? Not many people were happy about it. Good question. >> thanks for the donation, too. Only only the largest American embassies have FBI They're called legats, legal attachés. Uh and usually it's because there are either so many Americans in that place in that country or that
[42:47] city that you have to have a robust uh embassy representing all the various federal agencies or that country is so dangerous or is a hub for crime that affects the United States that you have to have a legal attaché. New Zealand is neither of those two things. Um I think that this is empire building on the part of the FBI. They probably had a little bit bigger appropriation from Capitol Hill
[43:18] than they otherwise had had and they decided, "Hey, we're going to we're going to put a position in New Zealand because once the position's created, it's almost impossible to do away with it." And they're just going to expand. Um Flaco Flow, thank you very much for this question for and the donation. Will China move on the Wakhan Corridor or is this Western hysteria? I see this is their gateway to the Middle East. So, for people who don't know, if you look at a map of Afghanistan, you'll see this spit of land that sticks out like a
[43:48] tongue in the northeast. That's called the Wakhan Corridor. And it barely just the eastern tip of that tongue is the border Afghanistan's border with China. >> that's a small border. Like it's it's literally I think 12 miles or 8 miles or something like that. It's very small. Interestingly though, the Wakhan Corridor is the least developed This is saying a lot. The least developed part of Afghanistan. And it's insanely remote. This is where when the Northern Alliance was in exile during
[44:19] the civil war between in the late '90s, this is where their headquarters was, right? They have to It's way up in the mountains. There are no There's no road that even like pretends to be paved up there. It's very remote. Honestly, I can't imagine the Chinese wanting to having any interest in that godforsaken desolate piece of [ __ ] >> literally nothing there. Nothing. Nothing. Yeah, and there's hardly any people. >> it's and it's forbidding
[44:50] geographically. Yeah, well, there's parts of it that like that no human being is known to have ever traversed. >> [laughter] >> I mean, I mean, it's literally I've flown over I've flown over it in a in a military military helicopter and I couldn't believe how remote it was. It's like Yeah, um the there'd be no reason. That was a So, for people who are like wondering why does this exist? It's because Afghanistan was created as a buffer state by the great powers to
[45:21] basically keep British India separated from Iran separated from Russia. It's an in-between country, right? Like nothing personal, just passing through. And that little section is meant to separate like the you know, Tsarist Russia from from from the Brit- from the British Raj. Um and uh it's a very strange piece of geography. But I love the Wakhan Corridor. It's I'm so glad someone brought it up. Um I wonder how that was
[45:52] Like when when the maps were first drawn, like how did how did Afghanistan end up with that? I wonder. That's a That is a Oh, well, no, it's because because they literally they had a they had a conference during the Great Game, right? Between the Russians and the English. And they were like "Okay. So, you know, Afghanistan's not a real country, right? >> No. No, no. Completely made up by the British. Yeah, I mean, it's totally made up. I mean, there's the truth is there's
[46:22] really seven major ethnic groups all divided like a pie. Like you know, it's kind of like the Uzbeks live near the Uzbek the Uzbek border. The Turkmen live near the Turkmen border and so on. It's a [ __ ] country and and like that little strip is just like it's a DMZ is what it really is. Yeah, it's a DMZ. That's a good way to say it. Um so, John, let's talk let's take another question. Would we Thanks again for the donation from M Flow. Would we do a Q&A talk for Portland State University? That's a great idea.
[46:52] >> would. That's a great idea. Yes, absolutely. I have been to Portland State University and would happily come back. So, uh No, I love I love I actually like visiting Portland a lot. And if for no other reason, John, it's got the best bookstore in the United States. Exactly. >> Powell's. Better than the Strand? I think it's better than the Strand. And the Strand is great. I love the Strand. Um but yeah, definitely have to definitely have to hand it to Powell's. The reason I like Powell's better is because it mixes all the new and the and
[47:25] the used books together. So, like if you're let's say, you know, if you're cheap like me, I'd rather pay get the used copy. But if there is no used copy and I still really want the book, there is the new copy as a you know, as an option. Although as an author, I should only we should only really be buying books cuz that's what puts money in the pockets of authors. >> Yeah, that's right. Um 20 Thanks for the 25 euros um from Dem. My grandfather went to the US from
[47:55] Cyprus in the 1930s. He had to leave because he was printing fake dollars. There you go. Whenever they Whenever I travel, they always security check me. Is this related? Any thoughts on this? Well, I can't imagine It's not. >> can't imagine that it would be related after so long. No way. No. >> [laughter] >> It's your grandfather. All right. Um James Any thoughts on James Talarico? M Flow wants to know. I actually like James Talarico.
[48:26] Um I hope he wins that nomination. I think the election is like Saturday or something like that, isn't it? Yeah, I think so. Last question from someone whose name starts with C L E. See, I told you I really need Robbie. John, any thoughts on James Fishback? Help me out here. I don't know who that is. I'm sorry. This is your This is your question, John. I don't know. I guess I guess the answer to that question is no.
[48:57] James No thoughts. Who's James Fishback? What a name. >> James Fishback, American investor, hedge fund manager and political candidate. Candidate for the Republican nomination. Oh, that guy. Now, I know him. Yes, he's on Tucker all the time. I like that guy. I didn't know his name. Yes. I like James Fish- Listen, if you're a Republican and you're voting for governor of Florida, consider James Fishback. Yes.
[49:27] Any thoughts John on former CIA director William Burns and current director John Ratcliffe? You know, I wrote a I wrote an op-ed in support of Bill Burns when he was first named because Bill Burns was a 35-year long diplomat, senior uh foreign service executive, Deputy Secretary of State. I said, "They're going to need an adult in the room at the CIA, and he was probably the best
[50:00] man for the job." I I still stand by that. I have a a great deal of respect for him. And in fact, Tony Blair was such as Tony Blair Tony Blinken was such a terrible Secretary of State that you needed somebody like Bill Burns to be really the de facto Secretary of State. Um The Republicans could have done a lot worse with Ratcliffe. I don't dislike Ratcliffe. I thought that he would be a little tougher with the CIA rank and file than he has
[50:33] been. I I wanted to believe that Trump was really going to try to, you know, take the take the CIA down to its studs, and uh he would do that through Ratcliffe, and that that hasn't happened. Well, there's still maybe maybe there's still time. Desert Fox uh question for us, "Would we do the same for Seton Hall in South Orange, New Jersey? I admit my bias, but even one in the tri-state area would be amazing." Absolutely. So, let me just sort of explain about these these invitations, right? People need to know John, if I
[51:04] say anything out of turn, just let me know. Go for it. Basically, what we and probably anyone else you'd want to invite to speak uh at, you know, who doesn't live there locally is going to need and want You're going to want You need a venue. You need a sponsor who can like publicize the event, and you need to be able to pay travel expenses, like you know, in other words, air airplane and hotel, and an honorarium. So, basically, you need a place, and you need to pay your speakers, and you need to put them, you know, get them to the venue. If you
[51:34] can do that, you can probably, you know, definitely, right, John? You I mean, you can get us. 100%. And I and I will say, I've developed a certain amount of notoriety over the last couple of years, and I am finally, for the very first time in my life, able to monetize that. And so, I'm represented by a speakers bureau in uh New York. They booked me a speech yesterday abroad for a lot of money.
[52:04] When it comes to universities, I want to do them. I want to make that happen. So, the price is much much lower. Um but Ted's right. It's There's there's got to be some dollar signs involved. Yeah, I mean, you know, and look, obviously, the further away it is, the more dollar signs, the more you need us to do, the more dollar signs. >> I'm I'm going to speak in uh in Vietnam
[52:35] on August the 10th. I'm only going all the way out to Vietnam because they made it worth my while. Yeah, it it has to be. Like now that said, like if you needed me to do a if you wanted me to talk in New York City, that's no bigs, you know. Yeah, I'm going to speak at the University of Pittsburgh on like March 11th or 12th, and it's a buddy of mine is a professor there. We've been friends since we were like five and three or six and four. So, I'm doing it as a favor, but he's he's still
[53:08] paying me. He's just paying me a fraction of what I would normally get paid. Right. And it's you can you can see old friends, and that that that plays into it. Like like if I were invited to Dayton, Ohio, yeah, you know, I would do that for a fraction. Cuz that's where I'm from. Um okay, so any uh Fares Salouf, thanks for the fiber. Any thoughts on the massive US Embassy in Lebanon? For us Lebanese, it feels like a CIA base rather than an embassy. Is this related to Hezbollah Iran {slash} Iran? Uh
[53:40] Yeah, so Yeah, any US desire to help develop Lebanon and to pull it out of its current state, it's on the brink of being a failed state, but you know, Hezbollah is is active, and it's active in government, and the Israelis are active in bombing the place, and so, you know, historically, the US has had a significant presence there, and they're going to make the biggest embassy they possibly can because the Chinese are
[54:12] there, and the Russians are there, and, you know, you can't lose your place. Um RJ, any truth to the pizza theory? I assume this is Pizzagate and conflicts, and thanks for the donation. Thank you. The answer is no. Demwell Demwell, do you do consultancy work? Yes. How do I contact you? Uh you know what? Just uh What's the easiest way to contact me? Through LinkedIn, I guess, or email. I don't want to shout out my email here because
[54:42] >> Don't shout out your email here. But uh yeah, LinkedIn's probably the best. Just tell me that you're Demwell in the message. Um Supra, "Hey John, how did MK Ultra and hypnosis contribute to torture tactics?" That's a good question. >> That's a good question. You know, the CIA is going to lie to you and say that they didn't learn anything from MK Ultra, just like the Nazis would lie to you and say they didn't learn anything from Dr. Mengele. Um So, yeah, they they learned a lot.
[55:13] And even though they destroyed most of the uh most of the documents, by some accounts, 85% of the documents, um they learned a lot, and they they used it in in future planning. Yes. Some [snorts] people are saying that they're getting sound glitches. Um other people say no. Uh I apologize for that if that's happening. Um On on this end this We only have a few minutes left, so there's probably not enough time to fix it. Um I'll be back home tomorrow, so there things should be normal. Um I think and
[55:44] and Robbie will I'm sure be out tomorrow. I hope he is. He he should be taking care of his family. Um okay, sound. I closed YouTube. Okay, so for Some people are saying that of course they can't hear me say this, so I'm not going to bother to do this. Um Okay, John, any chance of meeting you here in Saigon when you come to Vietnam? Why not? Okay, good answer. >> My brother-in-law is so excited that I'm going to be there that he's going to go with me.
[56:15] Wow. >> So, we'll have We'll have coffee. We'll get together for coffee or something. I like it. I like it. Um John, last week you said that you talked to someone who um in a position to know is saying that the attack on Iran I mean, I think more it's definitely more likely than not to happen, right? I mean, I think at this point we're at, you know, war fever is at a high pitch. Today, Monday today is like kind of like roughly-ish when we were thinking it might happen. >> Yes. Um Do you think it'll You You think it
[56:46] could be like so Do you think Trump is so theatrical that he might announce like sort of Greg Stillson-like at the speech tonight, "The missiles are flying. Hallelujah. Hallelujah." God, you know, I just rewatched that movie not 3 weeks >> Dead Zone. The Dead Zone. The book was even better than the movie. The movie's great, though. The movie's great. One of Christopher Walken's best performances. You know, which which proves that he can do anything. Yeah. Comedy, drama, he can do anything. Lead
[57:18] actor, supporting actor, makes no difference. True. Um Sure, it's possible, but somebody said something to me yesterday that kind of bothered me. And they said, "You got your information from somebody in the White House." And I said, "Yes." "Maybe the White House was using you knowing that you would say something publicly just to see what the public reaction to it would be." Maybe. And I said, "Yeah, I could have
[57:49] been used. Sure." I mean, yeah, there's no way to know that. By by all the most recent accounts, uh Trump is going to wait for the next round of talks on Saturday. The likelihood is that he'll say the talks failed, the Iranians won't concede, and then we hit them on the weekend. Well, the thing is, the Iranians can't concede. I mean, not What we're asking is just not possible for them to agree to. So, I mean, I don't think any Iranian government could. All right, I think that's let's see where we're going to have to leave that.
[58:20] Am I missing anything here? No. Okay. Wait real quickly, I never met Reza Pahlavi. He would I I would have to call him a clown to his face, so he doesn't I don't think he wants to meet me. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, okay, then. And uh I'm sure he I'm sure he he knows how you feel about him. Um all right, John, thank you. Always a pleasure to see you. See you back tomorrow. We will be back um tomorrow, Wednesday, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time for a deep program with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou. Uh please stay
[58:51] here. We will be uh oh, I'll be on TMI with myself and Manila Chan coming up right away, and uh see you on the other side of the State of the Union address. See you then. Bye. >> [music]