Transcripts For ALJAZAM Consider This 20140920 : vimarsana.c

A ahead. Ahead. We welcome the announcement we welcome the announcement by friends, and they are air by friends, and they are air strikes against i. S. I. L. Strikes against i. S. I. L. Coalition. Coalition. Theres a role for nearly theres a role for nearly play. Play. Scotland voted scotland voted no. No. Its time for your united its time for your United Kingdom to come together and kingdom to come together and move forward. Move forward. For scotland the campaign for scotland the Campaign Continues and the dream will continues and the dream will never die. Never die. I got it wrong in the i got it wrong in the handling of the ray rice matter. Handling of the ray rice matter. He got it he got it wrong. Wrong. People wanted answers. People wanted answers. This week this week in new york, a long in new york, a long climate clima climate march and climate march and then a then a summit. Summit. Al al ley ley boba taking off. Boba taking off. More valuable than amazon, more valuable than amazon, ebay and facebook. Ebay and facebook. We begin with support for the we begin with support for the American Mission American Mission against against i. S. I. L. I. S. I. L. France became the first u. S. France became the first u. S. Coalition to launch air strikes, coalition to launch air strikes, killing dozens of members of killing dozens of members of i. S. I. L. At a Logistics Depot in i. S. I. L. At a Logistics Depot in northern iraq. Northern iraq. The french president says it the french president says it destroyed the intended target, destroyed the intended target, he expressed limitations about he expressed limitations about what his country what his country will contribute will contribute in the in the future. Future. Translation translation our goal is to our goal is to contribute to peace and security contribute to peace and security in iraq by weakening the in iraq by weakening the terrorists, we wont go beyond terrorists, we wont go beyond this, there wont be troops on this, there wont be troops on the ground. The ground. Well act only in iraq. Well act only in iraq. Secretary of state john kerry secretary of state john kerry went to the Security Council went to the Security Council looking for international looking for International Support for the fight against support for the fight against i. S. I. L. , and the new government i. S. I. L. , and the new government in iraq. In iraq. The president obama the president Obama Administration got approval from administration got approval from congress this week on its congress this week on its strategy to fight i. S. I. L. In strategy to fight i. S. I. L. In iraq and syria, but a war of iraq and syria, but a war of words reached a fever pitch when words reached a fever pitch when the chairman of the joint chiefs the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said that he may go of staff said that he may go back to the back to the commander in chief commander in chief and request ground troops. And request ground troops. The press were blasted over the press were blasted over reports of for example between reports of for example between the president and the pentagon. The president and the pentagon. All they do is misinterpret all they do is misinterpret the chairmans testimony and the chairmans testimony and quote people who are frequent quote people who are frequent critics. Critics. President , or people who president , or people who supported the previous iraq supported the previous iraq conflict. Conflict. The more accurate headline would the more accurate headline would be supporters of the bush war in be supporters of the bush war in iraq, criticize president iraq, criticize president obamas strategy. Obamas strategy. Josh, josh, that. That. Joining us, from the dart joining us, from the dart myth center, serving as myth center, serving as ambassador at large and ambassador at large and coordinate or of coordinate or of counterterrorism from 2009 to counterterrorism from 2009 to 2012, writing on terrorism, u. S. 2012, writing on terrorism, u. S. Foreign policy and International Foreign policy and international affairs, good to have you with affairs, good to have you with us. Us. You are the map to answer the you are the map to answer the questions. Questions. Do you belief the disconnect do you belief the disconnect between the pentagon and the between the pentagon and the white house is white house is real . Real . Not really. Not really. This is one of the rituals of this is one of the rituals of washington. Washington. When a chairman of the joint when a chairman of the joint chiefs is asked whether he could chiefs is asked whether he could imagine asking for more forces, imagine asking for more forces, ground troops, he has to say yes ground troops, he has to say yes because he has to say that hes because he has to say that hes going to do everything in his going to do everything in his power to achieve the goal set. Power to achieve the goal set. At the same time, at the same time, the white the white house is clear what it wants house is clear what it wants this conflict to look like, and this conflict to look like, and how it wants to go at the issue, how it wants to go at the issue, and it has its line as well. And it has its line as well. Theres room for other theres room for other politicians and reporters to try politicians and reporters to try to pry open a big gap. To pry open a big gap. In fact, i dont think the gap in fact, i dont think the gap is there. Is there. We had heard the president we had heard the president say no ground troops. Say no ground troops. From the very beginning, thats from the very beginning, thats what we hear. What we hear. We do have voices out there, who we do have voices out there, who served under the president until served under the president until last year saying you cant make last year saying you cant make a blanket prohibition. A blanket prohibition. Do you think that this do you think that this is a real is a real issue as far as the ground issue as far as the ground troops. Troops. Disagreement. Disagreement. Well remember, generals have well remember, generals have their eyes focussed on the their eyes focussed on the battlefield. Battlefield. The president has to look at the the president has to look at the battlefield and the political battlefield and the political battlefield at home as well. Battlefield at home as well. So they are so they are looking at things looking at things with a different approach, with a different approach, different framing. Different framing. Jim jim madison is a Great American madison is a Great American and a good friend. And a good friend. I can understand where hes i can understand where hes coming from, but i under that coming from, but i under that the president needs to push the president needs to push forward his policy. Forward his policy. Are are the lout the loud voice,d voice, dissenting voices bringing out a dissenting voices bringing out a voice, or is there a reason for voice, or is there a reason for commanders . Commanders . I dont think what is fully i dont think what is fully understand is the extent to understand is the extent to which the president s plan aims which the president s plan aims to motivate local partners to to motivate local partners to be to use a metaphor, the be to use a metaphor, the pointy edge of the sphere. Pointy edge of the sphere. Its essential that iraq gets its essential that iraq gets its forces in the field, take on its forces in the field, take on the threat, and take ownership the threat, and take ownership of this challenge. Of this challenge. This is no longer in the first this is no longer in the first instance about the united instance about the united states. States. This is about an effort to tear this is about an effort to tear apart iraq. Apart iraq. The white house understands the white house understands that, and the entire policy is that, and the entire policy is aimed at not taking ownership of aimed at not taking ownership of the entire problem because we the entire problem because we cant destroy i. S. I. S. By cant destroy i. S. I. S. By ourselves. Ourselves. Its really aimed at getting the its really aimed at getting the iraqis and the regional partners iraqis and the regional partners game. Game. On that note you brought up on that note you brought up the partnership. The partnership. France is jumping into the game france is jumping into the game with air strikes. With air strikes. So far we are not hearing people so far we are not hearing people say yes, we are on board, lets say yes, we are on board, lets go ahead and join the u. S. Go ahead and join the u. S. Forces on attacks on syria, is forces on attacks on syria, is that a problem . That a problem . Its a challenge. Its a challenge. Syria will be the big challenge. Syria will be the big challenge. The president has the right the president has the right idea. Idea. Implementation on syria will be implementation on syria will be particularly difficult because particularly difficult because any Ground Forces that might any Ground Forces that might become available will be from become available will be from the syrian opposition, and they the syrian opposition, and they will not be strong enough, i will not be strong enough, i fear, to fight for some time. Fear, to fight for some time. We may see air strikes carried we may see air strikes carried out by the united states, which out by the united states, which will believe it is acting within will believe it is acting within international law. International law. Some of our some of our European Partners European Partners will be uncomfortable with that. Will be uncomfortable with that. Arabs. Arabs. What are the what are the implications . Implications . The european allies may be the european allies may be uncomfortable. Uncomfortable. What are the greater what are the greater alone . Alone . I dont think theres a lot i dont think theres a lot of ramifications in that regard. Of ramifications in that regard. I think everyone expects the us i think everyone expects the us to do the heavily lifting, to do the heavily lifting, especially in syria. Especially in syria. If you go back and look to the if you go back and look to the conflict in conflict in libya, the u. S. Flew libya, the u. S. Flew the overwheling majority of the overwheling majority of sortees, and the number two sortees, and the number two position was held by norway. Position was held by norway. That may give you an idea of how that may give you an idea of how the forces line up here. The forces line up here. Its important to have a its important to have a clear sense of what is possible clear sense of what is possible in syria, without a in syria, without a large force large force on the ground on the ground to target the to target the extremists. Extremists. I think that we are looking at i think that we are looking at progress, but not, you know, progress, but not, you know, dramatic changes on the ground dramatic changes on the ground in syria. In syria. I expect well go after i expect well go after leadership targets and leadership targets and infrastructure. Infrastructure. I think that what we are looking i think that what we are looking at in the near term is i. S. I. S. At in the near term is i. S. I. S. Moving towards syria. Moving towards syria. Lets talk about the threat. Lets talk about the threat. Theres no question that theres no question that i. S. I. L. Is a threat there to i. S. I. L. Is a threat there to that region. That region. What about a domestic threat to what about a domestic threat to the u. S. The u. S. You told the New York Times you told the New York Times that the public discussion has that the public discussion has been a farce at times, where been a farce at times, where members of the cabinet and top members of the cabinet and top officers describe the threat in officers describe the threat in lurid terms that are not lurid terms that are not justified. Justified. On the other hands we hear about on the other hands we hear about the thoughts in australia, the thoughts in australia, arrests in the united states, arrests in the united states, fear in britain, in addition to fear in britain, in addition to the two american journalists the two american journalists that have been beheaded. That have been beheaded. Is there really a domestic is there really a domestic threat here, there seems to be threat here, there seems to be the actions that we are seeing the actions that we are seeing are so concerning to americans are so concerning to americans television. Television. There is a longterm threat there is a longterm threat of of i. S. I. S. Turning into a i. S. I. S. Turning into a serious terrorist organization serious terrorist organization that could trike the u. S. At that could trike the u. S. At home. Home. This is a group overwhelmingly this is a group overwhelmingly focused on the conflict in iraq. Focused on the conflict in iraq. One that is good at insurgency, one that is good at insurgency, but has not practices using the but has not practices using the tools of terrorism, and the tools of terrorism, and the koined of things that we see now koined of things that we see now are exactly what are exactly what counterterrorism experts counterterrorism experts predicted namely that predicted namely that selfstarters, homegrown selfstarters, homegrown extremists will want to act up extremists will want to act up and show solidarity with the and show solidarity with the Islamic State or i. S. I. S. Islamic state or i. S. I. S. That is what we saw in that is what we saw in australia, and i think its the australia, and i think its the most likely development in the most likely development in the united states. United states. Its worth thinking back over its worth thinking back over the last 1112 years, and the last 1112 years, and thinking of the worst terror thinking of the worst terror attack, and it was the shooter. Attack, and it was the shooter. Thats the most likely kind of thats the most likely kind of event well see here. Event well see here. The lone wolf op certain the lone wolf op certain raised there. Raised there. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your time. My pleasure. My pleasure. Turning to the historic turning to the historic referendum in scotland. Referendum in scotland. The leader of scotlands the leader of scotlands campaign for independence, First Campaign for independence, first minister alex salmond said he minister alex salmond said he will step down after the scots will step down after the scots voted yes to stay in the u. K. Voted yes to stay in the u. K. For me as leader, my time is for me as leader, my time is nearly over. Nearly over. But for scotland, the campaign but for scotland, the Campaign Continues. Continues. And the dream and the dream shall never die. Shall never die. The onus the onus is on the british is on the british Prime Minister David Cameron to Prime Minister David Cameron to keep his promise to scotland, keep his promise to scotland, including new powers on spending including new powers on spending taxes and welfare, after taxes and welfare, after pleading with pleading with the scots to keep the scots to keep it as a whole, a relieved david it as a whole, a relieved David Cameron said it will be agreed cameron said it will be agreed upon which november, and draft upon which november, and draft legislation by january. Legislation by january. Well ensure the commitments well ensure the commitments are honoured in full. Are honoured in full. It has sparked a conversation it has sparked a conversation far from the u. K. , inspiring far from the u. K. , inspiring discontented citizens around the discontented citizens around the change. Change. For more on what happened and for more on what happened and where it goes from here, im where it goes from here, im joined in new york by adam joined in new york by adam cavett. Cavett. You are part scott and have been you are part scott and have been covering this issue for a while. Covering this issue for a while. Are you surprised by the are you surprised by the results . Results . Im surprised by the strength im surprised by the strength of the vote. Of the vote. I didnt think the no campaign i didnt think the no campaign would get the numbers it did, would get the numbers it did, a a 10. 6 percentage point win was 10. 6 percentage point win was bigger than expected. Bigger than expected. It looked like the polling it looked like the polling said it could go either way. Said it could go either way. It was so tight, i was it was so tight, i was fearful the english part of me fearful the english part of me anyway. Anyway. Theres an idea in england, the theres an idea in england, the shy tory vote, thats a slang shy tory vote, thats a slang term for the conservative party, term for the conservative party, forthcoming. Forthcoming. Meaning they may not tell the meaning they may not tell the truth in a poll. Truth in a poll. They may not take part. They may not take part. We saw is through the we saw is through the thatcher years and the thatcher years and the major years, where polling major years, where polling suggested labor would do better suggested labor would do better than it did. Than it did. In the u. S. We see that in the u. S. We see that sometimes the sometimes the liberal, the left liberal, the left vote doesnt always show up. Vote doesnt always show up. We havent seen a breakdown, but we havent seen a breakdown, but i wonder if thats possible. I wonder if thats possible. Theres an idea. Theres an idea. The yes campaign was reliant on the yes campaign was reliant on the young vote. The young vote. 1829, 16 or 17yearolds were 1829, 16 or 17yearolds were on the ballot. On the ballot. Theres an idea that a poll, theres an idea that a poll, 75 of young people voted. 75 of young people voted. And and campaign. Campaign. A lot are disappointed at a lot are disappointed at salmonds resignation. Salmonds resignation. Does it come as a suppress and does it come as a suppress and take a little power out of the take a little power out of the future of the movement . Future of the movement . I think it does. I think it does. Its surprising in an assistance its surprising in an assistance that he has been arou