1 00:00:00,890 --> 00:00:05,810 [Music] 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:16,599 Okay, thank you. I need some 3 00:00:18,050 --> 00:00:31,699 [Music] 4 00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:38,320 Welcome to Sputnik, orbiting the world 5 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:41,520 with me, George Galloway, and me, 6 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:44,239 Gayatri. There was no al-Qaeda in Iraq 7 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,920 before George Bush and Tony Blair sent 8 00:00:44,239 --> 00:00:48,480 hundreds of thousands of Western 9 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:51,440 soldiers illegally to invade and occupy 10 00:00:48,480 --> 00:00:53,920 it. There is now thousands of them, and 11 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:56,800 they're sweeping all before them. ISIS, 12 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,719 the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, was 13 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:01,680 actually recently expelled by the 14 00:00:58,719 --> 00:01:04,720 al-Qaeda chief Iman al- Zawahi for 15 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:07,600 being, and I quote, too sectarian, too 16 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:10,159 extreme, unquote. I've seen no reason to 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,640 disbelieve him. In the last few days, 18 00:01:10,159 --> 00:01:15,040 many of Iraq's most important cities and 19 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:17,439 historic regions like Ninoa have fallen 20 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:21,840 to ISIS with scarsely a shot being 21 00:01:17,439 --> 00:01:24,159 fired. In Mosul and Trit, 35,000 Iraqi 22 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:27,280 army soldiers threw down their weapons 23 00:01:24,159 --> 00:01:29,680 and ran away in the face of 800 ISIS 24 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,720 fighters. Iraq's prime minister seems 25 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:35,200 certain to fall. The Iraqi state in real 26 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,119 danger of collapse. That would be the 27 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,840 crowning achievement, no doubt, of the 28 00:01:37,119 --> 00:01:41,600 Bush and Blair war. Joining us now to 29 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:44,799 discuss what's happening in the land 30 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:47,520 where he was born is Londonbased Sabah 31 00:01:44,799 --> 00:01:50,320 Mktar of the Arab Lawyers Network in 32 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:52,880 Britain. Dr. Sabah, thank you for uh 33 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:55,680 joining us. I know you don't accept my 34 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:57,439 characterization of the forces that are 35 00:01:55,680 --> 00:02:00,000 sweeping all before them. We'll come to 36 00:01:57,439 --> 00:02:02,960 that, I promise you. But describe, if 37 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,600 you would, the military situation now. 38 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:08,640 Either these are the best 800 fighters 39 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:10,879 in the world ever or something big is 40 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:13,120 really happening. I don't think they are 41 00:02:10,879 --> 00:02:16,000 the best in the world. However, they are 42 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:18,160 professional leaders of the previous 43 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:22,640 Iraqi army. They are the generals of the 44 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:24,640 army leading forces, local forces. They 45 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:26,319 are the people of Musul. They are the 46 00:02:24,640 --> 00:02:27,840 people of the towns and cities that have 47 00:02:26,319 --> 00:02:30,319 fallen in their hands. They are not the 48 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:33,599 ISIS. They are not the Q-a. It's amazing 49 00:02:30,319 --> 00:02:35,760 that three minutes after the entrance 50 00:02:33,599 --> 00:02:38,720 into Musul, before anybody knew 51 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:41,280 anything, immediately Washington said it 52 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:44,000 was ISIS, it was Kyla and it was the 53 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:46,400 dash. This is the idea that how you 54 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:49,680 manipulate the news. I think it is wrong 55 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:52,319 because this is literally a revolution 56 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:54,879 of the people led by ex-military 57 00:02:52,319 --> 00:02:56,879 officers. And to show you the result of 58 00:02:54,879 --> 00:02:59,440 that one is if you take Fallujah. 59 00:02:56,879 --> 00:03:01,920 Fallujah for a whole month Maliki with 60 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,640 all his forces including the air force 61 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:06,720 could not take back Feluja which is a 62 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:09,040 small town because of the military 63 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:11,599 capability. This is on the one side. On 64 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:14,720 the other side Maliki does not have an 65 00:03:11,599 --> 00:03:17,040 army. He has mishmash 66 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:20,080 people who came together because they 67 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:23,360 want to live because they are sectarian 68 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:25,280 in their approaches. the people who have 69 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,920 taken over now Musul and they are moving 70 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:30,640 downwards. They are now on the entrance 71 00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:33,360 northern entrance of Samara. So they've 72 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:36,000 taken all the towns from Musul down the 73 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:39,440 Tigris all the way to Samara. All these 74 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:43,040 areas it is not a fight between Maliki's 75 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:45,599 army and dash or ISIS or KQA or any of 76 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,760 these things. It may be a convenient way 77 00:03:45,599 --> 00:03:50,720 of saying it because this is the Bush 78 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:53,680 doctrine. You accuse your enemy of being 79 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:56,640 the devil, the evil, and then your your 80 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,799 case is made. The situation in Iraq is 81 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,640 really this is a continuation of the 82 00:03:58,799 --> 00:04:02,879 uprising which took place in the in the 83 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,959 west. Now the western forces are moving 84 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:07,760 toward Baghdad. Yesterday Baghdad 85 00:04:04,959 --> 00:04:10,400 airport was bombed. So they are as close 86 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,640 as that. From the north they are moving 87 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,879 down. Maliki now is pleading with the 88 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,880 Americans to to come and intervene. I 89 00:04:14,879 --> 00:04:19,120 don't think they will. I don't think the 90 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:21,600 uh Britain will intervene. I don't think 91 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:24,720 the Iranians can intervene because of 92 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:27,280 the various implications. The Kurds 93 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,919 certainly at the present moment are not 94 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:31,280 going to interfere. Nafi, both the the 95 00:04:29,919 --> 00:04:33,520 speaker of the parliament and his 96 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:35,360 brother who was the governor of Musul 97 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,160 pleaded for a whole day with Mas 98 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:40,639 Barazani to send his troops into this 99 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,720 and he's not moving. Well, I I'm not 100 00:04:40,639 --> 00:04:47,520 normally accused of being a proponent of 101 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:50,080 the Bush uh doctrine. uh and I'm not uh 102 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:52,720 and if it's a revolution of the people 103 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:55,759 as you describe it uh then it's a 104 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:58,080 revolution of the Sunni Muslim people. 105 00:04:55,759 --> 00:05:02,400 There are no Shiites in the army that is 106 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:04,639 advancing and taking uh these uh cities. 107 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:08,639 But the majority of people in Iraq, at 108 00:05:04,639 --> 00:05:10,240 least in the Arab part, are Shiites. So 109 00:05:08,639 --> 00:05:12,080 what's this then? A recipe for civil 110 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:15,600 war. Are the Shiites going to fight the 111 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:18,960 Sunnis? The Maliki is trying now to get 112 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:21,280 the south to support him on the basis 113 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,960 that they are Shiats and you better come 114 00:05:21,280 --> 00:05:25,120 with me because the Sunnis are going to 115 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:27,039 do that. They are not buying it in the 116 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,720 south. Certainly all the people in the 117 00:05:27,039 --> 00:05:30,720 west and the north who are moving toward 118 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,960 Baghdad and the other cities have 119 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,720 absolutely no sectarian and you know 120 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,960 that it doesn't matter what anybody 121 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,800 think of the previous regimes from the 122 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:42,800 monarchy time when the British left Iraq 123 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:45,520 in the 20s until 2003. It's sectarianism 124 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,680 has never been institutionalized. It's 125 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,520 never been practiced or used by any of 126 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,759 the regimes, whether the monarchy, first 127 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:54,960 republic, second republic, or the bath. 128 00:05:51,759 --> 00:05:56,720 No, I agree with that. But but ISIS, and 129 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,120 by the way, it's not me saying that 130 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,919 they're capturing these cities. And 131 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:04,319 neither is it Obama or Cameron that's 132 00:06:01,919 --> 00:06:06,400 saying it. It's ISIS that are saying it 133 00:06:04,319 --> 00:06:09,680 on their website. They're showing the 134 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:11,360 videos. They say, "This is our army." Of 135 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:15,280 course, they're definitely sectarian 136 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:17,919 because in Syria, where they also lay 137 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:20,400 territorial claim, they are on a 138 00:06:17,919 --> 00:06:22,720 sectarian basis murdering large numbers 139 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:25,520 of people. There's no doubt in my mind 140 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:28,000 that ISIS and Q-Qaeda and the others are 141 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:29,600 all terrorist organizations. It doesn't 142 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,840 matter whether they are supported by 143 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,319 Saudi Arabia or by Iran or America. It 144 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:36,160 does not matter. Those are happens in 145 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:38,319 Syria. 146 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,240 So at the end of the day, those are 147 00:06:38,319 --> 00:06:42,560 terrorist organizations. They have a 148 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,120 sectarian motive. How you present the 149 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:48,720 thing you I've seen it in Cairo on on 150 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:51,840 6th October bridge during the revolution 151 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:55,280 of CC. You saw three cars with a black 152 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:57,440 flag on Laah on it and saying and the 153 00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:59,840 media was saying look we told you Kaida 154 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:02,720 is coming to Cairo. This is you can have 155 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:05,599 one camera taking one picture at one 156 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:07,199 time in one area and you say fine. And 157 00:07:05,599 --> 00:07:09,360 have you ever heard a terrorist 158 00:07:07,199 --> 00:07:12,319 organization who do not claim the 159 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:15,360 credit? So of course you get all these 160 00:07:12,319 --> 00:07:18,240 mutilated pictures. This uh this army 161 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:19,680 that ran away uh indeed you you've 162 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,360 informed me many of them didn't even 163 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,840 engage. They took off their uniforms, 164 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:27,280 got into civilian clothes before uh 165 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:31,280 their enemy even arrived. The American 166 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:34,639 taxpayer spent scores of billions of 167 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:36,960 dollars so-called training them. Was 168 00:07:34,639 --> 00:07:40,160 that all just a pmpkin village? Is there 169 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:43,199 nothing behind it? Certainly the a lot 170 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:45,440 of the billions which has been it was 171 00:07:43,199 --> 00:07:48,000 stolen by their own people by the 172 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:50,400 American soldiers and they they bought 173 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:53,039 people with it. They gave it to thieves. 174 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:54,720 You had the the the sahe, you had the 175 00:07:53,039 --> 00:07:56,160 neighborhood watch and all the rest of 176 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,840 it when they bought the the tribal 177 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,120 readers. They used to give them a lot of 178 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,039 money and those people they just take 179 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,120 the money and build buildings in in 180 00:08:01,039 --> 00:08:05,039 Dubai and Aman and London and everywhere 181 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,759 else. The Americans have participated. 182 00:08:05,039 --> 00:08:10,080 You look at the at the federal audit 183 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:13,199 office, the American federal office, and 184 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:15,919 it shows you how much money was stolen 185 00:08:13,199 --> 00:08:18,160 by the Americans themselves. Even even 186 00:08:15,919 --> 00:08:19,440 Bremer and his team when they were there 187 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:22,080 have talked to some of the auditing 188 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:23,520 firms who have done. So this money 189 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,680 although they say they've spent this 190 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:28,879 money on Iraq this money was not spent 191 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:30,639 on Iraq. Western policies is always we 192 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:32,800 talk about the billions and millions we 193 00:08:30,639 --> 00:08:34,880 give to Africa and I don't know what but 194 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,399 in reality all the money it goes to the 195 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,320 white hall and to the office and to the 196 00:08:36,399 --> 00:08:40,640 contractors and what is left the the 197 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:42,159 little pittance gets to the African or 198 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,320 the Arabs. for those people when they 199 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:46,480 spend the money on the training, they 200 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:50,640 didn't do any of that. So, it's a paper 201 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:53,519 tiger. It's paper thin. Uh presumably, 202 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:57,040 therefore, the road is open for whoever 203 00:08:53,519 --> 00:08:58,959 these people that are on the march are 204 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:01,200 to march all the way to Baghdad. Is that 205 00:08:58,959 --> 00:09:02,560 their intention? Yes, absolutely. This 206 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,480 is the intention. and they they would go 207 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:06,480 to about that and they are hoping that 208 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:09,200 some of the uprising in the south will 209 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:11,680 come up partly because the Iraqi people 210 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,839 now they are not even working on sector 211 00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:16,320 they are really fed up of the killing 212 00:09:13,839 --> 00:09:18,959 they the Shiats in the south are 213 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,880 suffering from Maliki just as much as 214 00:09:18,959 --> 00:09:23,200 the people who are Sunnis but it's it's 215 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:25,360 it's what you talk about I could declare 216 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:26,720 myself the imam of the Muslims in London 217 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,640 and to hell with anybody who doesn't 218 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,240 believe me that doesn't make me the imam 219 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,320 of London so you can have somebody 220 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:34,480 saying you know we have Ji saying he's 221 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,720 talking on behalf of the Sunnis in Iraq 222 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:39,360 and none of the Sunnis recognize the 223 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:41,360 guy. In Iraq, the division is this. 224 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:44,320 You're either with the occupation with 225 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:46,959 all its facets including the so-called 226 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,959 political process or you want your 227 00:09:46,959 --> 00:09:51,839 country back between the patriots and 228 00:09:48,959 --> 00:09:53,360 both camps has Shiats, both camps have 229 00:09:51,839 --> 00:09:55,600 Sunnis. 230 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:58,080 In this revolution that you describe, 231 00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:00,560 what is the fate of Christians and other 232 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,560 minorities in Iraq going to be like? The 233 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:05,519 first step that has been taken by the 234 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:07,279 units which took uh Musul because Musul 235 00:10:05,519 --> 00:10:10,000 is one of the centers of Christianity in 236 00:10:07,279 --> 00:10:12,560 Iraq. The first step they've taken is to 237 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,160 protect all the Christian churches, 238 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:15,600 protected all the minorities. All the 239 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:18,079 areas where you have a very high 240 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:20,480 concentration of Christians, they have 241 00:10:18,079 --> 00:10:22,480 put people to protect the area. Now, of 242 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,560 course, in in such a situation, you're 243 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:27,519 likely to have all sorts of criminals 244 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:29,200 and and and and and other thugs and and 245 00:10:27,519 --> 00:10:31,279 terrorists. Everybody's going to be in 246 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,880 and everybody can produce a you know, I 247 00:10:31,279 --> 00:10:35,519 could I'm sure anybody can have a camera 248 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:38,000 and make me hold the flag. It's it's 249 00:10:35,519 --> 00:10:39,920 very easy. A black flag with three five 250 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:42,399 words in Arabic on it in white and that 251 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:44,240 makes me I could do that in London. I 252 00:10:42,399 --> 00:10:45,600 I'll be arrested, but that's a different 253 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:49,440 issue. 254 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:52,079 Well, the uh the picture you paint is 255 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:55,519 obviously different to that which is 256 00:10:52,079 --> 00:10:56,880 being portrayed in the media. And you 257 00:10:55,519 --> 00:11:01,600 may be right. You've been right many 258 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:06,000 many times uh about Iraq. But protecting 259 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:10,800 Christians in Mosul uh would not be uh 260 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:13,360 would not square with the wholesale uh 261 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:18,399 anti-Christian and other religious 262 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:20,240 minority activities of ISIS in Syria. Uh 263 00:11:18,399 --> 00:11:22,959 I think you can see the ISIS and 264 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:24,880 al-Qaeda types are undoubtedly involved 265 00:11:22,959 --> 00:11:28,399 in this mix. 266 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:32,959 uh what's going to stop them hunting 267 00:11:28,399 --> 00:11:35,040 down heretics or caffers uh in Iraq in 268 00:11:32,959 --> 00:11:37,680 the way that they've done in Syria? 269 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:40,000 Well, because the problem in in in Iraq 270 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:41,680 is different from Syria. In Syria, you 271 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,079 have a situation where the government 272 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:46,640 there is still a a full blast government 273 00:11:44,079 --> 00:11:48,399 which is using the the power and the 274 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:50,560 authorities. 275 00:11:48,399 --> 00:11:53,680 In Iraq, you have a a nogo government 276 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:56,640 situation. Yeah. So now the one who are 277 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:58,800 protecting the minorities trying to give 278 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:00,640 at least to market themselves they have 279 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:03,360 to make the protection and that's why 280 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:05,040 they have explicitly gone for that. Now 281 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,040 they are they are working I understand 282 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:10,320 that they are working very hard on 283 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:12,720 trying to release the Turkish council 284 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:14,560 and his group because they want to show 285 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:16,160 themselves that's the the those people 286 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:17,440 who are whatever you want to call them. 287 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,360 You want to call them ISIS call them 288 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,279 ISIS. I don't mind the names, but I'm 289 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:23,279 telling you they are the military 290 00:12:21,279 --> 00:12:25,519 council of Musul and they are the 291 00:12:23,279 --> 00:12:28,079 military there are 18 military councils 292 00:12:25,519 --> 00:12:30,560 in Iraq. They are the people of that of 293 00:12:28,079 --> 00:12:32,560 that area led by generals of the 294 00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:34,880 previous army. They are not sectarian. 295 00:12:32,560 --> 00:12:38,000 They don't they have no agenda in in in 296 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:40,560 in religion. They actually want to 297 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:43,120 protect the people. They want to show 298 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:45,760 themselves to be better than Maliki. And 299 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:48,880 as you know, Iraq was a secular state 300 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:52,000 all of its life until the Americans came 301 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:55,440 to Iraq, turned it into a theocratic. We 302 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:58,079 have now more turbaned men in in in 303 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:00,399 parliament and more covered women in 304 00:12:58,079 --> 00:13:03,360 parliament than anywhere than even in 305 00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:05,360 Iran. So this is it doesn't matter what 306 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:06,880 we can accuse them. It's the Americans 307 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:09,600 have adopted this line. You know, 308 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:11,200 everything that has gone bad, it's the 309 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,959 Iraqis have done it. The Americans 310 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,839 haven't done anything wrong. Madlin 311 00:13:12,959 --> 00:13:18,720 Orbright said she thought quarter of a 312 00:13:15,839 --> 00:13:20,800 million dead babies is a price worth 313 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:23,760 paying to get rid of Saddam Hussein. As 314 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:25,839 if Saddam Hussein to her was something 315 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:28,240 important. Now he is dictator. Okay, 316 00:13:25,839 --> 00:13:31,760 fine. But he's an Iraqi. He has more 317 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:34,160 right there than Bush and Albright and 318 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:36,399 including the rest of the Western powers 319 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:39,279 in Europe, in the UK and other 320 00:13:36,399 --> 00:13:43,279 countries. Fascinating. Thanks very much 321 00:13:39,279 --> 00:13:46,079 indeed, Sabah Mktar, for that. After the 322 00:13:43,279 --> 00:13:49,519 break, we'll be talking about a Trojan 323 00:13:46,079 --> 00:13:52,680 horse. Or is it a Trojan hoax? We'll be 324 00:13:49,519 --> 00:13:52,680 right back. 325 00:13:52,970 --> 00:13:56,320 [Music] 326 00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:01,680 Welcome back to Sputnik. It is no less 327 00:13:59,279 --> 00:14:04,880 than an outbreak of McCarthyism in 328 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:07,839 Britain based on a forged document. A 329 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:10,720 hoax called Trojan horse has sparked an 330 00:14:07,839 --> 00:14:13,199 unprecedented wave, a witch hunt against 331 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:15,519 an ethnic minority, Britain's two 332 00:14:13,199 --> 00:14:17,839 million Muslims. Sure, there are a few 333 00:14:15,519 --> 00:14:20,959 white Muslims in Britain, but mainly 334 00:14:17,839 --> 00:14:23,920 their faces say their name is Abdul or 335 00:14:20,959 --> 00:14:26,880 Fatima. This racism doesn't come from 336 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:29,040 the far right or paramilitary thugs, but 337 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:32,079 from the state and its mass media, 338 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:34,399 Pavlovian dogs. Britain's Muslims today 339 00:14:32,079 --> 00:14:37,120 are watching with mounting fear and 340 00:14:34,399 --> 00:14:39,760 alarm as one by one high achieving 341 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:42,240 co-religionist are being dragged out, 342 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:44,800 pillaried and sacked. The Trojan horse 343 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,880 hoax deals with schools mainly in 344 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,360 Birmingham but spreading first to 345 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:51,760 Bradford then East London which are 346 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,279 overwhelmingly successful schools. 347 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,920 Schools which have transformed 348 00:14:53,279 --> 00:14:58,399 themselves from sink schools to the top 349 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,720 of the league. schools where girls are 350 00:14:58,399 --> 00:15:03,519 doing better than boys, where most of 351 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:06,639 the prefects are girls and ought to be 352 00:15:03,519 --> 00:15:09,040 given a medal by the state. Indeed, they 353 00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:11,040 were in just 11 months ago being 354 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:14,000 described by the government inspectorate 355 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:16,399 as outstanding. But we're invited now to 356 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:19,040 believe that in just months a Taliban 357 00:15:16,399 --> 00:15:22,160 type offensive has swept all before it. 358 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:25,040 So much so that all of the major 359 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:28,160 participants in this drama, those being 360 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:30,560 named and shamed in the newspapers and 361 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:33,120 on television, are now afraid, 362 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:36,160 intimidated to come on television to 363 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:38,560 discuss it. After all, it could cost you 364 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:41,519 your job. So, we're going to do it 365 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:43,040 ourselves. Indeed, I believe that you 366 00:15:41,519 --> 00:15:45,519 are personally involved in it. But 367 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:47,440 before we get into that uh part, please 368 00:15:45,519 --> 00:15:49,120 explain us what is this Trojan horse 369 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:51,759 document all about and how did it all 370 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:54,639 start? It's a document that is widely 371 00:15:51,759 --> 00:15:57,440 accepted now as having been a forgery, a 372 00:15:54,639 --> 00:16:00,639 hoax, a kind of protocols of the elders 373 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:04,000 of Zion type hoax uh with no signature 374 00:16:00,639 --> 00:16:06,560 on it found in a briefcase in a locker 375 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:09,519 and sent to a very large number of 376 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:12,000 people. This sparked the investigation 377 00:16:09,519 --> 00:16:13,920 as they would call it the witch hunt. uh 378 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,040 as I would call it. It's now widely 379 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:20,079 accepted that it's a hoax, that it's a 380 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:22,720 forgery, but the investigations went on 381 00:16:20,079 --> 00:16:26,079 anyway. And schools which just 11 months 382 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:29,519 ago had been declared to be outstanding 383 00:16:26,079 --> 00:16:33,920 are now being denounced as a kind of 384 00:16:29,519 --> 00:16:37,040 hotbed of incipient Islamic extremism. 385 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:39,600 Though there's no evidence at all beyond 386 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:42,720 the fact that on school trips, for 387 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:45,839 example, girls and boys traveled on 388 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:50,160 separate buses. Uh that uh at school 389 00:16:45,839 --> 00:16:53,440 picnics, girls and boys sat at separate 390 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:56,079 uh picnic tables. Uh this is the kind of 391 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:58,639 nonsense that has been elevated 392 00:16:56,079 --> 00:17:01,279 hysterically to a subject that is now 393 00:16:58,639 --> 00:17:05,360 dominating the British news agenda every 394 00:17:01,279 --> 00:17:07,839 single day uh for a week. Uh so the 395 00:17:05,360 --> 00:17:10,559 Trojan horse was found to be empty. 396 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:13,199 Yeah. But in the classic witch hunting 397 00:17:10,559 --> 00:17:16,240 style, the witchinder generals have gone 398 00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:19,120 on looking and governors are being 399 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:21,280 sacked. Schools are having their funding 400 00:17:19,120 --> 00:17:24,480 withdrawn. Schools that were outstanding 401 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:28,720 11 months ago are now being bankrupted 402 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:31,200 uh by the government and its uh official 403 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:33,679 inspectorate which is now openly acting 404 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:35,600 under political direction for the first 405 00:17:33,679 --> 00:17:38,320 time ever in the history of this 406 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:41,919 country. This witch hunt uh after 407 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:45,280 Muslims happens after of course the win 408 00:17:41,919 --> 00:17:47,840 of win of UKIP during the uh local and 409 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:50,640 European elections uh and the defeat of 410 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:53,039 the established parties. Is this a is a 411 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:55,919 convenient coincidence? I I believe it's 412 00:17:53,039 --> 00:17:58,240 a direct dog whistle response by the 413 00:17:55,919 --> 00:18:01,840 government to the rise of the UKIP 414 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:04,640 electoral bubble. They are saying to the 415 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:08,080 potential UKIP electorate, we are the 416 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:11,360 party that's tough on immigrants. We are 417 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:13,520 the party that's tough on Muslims. 418 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:15,520 Although there are a few white Muslims 419 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:19,360 in Britain, the vast majority of them 420 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:20,960 have brown and black faces. So when 421 00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:24,080 people are looking around them 422 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:27,360 themselves in the street for uh some 423 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:30,559 kind of dangerous man or woman for that 424 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:31,919 matter, they know what to look for. Uh 425 00:18:30,559 --> 00:18:34,640 they even look at people who are not 426 00:18:31,919 --> 00:18:37,840 Muslims but are seeks and are frequently 427 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:42,000 thought to be uh Muslims. So there's a 428 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:44,880 very grave sense of unease amongst 429 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:47,360 Muslims like the ones uh I represent in 430 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,280 parliament, tens of thousands of them, 431 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:52,160 that they're somehow being targeted. 432 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:54,000 They're being attacked. And for what? 433 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:56,559 Because they prefer their girls to sit 434 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,799 at a separate uh uh picnic table. Let me 435 00:18:56,559 --> 00:19:02,080 tell you, this is a recipe for Yeah. I 436 00:18:58,799 --> 00:19:04,799 sent my own daughter to a girl's school 437 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:07,760 because I didn't want her distracted by 438 00:19:04,799 --> 00:19:11,600 talking to boys. This would now qualify 439 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:15,360 me as a as an al-Qaeda commander. Uh and 440 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:17,840 generations of u high achieving 441 00:19:15,360 --> 00:19:19,840 middleclass parents, white parents, 442 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:22,240 non-Muslim parents have sent their girls 443 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:25,120 to these girls schools precisely because 444 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:28,000 you're in school to learn. And the girls 445 00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:31,120 and boys in these schools were learning 446 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:33,760 in an unprecedentedly successful way. 447 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:38,240 One of them for example Parkside in uh 448 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:41,120 Birmingham uh was one of the highest 449 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:44,320 achieving schools in the entire country. 450 00:19:41,120 --> 00:19:46,960 This from just a few years ago being a 451 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:49,760 sink school that everybody had ignored 452 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:51,919 and forgotten. You mentioned Birmingham 453 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:53,840 and you mentioned Bradford and also East 454 00:19:51,919 --> 00:19:55,840 London in your introduction. These are 455 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,760 all three areas which you and the 456 00:19:55,840 --> 00:20:01,200 respect party represented. Is that a 457 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:04,000 coincidence? Uh well a point made in the 458 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:06,880 London Times uh this very morning. Now 459 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:08,799 the the times used to be the Journal of 460 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:11,120 Record. It's kind of fallen on hard 461 00:20:08,799 --> 00:20:14,320 times now. It's the sort of far coat of 462 00:20:11,120 --> 00:20:17,760 the Murdoch Empire part of the Fox News 463 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:21,440 Sun newspaper uh empire. But in an 464 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:25,200 editorial uh this very morning, a whole 465 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:28,159 editorial dedicated to me in which it 466 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:29,919 explains that actually the three places 467 00:20:28,159 --> 00:20:32,320 where these problems are manifesting 468 00:20:29,919 --> 00:20:35,039 themselves have one thing in common. 469 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:39,120 I've represented all of them uh in 470 00:20:35,039 --> 00:20:42,640 parliament uh or tried to. Now the uh 471 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:44,960 reality is these are three areas where 472 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:47,760 there are large numbers of immigrants, 473 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:50,159 large numbers of Muslims. That's the 474 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:53,039 common denominator, not the fact that a 475 00:20:50,159 --> 00:20:56,880 lot of them have in the past voted uh 476 00:20:53,039 --> 00:21:00,240 for me. Michael Gove has announced that 477 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:03,919 all schools henceforth will have to 478 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:07,679 teach British values. Now, I've asked in 479 00:21:03,919 --> 00:21:10,799 parliament, what are the values that are 480 00:21:07,679 --> 00:21:14,400 specifically British that are going to 481 00:21:10,799 --> 00:21:16,880 have to be taught by teachers? Is it the 482 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:20,159 values that have destroyed Iraq? The 483 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:23,120 values that are supporting al-Qaeda in 484 00:21:20,159 --> 00:21:25,760 Syria? The values that supported the 485 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:29,760 terrorist uprising in Kiev in the 486 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:32,480 Ukraine? Is it the values of an empire 487 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:34,240 on which the sun never set because God 488 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:38,320 would never trust the British in the 489 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:40,799 dark? What values are specifically 490 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:43,600 British that are going to have to be 491 00:21:40,799 --> 00:21:47,200 taught? They say that one of them is 492 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:50,720 tolerance, but of course it's emerging 493 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:54,080 out of a swamp of intolerance of people 494 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:57,360 who dress differently, eat differently 495 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:59,760 and pray differently to the majority uh 496 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:02,240 in this country. So it's a very very 497 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:05,360 serious uh development and it's one 498 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:10,159 which will lead as all these kind of 499 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:13,200 bruhahas do to blood because before long 500 00:22:10,159 --> 00:22:16,960 yes mosques will be attacked Muslims 501 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:20,000 will be attacked and the mindset of the 502 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:22,799 attackers will be these people are 503 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:26,720 taking over our schools these people are 504 00:22:22,799 --> 00:22:30,159 trying to talibanize our uh our cities 505 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:32,640 and it's all based on a hoax on a 506 00:22:30,159 --> 00:22:34,480 forgery which is a very very serious 507 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:37,600 turn of events but there's a big 508 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:40,720 critical uprising against it too right 509 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:44,159 well I hope so I'm waiting uh for it the 510 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:47,679 Muslim population has gone to ground no 511 00:22:44,159 --> 00:22:51,760 leader of the Muslim community uh can be 512 00:22:47,679 --> 00:22:54,720 found to come out fighting uh on this uh 513 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:58,480 I'm doing my best in parliament uh and 514 00:22:54,720 --> 00:23:01,440 with others uh in Birmingham One of my 515 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:03,600 former colleagues, Salma Yakub, has set 516 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:06,720 up a hands-off Birmingham schools 517 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:09,679 movement and she's doing a terrific job 518 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:11,760 on on that. Uh we're organizing a series 519 00:23:09,679 --> 00:23:14,400 of public meetings in East London, in 520 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:17,120 Birmingham, and of course in my own 521 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:20,960 constituency in Bradford. We're trying 522 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:24,799 to answer this. The problem in Britain 523 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:27,840 is unachieving schools, underachieving 524 00:23:24,799 --> 00:23:30,960 schools. The fact that not enough money 525 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:33,760 is being spent on the teachers and the 526 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:37,440 equipment and the buildings to make our 527 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:40,240 schools fit for the 21st century. And 528 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:43,200 actually to eviscerate 529 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:45,760 schools which are actually doing well 530 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:48,320 shows the kind of priorities that the 531 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,919 British government uh has. It's all over 532 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:53,520 social media, of course. What's been 533 00:23:49,919 --> 00:23:56,159 rattling on ours on this? Well, yes. Um, 534 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:58,400 we asked uh the people what turned out 535 00:23:56,159 --> 00:24:01,919 to be inside this Trojan horse. To which 536 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:04,880 Fred do said, nothing but Tory intent to 537 00:24:01,919 --> 00:24:08,240 create fear, foster suspicion, and keep 538 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:11,520 us divided. And Shirona answers, 539 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:13,120 anti-UKIP repellent. Ah, anti-UKIP 540 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:15,039 repellent. That's a very good and 541 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:18,480 concise way of saying what I tried to 542 00:24:15,039 --> 00:24:21,919 say. Just if I may continue to um 543 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:24,000 comment on the Iraq u developments 544 00:24:21,919 --> 00:24:27,520 because we asked whether the fall of 545 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:30,320 Mosul to al-Qaeda uh affiliates make 546 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:32,480 prosecution of Blair imperative to which 547 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:34,240 Roger the Dodger answers the puppet 548 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:37,039 masters of this orchestra are the 549 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:41,200 Saudis, the CIA being the conductors and 550 00:24:37,039 --> 00:24:44,000 ISIS are just the hired guns. And our 551 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:46,320 own beloved William Hake answers, "Now 552 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,559 that we negotiate with terrorists, I'm 553 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:51,360 going to suggest we swap Blair for some 554 00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:53,360 oil." Well, this is of course the great 555 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:56,159 irony. The people who say they're most 556 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:58,960 concerned about Islamism are the people 557 00:24:56,159 --> 00:25:01,760 who have fantastically inflated the 558 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:03,919 problem of Islamist extremism. They are 559 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:06,720 the people who invaded and destroyed 560 00:25:03,919 --> 00:25:09,120 Iraq. They are the people who invaded 561 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:12,080 and destroyed Afghanistan. They are the 562 00:25:09,120 --> 00:25:14,799 people who backed the fanatics in Syria, 563 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:18,080 who have destroyed Syria, and they have 564 00:25:14,799 --> 00:25:20,640 the nerve to accuse those of us who 565 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:24,240 opposed them on all of these three 566 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:27,279 issues of somehow being a font of 567 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:29,679 Islamist extremism. Well, unfortunately, 568 00:25:27,279 --> 00:25:31,360 that's all we've got time for. Do please 569 00:25:29,679 --> 00:25:34,000 keep in touch with us on Twitter at 570 00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:36,240 RT_Sputnik and on Facebook you can like 571 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,159 us on Sputnik on Russia Today. It's 572 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:42,520 goodbye from me, Gatri, and from me, 573 00:25:38,159 --> 00:25:42,520 George Galloway. It's been marvelous. 574 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:49,369 [Music] 575 00:25:52,660 --> 00:26:02,990 [Music]