1 00:00:00,399 --> 00:00:04,200 now regular viewers of the daily 2 00:00:01,839 --> 00:00:09,360 politics may have watched this on 3 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:12,880 Wednesday lunchtime George Galloway 4 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:15,799 following following never following 5 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:18,600 yesterday's announcement never here will 6 00:00:15,799 --> 00:00:21,199 the Prime Minister Adam Bri for the 7 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:24,119 house the key 8 00:00:21,199 --> 00:00:26,480 differences between the hand chopping 9 00:00:24,119 --> 00:00:29,160 throat cutting 10 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:33,440 jihadists fighting the dictatorship in 11 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:37,000 Mali that we are now to help to kill and 12 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:40,960 the equally bloodthirsty jihadists that 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:44,559 we are giving money material political 14 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:47,239 and diplomatic support to in Syria has 15 00:00:44,559 --> 00:00:49,440 the Prime Minister read Frankenstein and 16 00:00:47,239 --> 00:00:52,359 did he read it to the 17 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:54,120 end well some things come and go but 18 00:00:52,359 --> 00:00:56,320 there is one thing that is certain 19 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,000 wherever there is a brutal Arab dictator 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:01,920 in the world he'll have the support of 21 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,920 The Honorable gentleman 22 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,600 now that was David Cameron's response it 23 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,240 caused a little bit of an upset actually 24 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,119 some viewers to our program thought it 25 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:13,960 was a tad rout uh we tried to get Adam 26 00:01:11,119 --> 00:01:16,640 bra Mr Adam bra to join us today but he 27 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:19,240 was unavailable instead we have the 28 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,119 respect MP George Gallow he's the man 29 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,600 who asked the question he's got the same 30 00:01:21,119 --> 00:01:25,600 excellent suit and waist coat but not 31 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:28,640 the tie I lost the tie I only IID 32 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:32,759 morning dress now when you asked that 33 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:35,320 question did did you not think that that 34 00:01:32,759 --> 00:01:37,560 that you were opening yourself to that 35 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:40,159 the response that you got well not from 36 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:42,799 that particular pot to call this kettle 37 00:01:40,159 --> 00:01:44,600 black when he promptly flew off to pose 38 00:01:42,799 --> 00:01:46,960 for pictures with the dictator of 39 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:49,640 Algeria and is busily selling as many 40 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:53,560 weapons as he can to every brutal Arab 41 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:56,960 dictator that will pay uh no but in any 42 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:59,159 case vulgar abuse uh does not an answer 43 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:00,399 make and what your viewers have been 44 00:01:59,159 --> 00:02:03,360 saying to you 45 00:02:00,399 --> 00:02:04,960 uh is of a par with what's being said to 46 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,560 me that actually that's quite an 47 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,679 interesting question I wonder what the 48 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,520 answer is David camon certainly didn't 49 00:02:08,679 --> 00:02:12,160 give it I mean he certainly I mean as 50 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:15,519 all Western governments are vulnerable 51 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:17,720 to having supported Arab dictators um 52 00:02:15,519 --> 00:02:19,480 but I guess people could say is well 53 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:23,319 you've got your dictators and he's got 54 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:26,879 his dictators well the British state is 55 00:02:23,319 --> 00:02:29,280 in the front of uh marketing weapons and 56 00:02:26,879 --> 00:02:33,239 giving diplomatic and political support 57 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:36,160 both to to brutal Arab dictators and 58 00:02:33,239 --> 00:02:39,480 jihadists in Syria and I was merely 59 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:42,959 asking is it a case of good al-Qaeda in 60 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:44,360 Syria and bad al-Qaeda in Mali because 61 00:02:42,959 --> 00:02:46,760 of course we've been down this road 62 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:49,640 before you and I perhaps uniquely on 63 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:53,200 this platform are old enough to remember 64 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:54,840 when we used to hail and arm and finance 65 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,360 other jihadists who later became 66 00:02:54,840 --> 00:03:01,120 al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in the 1980s 67 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:03,480 that's the question not uh my views on 68 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,400 this or that Arab government but whether 69 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,840 the British State should be doing this 70 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:10,840 let me just unpeel a bit the uh the 71 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:12,599 jihadists in Mali in Northern Mali and 72 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,599 those who are fighting the government in 73 00:03:12,599 --> 00:03:18,000 Syria at the moment it seems pretty 74 00:03:14,599 --> 00:03:20,799 clear that the jihadists had taken 75 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,879 control of a movement in Northern uh 76 00:03:20,799 --> 00:03:25,319 Mali which had originally been for 77 00:03:22,879 --> 00:03:27,000 autonomy it was the teg tribals and so 78 00:03:25,319 --> 00:03:28,760 on but they taking control and were 79 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,159 heading south they were calling the 80 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:34,840 shots by them even the two AR tribesman 81 00:03:31,159 --> 00:03:37,319 admit that there is no doubt the yadis 82 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,680 are part of the uprising in Syria but 83 00:03:37,319 --> 00:03:41,840 they're not in any means in control well 84 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,560 the New York Times thinks they are uh 85 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:46,680 and the state department talked nearly a 86 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,560 year ago about the flicker of al-Qaeda 87 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:51,120 which has now become a flame uh the even 88 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,360 that doesn't mean them in control indeed 89 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,959 they've been attacked by the people who 90 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:57,640 who are at the top of the Insurgency at 91 00:03:55,959 --> 00:03:59,200 the moment well those chaps that you see 92 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,840 on the news every night especially if 93 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:04,079 you watch 94 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:05,720 uh chanting Allahu abbar and uh lining 95 00:04:04,079 --> 00:04:07,400 up prisoners to cut their heads off 96 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,439 indeed videoing themselves cutting 97 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:12,120 people's heads off sound pretty 98 00:04:09,439 --> 00:04:13,959 dangerous to me and I just think it's uh 99 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,479 a Frankenstein monster that's being 100 00:04:13,959 --> 00:04:19,040 created was created in the80s in 101 00:04:16,479 --> 00:04:21,359 Afghanistan and if you have read as you 102 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:24,000 will have written by a scotswoman Mary 103 00:04:21,359 --> 00:04:26,160 shell Frankenstein's monster the modern 104 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,360 promethus you'll know that it's called a 105 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,080 monster because you can't control it 106 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:33,199 once you've built it and theer is not 107 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:35,759 called Frankenstein either no inde 108 00:04:33,199 --> 00:04:38,280 uh does this then lead you to support 109 00:04:35,759 --> 00:04:40,919 Assad no I don't support either the 110 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:42,039 jihadists or Assad you seem very simp I 111 00:04:40,919 --> 00:04:44,280 mean I'm not going to look through it 112 00:04:42,039 --> 00:04:47,080 all but the our research teams come up 113 00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:50,199 with plenty of quotes with you being 114 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:53,000 pretty friendly to mrad and pretty 115 00:04:50,199 --> 00:04:55,520 friendly to the dictatorship of Syria 116 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,280 well from the that's from 2005 I think 117 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,720 you you quoted these things at me again 118 00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:00,880 that's at the time he was riding around 119 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:03,680 in a carriage with the Queen up the mile 120 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:06,240 and sleeping in her spare room no I 121 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:08,600 support coffe Anan a spare room I just 122 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,440 want to one ofare rooms want to check 123 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:13,199 that it was a spare room well I support 124 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:15,680 kofan Nan's plan to have a negotiated 125 00:05:13,199 --> 00:05:18,319 transition to democracy in Syria I just 126 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:21,199 don't think it's wise to be paying and 127 00:05:18,319 --> 00:05:23,800 arming and bringing in Legions of throat 128 00:05:21,199 --> 00:05:26,080 Cutters and hand Choppers into Syria a 129 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,560 country you know is a very complicated 130 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,759 one with lots of religious and ethnic 131 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,440 minorities and in strategically very 132 00:05:30,759 --> 00:05:35,360 explosive place but what do you make 133 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:38,199 then of your uh I'll be provocative for 134 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:40,919 a change of your mates in Iran sending 135 00:05:38,199 --> 00:05:44,199 Assad all the support well we're sending 136 00:05:40,919 --> 00:05:47,840 the enemies of Assad support and Russia 137 00:05:44,199 --> 00:05:49,759 we Britain uh Britain and its American 138 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:51,319 uh Master well we're not sending any 139 00:05:49,759 --> 00:05:52,360 arms or weapons to we're giving them 140 00:05:51,319 --> 00:05:54,199 money if you give them money you're 141 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:56,240 giving them arms they can do they can do 142 00:05:54,199 --> 00:05:58,080 with the money what they what they like 143 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:01,160 but you're not dis but but the the 144 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:02,840 Iranians are sending serious weapons and 145 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,400 even revolutionary guards have been sent 146 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,800 there well you know serious weapons 147 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:10,000 won't do Assad any good you're fighting 148 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:12,560 in the streets hand to hand with these 149 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:14,319 jihadists serious we keep saying I and I 150 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,759 I understand I'm not arguing with you 151 00:06:14,319 --> 00:06:18,280 that there aren't jihadists involved in 152 00:06:15,759 --> 00:06:20,599 the struggle against Assad but I think 153 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:22,840 you have to admit that they are not the 154 00:06:20,599 --> 00:06:24,880 leaders in this or even the majority of 155 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:26,440 the uprising I don't accept that at all 156 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,240 you're right if you say that they're not 157 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,960 all jihadists the Syrian people had 158 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:33,720 plenty to revolt about Syrian people had 159 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,639 plenty to rise up about and they had the 160 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:38,440 same right to do so as any people in the 161 00:06:35,639 --> 00:06:41,000 world have the right to but no one who 162 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:43,360 seriously studies this is in any doubt 163 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,960 that the fighting is being done by 164 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:48,880 Foreign jihadists in the main and they 165 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:50,919 will inherit the power the people who uh 166 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:54,120 do the fighting are the people who come 167 00:06:50,919 --> 00:06:56,560 to power and it's wise of you not to 168 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:58,919 dispute That central point because the 169 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:01,319 time will come if they win when we'll be 170 00:06:58,919 --> 00:07:04,199 sitting here talking about their latest 171 00:07:01,319 --> 00:07:07,840 atrocity perhaps across the border in 172 00:07:04,199 --> 00:07:10,319 the UK and Us's favorite country Israel 173 00:07:07,840 --> 00:07:11,560 you uh were pretty Keen after you won 174 00:07:10,319 --> 00:07:14,440 your byelection of calling it The 175 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:16,759 Bradford spring you seem a bit less keen 176 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,039 on the Arab Spring no I'm absolutely 177 00:07:16,759 --> 00:07:19,440 behind the Arab Spring the difference 178 00:07:18,039 --> 00:07:21,960 between me and the government is I've 179 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:25,000 been calling for it for the last 35 180 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,680 Springs I've been asking and calling for 181 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,759 revolution in the Arab world always and 182 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,840 it's a messy business you can't make 183 00:07:28,759 --> 00:07:33,919 omelets without out breaking eggs so how 184 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:37,199 would you describe its progress so far 185 00:07:33,919 --> 00:07:39,960 say in Egypt or Libya in Egypt it's not 186 00:07:37,199 --> 00:07:42,319 going well in Tunisia it's going better 187 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:44,440 in Libya it's a thoroughgoing disaster 188 00:07:42,319 --> 00:07:47,599 you think is a disaster in liya and this 189 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:50,960 is a classic case we hated Gaddafi then 190 00:07:47,599 --> 00:07:54,599 we loved Gaddafi then we uh delivered uh 191 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:56,400 the jihadists to Gaddafi to be tortured 192 00:07:54,599 --> 00:07:58,240 then we backed those jihadists to 193 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,479 overthrow Gaddafi and now those 194 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,000 jihadists have killed the American 195 00:07:59,479 --> 00:08:03,479 American ambassador in Benghazi and 196 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,560 we've just evacuated all our people uh 197 00:08:03,479 --> 00:08:08,520 from there will you be happy when Mr 198 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:12,400 Assad goes yes I think the people of 199 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:15,479 Syria need to choose a a ruler who's not 200 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:17,560 part of the same family as the the 201 00:08:15,479 --> 00:08:20,759 dynasty that they've had for 40 years 202 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:22,759 there I think we need democracy in Syria 203 00:08:20,759 --> 00:08:24,919 and we need it in Saudi Arabia and we 204 00:08:22,759 --> 00:08:28,280 need it in all Arab countries but you 205 00:08:24,919 --> 00:08:30,199 don't get democracy by bombing countries 206 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:33,279 from a far 207 00:08:30,199 --> 00:08:36,039 uh neither do you get it by interposing 208 00:08:33,279 --> 00:08:37,800 jihadists of the al-Qaeda stripe final 209 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:39,839 question before I bring in a uh our 210 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,320 guests have been listening patiently 211 00:08:39,839 --> 00:08:44,720 were the French right to intervene in 212 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:46,000 Mali no uh they're the last people given 213 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,839 their colonial history you know that 214 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:52,200 Mali used to be called French Sudan sure 215 00:08:48,839 --> 00:08:54,120 uh and they looted Mali uh of as much as 216 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:56,519 they could carry including the people of 217 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,880 Mal the people of M seem to be rather 218 00:08:56,519 --> 00:09:00,600 happy to see them well some of them do 219 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:02,640 the ones that the Western cameras I find 220 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,720 uh to put on the news you think that's 221 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:07,839 unrepresentative I do uh 90% of malians 222 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:10,160 are Muslims you don't think the BBC 223 00:09:07,839 --> 00:09:11,399 would if someone said we don't want the 224 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,360 French here you don't think we'd run 225 00:09:11,399 --> 00:09:15,079 that uh no because you're not seeking 226 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,160 out the and neither are they coming 227 00:09:15,079 --> 00:09:18,880 forward I have no doubt uh it's not a 228 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:21,079 good time to come forward if the French 229 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,920 hadn't intervened it was quite clear 230 00:09:21,079 --> 00:09:25,040 that they were going to take the Hall of 231 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:27,519 Mali the you had the the the throat 232 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,880 cutting hand chopping you had us that 233 00:09:27,519 --> 00:09:31,440 you were complaining about I don't think 234 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,480 that's necessarily true because as you 235 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:35,880 rightly said it's much more complicated 236 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,440 than that the tware people have uh 237 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,920 legitimate demands that they've been 238 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:42,600 making for decades long before Al-Qaeda 239 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:46,240 ever existed but but uh the the the 240 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:48,360 point is Andrew that these uh these uh 241 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:50,320 the government of Mali is a military 242 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,760 dictatorship we're backing the military 243 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,000 dictatorship no it's an ugly baby 244 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:56,079 contest people are against it and we'll 245 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:58,079 see what happens and when terrible 246 00:09:56,079 --> 00:10:00,240 things start happening don't say you 247 00:09:58,079 --> 00:10:02,200 wen't warned well that's the TR isn't it 248 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:04,279 because no matter if you try and 249 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,560 understand the situation it entirely 250 00:10:04,279 --> 00:10:08,279 depends how far back in history you go 251 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:11,200 as to where you think allegiances should 252 00:10:08,279 --> 00:10:12,440 be and it becomes more and more complex 253 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,200 I mean what what would be the right 254 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:16,240 thing for the government to do our 255 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,480 government to do well I'm not sure that 256 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:20,240 Mali is something that ought to be 257 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,920 occupying our government at the moment 258 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,200 our economy it had to occupy our 259 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:26,959 government because that happened it's a 260 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:29,160 far away country in North Africa it 261 00:10:26,959 --> 00:10:31,440 contains no threat to us whatsoever we 262 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,720 have have no historical relationship 263 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,600 with it whatsoever and we're broke we 264 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,480 can't we can't keep our pensioners warm 265 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:40,040 in the winter time but we're ready to 266 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:43,880 help France set fire to Mali just 267 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:46,560 doesn't compute and are we really go I 268 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:48,680 wouldn't give my son's life in Mali and 269 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:50,680 I know that you wouldn't either but 270 00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:53,200 we're expecting other people to send 271 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:55,880 their children to go there and fight 272 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:58,639 yeah the difficulty here is the complex 273 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:00,720 issues and um we we we view it all with 274 00:10:58,639 --> 00:11:02,440 hindsight I mean we look at Afghanistan 275 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,880 now and say if only we hadn't gone in 276 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:06,839 but what would have happened if we 277 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:08,839 hadn't gone in 10 years ago um and and 278 00:11:06,839 --> 00:11:10,160 my my question to you would be well do 279 00:11:08,839 --> 00:11:12,680 we just sit and do nothing there are 280 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:14,440 people suffering in in Syria I think we 281 00:11:12,680 --> 00:11:17,440 probably would go in if we thought it 282 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:19,399 was a safe uh thing to do and we had we 283 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,600 had the money we had the money in the 284 00:11:19,399 --> 00:11:23,360 stomach for it we don't have TOA do we 285 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,480 there are bad things happen all over the 286 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,079 world we are a small country of 65 287 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:29,480 million off the northwest coast of 288 00:11:27,079 --> 00:11:31,600 Europe that is virtually bankrupt in 289 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,920 triple dip recession it would be better 290 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:38,160 if the British government concentrated 291 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:38,160 on fixing our own problems here at home