1 00:00:01,860 --> 00:00:07,370 [Music] 2 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,960 I 3 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,559 welcome to Sputnik orbiting the world 4 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:42,480 with me George Galloway and me gatri 5 00:00:40,559 --> 00:00:45,039 Britain's National Health Service 6 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:47,680 arguably the country's heart and soul is 7 00:00:45,039 --> 00:00:50,239 in the deepest of Crisis led by the 8 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,960 country's most unpopular politician 9 00:00:50,239 --> 00:00:54,719 Jeremy Hunt and there's a bit of 10 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:57,000 competition for that position locked in 11 00:00:54,719 --> 00:00:59,399 confrontation with Hospital doctors 12 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,559 indeed the entire British Medical 13 00:00:59,399 --> 00:01:03,199 Association 14 00:01:00,559 --> 00:01:06,439 employing the union busting tactics of 15 00:01:03,199 --> 00:01:09,360 the US in the last century which may be 16 00:01:06,439 --> 00:01:12,119 appropriate because TTI if it is 17 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:14,560 concluded is likely to bring us Union 18 00:01:12,119 --> 00:01:17,520 Busters right into the heart of the 19 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,880 Health Service Dr Bob Gill of the sa our 20 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:22,479 National Health Service campaign is 21 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,920 Britain's leading campaigner to do what 22 00:01:22,479 --> 00:01:27,240 it says on their tin save the National 23 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:30,280 Health Service and I'm glad to say he 24 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:33,119 joins us now Dr Bob thanks for coming on 25 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:36,560 board the Sputnik thank you just uh 26 00:01:33,119 --> 00:01:39,520 paint briefly if you will the state of 27 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:41,680 Crisis that the NHS is now in well 28 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:44,920 there's been several years of continuous 29 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:47,040 relative underfunding since 2010 instead 30 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,159 of getting the traditional 4% funding 31 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:52,640 increase the NHS has suffered a 32 00:01:49,159 --> 00:01:54,719 0.8% increase per year so over time this 33 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,399 has had a significant effect on the 34 00:01:54,719 --> 00:02:00,079 resources available to the NHS to the 35 00:01:57,399 --> 00:02:02,600 staff and ultimately impacts on patient 36 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:05,520 care so the NHS is being squeezed dry of 37 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:08,360 resource and yet they said they had ring 38 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:10,679 fenced NHS funding how does that work 39 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,160 out well that's a complete deception 40 00:02:10,679 --> 00:02:15,319 they also said no more top- down 41 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:17,160 reorganization in 2010 and in 2012 we 42 00:02:15,319 --> 00:02:20,120 had the Health and Social Care Act the 43 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:23,080 biggest privatization act the NHS has 44 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:26,319 seen but it's part of a 20-year sequence 45 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:28,080 of steady uh red disorganization but 46 00:02:26,319 --> 00:02:30,360 this has all been deliberate because 47 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:32,920 each new reform takes us further down 48 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:35,400 the privatization Road I I'm glad you 49 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:39,080 mentioned that longer period because it 50 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:43,200 seems to me many of the nhs's problems 51 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:46,200 now date back to the Blair Brown era or 52 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:48,319 even further or even that's ER even 53 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,120 further yeah kind of with me it goes 54 00:02:48,319 --> 00:02:52,400 without saying that most things are 55 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:55,200 located most problems are located in the 56 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:58,599 Thatcher era but the difference is this 57 00:02:55,200 --> 00:03:01,280 the Blair Brown era said that they had 58 00:02:58,599 --> 00:03:04,360 solved the NHS problems and that they 59 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:06,599 had poured new money into it but that 60 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,400 was true only up to a point wasn't it 61 00:03:06,599 --> 00:03:10,640 well a lot of the new money went into 62 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:13,280 setting up the infrastructure for the 63 00:03:10,640 --> 00:03:15,599 whole scale wholes scale Handover of our 64 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,400 NHS to American corporations but you're 65 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:18,440 right the problem started much earlier 66 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:23,159 than that in 67 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:26,799 1988 by Oliver Lewin he wrote a document 68 00:03:23,159 --> 00:03:29,319 called the the the Britain's greatest 69 00:03:26,799 --> 00:03:31,760 big Britain's biggest Enterprise where 70 00:03:29,319 --> 00:03:33,400 he set out the stages through which you 71 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:36,640 could go through without the public 72 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:39,519 noticing to get us to the US model and 73 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:41,840 unfortunately Tony Blair in his 13 years 74 00:03:39,519 --> 00:03:44,799 at the helm followed the successive 75 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:46,519 steps but this was never told to the 76 00:03:44,799 --> 00:03:48,200 public because they can't get away with 77 00:03:46,519 --> 00:03:49,840 it if the public knew what was a foot 78 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:52,519 they couldn't get away with it so they 79 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,840 had to disguise it in socialist jargon 80 00:03:52,519 --> 00:03:57,959 he gave us the line 7 days to save the 81 00:03:54,840 --> 00:04:00,040 NHS before he got elected in 1997 in 82 00:03:57,959 --> 00:04:02,400 opposition he talked about removing the 83 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:04,920 market infrastructure but actually when 84 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,799 he got into Power he reinforced this and 85 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:09,239 he also took several steps which were 86 00:04:06,799 --> 00:04:11,360 major progressions in privatization for 87 00:04:09,239 --> 00:04:13,799 example breaking up the hospital Network 88 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:16,280 into Foundation trusts which are like 89 00:04:13,799 --> 00:04:18,560 separate business entities he saddled 90 00:04:16,280 --> 00:04:21,680 hospitals with PFI liability private 91 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:23,919 financi initiative liabilities so the 92 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,240 the government borrowed 11 billion from 93 00:04:23,919 --> 00:04:29,479 private Banks and financiers and we have 94 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:32,520 to pay pay back 80 billion now this is 95 00:04:29,479 --> 00:04:34,880 an a deliberate Financial Millstone to 96 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:38,360 justify the sale and breakdown of the 97 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:40,800 NHS further along the line and to finish 98 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,000 things off in 2009 they brought in 99 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:45,720 something called the unsustainable 100 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:48,520 provider regime which is a fake 101 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:51,280 bankruptcy regime bankruptcy uh 102 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,840 framework to justify closing hospitals 103 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:55,120 and that was a regulation they used to 104 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:56,880 try to go for leum Hospital yeah I I 105 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,400 mean the very idea of a hospital being 106 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:02,960 bankrupt is so alen it might as well 107 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:06,039 have come from Mars uh I drove past the 108 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:09,199 Royal London Hospital just the other day 109 00:05:06,039 --> 00:05:10,759 uh I used to say when I was the MP there 110 00:05:09,199 --> 00:05:12,680 uh you would never find any member of 111 00:05:10,759 --> 00:05:15,720 the royal family in the Royal London 112 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:20,319 Hospital but it looks very nice now the 113 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:24,360 PFI financed expansion and development 114 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:26,039 has worked out at1 million per bed and I 115 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,639 don't know what their finances are like 116 00:05:26,039 --> 00:05:31,800 but I do know there are many other 117 00:05:28,639 --> 00:05:33,840 hospitals in England which are 118 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:36,120 technically on the verge of or over the 119 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:38,280 verge of bankruptcy what does that 120 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:40,639 actually mean in this context well in 121 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:42,199 order to justify further closures and 122 00:05:40,639 --> 00:05:45,000 attacks on the Health Service they had 123 00:05:42,199 --> 00:05:47,520 to restructure it from a care delivering 124 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,360 service to a business and in order to 125 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,600 say well this business is failing you 126 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,319 saddle it with these deliberate debts 127 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,639 and then you use those debts to close 128 00:05:53,319 --> 00:05:58,360 down what we publicly own to flog off 129 00:05:55,639 --> 00:06:00,759 the hospitals we own flog off the land 130 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,479 shrink the NHS 131 00:06:00,759 --> 00:06:04,240 bring it to the point of collapse and 132 00:06:02,479 --> 00:06:07,000 then say well the only solution is yet 133 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:09,000 more of the privatization so it's quite 134 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,360 quite a clever Financial scam that's 135 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:14,000 been pulled off well clever if it uh if 136 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:17,680 it works in the end uh I just want to 137 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:21,560 run that number past you again MH Blair 138 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:25,560 and brown put 11 billion in MH but the 139 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:28,199 public must pay 80 billion back that's 140 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:30,440 right to the private financers of Our 141 00:06:28,199 --> 00:06:32,080 National Health Service mhm that sounds 142 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,599 to me like a crime you know a crime that 143 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:36,240 you ought to actually be charged by the 144 00:06:34,599 --> 00:06:38,639 police well 145 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:41,160 interestingly the labor parties still 146 00:06:38,639 --> 00:06:43,120 are very reluctant to talk about PFI 147 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,840 there is some concern that some of these 148 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:48,280 were illegally financed there's 149 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:49,960 something called the ryy rules which 150 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:52,039 make clear that if you're going to go to 151 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:55,440 the private sector you need to make a 152 00:06:52,039 --> 00:06:57,639 cost Effectiveness best value for money 153 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,199 demonstration but I don't think these 154 00:06:57,639 --> 00:07:00,080 loans certainly they didn't meet those 155 00:06:59,199 --> 00:07:02,280 def 156 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,039 but the problem is you cannot look at 157 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:06,919 these contracts because they hide behind 158 00:07:04,039 --> 00:07:08,479 commercial confidentiality so we we as 159 00:07:06,919 --> 00:07:10,120 campaigners want to open up these 160 00:07:08,479 --> 00:07:11,639 contracts and and look at them and see 161 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,039 whether there is 162 00:07:11,639 --> 00:07:16,199 criminality even if there isn't 163 00:07:14,039 --> 00:07:19,639 criminality it's a crime what's been 164 00:07:16,199 --> 00:07:21,560 done to what was Britain's crown jewels 165 00:07:19,639 --> 00:07:26,479 we were the first in the world to 166 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:30,280 develop uh this kind of uh framework for 167 00:07:26,479 --> 00:07:32,800 uh Healthcare and ttip if if it comes 168 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:35,720 about will be that'll be the death nail 169 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:37,759 W it that be the lid on the coffin well 170 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:40,120 it's a corporate power grab of all 171 00:07:37,759 --> 00:07:42,759 public services and we have in charge of 172 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:45,159 the NHS a gentleman called called Simon 173 00:07:42,759 --> 00:07:47,759 Stevens he needs to become a household 174 00:07:45,159 --> 00:07:50,080 name he served the Blair government he 175 00:07:47,759 --> 00:07:51,520 then went on to work for United Health 176 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,199 while he was at United Health United 177 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:55,639 Health's a private healthare provider 178 00:07:53,199 --> 00:07:57,960 yes one of the biggest private insurers 179 00:07:55,639 --> 00:07:59,800 for healthcare in America while he was 180 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,039 there he campaigned against against 181 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,840 Obamacare Obama's reforms he campaigned 182 00:08:02,039 --> 00:08:07,759 against those then he went on to 183 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:10,000 campaign for ttip to include healthare 184 00:08:07,759 --> 00:08:11,520 and now he's in charge of the NHS so 185 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,759 this is an extremely troubling 186 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:15,599 development but a lot of people who have 187 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:18,560 been encouraged by the election of 188 00:08:15,599 --> 00:08:21,280 Jeremy Corbin are still waiting to hear 189 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:23,680 anything decent from the shadow health 190 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,639 Team I I went to a meeting with them a 191 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,560 month ago and was looking forward to 192 00:08:25,639 --> 00:08:30,319 hearing something sensible from Heidi 193 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:33,039 Alexander but what we heard were 194 00:08:30,319 --> 00:08:35,519 narratives that fit into the ongoing 195 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:38,560 privatization she expressed support for 196 00:08:35,519 --> 00:08:41,279 Simon Stevens despite his treack record 197 00:08:38,560 --> 00:08:44,880 and the next stages of the privatization 198 00:08:41,279 --> 00:08:46,560 are to devolve the NHS budgets to merge 199 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,839 budgets with social care budgets which 200 00:08:46,560 --> 00:08:50,360 have already been largely privatized and 201 00:08:48,839 --> 00:08:52,560 then you will have contamination and 202 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:56,120 you'll also have the entry point for 203 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:58,320 patient charges and then co-payments so 204 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,839 the framework is all there The Narrative 205 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:02,839 from the labor party still supports 206 00:09:00,839 --> 00:09:04,600 privatization and we are desperate to 207 00:09:02,839 --> 00:09:06,440 wake up the leadership to what is going 208 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:09,880 on uh in the health 209 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:12,880 Team well of course uh Labor's Health 210 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:16,120 spokesperson isn't uh on the same page 211 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:19,079 as Jeremy Corbin she's one of the uh 212 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:23,120 people who well let's put it kindly uh 213 00:09:19,079 --> 00:09:26,800 is unpersuaded of Jeremy Corbin's uh 214 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:30,120 tenure uh but you must get through to 215 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:33,320 Jeremy himself this that what you're 216 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:36,959 saying would be anathema to Jeremy 217 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:40,079 Corbin I can tell you that on 40 years 218 00:09:36,959 --> 00:09:42,680 experience uh you must somehow let's 219 00:09:40,079 --> 00:09:45,360 hope this program does it wake up the 220 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:47,800 labor leadership to the extent to which 221 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:50,079 we're sleepwalking into all of this let 222 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:53,000 me confess something M some of which 223 00:09:50,079 --> 00:09:56,839 you've just said I have never heard 224 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:59,760 before and I'm a pretty switched on uh 225 00:09:56,839 --> 00:10:01,560 guy in terms of politics I did not know 226 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:04,000 that this man was running the National 227 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:06,760 Health Service having worked in America 228 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,519 against Obamacare and for one of the 229 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:12,480 world's biggest 230 00:10:08,519 --> 00:10:15,360 privatizers so your campaign's a pretty 231 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:18,399 urgently needed one where this is a uh 232 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:20,079 this is a 999 call certainly is Simon 233 00:10:18,399 --> 00:10:22,680 Stevens in my view is one of the most 234 00:10:20,079 --> 00:10:24,440 dangerous men in public office he's 235 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:26,880 taking us in completely the wrong 236 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:29,880 direction we know that the American 237 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:32,519 model is responsible for 45,00 ,000 238 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:34,920 preventable deaths a year that's not a 239 00:10:32,519 --> 00:10:37,279 system I want to be around to see in 240 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:39,760 this country um unfortunately as I've 241 00:10:37,279 --> 00:10:42,200 said the shadow health Team are still 242 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:44,440 supporting Simon Stevens I think we need 243 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:46,800 to highlight highlight the problems that 244 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:48,720 he is posing for the NHS and this is 245 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:51,399 where the junior doctor's dispute comes 246 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:53,920 in actually yes she wanted to ask about 247 00:10:51,399 --> 00:10:56,320 that well the junior doctor situation is 248 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:58,440 completely contrived it was never a 249 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,760 negotiation there was always the threat 250 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,639 of imposition 251 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,839 there was never any new money the 252 00:11:01,639 --> 00:11:06,040 doctors were not arguing for a pay rise 253 00:11:03,839 --> 00:11:08,040 and there are no new staff but what he 254 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:11,040 wants to achieve is to break the 255 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:13,200 unsocial hours payment so that the 256 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:15,600 assets can be sweated so when the 257 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,200 private companies take over they can 258 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:19,920 abuse their junior doctors but as a 259 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,839 helpful side product to what they're 260 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:25,440 doing is to push out doctors to save on 261 00:11:22,839 --> 00:11:27,639 redundancy and to replace them with a 262 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:30,560 down skilled Workforce a cheaper 263 00:11:27,639 --> 00:11:32,600 Workforce a more comp Workforce who will 264 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:34,839 be more willing perhaps without the 265 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:38,880 ethical binds that doctors have to 266 00:11:34,839 --> 00:11:41,160 overlook what will be far less quality 267 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:44,560 care we were turning medicine into 268 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:46,800 conveyor belt medicine the focus of the 269 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:49,600 private corporations will be for quick 270 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:51,600 easy cheap profitable activity so they 271 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:54,639 want to close down more AES they want to 272 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:56,440 close down more itu units and having a 273 00:11:54,639 --> 00:11:58,519 Workforce crisis with they which they 274 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:00,959 have created will also help their 275 00:11:58,519 --> 00:12:03,040 argument to shut down more and get your 276 00:12:00,959 --> 00:12:04,800 medicine from a vendor machine get your 277 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,079 medicine from wherever but you won't 278 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,839 necessarily need to be medically 279 00:12:06,079 --> 00:12:11,560 qualified to be issuing medical advice 280 00:12:08,839 --> 00:12:13,079 and this is the toxic um undercurrent to 281 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:15,360 all these reforms and where do the 282 00:12:13,079 --> 00:12:18,000 Consultants stand Visa the junior 283 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,920 doctors cuz they're also very often 284 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:23,199 accused of 285 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:24,839 getting nicely paid behind the behind 286 00:12:23,199 --> 00:12:27,360 the scenes well again during the labor 287 00:12:24,839 --> 00:12:30,079 years it was important to keep the 288 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:32,639 medical profession quiet and as as a GP 289 00:12:30,079 --> 00:12:34,920 we had a very good outcome in 2004 with 290 00:12:32,639 --> 00:12:37,639 our new contract but what we also gave 291 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:40,600 away was our control of general practice 292 00:12:37,639 --> 00:12:42,440 so they split away out of ours care um 293 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:44,279 they also started to Hive off and 294 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:47,519 contract out for the first time in the 295 00:12:44,279 --> 00:12:49,920 NHS GP services so you no longer had to 296 00:12:47,519 --> 00:12:52,399 be a GP or doctor to run a general 297 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:55,000 practice surgery so anybody could do it 298 00:12:52,399 --> 00:12:56,440 so you got ver aie a bookie could do it 299 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,440 you've got Richard Branson who's the 300 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,959 biggest GP in the country he's got 3 301 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,399 million p 302 00:12:59,959 --> 00:13:05,440 on his books ah Dr Richard Branson Dr 303 00:13:02,399 --> 00:13:08,360 richardon yes i' forgotten about him 304 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:10,279 this is a truly extraordinary story that 305 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:13,639 you are telling and if I may say so 306 00:13:10,279 --> 00:13:15,720 extraordinarily well uh We've run out of 307 00:13:13,639 --> 00:13:18,399 time for now but I think you and I need 308 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:22,000 to work together certainly to highlight 309 00:13:18,399 --> 00:13:23,560 this Dr Bob Gil save our NHS campaign 310 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:26,279 thanks for joining us thank you on the 311 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:29,120 spck coming up after the break it's the 312 00:13:26,279 --> 00:13:31,959 dwen of British foreign correspondents 313 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:35,240 Patrick curn just before he heads off to 314 00:13:31,959 --> 00:13:35,240 the Middle East don't miss 315 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:43,480 it welcome back to Sputnik orbiting the 316 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:46,040 world with me George Galloway and the 317 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:50,079 dwen of British foreign correspondence 318 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:52,839 the independence Patrick curn in article 319 00:13:50,079 --> 00:13:55,759 after article book after book has seen 320 00:13:52,839 --> 00:13:59,160 more clearly than any other journalist 321 00:13:55,759 --> 00:14:01,839 what's really going on in the mstom of 322 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:04,040 of the Middle East Patrick thanks for 323 00:14:01,839 --> 00:14:06,839 joining us again I'm glad we caught you 324 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:10,240 before you head back out it's a very 325 00:14:06,839 --> 00:14:13,759 grave moment it seems to me the 326 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:17,040 possibility of a fullscale Turkish 327 00:14:13,759 --> 00:14:19,759 invasion of Syria bringing it up against 328 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:23,240 not just the Syrian Arab Army but its 329 00:14:19,759 --> 00:14:27,360 allies principally Russia but Iran and 330 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:29,800 Hezbollah also that looks a bit like a 331 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:32,959 potential World War to me how does it 332 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:35,160 look to you it looks like a very serious 333 00:14:32,959 --> 00:14:38,920 War uh I'm not sure it's going to be a 334 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:42,079 World War but it is a tremendous 335 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:44,680 escalation and of course this is would 336 00:14:42,079 --> 00:14:47,839 primarily be directed against the 337 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:50,279 Kurds I mean the nightmare for turkey 338 00:14:47,839 --> 00:14:53,079 has been that in 339 00:14:50,279 --> 00:14:56,320 2011 they thought that the Arab Spring 340 00:14:53,079 --> 00:14:59,240 soall would lead to Turkish influence 341 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:02,680 spreading across the Middle East talk of 342 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:07,160 the new Ottoman Empire or new ottomanism 343 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:10,839 and suddenly they have instead a 344 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:13,199 Kurdish uh quasi State uh spreading 345 00:15:10,839 --> 00:15:15,480 across their Southern frontier so it's 346 00:15:13,199 --> 00:15:20,240 primarily directed against the 347 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:22,600 Kurds uh but if this happens how will it 348 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:24,880 end I mean they aren't going to win a 349 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,839 decisive Victory or anything like that 350 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:29,639 so this even further complicates the 351 00:15:26,839 --> 00:15:32,720 civil war in Syria and Iraq 352 00:15:29,639 --> 00:15:37,880 that's where the deepest contradiction 353 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:41,000 lies isn't it the Kurdish fighters in 354 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:44,800 Syria have given their blood their lives 355 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:49,279 in large numbers to fight Isis and 356 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:53,759 Al-Qaeda against whom we are also 357 00:15:49,279 --> 00:15:57,040 theoretically ranged yet our NATO Ally 358 00:15:53,759 --> 00:16:00,600 turkey has invaded Syria not to crush 359 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:03,639 Isis but to crush the Kurdish fighters 360 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:06,720 who are fighting them talk us through 361 00:16:03,639 --> 00:16:07,759 that maze yeah well it's a maze you know 362 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,519 without an 363 00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:13,600 exit um 364 00:16:10,519 --> 00:16:15,360 because this is concentrated finally in 365 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:18,600 this area north of 366 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:22,720 Aleppo um where the supply lines for the 367 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:27,519 Isis and non- Isis Syrian opposition run 368 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:31,319 this is also an area uh inhabited by the 369 00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:33,639 Kurds uh in what they call rajava to the 370 00:16:31,319 --> 00:16:34,519 East and another Kurdish Enclave arine 371 00:16:33,639 --> 00:16:38,120 to the 372 00:16:34,519 --> 00:16:40,839 West um so we're going to have an ethnic 373 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:45,399 War there if uh Turkey 374 00:16:40,839 --> 00:16:47,920 intervenes um we're uh who are the 375 00:16:45,399 --> 00:16:50,480 fighters there well it's not just Isis 376 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:52,360 but it's al-nusra as well that's the 377 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,880 al-Qaeda affiliate the al-Qaeda 378 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,680 affiliate there are said to be moderates 379 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:59,639 there but you know and there probably 380 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:02,279 are but they're not a they're minority 381 00:16:59,639 --> 00:17:04,959 force and they often operate under 382 00:17:02,279 --> 00:17:06,079 license from people like al-nusra and 383 00:17:04,959 --> 00:17:08,679 similar 384 00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:11,199 organizations so this makes the Syrian 385 00:17:08,679 --> 00:17:15,439 Civil War that much 386 00:17:11,199 --> 00:17:16,839 worse as false Flags go I thought the 387 00:17:15,439 --> 00:17:19,919 one that 388 00:17:16,839 --> 00:17:22,959 justified these events uh to be 389 00:17:19,919 --> 00:17:27,400 extraordinarily juvenile there was an 390 00:17:22,959 --> 00:17:30,360 atrocity against Turkish soldiers in 391 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:34,320 Ankara and another attack on another 392 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:37,880 military Convoy in the south of 393 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:39,720 turkey the president erdogan said and 394 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:42,000 I'm not making this up and I'm not 395 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:44,120 misquoting them our people have been 396 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:47,039 studying this all 397 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:50,240 night and we have concluded that it was 398 00:17:47,039 --> 00:17:53,559 a Syrian C that carried out these 399 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:57,159 atrocities surely only a fool even a 400 00:17:53,559 --> 00:18:00,280 fool perhaps could see through that well 401 00:17:57,159 --> 00:18:01,240 there's so many attacks that there uh 402 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:04,880 you know 403 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:07,000 that the one doesn't know who carried 404 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,880 this out no certainly not by studying 405 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,400 all night you couldn't study it all 406 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,960 night you could study it all year you 407 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,840 wouldn't know you know a kurd carried 408 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:17,039 this out but who was that kurd working 409 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:20,440 for what kind of organization or was it 410 00:18:17,039 --> 00:18:23,240 a kurd uh you know was it a turkman was 411 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:26,679 it a Shia or Sunni you can't tell just 412 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:28,000 from that uh and whoever that person 413 00:18:26,679 --> 00:18:29,960 thought they were working for they might 414 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,720 have been working for somebody else 415 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:35,760 because in this case turkey is a member 416 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:39,159 of NATO the us-led military Alliance of 417 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:43,320 which Britain is also a member and 418 00:18:39,159 --> 00:18:46,960 backing the Syrian government is Russia 419 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:51,120 and so you have an East West Cold War 420 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:54,280 style flash point and unless one 421 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:57,880 believes that turkey is acting without 422 00:18:54,280 --> 00:19:01,000 the support and authority of NATO in its 423 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:03,600 interventions in Syria some believe that 424 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,840 that may be true I find it very hard to 425 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:08,080 believe where do you 426 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:12,000 stand I don't think they are honestly I 427 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:16,640 think that their primary primary concern 428 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:20,200 is the growth of a quazi Kurdish state 429 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:22,240 in Syria uh that whatever they say about 430 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:24,799 getting rid of Assad or anything else 431 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,120 they want to do in Syria I think this is 432 00:19:24,799 --> 00:19:28,919 their primary target I think one of the 433 00:19:27,120 --> 00:19:31,320 problems in this era that everybody 434 00:19:28,919 --> 00:19:33,679 believes to a degree that nobody is 435 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:36,480 taking a decision without you know the 436 00:19:33,679 --> 00:19:39,400 Kur Turks ringing up NATO or Washington 437 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:43,640 I don't think it quite works like that 438 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:46,320 um the uh I think they could easily 439 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:48,520 decide to do this on their own though I 440 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:51,400 don't think they wanted to I think what 441 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:54,559 we've seen over the last year is that 442 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:56,320 the Americans and other allies had seen 443 00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:59,240 that they couldn't get turkey to seal 444 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:04,240 the border on the North against 445 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:07,120 Isis and uh other Syrian extreme Syrian 446 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:08,720 opposition alustra and so forth so they 447 00:20:07,120 --> 00:20:12,520 thought right we'll try and seal it on 448 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:14,400 the south by supporting the Syrian Kurds 449 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:17,039 uh this put turkey in a very difficult 450 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:19,840 position because the Syrian then Kurds 451 00:20:17,039 --> 00:20:22,679 then became one of the main opponents 452 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:26,640 and very effective opponents of 453 00:20:22,679 --> 00:20:29,640 Isis um if the Syrian Kurds get are 454 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:31,600 weakened uh who benefits well I suppose 455 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:35,320 turkey benefits but certainly Isis and 456 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:37,240 al-nusra and the others benefit so uh I 457 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,960 don't think that they've that uh the 458 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:42,000 Americans and NATO are complicit in this 459 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:44,880 I think it's against their interests 460 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:47,520 well uh that that you may very well be 461 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:49,520 right and I greatly respect your wisdom 462 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:53,280 uh it's a challenge though for someone 463 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:55,559 of my historical or or world view 464 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:58,880 because what seems to be therefore 465 00:20:55,559 --> 00:21:02,280 happening is that client states are no 466 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:05,679 long no longer behaving like clients 467 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:07,760 Saudi Arabia is acting of its own 468 00:21:05,679 --> 00:21:11,240 valtion Israel to some extent 469 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:15,360 challenging the United States now your 470 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:18,120 theory uh turkey challenging its uh its 471 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:21,440 patrons and its uh its 472 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:23,840 Chiefs uh that too is therefore a matter 473 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,440 of some importance it is I think that 474 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:28,760 what you say goes to the heart of it I 475 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:31,279 think that you did have the you know the 476 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:33,400 of the Cold War 477 00:21:31,279 --> 00:21:35,600 subsequently uh these states might have 478 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:39,000 been genuine clients they didn't take 479 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:41,760 decisions without bringing people up uh 480 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:44,600 I think that what they've been TR turkey 481 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:46,159 was trying to do hoping would happen was 482 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:49,200 they could that they could nudge the 483 00:21:46,159 --> 00:21:52,240 Americans and others into intervention 484 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:54,880 in with grand forces in Syria that 485 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:57,039 hasn't happened so they've been looking 486 00:21:54,880 --> 00:22:00,400 to do it themselves but when you look at 487 00:21:57,039 --> 00:22:03,000 Turkish policy it's it's pretty episodic 488 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:04,559 you know there are sudden movements uh 489 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:07,000 which don't it doesn't seem very 490 00:22:04,559 --> 00:22:10,120 connected up and this of course makes 491 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:12,360 the situation more dangerous not less 492 00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:14,159 adan's policy in the beginning which 493 00:22:12,360 --> 00:22:16,679 seemed extraordinarily successful I 494 00:22:14,159 --> 00:22:19,480 greatly admired him in the beginning was 495 00:22:16,679 --> 00:22:20,960 to have no problems with the neighbors 496 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:24,600 now he has problems with all the 497 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:28,840 neighbors and inside his own country all 498 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:31,360 is smoke and fire and shot and shell is 499 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:34,080 everywhere in the Kurdish cities but 500 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:38,320 also in ankor and 501 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:41,200 Istanbul yep I mean it's you know the 502 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:45,320 the Syrian Iraqi Civil War is spreading 503 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:46,960 its influence in neighboring states the 504 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,080 the political temperature is getting 505 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:52,480 hotter 506 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:54,840 everywhere um the and that includes 507 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:57,840 turkey uh 508 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,880 so um you know what happens now well 509 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,440 we'll see what Happ happens but it's uh 510 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:03,039 you know it's getting hotter and hotter 511 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:06,679 it's getting worse and worse these are 512 00:23:03,039 --> 00:23:09,799 all the reverberations of the Bush Blair 513 00:23:06,679 --> 00:23:10,799 attack on Iraq doesn't look so clever 514 00:23:09,799 --> 00:23:14,000 now that 515 00:23:10,799 --> 00:23:16,400 move no it was a disaster it started you 516 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:18,640 know it capsized the whole region in the 517 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,320 end and then they not only did it there 518 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:23,440 they then did exactly the same thing in 519 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:27,320 Libya and with exactly the same result 520 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:30,919 look at Libya now run by uh murderous 521 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:32,640 militias uh um people fleeing and across 522 00:23:30,919 --> 00:23:35,279 the Mediterranean 523 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:37,679 capsizing uh the whole country in flames 524 00:23:35,279 --> 00:23:41,120 and the coming struggle for power in 525 00:23:37,679 --> 00:23:44,919 Afghanistan between the Taliban and 526 00:23:41,120 --> 00:23:47,799 Isis they both can't lose but of course 527 00:23:44,919 --> 00:23:50,360 yeah if you go from the Pakistan border 528 00:23:47,799 --> 00:23:52,400 over to Northeast Nigeria I I think 529 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:53,640 there are nine Wars going on now if you 530 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:59,159 include South 531 00:23:53,640 --> 00:24:02,120 Sudan um the uh these wars don't seem to 532 00:23:59,159 --> 00:24:05,159 stop uh nobody seems to establish a new 533 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:07,440 government you know it was quite hopeful 534 00:24:05,159 --> 00:24:10,600 that in Munich you had an agreement for 535 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:14,840 the first time in Syria backed by two 536 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:17,159 great Powers the US and Russia that uh 537 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:20,200 supplies would get into besieged towns 538 00:24:17,159 --> 00:24:22,799 and cities in Syria and secondly that 539 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:25,120 move towards a ceasefire with the big 540 00:24:22,799 --> 00:24:27,640 players tried to coordinate this this 541 00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:30,039 was quite hopeful but now it seems that 542 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:33,320 this is about to be blown out of the 543 00:24:30,039 --> 00:24:36,279 water we could go on all day I wish we 544 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:38,720 could Patrick curn may God preserve you 545 00:24:36,279 --> 00:24:38,720 thank you very 546 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:44,480 much and now it's your turn to tell us 547 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:47,720 what you think through the portals of 548 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:49,919 social media what's rattling gri welcome 549 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:53,279 back by the way thank you happy to be 550 00:24:49,919 --> 00:24:56,760 back question is what is the Panacea for 551 00:24:53,279 --> 00:24:59,440 the Striking doctors and the NHS Andrew 552 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:01,080 Walker says well it's already gone the 553 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,720 working people need to take to the 554 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:06,000 streets but after Iraq war 555 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:09,240 demonstrations when the majority voice 556 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,559 was ignored what's the point and Ricardo 557 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,360 Picasso says the current government are 558 00:25:11,559 --> 00:25:16,120 quick to tell us how much they love the 559 00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:18,960 NHS but not so quick to show it they're 560 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:21,480 gambling with lives I think Dr Bob 561 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:24,039 Gill's interview is going to waken uh 562 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:26,600 quite a few people up maybe at the top 563 00:25:24,039 --> 00:25:27,960 of the labor party too let's hope so 564 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,000 it's all of you've got time for this 565 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,919 week which alas means that's the end of 566 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,720 the show you can stay in touch with us 567 00:25:31,919 --> 00:25:36,919 through Twitter at rtor Sputnik or on 568 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:39,559 Facebook Sputnik on Russia today it's 569 00:25:36,919 --> 00:25:42,600 goodbye from me gri and from me George 570 00:25:39,559 --> 00:25:42,600 Gallow it's been 571 00:25:53,250 --> 00:25:58,559 [Music] 572 00:25:55,559 --> 00:25:58,559 marvelous