1 00:00:01,830 --> 00:00:06,200 [Music] 2 00:00:08,390 --> 00:00:17,360 [Music] 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,360 okay I 4 00:00:22,820 --> 00:00:25,899 [Music] 5 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:40,879 welcome to Sputnik orbiting the world 6 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:44,120 with me George Galloway and me gri two 7 00:00:40,879 --> 00:00:46,079 stories dominate the news Isis and 8 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:48,320 Greece and we're going to talk about 9 00:00:46,079 --> 00:00:50,840 both on the eve of tomorrow's referendum 10 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:52,760 in Greece and apparently on the eve of 11 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,199 an imminent decision by the British 12 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:57,600 Parliament to begin bombing yet another 13 00:00:55,199 --> 00:01:00,440 Arab Muslim country hey what could go 14 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:02,480 wrong Isis control half of Syria 15 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,879 and much of Iraq their Fighters are 16 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,240 murdering sunbathers on the 17 00:01:03,879 --> 00:01:09,400 Mediterranean beaches worshippers in 18 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:12,119 Kuwaiti mosques and who knows who what 19 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:14,000 and where next if anyone on this planet 20 00:01:12,119 --> 00:01:16,360 does know it's Britain's foreign 21 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:19,240 correspondent of the year and any year 22 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:21,360 if you ask me the independent newspapers 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:25,159 Patrick Coburn Patrick thanks for 24 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:28,600 joining us on the Sputnik we showcased 25 00:01:25,159 --> 00:01:32,960 your book the best by far on the Isis 26 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:35,880 phenomenon the R of Islamic State the 27 00:01:32,960 --> 00:01:38,560 last time you were here uh the problem 28 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:43,000 is it's continued to rise and Rise how 29 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:45,479 do you summarize now in what few months 30 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,840 since you were last here what's the 31 00:01:45,479 --> 00:01:50,520 current state of play with 32 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:54,399 Isis well it's pretty bad in the sense 33 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:57,159 for Humanity because uh Isis is still 34 00:01:54,399 --> 00:01:59,640 expanding I mean it's a year since they 35 00:01:57,159 --> 00:02:03,320 declared that caliphate on the 29th of 36 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:06,320 June last year uh since then there have 37 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:08,599 been lots of uh stories about how it's 38 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:11,280 uh suffering heavy casualties from 39 00:02:08,599 --> 00:02:14,519 bombing how it's on the retreat how it's 40 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:16,760 imploding or there's a stale mate but in 41 00:02:14,519 --> 00:02:19,160 may we saw that's not true they defeated 42 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:22,319 the Iraqi Army at ramadi and they 43 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:24,760 defeated the Syrian Army at Palmira so 44 00:02:22,319 --> 00:02:27,840 it's still expanding still expanding 45 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:30,160 even in the Levant but of course 46 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:33,959 expanding now across the world more to 47 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:38,120 that but you made the point in the 48 00:02:33,959 --> 00:02:43,080 independent that talk of the liberation 49 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:47,920 of mosul for example uh the Iraq's Arab 50 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:52,040 Iraq's Second City uh to was fanciful 51 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:55,840 that far from retaking moso the 52 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:58,239 likelihood was that Isis would retake 53 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,519 areas and cities like gradi that had 54 00:02:58,239 --> 00:03:03,799 been so-called liberated it isn't the 55 00:03:00,519 --> 00:03:06,799 problem that the people in these areas 56 00:03:03,799 --> 00:03:09,760 don't much feel that it is a Liberation 57 00:03:06,799 --> 00:03:12,480 for the government in Bagdad to kick out 58 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:16,720 the Isis perhaps they think each is as 59 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:18,799 bad as the other or worse I mean I know 60 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:22,280 people in mosul talk to people from 61 00:03:18,799 --> 00:03:24,599 ramadi and people will say how bad the 62 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:27,159 Islamic state is how terrified they are 63 00:03:24,599 --> 00:03:29,280 of them and then at a certain point the 64 00:03:27,159 --> 00:03:31,959 conversation will switch and they'll 65 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,920 start saying well what would happen if 66 00:03:31,959 --> 00:03:36,480 the Iraqi Army comes in or the Shia 67 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:38,280 militia comes in it'll be even worse 68 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:41,480 it'll be worse with their frightened of 69 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:43,319 being uh being murdered uh they know if 70 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:46,439 you're a Sunni there that you'll be 71 00:03:43,319 --> 00:03:49,799 suspected of being an Isis supporter 72 00:03:46,439 --> 00:03:54,040 whatever your views um and they also 73 00:03:49,799 --> 00:03:57,120 know that um Isis is more efficient than 74 00:03:54,040 --> 00:04:00,280 the Iraqi government in ramadi since 75 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:04,239 they took over uh I was touch with 76 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:05,840 somebody there um who doesn't much like 77 00:04:04,239 --> 00:04:07,480 them but said the local hospital has 78 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:10,120 reopened because they brought in doctors 79 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:12,159 from Syria there's more electricity but 80 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:16,000 they brought in big generators from raqa 81 00:04:12,159 --> 00:04:19,079 their Syrian capital and from fua so 82 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:21,000 these guys I mean monsters though they 83 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:23,680 are are also pretty efficient they know 84 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:26,880 how to make the the trains run on time 85 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:30,720 there are natural barriers in a way to 86 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:34,039 any further Advance by ISIS in Iraq 87 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:36,639 at least I hope so uh the Kurdish area 88 00:04:34,039 --> 00:04:41,639 would appear more or less impregnable to 89 00:04:36,639 --> 00:04:45,360 them and the Shia Muslim mass in Baghdad 90 00:04:41,639 --> 00:04:48,840 and bazra and areas of the south of Iraq 91 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:53,160 ditto um but in Syria that's not 92 00:04:48,840 --> 00:04:54,759 true my belief is and again of course 93 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:59,080 it's the opposite of what I wish to 94 00:04:54,759 --> 00:05:00,560 happen that it is possible that Isis and 95 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:04,759 other gangs 96 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:06,759 could be in control of Damascus and thus 97 00:05:04,759 --> 00:05:09,919 of a country with a Mediterranean 98 00:05:06,759 --> 00:05:13,360 shoreline what could go wrong as I joked 99 00:05:09,919 --> 00:05:16,960 earlier is it your belief that the 100 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:19,240 Syrian state is on the back fruit and 101 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,120 May in the end 102 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:28,720 capitulate I think we're not quite there 103 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:30,479 yet um it still has support it also has 104 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,639 a lot of people 105 00:05:30,479 --> 00:05:35,199 uh just like we were saying there are a 106 00:05:32,639 --> 00:05:37,360 lot of Sunni in Iraq who don't much like 107 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:39,120 Isis uh but are terrified of the 108 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,400 alternative which is the Iraqi 109 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,720 government there are quite a lot of 110 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,840 people in Damascus who don't 111 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:46,360 particularly like the Assad government 112 00:05:44,840 --> 00:05:48,600 but they're truly terrified of the 113 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,160 alternative in Islamic State because 114 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:54,759 they think they'll have their heads cut 115 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:56,520 off uh they think that uh uh they might 116 00:05:54,759 --> 00:05:58,120 may be imprisoned or they'll certainly 117 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:01,000 lose their job so a lot of people who 118 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:02,680 are squeezed into the same Cor Corner as 119 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,639 the government who don't necessarily 120 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,120 support it but that's quite a chunk of 121 00:06:04,639 --> 00:06:09,440 the Syrian population so I don't think 122 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:12,560 it'll go down just like that you have a 123 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:15,080 sort of very violent stalemate with 124 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:18,240 neither side capable of overcoming the 125 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:21,000 other uh and there's not much reason 126 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:23,240 that this should change I suppose there 127 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,880 could be a sudden collapse on the 128 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:28,479 government side or they might lose a 129 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:32,039 city uh big city or something like that 130 00:06:28,479 --> 00:06:33,639 but I think that it's sort of unlikely 131 00:06:32,039 --> 00:06:36,280 that there'll be a dramatic change in 132 00:06:33,639 --> 00:06:38,759 the military situation is it possible 133 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:41,800 that a de facto state has already been 134 00:06:38,759 --> 00:06:45,759 created in uh the west of Iraq and in 135 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:47,759 the north and east of Syria and that we 136 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:49,479 have to come to terms with that perhaps 137 00:06:47,759 --> 00:06:51,479 even 138 00:06:49,479 --> 00:06:53,039 recognizing well I'd like to divide it 139 00:06:51,479 --> 00:06:55,360 into two I mean there's no doubt a state 140 00:06:53,039 --> 00:06:57,639 has been established there it has a 141 00:06:55,360 --> 00:07:00,160 state with a army which is more powerful 142 00:06:57,639 --> 00:07:01,479 than most members of the UN if you talk 143 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,280 to I've been talking to people who've 144 00:07:01,479 --> 00:07:08,960 come from within the self-declared Cal 145 00:07:04,280 --> 00:07:11,120 caliphate and uh they collect taxes uh 146 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,479 there rather efficiently uh they 147 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:17,080 conscript soldiers they decide the 148 00:07:14,479 --> 00:07:19,800 school uh uh what should be taught at 149 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:22,400 schools they can defend the so to speak 150 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:25,160 the frontiers of the caliphate so you 151 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:27,520 know if this isn't a state what is now 152 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,680 should we recognize it or anything like 153 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,840 that well these guys aren't in the 154 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:33,440 business of recognizing anybody else 155 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,360 because they want to spread the califate 156 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:38,639 to all the Muslim world and then all the 157 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:41,599 world uh so that doesn't is not on the 158 00:07:38,639 --> 00:07:44,000 agenda and also I think it it's a 159 00:07:41,599 --> 00:07:46,280 mistake about the nature of this 160 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:50,080 movement you know it's like an Islamic 161 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:53,520 camar Rouge it's a cult and it also has 162 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:56,960 a a combination a very dangerous 163 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:59,879 combination of fanaticism religious 164 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:03,400 fanaticism in this case and Military 165 00:07:59,879 --> 00:08:06,280 expertise drawn on years of fighting the 166 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:07,960 Americans and the Iraqi Army but the 167 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:11,879 spreading of the caliphate's already 168 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:14,159 happening isn't it the uh the boo Haram 169 00:08:11,879 --> 00:08:18,199 in Nigeria have declared Borno to be a 170 00:08:14,159 --> 00:08:21,440 part of it Isis Affiliates in Libya uh 171 00:08:18,199 --> 00:08:24,000 including in s the former home of 172 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:28,080 Gaddafi have declared themselves to be a 173 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:29,879 part of it and in Tunisia Isis claims 174 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:33,360 that the mass mder of tourist on the 175 00:08:29,879 --> 00:08:37,959 beaches was carried out by one of their 176 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:40,719 men yes I mean the the the Islamic state 177 00:08:37,959 --> 00:08:43,479 is a sort of magnet for groups some of 178 00:08:40,719 --> 00:08:45,839 them you know are probably in contact 179 00:08:43,479 --> 00:08:48,279 with Islamic State others are simply 180 00:08:45,839 --> 00:08:51,959 imitating their tactics they have a very 181 00:08:48,279 --> 00:08:55,200 lethal cocktail of tactics of uh 182 00:08:51,959 --> 00:08:59,839 atrocities committed in very public 183 00:08:55,200 --> 00:09:03,320 places to have Maximum Impact uh and 184 00:08:59,839 --> 00:09:05,320 this is pretty effective uh so you know 185 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:09,040 if we go from the Pakistan 186 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:12,279 border uh over to Northeast Nigeria 187 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:15,240 there are seven wars going on now in 188 00:09:12,279 --> 00:09:17,440 Afghanistan Iraq Syria Yemen Somalia 189 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:22,279 libia Northeast 190 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:26,560 Nigeria um and to my mind Isis is it's 191 00:09:22,279 --> 00:09:29,519 the child of war and it uh benefits from 192 00:09:26,560 --> 00:09:32,000 war because this is what it's good at uh 193 00:09:29,519 --> 00:09:34,560 and so long as we have these wars going 194 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:37,600 on the people who benefit will will be 195 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:39,920 those uh who are the most extreme like 196 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:43,000 Islamic State and it will continue to 197 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:45,079 grow we discuss Isis the phenomenon of 198 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:47,839 Isis quite regularly on the show but we 199 00:09:45,079 --> 00:09:50,360 rarely get someone from the field like 200 00:09:47,839 --> 00:09:53,000 yourself you've just come from Iraq and 201 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:57,399 you've been in Syria as well during the 202 00:09:53,000 --> 00:10:00,040 r of Islamic State how is it like for 203 00:09:57,399 --> 00:10:02,160 people living there including yourself 204 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,480 you know reporting from there what's the 205 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:07,160 impact on the daily lives of the women 206 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:09,600 the children what's do they go to school 207 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:13,160 to the markets as usual are 208 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:17,120 they stay do they stay indoors and well 209 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:19,279 yeah Isis likes to monopolize par uh 210 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:23,560 politically but also over the lives of 211 00:10:19,279 --> 00:10:26,040 everybody living under its rule so quite 212 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:28,360 early on it was determining what the 213 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,320 curriculum would be in schools so art 214 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:33,360 and history were out 215 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:36,440 uh geography could be taught but not 216 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:38,079 National out not National boundaries 217 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:40,880 only Regional 218 00:10:38,079 --> 00:10:43,880 geography 219 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:45,320 um Pagan poetry poetry was allowed but 220 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,320 not Pagan poetry which you probably 221 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:49,079 means most poetry anyway this is one 222 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,519 example every aspect of life is 223 00:10:49,079 --> 00:10:54,720 controlled by them if a woman goes out 224 00:10:51,519 --> 00:10:56,839 unaccompanied by a male relative then 225 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:59,880 Isis Fighters or officials will take her 226 00:10:56,839 --> 00:11:02,079 back to the house ask for the husband 227 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:04,200 uh to come out and we'll give him 80 228 00:11:02,079 --> 00:11:07,959 lashes uh 229 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:11,160 Barbers uh when they took uh fua early 230 00:11:07,959 --> 00:11:12,120 last year they um closed down most of 231 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:16,760 the barber 232 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:21,760 shops uh and um my newspaper was talking 233 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:25,440 to one Barber yeah uh from there who uh 234 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:27,959 he gave his cousin on his cousin's 235 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:30,639 wedding day a rather Western hair 236 00:11:27,959 --> 00:11:34,160 haircut in return for which somebody 237 00:11:30,639 --> 00:11:36,079 informed on him they uh gave him 80 238 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,680 lashes he fainted after 50 lashes and 239 00:11:36,079 --> 00:11:40,279 had to be taken to a hospital and they 240 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:44,680 closed his barber shop so every aspect 241 00:11:40,279 --> 00:11:46,760 of life is controlled by them uh people 242 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:49,079 don't like it but there's not much they 243 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:53,120 can do about it they they'll end up 244 00:11:49,079 --> 00:11:56,720 crucified or beheaded or uh all these uh 245 00:11:53,120 --> 00:12:00,000 hideous ways that they have reinvented I 246 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:02,200 should say uh to murder people 247 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:04,440 Patrick cin I wish we could talk all day 248 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:06,880 thanks very much for joining us on the 249 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:10,480 Sputnik read his book if you haven't 250 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:13,040 already the rise of Islamic State coming 251 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:15,480 up after this break who knew that Greece 252 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:18,000 could be the Achilles heal of the entire 253 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:22,040 European project well most people 254 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,040 actually and we'll be discussing why 255 00:12:23,850 --> 00:12:28,160 [Music] 256 00:12:25,279 --> 00:12:31,040 next welcome back to what is rapidly 257 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:33,240 becoming a classic addition of Sputnik 258 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:35,839 barely 3 years after winning the Nobel 259 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:38,279 Peace Prize the European Union appears 260 00:12:35,839 --> 00:12:40,839 to be at War again this time in 261 00:12:38,279 --> 00:12:43,519 full-blown economic conflict with one of 262 00:12:40,839 --> 00:12:46,399 its own founding members Greece which 263 00:12:43,519 --> 00:12:48,560 presently endures in effect an economic 264 00:12:46,399 --> 00:12:50,959 embargo preventing its banks from 265 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:53,160 opening the origins of the conflict 266 00:12:50,959 --> 00:12:56,600 partly rest with the euro currency 267 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:59,240 itself the Euro or more particularly the 268 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:01,600 Practical compulsion on most members 269 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:04,800 States to join it was fatally flawed as 270 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:07,880 a project subsuming widely disperate 271 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:10,519 economies and accounting standards into 272 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:13,760 a single currency with a single Central 273 00:13:10,519 --> 00:13:15,320 Bank and a single set of neoliberal free 274 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:18,320 market 275 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:21,279 dogmas Greece with the help of Goldman 276 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:23,560 Sachs falsified its financial position 277 00:13:21,279 --> 00:13:26,600 in order to gain entry to the European 278 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:29,240 monetary Union and the rest is history 279 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:33,440 as might be the European Union at this 280 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:36,800 rate to discuss the grexit or not Alex 281 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:39,560 andreo actor and guardian writer joins 282 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:43,120 us now Alex thanks for uh coming on 283 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:46,680 board the Sputnik tomorrow is the big 284 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:49,160 day the referendum first of all what's 285 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:52,040 your take on how that referendum is 286 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:55,079 going to go and if you like your opinion 287 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:58,160 on how it should go it's extremely 288 00:13:55,079 --> 00:14:01,480 unpredictable um there there seems to be 289 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:03,800 quite a a high percentage where the no 290 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:07,079 is leading which is basically saying no 291 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:09,800 to the agreement that was offered but uh 292 00:14:07,079 --> 00:14:13,600 you have to understand that with every 293 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:17,279 passing day Capital controls um you know 294 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:20,120 people queuing up to get 60 EUR out um 295 00:14:17,279 --> 00:14:22,519 the country is paralyzed more and more 296 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:25,320 and that Terror that fear will play a 297 00:14:22,519 --> 00:14:28,279 part in the yes and NOS um as well as 298 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:29,600 the fact that the the private media in 299 00:14:28,279 --> 00:14:33,279 grease is 300 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:35,320 incredibly biased against the government 301 00:14:33,279 --> 00:14:38,320 because they're um you know they're 302 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:42,240 owned by very rich people who actually 303 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:43,920 owe money in license fees and Taxation 304 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,199 and this government is going after them 305 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:50,480 so they have a very clear agenda against 306 00:14:46,199 --> 00:14:54,120 Sy um and so there is Relentless 307 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:58,600 propaganda and an economic asphixiation 308 00:14:54,120 --> 00:15:01,320 going on so my very very tentative 309 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:05,399 prediction is that we will end up with a 310 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:07,440 very narrow um Victory I don't know for 311 00:15:05,399 --> 00:15:10,560 which side but I think it will narrow 312 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:12,880 down which is a disaster for either side 313 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:15,959 actually what you want is a 314 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:18,560 decisive uh vote for either yes or no 315 00:15:15,959 --> 00:15:20,759 what you don't want is a close result 316 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:24,440 because that simply divides the country 317 00:15:20,759 --> 00:15:27,519 in two Relentless propaganda internally 318 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:29,880 no doubt from the private sector media 319 00:15:27,519 --> 00:15:32,959 and quite a bit of it from outside yeah 320 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:35,680 I must say uh though some may find this 321 00:15:32,959 --> 00:15:39,240 a controversial point to make given the 322 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:42,920 modern history of Germany and Greece uh 323 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:46,480 I find the sight of a German chancellor 324 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:49,680 issuing dictat to the Greek people to be 325 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:52,800 profoundly offensive and I'm surprised 326 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:54,839 that given that history that the Germans 327 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:57,040 have not taken a self-denying ordinance 328 00:15:54,839 --> 00:15:59,720 at least in public pronouncements on 329 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,519 this how do Greek people feel 330 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,240 about being threatened and warned like 331 00:16:01,519 --> 00:16:05,440 this can I just add before that question 332 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:08,720 cuz that we early this morning we saw a 333 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:12,519 picture from 1953 where the Greek BM was 334 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:15,199 signed off 50% the haircut for Germany 335 00:16:12,519 --> 00:16:17,199 yeah yeah that's been going uh 336 00:16:15,199 --> 00:16:21,000 personally I don't think that is a 337 00:16:17,199 --> 00:16:23,759 helpful Avenue simply because uh we want 338 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:27,000 to get away from 339 00:16:23,759 --> 00:16:30,639 blaming a country as a 340 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:32,800 totality for the sins of its leaders 341 00:16:30,639 --> 00:16:36,160 especially for the sins of its leaders 342 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:38,120 in the distant past because that is an 343 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:41,040 attitude that feeds very negatively into 344 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:42,959 the Greek situation one of the obstacles 345 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:45,720 with resolving the Greek situation is 346 00:16:42,959 --> 00:16:48,399 that that people say but Greece 347 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:51,279 falsified its accounts to get into the 348 00:16:48,399 --> 00:16:53,959 Euro but Greece borrowed irresponsibly 349 00:16:51,279 --> 00:16:56,399 but Greece spent the money and I think 350 00:16:53,959 --> 00:16:59,120 what's useful to do is to separate 351 00:16:56,399 --> 00:17:01,800 actually who did those things it wasn't 352 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:04,439 Greece as a total you know it wasn't the 353 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:06,760 cleaners and the teachers that took the 354 00:17:04,439 --> 00:17:10,240 money and and you know lived the high 355 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:13,360 life it was actually a a a mendacious 356 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:17,880 and corrupt government of many years ago 357 00:17:13,360 --> 00:17:19,880 now if you accept that um then you still 358 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:24,600 have to take responsibility as a country 359 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:27,919 I think because you elected those people 360 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:30,559 but what people must understand is that 361 00:17:27,919 --> 00:17:33,360 the corruption and the overspending that 362 00:17:30,559 --> 00:17:37,679 went on in the past four 363 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:41,840 decades is the reason why Greece was a 364 00:17:37,679 --> 00:17:44,799 ripe victim for financial markets to 365 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:47,919 speculate on but it's not what caused 366 00:17:44,799 --> 00:17:50,320 the crisis you know Greek train drivers 367 00:17:47,919 --> 00:17:54,200 retiring early did not cause lean 368 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:57,000 Brothers to collapse um having too many 369 00:17:54,200 --> 00:18:02,400 nurses did not cause uh currency 370 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:05,200 speculators as angular Merkel herself um 371 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:08,320 identified in 2011 she made a speech in 372 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:11,159 febu February 2011 in Hamburg where she 373 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:14,799 said the very institutions that we went 374 00:18:11,159 --> 00:18:18,360 into debt to bail out are now using that 375 00:18:14,799 --> 00:18:20,480 money to speculate against the currency 376 00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:22,799 and that's a very difficult thing to 377 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:25,080 explain to a democratic people who 378 00:18:22,799 --> 00:18:27,799 should trust us those were her words 379 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,440 precisely now that narrative seems to 380 00:18:27,799 --> 00:18:31,240 have disappeared because it is 381 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:33,799 inconvenient and it is difficult to 382 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:37,960 explain and it's been replaced instead 383 00:18:33,799 --> 00:18:40,559 by this idea that you know um people 384 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:42,880 going for a siesta in the afternoon when 385 00:18:40,559 --> 00:18:45,880 it's too hot that's responsible for the 386 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:48,400 trouble Europe is in but it isn't it 387 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:51,159 isn't and to fall for that I think is 388 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:55,640 very dangerous because there's a 389 00:18:51,159 --> 00:18:57,880 systemic flaw inside the Euro you know 390 00:18:55,640 --> 00:19:01,600 you have countries that do not have 391 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:03,240 their their hands on the monetary levers 392 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:05,679 that mean they can deflate their 393 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:09,360 currency if their if their economy is 394 00:19:05,679 --> 00:19:11,600 suffering and once Greece is dealt with 395 00:19:09,360 --> 00:19:13,760 whatever way that is either it is 396 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:16,480 punished and put in a corner or it's 397 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:20,280 thrown out of the yearo or it accepts 398 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:22,760 every measure Under the Sun and and uh 399 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,720 is forgotten about they will move on to 400 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:28,000 the next weakest link they will move on 401 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:30,159 to Portugal they will move on to Ireland 402 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:34,840 well the the IR F themselves in their 403 00:19:30,159 --> 00:19:36,760 own leaked documents acknowledge that uh 404 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:40,440 that it would be 405 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:42,880 2030 before uh Greece would be out of 406 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:45,360 the woods if it accepts this 407 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:48,039 prescription and secondly the point as 408 00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:50,440 you rightly imply that has been entirely 409 00:19:48,039 --> 00:19:53,520 missed is that the Greek people were not 410 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:56,960 given any of this money I think about 411 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:59,200 10% actually is the figure 10% of the 412 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:02,840 total bailout funds 413 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:05,480 has not gone to private to bail out 414 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:09,000 private French and German banks yes so 415 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:11,720 in fact the EU is giving money to GRE 416 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:13,360 money to but in fact it's not to gree 417 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,320 it's to their own bank absolutely it is 418 00:20:13,360 --> 00:20:18,400 the continuation of the bailout that 419 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:21,919 started in 2008 it's just because people 420 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:24,960 were rioting in the streets the the a 421 00:20:21,919 --> 00:20:28,960 mechanism has be been found to sort of 422 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:32,159 um do it via a country and conveniently 423 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:34,600 also asset strip that that country while 424 00:20:32,159 --> 00:20:36,640 it's all going on you know our telephone 425 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:40,880 uh company was the first to be sold 426 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:44,320 highly profitable uh went to a a German 427 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:47,480 conglomerate um on a price that many 428 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:49,280 considered to be very very 429 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:52,440 undervalue 430 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:55,000 now when people see that they become 431 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:57,640 angry people passionately believe in the 432 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:59,520 European project I passionately believe 433 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:03,840 in the European project project but not 434 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:08,280 what it has become um and so in that 435 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:11,039 situation you have the the the 436 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:15,080 troa sort of coming into the country and 437 00:21:11,039 --> 00:21:17,840 saying uh as a sort of benevolent um 438 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:20,600 Force listen things are really bad but 439 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:24,640 if you follow these steps you'll come 440 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:27,840 out of this difficulty and 5 years on 441 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:31,200 the debt instead of 120% of GDP is now 442 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:33,159 180 % of GDP the economy has contracted 443 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,919 by a quarter I mean I don't know and a 444 00:21:33,159 --> 00:21:37,279 quarter of the people are unemployed a 445 00:21:34,919 --> 00:21:39,480 quarter of the people 54% of people 446 00:21:37,279 --> 00:21:42,440 under 24 we're talking about an entire 447 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,880 generation of people who who are are who 448 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:46,440 which is lost now you know you go to 449 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:49,200 Athens people are looking in rubbish 450 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:51,919 beins for food it's not it's that's the 451 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:54,559 reality that's the reality and so when 452 00:21:51,919 --> 00:21:58,320 people then are told by the very same 453 00:21:54,559 --> 00:22:00,520 institutions no okay we were wrong then 454 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:03,840 but no this time definitely you should 455 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:07,159 follow what we say there is a lack of 456 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:09,360 trust there isn't just there's this idea 457 00:22:07,159 --> 00:22:11,840 that there's a lack of trust that flows 458 00:22:09,360 --> 00:22:13,880 only from the institution towards Greece 459 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:17,240 because it's seen as a sort of naught 460 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:19,480 socialist child you know there is a huge 461 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:22,320 lack of trust flowing from Greece 462 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:26,640 towards the institution now if if Sara 463 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:29,120 loses tomorrow uh it'll it will not be 464 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:32,520 long before they're out of power I seem 465 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:35,400 so yeah but as you say if the vote is 466 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:37,559 narrow the polarization inside Greece is 467 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:40,039 going to be extreme yeah and even if 468 00:22:37,559 --> 00:22:41,760 Sara Falls from Power they're not going 469 00:22:40,039 --> 00:22:44,120 to go away and the arguments they've 470 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,840 been mounting are not going to be uh 471 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:49,120 going away are you are you anxious about 472 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:51,640 that I'm I'm anxious because we have a 473 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:53,320 history of of civil conflict you know 474 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:56,440 and I think everyone is anxious about 475 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:59,360 that I hope that we've moved on from 476 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,880 that I hope that we can you know tear 477 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:04,240 strips out of each other and hover 478 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:08,679 arguments with words and it stops there 479 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:10,360 um but even even to look at you know the 480 00:23:08,679 --> 00:23:12,919 the people from the various opposition 481 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:15,559 parties lining up on TV and and making 482 00:23:12,919 --> 00:23:18,600 these emotional speeches that we must 483 00:23:15,559 --> 00:23:20,679 vote Yes to Europe you know for our for 484 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:24,760 our children's sake and these are the 485 00:23:20,679 --> 00:23:27,360 same people that you know pillaged this 486 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:29,080 country for four decades like a plague 487 00:23:27,360 --> 00:23:31,960 of locusts 488 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:36,279 the these corrupt governments absolutely 489 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:38,960 destroyed the country and the EU now 490 00:23:36,279 --> 00:23:41,240 accepting that corruption is the biggest 491 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:44,760 thing that needs to be tackled in Greece 492 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:46,559 should be cheering for Sira for a party 493 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,640 which although it doesn't disagree with 494 00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:51,799 it although it doesn't agree with its 495 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:55,440 ideology it's at least clean you know 496 00:23:51,799 --> 00:23:58,960 it's an honest party it doesn't have its 497 00:23:55,440 --> 00:24:02,520 fingers in all sorts of pies and instead 498 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:06,000 it's helping reinstall the same people 499 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:09,080 who caused all of these problems and 500 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:12,760 that me sends a very clear message that 501 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:16,400 they would rather have someone obedient 502 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:19,720 but corrupt in power rather than someone 503 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:21,799 honest but actually freeth thinking well 504 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:24,480 I couldn't put that better myself and 505 00:24:21,799 --> 00:24:26,880 there's no time for me to try Alex thank 506 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,970 you very much and the best of luck to 507 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,799 Greece 508 00:24:27,970 --> 00:24:32,480 [Music] 509 00:24:30,799 --> 00:24:34,679 and now it's your turn to tell us what 510 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:38,559 you think through the portals of social 511 00:24:34,679 --> 00:24:42,080 media what's rattling guy about Isis Leo 512 00:24:38,559 --> 00:24:45,720 ohagen says one and religion problem 513 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:48,240 solved two regarding the Greek problem a 514 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,880 Greek friend once told me that fakes 515 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:52,559 contain virtually all you need to 516 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:54,159 survive throwing olives and feta cheese 517 00:24:52,559 --> 00:24:56,240 problem solve and that's all that we've 518 00:24:54,159 --> 00:24:57,760 got for this week which alas means 519 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,279 that's the end of the show but you can 520 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,240 stay in touch with us on Twitter at rtor 521 00:25:00,279 --> 00:25:04,720 Sputnik and on Facebook Sputnik on 522 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:06,559 Russia today it's goodbye from me G and 523 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,860 from me George Galloway it's been 524 00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:15,849 marvelous 525 00:25:07,860 --> 00:25:15,849 [Music]