All right, This is Arab talk on KPOO San Francisco
89.5 FM. This is Arab Talk with Jess & Jamal.
I'm Jess Ghannam. 
- And this is Jamal Dajani.
Jamal. We have a  really great show, as
usual today, but we have a lot of topics that
we're going to discuss.
And I'd like to start
with at least some happy news.
Well, I don't know.
 I'm not sure it's happy news yet.
I think it's big news. So
that's why you know, I want to start with
this and then we'll go to the other different
topics as the title of our show
the big news, and this happened only on Wednesday,
U S District Judge Anthony Trenga ruled that
the federal government's watch list of known
or suspected terrorists is unconstitutional.
The list, which contains over one million
people, one million people, are on that list
was challenged by CAIR
and CAIR,
you know is the Council on American Islamic Relations,
and 23 American citizens who said
that they were wrongly placed
on that list.  So the judge
Judge Trenga ruled that the terrorist
screening database, TSDB, known
colloquially as the terrorist watch list,
violated due process because there was no
clear standard for people to be included or
removed from the list. The list is distributed
throughout the U. S government and police
agencies and sent even to foreign governments.
Once you're on that list and I couldn't
believe the number, actually that you have
one million people on that list. So I'm just
quoting from what the judge wrote in his ruling,
he said that there is no evidence or contention
that any of these plaintiffs satisfy the
definition of a known terrorist.
The judge also wrote that non-dangerous conduct
could land someone on the list. So I believe,
you know,  this is a
big, big story and big news that CAIR
the organization was able along with the
other plaintiffs to win this case to have this
ruling. But we have to make a little bit of,
you know, distinction because I was like,
initially thought Oh, this is great,
- It's not.
You're always the pessimist.
I'm looking at the cup half full instead of half empty.
- Well, let's talk about the half-full.
So the half full.  They have a major ruling that this
judge ruled that this list is unconstitutional.
We're talking about all these people now
who have the right to have their names removed
If the ruling holds now, what
you're talking about not to get confused with
is the nr fly list.  People
have to know. What's this list? This list
means, you know, what this list means is that
the government just like, oh, they deem John
Doe as a person of interest or as a suspect--
They can put them on the no fly list.
-  Well, initially they put you
on this list, which means and and most of
the time, you don't know about it. Right?
You just show up at the airport,
and they don't let you on.
You're on that list because you are a person of interest
 to some federal agency. And so they have a million
names, and many of them are U S citizens.
Others could be green card holders, could
be visitors, tourists in this country and
so on, which basically gives a blanket
carte blanche for federal agencies to listen
to your conversation to tap into your e mails,
text messages, even listen to you in your
house, trail you all kinds of things, right?
That's all covered under the Patriot Act,
giving the federal government blank-- And the
other thing is you're not granted due process.
In other words, you're not served with
a warrant and there is no warrant to initiate. 
- There's no transparency.
No transparency. And then most people don't
know that this is going on and and this is
where the distinction, and I think this is a first
step to remove people names from the
no fly list. So initially in this big
data bank of information about one million
people. I have to read through the whole thing.
And by the way, at some point we'll have CAIR
Executive Director of this ruling came yesterday,
so it was very close to and she has been a
guest on our show many times. The horrible
on she'll explain it better than us. But I
was like, Okay, how many off these one million
are U. S. Citizens versus Green cardholders
versus just tourists and wherever other nationalities.
Well, let's because that will be big if you
find out like most of them are U S citizens
and the government is violating their First
Amendment under this pastor act. And what?
Because any any kind of agency could say,
You know, this saw this person is a person
of interest, put their name on the list So
most of the people don't know that they're
on this list now. The other part, which you
said this hasn't been taken Care off yet And
I think it will be the next step is most of
these people just the way they find out that
they are on this list? They go to the airport,
they will not fly domestically or after they
bought the ticket. You buy the ticket, they
show up just like regular. Everyone like thinking
that they're going to go through Yes, a routine
procedure. And then they go to the airline
counter and they say, I'm sorry. You can board
the plane. Why? Or your name is on the north
light less now. We've been hearing about this
since shortly after during the Bush administration.
Shortly after 9 11 Right that you have all
these people and many of those people actually
spend tens of thousands of dollars on attorney
fees trying to find out initially. Like, why
am I? Why is my name on that list? No answer.
Then they spend tens of thousands of dollars
and sometimes 62 years and then the government.
Even in most cases, I haven't actually seen
a single case. I just read different things
that say, Oh, well, uh, there's a similar
name. So, you know, like with the Arabic names?
Uh, just like English sounding names. American
names. Like, If your name is John Smith, you
could be your name is Mohammed Abdullah or
something like this. There is a million off
people. Miss your name. So? So once they put
a name that is similar to your name, you're
screwed. Yeah, that's it. You can't board,
and I've known people, actually, you know,
when I waas a commissioner at the Human Rights
Commission and the Immigrant Rights Commission,
we should get a lot of complaints. And then
these are people who imagine just they're
law abiding citizens and issues because of
their name was similar to another so called
terrorists or or someone on the watch list.
They had to go to travel to New York via Greyhound.
And you know, how beautiful is our public
transportation system, This country going
on buses all the way from here to New York,
for example. Or, you know, Or if we were in
Europe? Yeah. And you had something like the
French DJ a TV or Ah, you know, the fast trains,
which we don't. Then you say it's not a big
problem, but you can go these days, too. You
know, you can't go to Seattle driving a car.
Even we fly most of the time to allay rather
than driving a car from San Francisco and
so forth. So their life basically has been
made a misery because of this. That's right.
But you know, I I do want to say that I think
this is a good step in. You've done a really
great job, Dremel describing the half full
part of this ruling. Let's talk a little bit
about the the glass being half empty for our
listeners. We put this in a in a bit of a
context. You alluded to it after 9 11 Patriot
actors is, uh, established. It grants the
government and the executive branch Jamo sweeping
powers after 9 11 to basically surveil um,
U s citizens to the point that they have no
recourse. There's no trick. There was no transparency.
There was no right to appeal. 99% of the time.
You weren't even. It wasn't even known that
you were being on this list and that you were
being surveilled was basically a blanket surveillance
apparatus used by the state used by the United
States and its full power to monitor control.
And in this particular instance, deny people
access to flying. Now, what this judge has
done has ruled it unconstitutional, which
which is great. But let's remember a few things.
Number one, it will be appealed 100% because
this was just the circuit court ruling. It
will work its way up to, and it may have to
go all the way up to the Supreme Court. So
in the meantime, there is a very good chance
it's that the government will put forth which
I think they've already done this. Ah, stay
of that ruling an appeal of it and will want
that the program stay in place until it works
its way up the appellate or appeal process
Number to Jamal Donald Trump has broad powers
as the president of the United States, as
the executive, and even with this judge's
ruling, will continue to use his office as
the chief executive with his, you know, surveillance
and national security apparatus to continue
99% of the provisions. So on the one hand,
I think this is a great first step. But in
reality what it means for the everyday person,
the one million people who are on this list,
there's a still a good chance that you're
going to be surveilled. There's still a good
chance that if you're on this list and you
go to the airport, nothing's going to change.
You're going to get cold. We have, ah question,
actually, from one off our viewers, the answer
it on the air from Joel by who, and he's asking
any way to find out if you are on the list?
Well, that's a great question, droll as of
today, because this is a ruling within the
last 24 hours there's no way you can find
out the national security apparatus is a black
hole in terms of accessing this information.
And I noticed the judge didn't say in his
ruling that all of the data that had been
collected on these one million individuals
needs to be erased or returned. So and don't
get me wrong, Jamal. I think this is a good
first step and we'll get a ZA to come in to
kind of explain What cares? Brief was about
in everything. But the sad reality for the
one million people who were on this list is
that nothing is going to change for the immediate
future. There's a good chance that the government
is going to keep all this information. There's
a good chance if you're on the list, you're
going to stay on the list. And there's a good
chance that getting off the list will be just
as difficult, if not impossible as it was.
I think I think you're absolutely right. I
still believe that this was a huge victory,
potentially, and there is actually a parallel
lawsuit challenging the no flight there is,
yes, there is. So that is one and I stand,
and I have to correct something that I've
said earlier. Actually, the government and
this is based on the lawsuit, which, by the
way, we're talking about millions of 1.16
million people. Ah, we're on the T S d P list
as of June 2017. These are the figures. And
though the majority off the people or the
majority of the watch list is made up off
people not permanently living in the United
States so they could be anywhere in the world,
Yes. Now we have a figure out, which is and
maybe they got this information through the
lawsuit that 4600 U. S. Citizens and lawful
permanent residents are on the list. That's
extraordinary. So we have about 5000 U. S
citizens who are on the list and the rest?
I don't know. They're all over all over the
world. I'm as much as I think, you know, people
have the right to know about who's on the
list, but I'm more concerned because this
is again violation off the First Amendment.
It takes us back to the McCarthy era and spying
on US citizens because, as you know, The law
here applies differently to people abroad
versus U. S. Citizens, but nevertheless 9000
people for 600 people. That's a huge number.
Well, it's a huge number, Jamal, if you're
a U. S citizen or if you're a permanent resident
or if you have legal status to be in the this
country. And the government is able to deny
you without transparency and to deny you without
due process and to deny, without your knowledge
or ability to kind of challenge it, your ability
to act freely under the Constitution, it is
a gross aberration and what the government
is not telling us, Gemma, is that the no fly
list? Let me ask you the question. How many
terrorist attack do you think have been thwarted
or stopped because of the no fly list? I'll
tell you, 00 because if they're waas, do you
think we would know about it? Do you think
that Donald Trump were even President Obama
for the national security apparatus? Would
would be celebrating how efficient and effective
this procedure this process this project has
been it actually is quite an expensive, inefficient
way of engaging and protecting the protecting
the, um airspace protecting air flight, protecting
people's ability to travel freely in this
country. It's a very expensive in many ways,
like a waste of time. There's other ways to
do it, not withstanding Jamal. The fact that
this judge now believes and has ruled that
it may be unconstitutional. Great step. I'm
glad we're talking about it. Its impact on
day to day life, unfortunately for these 1,000,000
people. And it's all part and parcel off the
Patriot Act, right Patriot Act One and Patriot
Act, too. And there are actually whole off
a bunch of subcategories off rules and regulations
that came out of this just and toe. Just explain
to our listeners who are interested in this
topic because we've talked about this before
and we've had incidents where many people
who whose names were on the no fly list and
then they were after several 1000 off dollars
and attorney fees toe get that removed with
no apology, by the way. No explanation of
whatsoever. So just tow. Give our listeners
some background. The no fly list was created,
and he's maintained by the U. S. Federal government's
terrorist screening center. That's what the
that the S C off people who are prohibited
from boarding commercial aircraft for travel
within or into or out of the United States.
The list also has also been used to divert
aircraft away from the United States air space.
And uh, that does that does not have a start
or end point destination within the United
States. So if you have, if you are on the
no fly list and you fly over the United Thing
over, they divert you, they will die virtue
and then I but has been kind of changing throughout
the years. It started with 16,000 names like
Going Back, I think, in 2006 and the number
has been growing up. And then the list along.
There's another thing, which is the second
security screening selection, which tags would
be passengers for extra inspection. So for
our listeners, who are wondering why when
they arrive at the border Control and they
they are sent to a secondary screening Yes,
world their name that goes under the secondary
security screening selection. They did not
make the no flight list. Otherwise, that's
a few. Let's say you're coming from Europe.
You're traveling from Frankfurt. Like if people
who have traveled from Frankfurt they know
very well that if your name is on the no fly
list Tough luck. You're not coming. You're
not coming. You're not gonna board the plane.
So that's the kind of, like, the highest level,
the other level they let you board. But they'll
mark your name to go through secondary inspection,
so most people think Oh, well, maybe the agent
at the Border Control didn't like the way
I looked like, or that's not all true. You
know, they've already have your name in their
computer to say, you know, send this guy for
a secondary screening and this is known with
the initials. And this is something I'm gonna
share with you because I've traveled a lot
of heard a lot of people. Guess what, ladies
and gentlemen. So if you are, if you are boarding
a plane just and again, I said this is usually
is done at the board off. You know, at the
airport where you're bored, right, coming
to the united, coming to the United States.
And so if you're boarding the plane, look
at your boarding pass. It has a little mark
on if you see four SS. I'm just saying that
I don't know if they're gonna change this
after this, but I know if you see four SS,
you're marked. That's basically say, airport
security measure the speeds. Secondary security
screening selection. That's what the four
s s stand stand for. Right? So you know you're
gonna get stopped. Don't like don't Don't,
like, act like you didn't know. Now, I told
you once you see that you're going to get
stop. You're gonna get stopped, and you're
gonna You're gonna have your back searched
again, and you're gonna be asked for your
actually was like for me and then Exactly.
And this kind of a Segway. Now, let's go to
the Segway. Because we've talked about this
enough about the Palestinian student from
Lebanon, which this is another bit off bad
news. Good news with I know you like to look
at the cup half empty, Jess. I do. So I said
again earlier, the this was a big victory.
So I'm looking at it as the cup have full.
And then the other thing is, we have the student
of Palestinian shooting from Lebanon. Who
came What? How long has it mean? But released
three weeks ago. Three week. He's back. He's
since he's back. He started a little that
Harvard. Imagine, Jess. I mean, I mean, this
could must be smart, right? I mean, people
here, actors and wealthy people. What? Bribe
and pay tens of thousands of dollars decided
middle toe. An Ivy League school described
it. And this is at the top of the Ivy League
schools. This guy comes his a refugee, basically
Palestinian refugee from 11. Think about the
selection, you know. And you know how selective
Harvard is to kind of select. And to give
him a full scholarship. By the way, he has
a full scholarship. His brilliant He comes
to Harvard. It's the strength arrived here
three weeks before the classes start so he
can get familiar with the camper. See, as
he sees advisers. Guess what? You get stopped.
Maybe he didn't see it. And that's my question
is if he saw the The S s s s on his boarding
pass. He's taken tow the second screening.
Sikander skating for questioning. And they
tell him, Open all your bags. Give us your
password for your social media. For your facebook,
twitter, et cetera. And then they deny him
entry, according to him. And I'm saying, based
on some poor things that his friends posted
on Facebook or what have you that were critical
off the government off the United States.
Hence he gets deported. Okay. Now, the good
news is they let him back in. Yeah, but they
didn't let him back in because they said Oh,
but we're study. We've made a mistake. There
was an international outcry, right? Harvard,
intervene and a cad, a mix all over the world
intervened. Everything right? And then So
I think it was being, like, just few days
ago. And then we learned that his back, he
admitted him. I don't know what conditions,
because I haven't spoken to him, but hopefully
we will speak to him at some point with the
one interfere what I want to make him and
markers and I will find I will find out. We'll
find out what exactly happened. But can I
give his back on campus? Right. And this is
an example off the abuse. I mean, here you
have a brilliant student which I call a protege
to come from a foreign country to get admitted
at an Ivy League school one of the best in
the country. Get a full scholarship and get
penalized because what, Because of the First
Amendment, which people they in day out are
criticizing the United States questioning
the United States. For goodness sake, we have
candidates running for president criticizing
the United States and this government. But
they're not Palestina, but they are not Palestinians.
And then he gets denied entry. He has no criminal
history of whatsoever. And now no apology
again, there won't be just like someone work
behind the scenes. And I know this is the
influence off Harvard that graduated many
off our good senators, including presidents
and the Kennedys. And you name it, we can
go down the list. Someone a big shot or several
of those big shots apparently intervened and
his back. And I'm thankful. I'm not gonna
I'm not gonna actually question what happened,
because I went I am. I want this young man
and I'll tell you on this young man to succeed.
But I'll tell you why, Jamal. I'll tell you
why that I have concerns. Were it not for
the fact that Harvard intervened. Let's say
this young Palestinian refugee was accepted
to a lesser school. Uh, let's say Colombia.
That's a joke, by the way. That's for that's
a joke against issue because you went to Columbia.
But you could pick any universe. Are you trying
to say that I'm brilliant? Uh, as as a as
an Ivy League grad? No, What I'm trying to
say is that I'm concerned that Theo Lions,
I'm concerned, really, That the only reason
this young man this Palestinian refugee was
allowed back into the United States was because
of elite power intervening. Itwas So what
about all the other students who get accepted
to universities or colleges that are not big
name? What weather tonight? No, but we know
that is a major drop in the number of foreign
students that I have in this country. Yeah,
but I want to tell you that a Pakistani young
man two days ago Jamal was stopped at the
he was admitted also to a university here
in the United States. He was stopped because
of the four s is he gave up his cell phone
and his laptop. There were negative posts
on his Facebook feed and he, too was denied.
No, he's not going to Harvard. I'm not sure
what school he was supposed to be going to.
Maybe we'll find it out before the show ends
today. But this is a policy just because they
let this young Palestinian man in and he started
Harvard, which is great. The policy remains,
Jamal. It still remains the power of this
government to deny people who have valid legal
means to enter this country and attend university
here to exercise its state power to deny them
entry because of their faith. The country
of origin. I mean, Pakistan, Lebanon, majority
Muslim countries. Um, this is part of the
Trump agenda, Jamal. The Trump Muslim ban.
And by the way, liberty on the banned list.
Okay, But nevertheless, ever the Palestinian?
Yeah, he's still he's on the bad on the Bard
ethnic group or racial group. Whatever group
you want to call it, he happens to be Palestinian
and a refugee. This glass half empty, Jamal,
I'm afraid ism or on the glass glass half
full is more on the side of the glass half
empty because this policy continues unchallenged.
And as I said, were it not for, you know,
elite power at Harvard. You know, calling
attention to this. There's a good chance that
this young man would still be in Lebanon and
denied entry into Harvard or whatever other
university you know he would have gotten into,
I think you know, good news, bad news. I'm
still on the side that there's a whole lot
of bad news going on with the with these kinds
of events. You're listening toe Arab talk
on K P 00 San Francisco 89.5 FM. We also welcome
our viewers on Facebook live. And so I'm gonna
switch gears here, um, and catch up with some
off the recent news, Jess and, uh, one of
your favorite subjects. Yes. And green blood.
And he's the the are one of the architects
of one of the designers off Trump's Middle
East noticed plan The Plan of the Century
and the End. The well. Yeah, well, it's entirely
This is the plan of the middle, the Middle
East Plan of the Century, the deal of the
Century of the Kushner Greenblatt Trump. So
anyway, he is leaving the administration.
This is Ah, big announcement, of course, but
the people who don't know Justin Green. Bland
Greenblatt. He is also for many, many years.
Donald Trump, real estate lawyer. Right. So
he's leaving. He's leaving. This is an announcement.
Ah, Greenblatt has were close Flea on the
deal of the century and closely with Mr Trump's
son in law, Jared Kushner, since early 2017
to design what Mr Trump has called the ultimate
deal or deal of the century. And so they're
secretive. Plan has been delayed for several
months, and now they've also made another
delay, saying they're not gonna release the
details off the deal off the century because
they don't want to interfere in the Israeli
elections, which, ah, uh uh, they're gonna
happen on September 17 17. That's coming up
that's a little weak, basically would determine
the fate off the Israeli prime minister. Benjamin
Netanyahu is, as we know, his buddy buddy
with President Trump and Jason Greenblatt
and headed Kushner Kushner, and he brags about
when he used to visit the United States. When
he wasn't prime minister, he used to sleep
in Jared Kushner's bed in their house in New
Jersey. I'm not gonna come. I'm not. I'm not
making this up, but this is how close this
relationship. So now, um, Greenblatt will
remain on the job in the coming few days.
Uh, but anyway, he pretty much announced the
news that but I have good. His advice? One
of Kushner's advisors, yes, will be the Na'vi.
His name is Avi Berkowitz. Yes, Avi Berkowitz.
He will become more involved. They didn't
name him as the replacement yet, but they
said he will be more involved in the process.
And so will Brian Hook, the State Department's
special representative for Iran. And Mr Hooke
has already worked closely on the Israel Palestinian
file, part of this administration. So there
is something I mean, I mean, these are He's
one of the architects and he's leaving. Well,
I am so far, and yet we have to kind of hear
about this fantastic deal of the century.
Which one of the man components off this deal
the Palestinians, they're not on board. Well,
I was really surprised and glad to hear about
the list of replacements, and it's so delightful
to hear Jamal that there involving the Palestinians
and other diverse opinions on I've been too
cynical. Let's let's explain that Well, my,
my, my cynicism, Jamal comes from a number
of places. As we've said multiple times on
this show, there is no deal of the century.
There will be no deal of the century. This
deal will not be released ever, because even
after Benjamin Netanyahu's election in September
2017 there's no guarantee Number one he will
win. And even if he does win, he will run
into the same problem. Jamal, of not being
able to form a government. If he's unable
to form a government, the whole government
collapses again, which is the most likely
scenario. And if he's not elected or the government
collapses, there will be no deal. Even if
he's elected and forms of government, there
will be no deal because the deal is not a
deal. The deal does not involve any Palestinians.
Jamal. We've said this a million times. They've
released half of the deal of the century,
which is called the economic plan. But again,
what's missing in what they don't want to
reveal to anybody is the fact of the political
end, which means continuation of the settlements,
no resolution of the right of return, no autonomy
for Palestinians. No independent Palestinian
state. All the things that are 100% deal breakers
for the deal of the century. Can we just call
this what it is, Jamal? A charade? Is this
not a charade? Why is Jason Greenblatt leaving?
Let me tell you, let me give you some theories
that have been floated out in the press friction
with Jared Kushner. Number one on the list.
That's what I was gonna ask you because number
one I was trying to read if they've made any
explanation. And they just had, like, statements
from different beef people including, by the
way, Benjamin Netanyahu. He was great. We
wish him well, blah, blah. Blood was on honor
to work with him. But not a single word about
the reasons behind what you noticed that believing
and nothing came from the Kushner ah office.
Ah, and if it's not random that the person
that's going to take Jason Greenblatt's position
is going to be Jared Kushner's right hand
man. Avi Berkowitz. Number two Jason Green
Platter for two years now has been making
$180,000 a year in his position as special
envoy for her Donald Trump and word. Some
of the speculation has been on the street
that this is a significant loss of income
and money for Jason Greenblatt, who has family
that's still living in New York, and he's
living in Washington, D. C. So it may be economically
driven. Also, I doubt that's it. Chairman
is a big, big attorney, right? Is it just
that he makes much more than 180 k? I mean,
that's but he's made his money. He's independently
wealthy already. Whatever. The most likely
scenario is that he himself sees the writing
on the wall clashes with Jared Kushner. It's
time for him to go back to New York. The bigger
picture, Jamal, is that nothing is going to
happen with peace and Palestine. Nothing is
going to happen with the deal of the century.
The peace plan is dead with her. Without Jason
Green. I think I think this is the point.
Everything else Yeah, I can see his leaving
for financial reasons is not well paired,
but I think he's being too smart not to go
down with the sinking ship like anybody like
everybody else. Because the Trump administration's
so called peace plan deal of the century.
Wherever you want to call it is order the
failing and then he knows it. And he knows.
And he doesn't wanna wait to sink with the
ship because he knows he's an insider. He
knows they have nothing, and maybe he's looking.
Who knows? Everyone has some motives may be
as political motives in the future or what
have you. And he doesn't want to go down in
history as a failure. Back in June, if remember,
Kushner unveiled the first economics focused
part off the peace plan at the conference
in Bahrain, and they played it and we heard
about it. They pretty much had the whole marching
band all singing praises for that economic
conference because after all, Palestinians
don't leave, need land, they don't need independence.
They just need a couple of dollars and everybody
will be singing, you know, come by Yeah, and
holding hands with them And guess what? They
failed. They failed miserably, even even the
optics off that confidence. Where deserts
where a disaster. So they try to put as much
as a you know, great looked into it. And they
said the administration claim that they will
get the Palestinians $50 billion the new investments.
And then we read about these investments.
Half of them are going to Egypt and Lebanon
and what have you. But at the end of the day,
the Palestinians will be left with like, um,
something like $20 billion which anyway, they're
receiving more than this. They received more
than this from Japan and other and the EU
and other European countries, and they've
already told them. So I'm giving him credit
for being smart. I'm not giving him credit
for being smart because he actually wasted
the taxpayersmoney on it's nonsense. But I'm
giving him credit, personal credit that he
knows what he's doing. And he knows that if
he hitches his wagon with Donald Trump and
Jared Kushner, they they are going to drag
him down the gutter with them. Okay? And and
that's why his jumping ship er and you know
there's more evidence for that theory, Jamal,
Because just in the last month, the number
of Republican Congress, people and even senators
now who have decided not to run again in 2020
has increased to 20 plus. So you see in the
house, at least on the congressional side.
The number of Republicans who said I'm done,
I'm not going to run again for reelection
come 2020 has increased during the August
break. What happened during the August break,
By the way, these congressional Republicans
went back to their home districts and they
got an earful from their constituency. They
realized that there's no way they're going
to get elected. They've decided they're not
going to run. Even one of the most senior
senators, Senator Sensenbrenner, um, has decided
that he's not going to be running for re election,
too. So what you see, Jamal is that large
numbers of Republicans, large numbers of people
large. I mean, there's the list of people
who've abandoned the trump orbit, is growing
by leaps and bounds. Jason Greenblatt may,
in fact, be smart enough to realize, as you
said, that the political writing is on the
wall. There is no deal. And let me ask you
a question, Jamal. If you believed politically
and diplomatically you're on the verge of
doing a, um, history altering event, would
you leave no after? Because exactly after
putting amusing it, look, look, when they
talk about, let's say so, called successful
peace treaties. When you think of Camp David,
who do you think off President Carter? Anwar
Sadat once said that Menachem Menachem begin.
They've actually received the Nobel Peace
Prize. How three of all three of them. So
whether you're a critic of this or not, they
go down in history. This is actually President
Carter's biggest achievement, right? And if
you know, if you're confident, but you're
absolutely right, if you're confident this
is like betting on a losing horse, you know
a new is very smart. Is an attorney. The real
estate attorney really, said attorneys. Also,
they're famous for speculating and whatever
he knew. And he knows today that he had zero
chance of advancing the so called deal of
the Century one inch, which means his credibility,
which is is credibility on the accusation.
And guess what? He has more to lose. He's
not a billionaire. His well to do is if it
is a well known attorney. He's no Donald Trump.
He has Trump Tower, and I don't know what
and billions. He's not even Jared Kushner
who can go back. So what? Daddy left him in
investments to manage. He has to go back to
his credibility, which is you know what? He
has his latest achievement. And you know something.
You're as good as your last act. And if his
last act was the sinking ship, which it will
be, which it will be, he didn't want to see
his name in writing. So you're 100% correct
about this. And that's by the way. That's
the That's the reason Mattis left his position
also as defense secretary. I mean, here you
have, you know, a multi star general who basic,
and he's been giving interviews lately. So
keeping in line with people jumping ship.
General Mattis, you know, has been talking
for the first time recently in this last few.
Know what? I'm disappointed with him. I mean,
he wrote the book he served Donald Trump,
and I understand this whole mentality. Maybe
I don't understand it too well, you know,
being part of the military. And and you never
criticize the commander in chief. But he knows
a lot. I mean, he knows why he left, right?
And so he goes on these interviews and say,
OK, let's hear him out. See, you won't do
it. He won't do it, he said. Well, Donald
Trump is a different kind of president. I
mean, is that we know that it's a different
kind of president. I'm paraphrasing, but he's
not giving you. I mean, so why are you going
on these speaking engagements promoting? We
know why when you are money just to make money
and you give me nothing. Well, story dunk.
And he said, I'll talk about this later on.
So no, no, In his mind, I'm not gonna criticize
the sitting president until the damage is
done. We know why we know Afghanistan is one
of the reasons, because he knows that this
is another losing cause and we are losing
soldiers. And actually, just this past week,
Americans were killed in Afghanistan. No,
just yesterday. And so he basically is not
happy with the decisions and how this administration,
and he's like the secretary of defense. It
should be his decision. He served in the military,
and he's not happy. But he's not willing to
actually say why, and I've for this. I think
that's a big mistake. No, I agree. In fact,
Christiane Amanpour asked him directly. You
know, why don't you come clean and really
tell the American public if this is a crisis,
it's your obligation. Yes, a citizen to tell
us. And he refused to dates. National security.
And if we are going to be putting national
security at risk, you're the American public.
You know at least the information to say,
Well, what can we do? What What have we been
doing wrong? How can we correct this? Yeah,
and he's not doing this. You're listening
to Arab talk on KP or San Francisco, 89.5
FM, and I wantto talk a little bit of a few
minutes. We'll wait. I have one thing I want
to talk about work. It's 11 quick thing. It's
related to Mattis In Afghanistan. We have
been getting some comments because we tend
not to talk about Afghanistan. I want to spend
just two minutes talking about Afghanistan
because I think it's important. Well, yeah,
there's another deal of the century Jamo having
to do with the peace plan between the Taliban
and the United States. It is on the brink
of falling apart after years of negotiation
between the, uh, essentially between the State
Department and Donald Trump and the Taliban
in Cutter. By the way, um, Mike Pompeo, the
secretary of state yesterday refused to sign
the final deal off at the last minute. So
it looks like the second deal of the century
having to do with the peace plan with that.
And this is clear. This is the point that
I kind of want to make. This is not a peace
plan with the people of Afghanistan. This
is a peace truce with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
And so the reason that it's falling apart.
I've had people who are very knowledgeable
about this situation, Jamal, who happen to
be Afghan expats who are furious about this
because all of these negotiations have not
included the duly elected government of Afghanistan
have not included the intellectuals. You know,
Theo intellectual elite in Afghanistan. In
other words, they've left the Afghan people
hanging in on this process. This is a deal
just with the Taliban. And if the United States
and the Taliban agree to a quote peace plan,
what Afghan nationals worry about if the United
States leaves and I'm not I'm not saying they
shouldn't leave. Believe me, I mean enough
with Afghanistan. But the way in which they
could leave could really be a disaster. So
this is a disaster for Afghans. This is a
disaster for the United States and breaking
news. We have another failed deal of a peace
process going on. And thank you for actually
explaining this because you're right. We haven't
spent much wish and we should actually have
experts. And I should say also that I've been
to Afghanistan. You know that situation. I
know this situation. I can tell you one thing.
In short, we should have never gotten into
this is a lose. Lose now situation. We're
okay. The damage has been done. How to withdraw
from there? Because nothing's gonna happen.
And as far as you know, a benefit for the
United States isn't there. It's not there.
So I wanna have spent the last 10 minutes
talking about something that I've spent the
entire day monitoring and watching and which
was interesting, which is basically the our
candidates town, whole climate town hall.
So I've actually got into it that I've actually
listened toe every single one of them, and
I know Wait a minute. You listen. I love an
hour. I've listened to every single one. And
I know you care about the environment. And
after all, we are in San Francisco. We are
in California. This is an existentially threat.
It is one of the most important things. And
I wanted to know their positions on the environment.
Summarize it. I'll summarize it because I
also granted them. You did. I did. I granted
them. So I want to go with my grading. Okay,
I will summarize it. And the number one, let
me say who got an A. The anyone out there
was 100% 200% better than the Trump administration
on the environment. So let me just kind of
start by this. That saying if anyone kind
of adhere to what they were saying, we will
be 102 100% better off then what we have now
as far as the environment and the policies
off this and that's this administration that's
really, really rolling back the clock. So
here are This is what I saw and I try to me
as I tried to be as neutral as possible, who's
a plus, and so there is no way. Plus, it's
a down to see. Okay, no one got in half. But
is Bernie Sanders Really? Yeah. Hey, is Bernie
Sanders from A to Z on everything that he
said everything that he had plans for every
I hate when people put unrealistic goals.
What goals? How can we shift? Our resource
is how should we transition into driving electric
cars? How should we transition into solar
and so forth? So I would say Bernie saying,
Sanders, it's like, Oh, wow, this is really
great. If Bernie Sanders gets elected, he's
any Okay, I want an A minus. No way. Close
one. No, before a minus. I want to know who
got the low. Let's go to the extreme sports.
Who got the worst grade in my book? Yeah.
Cory Booker. Oh, Mr Nuclear? Yeah, Yeah. In
my book, he just he didn't make sense. A lot
of this stuff is just like hot talk. Yeah,
we're gonna do this. We're gonna do that.
Wasn't her powers the way I was looking at?
It's not like what you can promise is what
you can deliver. Like if you are. And I looked
at it in a period of 40 years. You know, the
elections forties. I can't guarantee that
you're gonna be in office for 80 years. But
what can you deliver to the American public
in four years? Cory Booker got a seat. So
he's a passing grade is better than bottom
from I don't know. He got this housing. See,
I gave him a passenger. Elizabeth Warren came
as an A minus. She she, uh I think there was
very closer ideas Toe Bernie Sanders. But
some stuff that she said I didn't like Like
what? And and, uh, you know, well, she wasn't
really She didn't have a very well defined
plan, like, you know, like when Bernie Sanders
talking like, Oh, yeah, makes sense. It makes
sense. Yeah, we could do this. It's doable.
It's doable. You know, that kind of thing.
Then better or B plus camera. Harris is people
us. Joe Biden. Is it be really? Julio Castro
is a B minus. Pete putting Jack's B minus
Andrew Yang B minus C plus and Cory Booker
is a C. You know, you're a tough grader, man.
So those were migrates and I listened intently.
You're like an average person or something
about the environment and who can deliver
and this is again. This is very important
because this is an important component off
the next elections. I think that's a really
good grading scheme, Jamal. I I I didn't listen
to all seven hours. I just read analyses of
each of the candidates. The only I think I
would agree with you. By and large, I might.
There's a little nuance. And there I know.
What Elizabeth Warren did was basically take
Governor Inslee's, you know, plan and basically
adopted. That is her plan. And whether or
not you know, that was truly unique in her
contribution, I could understand why you gave
her an A minus the advantage to Bernie Sanders.
Obviously, it's something that's doable, as
you say, and I think that will appeal to a
lot of voters. The biggest disappointment
for me wasn't fact. Joe Biden. I mean, this
is a guy who's out in front. He's leading.
Of all the Democratic candidates, he's the
one that's Ah in the lead by double digits
over Elizabeth Warren as well as Bernie Sanders.
So he's way ahead and yet he gives us, ah,
kind of a lukewarm plan. One thing that really
disappointed me and him, as when he was asked
by a the professor, I think, from Columbia
University, Yes, focuses on the environment
and said if he had anyone on his staff with
the science, like a science, he couldn't name
one like you have your the lead and you don't
have someone who is dedicated signed to bring
you the scientific input not just like, you
know. And this was like, Oh, what you talking
about? He like, he really didn't bring that
into kind off, but still, he had other ideas.
I, you know, like even some stuff like Andrea
Yang. He was impressive because he has a scientific
mind and, you know, talking about his father,
who has a phD in physics and right, But then
I'm not that comfortable with his solution.
Vizzavi, for example, going nuclear as much
as I think there are ways to cut off, you
know, make people safe, right? But we're not
there. We're not area. We've seen what's happening
in Russia, and these nuclear reactors that
we have in this country have been there since
the sixties, right? And so if you don't upgrade
and we have got forbid like something like
Three Mile Island, what you're gonna do well,
I think that's a really good I think you're
a tough grader, Jamal, but I think that's
fair. We only have a minute left, so I want
to end with a report out of the Guardian.
I want to go back to this ongoing disaster
world, catastrophic in the world right now,
which is what's happening in Yemen. A report
came out by The Guardian this week suggesting
that there's enough evidence right now that
the United States, UK and French may have
colluded with U A, E E and and Saudi Arabia
in committing war crimes in Yemen. So it appears
from everything that we've been able to get
about what's happening in Yemen, that there
are war crimes and we know that you have war
crimes. I mean, if he name someone who could
name Saudi Arabia quickly because we've seen
the right off the bombs on children, and I
think it's the U. A. E and Saudi Arabia, but
we're now seeing the complicity Jamal of of
the European powers in the United States actively
engaging with these war crimes that are being
committed by Saudi Arabia in the U. S. A.
It's really disturbing this reporting is not
anywhere. We None of the candidates have been
asked The Democratic can mention seated there
no mention Yemen, but no one mentions Yemen
anymore. Yeah, this is a disaster and no one
is holding Saudi Arabia accountable to Congress.
And the Senate actually passed something to
not sell more arms to Saudi Arabia. But Donald
Trump veto that. So I think we're going to
spend a little more time as as the shows in
the future ago, Jamal, we should spend a little
bit more time both in Afghanistan and on Yemen
on this note. Just I agree with you 100% but
we're running out of time. This is another
show. Another Arab talk on KP or San Francisco,
89.5 FM. We encourage you to go to our website
Arab talk radio dot com for all off our archived
videos and audios There, There, talk to you
next week. We'll see you next week
