Detecting language using up to the first 30 seconds. Use `--language` to specify the language Detected language: English [00:00.000 --> 00:05.000] veterans of the Spanish Civil War opposed the war during the period of the Hitler-Stalin [00:05.000 --> 00:11.280] Pact, and the anti-war sentiment grew in strength as the Cold War seemed to present the situation [00:11.280 --> 00:14.520] of an unending series of conflicts. [00:14.520 --> 00:19.280] Later on, when the U.S. got involved in the Vietnam War, opposition movements began slowly [00:19.280 --> 00:21.720] on various U.S. college campuses. [00:21.720 --> 00:28.600] These campaigns grew into very large demonstrations from 1967 until 1971. [00:28.600 --> 00:33.880] Moving forward to the 2001 Afghanistan War, there was initially little opposition in the [00:33.880 --> 00:36.680] United States and the United Kingdom. [00:36.680 --> 00:42.400] Most vocal opposition came from pacifist groups and groups promoting a leftist political agenda. [00:42.400 --> 00:46.760] In the United States, for example, the group ANSR was one of the most visible organizers [00:46.760 --> 00:49.920] of anti-war protests. [00:49.920 --> 00:54.840] Opposition to the Afghan War grew more widespread, partly as a result of wariness with the length [00:54.840 --> 00:59.360] of the conflict and partly because it conflated with the Iraq War and therefore a renewing [00:59.360 --> 01:02.200] support of anti-war movements. [01:02.200 --> 01:06.200] Millions of people staged mass protests across the world in the immediate prelude to the [01:06.200 --> 01:11.640] invasion, and demonstrations and other forms of anti-war activism have continued throughout [01:11.640 --> 01:14.120] the occupation. [01:14.120 --> 01:18.800] The anti-war movement continues today with talks of possible war against Iran. [01:18.800 --> 01:23.600] The U.S. drawn attacks on Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen and the military intervention in [01:23.600 --> 01:27.160] Libya and a possible intervention in Syria. [01:27.160 --> 01:32.760] How effective is the anti-war movement today and to what extent is anti-war activism helping [01:32.760 --> 01:40.880] in pressuring governments out of wars? [01:40.880 --> 01:41.880] Welcome ladies and gentlemen. [01:41.880 --> 01:44.760] Mr. Assad, thank you very much for joining us on the show. [01:44.760 --> 01:46.280] Thank you for receiving me. [01:46.280 --> 01:47.280] Thank you. [01:47.280 --> 01:52.840] Mr. Assad, in a region that has been going on through different turmoil throughout the [01:52.840 --> 01:58.320] history, how important do you think an anti-war movement is in the Middle East where you are [01:58.320 --> 01:59.320] based? [01:59.320 --> 02:06.480] Well, I think it would be important not only in the Middle East but anywhere where there [02:06.480 --> 02:15.040] are troubles, whether the troubles are between governments or between the same population in [02:15.040 --> 02:16.040] the same country. [02:16.040 --> 02:17.040] Okay. [02:17.040 --> 02:18.520] In this case, you mean civil war? [02:18.520 --> 02:21.560] Yes, it could be civil war in that case. [02:21.560 --> 02:27.160] And how important it is to promote peace among people so we can, like how can we prevent [02:27.160 --> 02:31.840] civil wars in general, since we're talking about civil war, and you, sir, you're an activist [02:31.840 --> 02:33.880] when it comes to civil war as well. [02:33.880 --> 02:35.280] How can we prevent that? [02:35.280 --> 02:38.480] Yes, this is a good question. [02:38.480 --> 02:47.720] And I think that one should start with dealing with the injuries of the past, of history, [02:47.720 --> 02:57.280] because you would be really surprised if you knew how much we are carrying in our memory [02:57.280 --> 03:08.480] and in our history, things that might push us to make war later on, further on in our [03:08.480 --> 03:10.760] country's history. [03:10.760 --> 03:11.760] This is one. [03:11.760 --> 03:23.240] The second thing would be to pacify people, I mean, and to put a kind of immunity among [03:23.240 --> 03:33.200] them and try to redeem, not to redeem, I mean, to cover the divide that separates different [03:33.200 --> 03:37.040] components of this population or this nation. [03:37.040 --> 03:43.480] Because war creates gaps and then you need to reconnect people together after a war. [03:43.480 --> 03:51.760] Yes, reconnecting comes, can come even during the war, I mean, not shyly, of course, but [03:51.760 --> 03:57.360] it should start somewhere, I mean, but of course it would increase and become serious [03:57.360 --> 04:01.840] and it will build for a better future. [04:01.840 --> 04:02.840] Okay. [04:02.840 --> 04:05.840] Now we will talk about your activism and the work you do later on. [04:05.840 --> 04:07.240] But let me ask you this question. [04:07.240 --> 04:12.480] How can we have, like from my understanding, there is no anti-war movement right now in [04:12.480 --> 04:18.200] the Middle East in general, but how can an anti-war movement in the Middle East affect [04:18.200 --> 04:20.720] the whole world, affect the whole region maybe? [04:20.720 --> 04:22.880] Now let's agree on something. [04:22.880 --> 04:30.240] When you say anti-war movement, we mean by it something that starts from within, not [04:30.240 --> 04:37.080] something that we import from another country or another group or another organization. [04:37.080 --> 04:38.080] I imagine that, no? [04:38.080 --> 04:39.080] Of course, of course. [04:39.080 --> 04:40.080] Yes. [04:40.080 --> 04:42.560] But what is the formula that is acceptable in the Middle East? [04:42.560 --> 04:56.800] Well, I think that once you start speaking of anti-war, you should speak also of anti-injustice [04:56.800 --> 05:04.160] and anti-aggression and anti-hatred and so on. [05:04.160 --> 05:05.160] Correct. [05:05.160 --> 05:11.920] Now, when it comes to your work, Mr. Assad, can you tell us more about your work and what [05:11.920 --> 05:16.280] organizations you're part of and what is the kind of work you do? [05:16.280 --> 05:17.280] Yes. [05:17.280 --> 05:18.280] I'll tell you. [05:18.280 --> 05:24.720] I'm part of an organization called Initiatives of Change abroad, I mean. [05:24.720 --> 05:31.000] But in the Arab world, we kept the old name moral rearmament. [05:31.000 --> 05:38.720] In fact, it started as, if you like, a call to governments before the Second World War [05:38.720 --> 05:51.080] in Europe to stop buying weapons and preparing themselves to a military war and to rearm themselves [05:51.080 --> 05:53.720] instead morally. [05:53.720 --> 05:59.200] And later on, it became Initiatives of Change abroad, I mean. [05:59.200 --> 06:04.720] So I am part of this movement that changed me because I took part in the Civil War in [06:04.720 --> 06:05.720] Lebanon. [06:05.720 --> 06:09.160] I was a fighter with the Christians. [06:09.160 --> 06:14.760] I was an officer, let's say, in intelligence services. [06:14.760 --> 06:21.840] And at a certain level, I came to meet these guys and they told me, listen, you want to [06:21.840 --> 06:23.880] change Lebanon in the Middle East. [06:23.880 --> 06:25.440] Are you ready to change yourself? [06:25.440 --> 06:26.440] Yes. [06:26.440 --> 06:27.680] And it was a shock. [06:27.680 --> 06:28.680] That's what you said. [06:28.680 --> 06:29.680] Change starts from within. [06:29.680 --> 06:30.680] Yes. [06:30.680 --> 06:31.680] Yes. [06:31.680 --> 06:35.280] Now, I'll ask you to stay with me for a minute, Mr. Assad, because I'll go now to my guest [06:35.280 --> 06:37.440] via Skype, Mr. Chris. [06:37.440 --> 06:41.440] Mr. Chris, welcome and thank you for being on the show. [06:41.440 --> 06:42.440] Thanks very much. [06:42.440 --> 06:43.440] Thank you. [06:43.440 --> 06:47.520] Mr. Chris, can you first of all give us a general idea, a general overview of the anti-war [06:47.520 --> 06:50.680] movement taking place in Britain right now? [06:50.680 --> 06:56.080] Well, over the last 12 years, since the beginning of the war on terror, there's been a very, [06:56.080 --> 07:01.880] very big movement in Britain protesting, first of all, over the Afghan War, the occupation [07:01.880 --> 07:08.440] of Afghanistan, and then, of course, massive demonstrations against the invasion of Iraq, [07:08.440 --> 07:13.640] which continued right through till 2006. [07:13.640 --> 07:23.120] And then there's been big protests over the Israeli invasion of 11 in 2007, more big demonstrations [07:23.120 --> 07:31.040] against the attacks on Gaza, and a continued spate of activity to try and get the troops [07:31.040 --> 07:38.320] out of Afghanistan, and protests as well over the current, the government attempts to or [07:38.320 --> 07:44.800] plans to arm the rebels in Syria and intervene in that way. [07:44.800 --> 07:49.360] We have protest over the war, the bombing of Libya. [07:49.360 --> 07:56.080] The movement isn't at the same scale as it was back in 2003, four, five, but it represents [07:56.080 --> 08:01.040] the opinion of the vast majority of people who are actually opposed these foreign wars, [08:01.040 --> 08:05.880] and that's very important because it does put some pressure, and it kind of inhibits [08:05.880 --> 08:11.040] our politicians, at least to a certain extent, stops them doing some of the more extreme [08:11.040 --> 08:13.080] things they might want to do. [08:13.080 --> 08:14.080] Okay. [08:14.080 --> 08:19.960] Now, Mr. Chris, why should people be more active as anti-war individuals? [08:19.960 --> 08:26.600] Because can we talk about the effect war can have on a society in general, and how people [08:26.600 --> 08:29.000] should be more aware of these effects? [08:29.000 --> 08:34.480] Yeah, I mean, I think the main reason why people demonstrated and continue to protest [08:34.480 --> 08:39.920] and oppose the wars is because they know that they're completely counterproductive. [08:39.920 --> 08:47.680] They know that in Iraq, for example, up to a million people have been killed by their [08:47.680 --> 08:53.560] Western intervention, the infrastructure has been shot to pieces, there's obviously the [08:53.560 --> 08:59.880] problems that you know all too well about the refugee crisis and the continuing damage [08:59.880 --> 09:01.600] that has been done by the wars. [09:01.600 --> 09:06.760] And the whole intervention was based on a lie, that was the... [09:06.760 --> 09:10.360] And then there's the whole question of the damage that it's done to our own political [09:10.360 --> 09:18.240] system here, because as you say, we were taken to war on a series of lies, secret deals made [09:18.240 --> 09:23.680] between Tony Blair and George Bush openly lying to parliament, to the people, to the [09:23.680 --> 09:31.840] cabinet, and there's a kind of democratic deficit, there's a kind of degrading of the democratic [09:31.840 --> 09:35.040] system in Britain, which is directly linked to that whole experience of those wars. [09:35.040 --> 09:38.520] So, you know, it's been very bad, it's very bad for civil liberties as well. [09:38.520 --> 09:43.480] I mean, we've all seen the kind of things that the NSA has been up to in America in [09:43.480 --> 09:50.200] the last three or four years or more, but also GCHQ in Britain is very, very centrally [09:50.200 --> 09:51.200] involved in that as well. [09:51.200 --> 09:55.720] So, civil liberties have been massively under attack, there's also been an increase in racism [09:55.720 --> 10:01.320] in British society against Muslims as a direct product of the war on terror. [10:01.320 --> 10:07.200] So, you know, there's lots of reasons, there's lots of very, very good reasons to be against [10:07.200 --> 10:08.200] these wars. [10:08.200 --> 10:12.520] And that's before you even mentioned the hundreds of British soldiers that have died, the thousands [10:12.520 --> 10:17.480] that have been wounded, the families that have been torn apart by that whole experience. [10:17.480 --> 10:18.480] It's been a disaster. [10:18.480 --> 10:22.440] The war on terror has been a complete catastrophe, and that's why the majority of people in Britain [10:22.440 --> 10:24.440] are against it. [10:24.440 --> 10:30.840] Mr. Chris, how has stopped the war coalition involved on ground in fighting war and promoting [10:30.840 --> 10:31.840] peace? [10:31.840 --> 10:36.360] Like, what activities is the coalition involved in? [10:36.360 --> 10:43.160] Well, we've got groups up in the country, we have public meetings and protests and a [10:43.160 --> 10:46.640] whole series of events throughout the year. [10:46.640 --> 10:50.520] Sometimes we come together in London for a big event, like we had a conference early [10:50.520 --> 10:54.120] this year, which was an international peace conference, where we had some people come [10:54.120 --> 11:00.600] over from the United States and elsewhere, where we had a thousand people to discuss [11:00.600 --> 11:04.680] the situation of the war on terror and to debate how best to counter it. [11:04.680 --> 11:10.040] We have, as you know, over the last 10 or 12 years, we've had absolutely massive demonstrations, [11:10.040 --> 11:16.080] the biggest demonstrations of any kind in British history, two million people demonstrated [11:16.080 --> 11:18.080] against the Iraq war. [11:18.080 --> 11:20.120] We have direct action. [11:20.120 --> 11:30.480] We have an information campaign via the web and publications, exposing the lies and the [11:30.480 --> 11:33.880] arguments that the government put forward to promote the wars. [11:33.880 --> 11:38.840] We also have a campaign against Tony Blair, because we believe that Tony Blair is essentially [11:38.840 --> 11:44.640] a war criminal, and that he should be brought to justice for what he's done to the Iraqi [11:44.640 --> 11:51.160] people, and the fact that he's done it deceitfully and behind the backs of the population in [11:51.160 --> 11:53.680] Britain, behind the back of Parliament. [11:53.680 --> 12:00.760] We've got an ongoing campaign to bring him to justice, which is also very popular. [12:00.760 --> 12:05.680] We just put the arguments against the war as high profile in society as we possibly [12:05.680 --> 12:11.520] can, and as loudly as we possibly can, and it has had some effect, because as I say, [12:11.520 --> 12:17.440] we're now in a position where 75% of the British people think these foreign interventions [12:17.440 --> 12:23.440] should cease, and that we should stop supporting US foreign policy and participating in their [12:23.440 --> 12:24.440] wars. [12:24.440 --> 12:25.440] Great. [12:25.440 --> 12:27.640] That's quite a lot of proportion. [12:27.640 --> 12:31.000] Mr. Chris, I would ask you to stay with me for a minute, because we're going to take [12:31.000 --> 12:32.520] a short break, and we'll be right back. [12:32.520 --> 12:59.520] Ladies and gentlemen, stay in tune. [13:02.520 --> 13:31.520] Ladies and gentlemen, stay in tune. [13:31.520 --> 13:43.960] Thank you. [13:43.960 --> 13:44.960] Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. [13:44.960 --> 13:48.960] Early in all, we talked to our two guests, Mr. Assad and Mr. Chris. [13:48.960 --> 13:53.480] We talked about the work, stop the war coalition does, and also the organizations that Mr. [13:53.480 --> 13:54.480] Assad is involved in. [13:54.480 --> 13:58.160] Mr. Assad, you said that you're involved in the first organization. [13:58.160 --> 14:05.080] Can you tell us more about the activities that you do regarding peace and reconciliation [14:05.080 --> 14:08.960] and also promoting anti-war sentiment? [14:08.960 --> 14:17.880] In fact, our main work is to speak about personal change, and that one should change to improve [14:17.880 --> 14:26.000] his family, his society, his country, everything, according to some moral values. [14:26.000 --> 14:34.800] But we had the occasion, because I had changed, I mean, and because in the year 2000, I addressed [14:34.800 --> 14:41.800] a public letter of apology to the Lebanese population regarding what I had done during [14:41.800 --> 14:49.720] the civil war in Lebanon in the name of Christianity and of Christ and of my country. [14:49.720 --> 14:57.080] So we have the occasion together with another ex-fighter also who was with the Muslim side. [14:57.080 --> 15:06.360] We go and meet young people in schools, universities, clubs, et cetera, to talk about how hatred [15:06.360 --> 15:15.160] starts in the hearts and how you carry it and how you slip into violence very easily, [15:15.160 --> 15:21.240] and what you are able to do during the war seems unbelievable, and what is the best way [15:21.240 --> 15:23.480] to get out of this. [15:23.480 --> 15:28.160] So basically, you just promote peace throughout workshops and maybe seminars and talks? [15:28.160 --> 15:29.160] Yes. [15:29.160 --> 15:30.160] Okay. [15:30.160 --> 15:34.280] Mr. Assad, I want you to stay with me for a minute, because I go now to our guest to joining [15:34.280 --> 15:35.640] us via phone. [15:35.640 --> 15:40.400] Mr. Brian Becker, thank you for being on the show. [15:40.400 --> 15:41.400] Thank you for having us. [15:41.400 --> 15:42.400] Thank you. [15:42.400 --> 15:46.440] Can you give us a general overview of the work of the answer coalition and the role [15:46.440 --> 15:52.080] you play on ground in pressuring the U.S. government out of force or trying to pressure [15:52.080 --> 15:53.080] the U.S. government? [15:53.080 --> 16:00.400] Certainly, the answer coalition has been in existence since September 14, 2001. [16:00.400 --> 16:04.560] We formed just three days after the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center in [16:04.560 --> 16:06.440] Pentagon. [16:06.440 --> 16:10.880] We were concerned that the Bush administration at that time would take advantage of that [16:10.880 --> 16:19.560] horrible attack in order to carry out a cynical shift in U.S. foreign policy, specifically [16:19.560 --> 16:23.360] in interventionist foreign policy. [16:23.360 --> 16:28.800] And we saw that manifest itself quickly with the invasion of Afghanistan, and then in March [16:28.800 --> 16:31.960] 19, 2003, the invasion of Iraq. [16:31.960 --> 16:37.400] During that time period, the answer coalition organized literally hundreds of thousands [16:37.400 --> 16:45.120] of people almost every month, starting in October 2002 until after the invasion of Iraq, [16:45.120 --> 16:50.120] generating an anti-war movement that began in the United States, but then became a worldwide [16:50.120 --> 16:51.120] movement. [16:51.120 --> 16:58.360] Since then, we've continued to oppose U.S. foreign policy, which we consider to be aggressive, [16:58.360 --> 17:01.280] imperial in its designs and its objectives. [17:01.280 --> 17:05.160] We've continued to oppose the ongoing occupation of Afghanistan. [17:05.160 --> 17:09.880] We opposed and organized large-scale activities in the United States against the bombing of [17:09.880 --> 17:12.680] Libya in 2011. [17:12.680 --> 17:19.520] And just recently, we've been organizing events, rallies, demonstrations against the use of [17:19.520 --> 17:25.200] drone warfare that's targeted assassinations against people in other lands, drone technology [17:25.200 --> 17:29.920] that's quickly migrating, in fact, into the cities of the United States. [17:29.920 --> 17:36.600] And right now, we're organizing in opposition to the stepped-up U.S. intervention vis-à-vis [17:36.600 --> 17:41.680] proxies, but also coordinated by the CIA for intervention in Syria. [17:41.680 --> 17:44.000] So we're an activist organization. [17:44.000 --> 17:49.560] We link the issues of war abroad with the pressing issues of social and economic justice [17:49.560 --> 17:53.680] within the United States, which are, of course, very grave issues. [17:53.680 --> 17:58.760] There are 30 to 40 million Americans who are unemployed or underemployed. [17:58.760 --> 18:03.480] Many, many millions more going into poverty, while a big part of the national treasury [18:03.480 --> 18:10.600] goes for war and militarism and the invasion and occupation and bombing of other people. [18:10.600 --> 18:16.400] So we try to combine peace and social justice and try to educate the American public about [18:16.400 --> 18:17.400] these issues. [18:17.400 --> 18:18.400] Okay. [18:18.400 --> 18:26.600] Mr. Bryan, why is it that the anti-war movement lost momentum, like especially in recent years, [18:26.600 --> 18:29.880] especially after 2008 elections of President Obama? [18:29.880 --> 18:33.000] Well, I think there are two reasons. [18:33.000 --> 18:40.480] One, of course, is that many people identified the Iraq invasion with George W. Bush and [18:40.480 --> 18:45.520] anticipated that the Obama administration would represent not simply the absence of [18:45.520 --> 18:47.320] Bush, but something new and different. [18:47.320 --> 18:52.160] And I think there was a hopefulness on the part of many people in the anti-war movement [18:52.160 --> 18:56.960] that Obama would, quote, do the right thing. [18:56.960 --> 19:04.640] And secondly, and I think this is important, is that a factor for US politics is the significance [19:04.640 --> 19:11.640] of American soldiers and Marines who are fighting, killing, being killed, being wounded. [19:11.640 --> 19:17.160] In other words, the personal engagement of American service people in foreign wars. [19:17.160 --> 19:23.280] And I think what we saw in the case of Libya, the US, along with its NATO partners, bombed [19:23.280 --> 19:29.200] Libya relentlessly, the number of US casualties was exactly zero during the course of the [19:29.200 --> 19:30.200] bombing campaign. [19:30.200 --> 19:36.640] And so the American government constructed a foreign policy that was equally aggressive, [19:36.640 --> 19:40.040] but made sure that all the bleeding was done on the other side. [19:40.040 --> 19:45.400] And I think that was done as a political calculation to keep the American political opposition [19:45.400 --> 19:46.400] on the sidelines. [19:46.400 --> 19:47.400] Okay. [19:47.400 --> 19:49.040] Mr. Bryan, thank you for joining us. [19:49.040 --> 19:50.040] Keep up the good work. [19:50.040 --> 19:51.040] Thank you very much. [19:51.040 --> 19:52.040] Right. [19:52.040 --> 19:53.040] Thank you. [19:53.040 --> 19:54.040] Thank you. [19:54.040 --> 19:55.040] Now, I'll go back to my guest via Skype. [19:55.040 --> 20:00.240] Mr. Chris, you've heard, as I was speaking, to my guest, Mr. Bryan. [20:00.240 --> 20:05.600] And we talked about how the anti-war movement lost its momentum some way, somehow. [20:05.600 --> 20:07.400] Do you agree with this? [20:07.400 --> 20:13.080] Clearly, until the troops came out of Iraq, there was a very, very strong movement. [20:13.080 --> 20:18.080] The British troops did come out of Iraq. [20:18.080 --> 20:20.200] The promise was made at least in 2006. [20:20.200 --> 20:22.200] So that was important. [20:22.200 --> 20:28.200] And then there have been a series of demonstrations since then that have been a major, a major [20:28.200 --> 20:29.200] size. [20:29.200 --> 20:35.880] Particularly, as I mentioned, the demonstrations against the attacks by Israel on Gaza, which [20:35.880 --> 20:41.000] have been, you know, demonstrations of historic size. [20:41.000 --> 20:44.520] And that's right up until 2009, 2010. [20:44.520 --> 20:47.680] So I wouldn't write off the anti-war movement. [20:47.680 --> 20:55.920] I think what's happened is that the British government has been forced to commit to withdrawing [20:55.920 --> 21:00.960] the troops from Afghanistan, which is, to some extent, you know, stop people going out [21:00.960 --> 21:02.520] on the streets. [21:02.520 --> 21:08.240] But if the British government decided to participate in another war, for example, if there was an [21:08.240 --> 21:13.840] attack on Iran and the British government committed to supporting an Israeli strike [21:13.840 --> 21:16.840] or a U.S. strike, I think we'd do people out on the streets again. [21:16.840 --> 21:21.040] Because one thing that hasn't changed, indeed, one thing that has actually increased, has [21:21.040 --> 21:23.480] been the popular opposition to wars. [21:23.480 --> 21:25.440] So I think it's a complicated picture. [21:25.440 --> 21:27.240] I mean, I agree with what he said about Obama. [21:27.240 --> 21:31.240] I think people thought Obama was going to be different. [21:31.240 --> 21:34.240] And in a sense, he has been different, but not in the way that people hope. [21:34.240 --> 21:39.080] Because what he's done is he's changed the strategy so that now, you know, they're not [21:39.080 --> 21:46.000] sending American troops in any serious numbers into the places they want to attack. [21:46.000 --> 21:47.480] They're attacking them with drones. [21:47.480 --> 21:54.920] And that obviously is a, you know, they hope that that's a kind of cost-free operation [21:54.920 --> 21:55.920] from their point of view. [21:55.920 --> 22:00.520] This is a strategy that they can do, they can conduct without consulting with the people [22:00.520 --> 22:02.640] and people don't even know about it. [22:02.640 --> 22:07.640] So I think that's had an impact as well, but in general terms, and it's true in America [22:07.640 --> 22:08.640] as well. [22:08.640 --> 22:16.200] There's a very, very big section of the population that completely opposes these kind of imperial [22:16.200 --> 22:17.200] wars. [22:17.200 --> 22:19.040] And that's very, very important. [22:19.040 --> 22:20.040] Okay. [22:20.040 --> 22:21.640] Mr. Chris, I want you to stay with me for a minute. [22:21.640 --> 22:24.160] I'll go now to my guest in the studio, Mr. Assad. [22:24.160 --> 22:31.560] Mr. Assad, how important do you think is getting the youth involved and like getting youth activists [22:31.560 --> 22:35.800] all together in fighting war and in creating more peace in a society? [22:35.800 --> 22:46.040] Listen, I think that it's obvious that the youth are those who are asked to carry guns, [22:46.040 --> 22:53.080] whether in a war or in a civil war, and they will be its first victims. [22:53.080 --> 22:54.080] Of course. [22:54.080 --> 23:02.920] So the more we talk to young people, we address them about being nonviolent, about looking [23:02.920 --> 23:13.720] towards other solutions, because at the end violence helps nobody, and nobody wins a war [23:13.720 --> 23:14.720] or a civil war. [23:14.720 --> 23:16.600] I think that everybody loses. [23:16.600 --> 23:17.600] Okay. [23:17.600 --> 23:21.120] Now, what tools do you use to implement the youth? [23:21.120 --> 23:23.480] How can we get them involved, really? [23:23.480 --> 23:32.960] Well, if I may continue what I was trying to explain about the organizations I work in. [23:32.960 --> 23:40.320] We have recently created a new movement, which is not registered yet. [23:40.320 --> 23:42.800] We called it the X Fighters. [23:42.800 --> 23:48.720] And we addressed to the Lebanese population recently, three weeks or a month ago, maybe, [23:48.720 --> 23:57.160] our first press declaration, we called it from the X Fighters to the New Fighters, because [23:57.160 --> 24:03.320] we have new fighters today, young people carrying guns and going to fight the other inside [24:03.320 --> 24:04.840] our country. [24:04.840 --> 24:09.520] So this is one way which is to address them directly. [24:09.520 --> 24:17.560] Now, the other way is through what we are trying to do in this gathering of 29 NGOs that [24:17.560 --> 24:25.440] work together for civil peace, that we called, our unity will save us. [24:25.440 --> 24:26.440] Okay. [24:26.440 --> 24:28.840] Mr. Assad, I would have to interrupt you here. [24:28.840 --> 24:30.440] Thank you very much for being on the show. [24:30.440 --> 24:32.720] Mr. Chris, thank you also for being on the show. [24:32.720 --> 24:36.720] And I would like to thank also Mr. Brian Becker for joining us via phone. [24:36.720 --> 24:38.160] Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. [24:38.160 --> 24:39.160] See you next week. [24:39.160 --> 25:08.160] Bye-bye. [25:39.160 --> 26:05.560] Time. [26:05.560 --> 26:30.840] The only constant variable in life is change. [26:30.840 --> 26:56.480] Thank you very much. [10:19.700 --> 27:30.640] also fine to die in our beds. [27:30.640 --> 27:34.920] On a clean pillow and among our friends. [27:34.920 --> 27:43.880] It is fine to die once our hands crossed on our chests, empty and pale. [27:43.880 --> 27:51.360] With no scratches, no chains, no banners and no petitions. [27:51.360 --> 27:54.480] It is fine to have an undustful death. [27:54.480 --> 28:02.560] No holes in our shirts and no evidence in our ribs. [28:02.560 --> 28:07.840] It is fine to die with a white pillow, not on the pavement. [28:07.840 --> 28:13.840] Under our cheeks, our hands resting in those of our loved ones, surrounded by desperate [28:13.840 --> 28:21.120] doctors and nurses with nothing left but a graceful farewell. [28:21.120 --> 28:28.200] Taking no attention to history, leaving this world as it is, hoping that someday someone [28:28.200 --> 28:57.160] else will change it. [29:29.200 --> 29:56.680] It is fine to die with a white pillow, not on the pavement. [29:56.680 --> 30:23.360] It is fine to die with a white pillow, not on the pavement. [30:27.000 --> 30:34.760] Around the world, outside the mainstream, anywhere, everywhere, an idea of your land, [30:34.760 --> 30:39.880] of your creation, a new media and a new era. [30:39.880 --> 30:42.200] Will it take the lead in the future? [30:42.200 --> 30:43.920] I believe so. [30:43.920 --> 30:50.760] This is Underground. [30:50.760 --> 30:59.880] When they turn to clarity.