Mark Steyn

Welcome back to AM 6 AW -- KO Boston's talk station I'm Tom Finneran and this is thinner its -- and joined in the studio. By holly -- Bishara topic that's or holly and I've been tearing up the turn up the field on Iran Iraq what's the right policy who with a right candidates. And we delighted to be joined by Mark stein author of America are alone. And also author of my favorite column the happy warrior in national review Mark welcome to Finneran farm here in Boston I'm Mark.

Thanks thanks Amanda congratulations on the nation guys having great.

Thank you very very much and thanks for joining us -- the topic could not be more timely you may have noticed when not into Anna Nicole Smith. We haven't been big into the grammys this morning we think there is more serious sobering. Thoughtful things that this nation should be discussing and it can be fun it can be informative it should be entertaining but it also should be educational and I think I I know I find -- column in national review every week. To be precisely that I think you most recent column was entitled -- with terrorists -- teeth for terrorists and -- talked about really begin to develop the themes in America are allowed south I don't know holly and I turned the Michael what are you a little bit. And -- share with the RKO listening audience if you could. What's what's the message that you're trying to impart hear about. The risky world that we live in and that America faces.

Well it's it's really about the the context in which the -- war on terror is taking place which is to say that. Even if there was war in Iraq Afghanistan even if there when -- bombs going off and in Madrid and people who. Fry toll kind and so buildings in the New York. We would still be in danger of losing this thing because the state of the civilized world which side defined pretty broadly is in is very weak at we have a situation where basically everybody apart from the United States. Is literally getting out of business that's the same year in Russia and Japan the rates -- time successfully that that they can't really maintain themselves as functioning and it is. And in Western Europe and in Russia and you population is -- and growing. And and becoming the dominant factor in that society is Madison Muslim population -- the anyone's in Russia for example -- showing any guards and on some statistics the Russian army will be majority Muslim by the year 20 if dean which is light years away basically conveys -- fit healthy guys in -- that in these guys -- on -- stand in the vodka in and that's that is basically going to change that they big relationships some on the planet that.

Mark what -- the dynamics and all those different countries that you mentioned Japan virtually all the major European countries in the like. With a birth rate is literally virtually negative ought not sustainable so that they can maintain their status the state historical status which have always enjoyed.

mean basically if you go out if every couple has two point one children that's the that's the number of that. Demographers say he need to have a stable population that's for the Americans have at the moment it's stupid trying to on the money two point one what they have in Spain we think of these you know these these that traditional Catholic families and Mediterranean culture you know it's silly with the big pop spending -- the past down on the table that's filled with aunts and uncles. And cousins and nephews and all the -- it's completely -- the Spaniards and Italians. Now have basically one point 11 point two children a couple of in other words. That -- generations when you see these movies. Inevitable strain of popular culture. In America my big fat Greek wedding in which the kind of uptight Protestant guy falls in love with them and Greek or Spanish or Italian -- gets taken and -- bountiful big and the -- can hardly get into the room. It's not like medical and it -- I mean nature of the impact deemed to be making you know my big fat appetite New Zealand Protestant ethic. -- I'm lucky Spanish or Italian Catholic -- in -- we cannot -- Protestant who actually -- the siblings.

Go ahead how marker earlier we had Terry McAuliffe find. And he was basically saying that the world was at peace under the Clinton administration and that everything was great and you know basically fantasy land. Can you tell us how wrong he was about what's going on though during the during the Clinton administration as far as. The of these problems didn't start under the bush administration.

That will basically you know you what you mentioned d'amico and basically Bill Clinton was Anna Nicole Smith president. Basically he said to the American people. Look everything has all the great questions being settled we can now spend eight is focusing on trivia and peripheral massive I I think guys I've said I can't remember us that in America somewhere else. At some point rather I've said that you know in the in the history would look on bill Clinton's presidency is time -- the Super Bowl means basically that Janet Jackson intended between the Cold War in this new war and you know exactly the same is Janet -- and -- wardrobe malfunctions as well the president.

A lot of wasted opportunity when she --

Yes I mean he basically said that all the great questions have been sampled. And we can now just get on -- massive demand in doing nothing and obsessing on the net federal regulations on the size of toilet. At all during that time the Islamic its -- growing as a threat they were attacking the world trade center they -- blowing up embassy is. And and and -- compounds and ships. And American targets all around the world and and the conscious policy of the Clinton administration has articulated by senior figures facts and be given bill pound was that none of it was sufficient to rise to the level of provocation. In other words they consciously avoided meeting Osama bin Laden's side and as a result he eventually concluded that he had to be something really -- to attract attention many of them September 11 and the idea that this is anything to David George W bush. That's so landed in Florida. And was beginning to plan full the attacks -- September 11 when al goal was ahead in the presidential polls that yes for the idea that these islamists can -- I don't know that the Democrat or Republican in the White -- of.

That you -- get any sleep at night thinking about Hillary Clinton could be our next president.

Well this -- That this system so besides the nail on the one hand you know clearly Hillary I think. Is a -- I had kind of a sort of promise of thing has been you know clearly she's the most substantial figure than Iraq program. We're pretty -- Well yeah. I mean -- active -- record camera I think is that like is enormously because again that would have recently that the bank is different terms with Italy's that they don't actually you know she's cues -- too cautious fold them which tells you a lot about how wild the Democratic Party basis --

Although the Howard dean Democrats.

Yes unfortunately and I think that's I think that's a great tragedy because the fact of the matter is the defense succeed in the in in and making what's happening in Iraq it defeat it will be seen around the world as a defeat for George W bush. And Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld it will be seen as a defeat for the United States. -- said the rest the planet content whether it's Democrats or Republicans they say it is a loss for America.

Market seems to me and I think you make this point to new book what tart remarks stein the author of America are alone on AM 680 WR KO I -- make this point in your book repeatedly that this is as much a question of wheels. As it is the demographic trends my rod -- tips to suggest that this a parallel here. With with England pre World War II where everybody was. Much much more satisfied to talk about. He in soothing platitudes about peace an odd time piece on the continent and the like and deliberately turned the -- from the menace of the minister of Germany.

Well I think it's actually less than that because in feminists you know whatever one feels about the behavior of the political class in Britain in the 19 practice. Hitler was very careful not to be explicitly genocide it'll land in sang in other words. He'd win he had lord Halifax the British foreign secretary at the time the fatigue in Germany. He was on the best behavior and trying to repair like just and other civilized well lead. Now we have -- and this time around like that Ahmadinejad. And in Iran and indeed most of the spokesman for the -- and openly talking -- genocide the president of Ahmadinejad sits next to the president of Sudan. And says when we get this new nuclear -- the first thing we're going to do missionary without neighbors like Sudan's Savannah is perpetrating genocide in doubtful would you really want countries like Sudan becoming a nuclear power are Ahmadinejad explicitly threatens genocide to like a state of America we don't have the same excuse. That the British political class stayed in the 19 -- because. Fennel bulb going to disguise these guys today well that ultimately was and that's what makes our behavior even more contemptible.

I I don't expect it to be -- to psychoanalyze the Democratic Party I think many people have to actually I've tried and failed just no hope that this that her teeth. And -- in yet at the same time it may be true -- let me switch the -- just for a minute two John McCain who seems to take the more the most robust position within the local within the field at least a presidential candidates. What's your sense of McCain's view of the world that he's articulated at the spot specifically with Greek to this surge in troops. Allocated to a Baghdad in the -- that the need to achieve some form of definable victory.

Well I think McCain actually and I have a lot of problems and that I think almost any of the characters on the Republican side of the field are still interested in victory. In other way it's is -- not a lot of these squishy Republicans senate -- I think including land him in New Hampshire by the ways is that and most pathetic and met weekly on this whole business but I didn't think that the McCain to his credit understand perhaps from present experience in Vietnam. That there are consequences to defeat that great parents cannot have full and I think that is whatever one feels about it not only other issues he gets back in John Kerry. And said that the consequences withdrawing from Vietnam would be that we might have to relocate a few thousand pro American forces in the country. Instead millions of people died because the policy that John -- advocated. And now the Democrats want to do battle -- and I do believe that is just shameful. Because again it's like it's like the Britain in the practicing we don't have the excuse of not knowing what the consequences this millions of people died. Because the nation embraced John Kerry's policy in the early 1970 is mentioned happen again.

We're talking Mark stein the author of America -- alone will -- in dhahran AM 680 WR KO Boston's talk station -- ignorance forum my colleague and I were talking just before we just before you came on the F. We're wondering quite frankly how then would you propose to rouse the the American public and more importantly how would you rouse the candidates who present themselves to the American public Republican or Democrat. You've route you've written a fabulous book here column in the national review should be required reading going to be talked on the team here about making sure we have a way to link up. Two went through national review so everybody could read the happy warrior in the gospel can be spread a little bit more broadly than it has been thus far. But this is a very serious question for all of us as citizens and I think it's more pronounced. For those people who purport to be president the rousing of the American public from the -- lethargy the casual the casual assessment of the world today.

All right I do think you have to say look sorry the quiet life for option is not an option we would all love that. And it's true you know I would love to be able stoked about that Anna Nicole Smith I've I made it very nice living in the 1990s.

Are getting an applied to be what way out father her child.

Now I think I can safely say that I'm. It's -- math convergence says strange tabloids stories that's going on we've we've Anna Nicole Smith and Serb rebels husband an element that I think I'm one of the few people who can safely -- I'm not at risk of actually. They numbered among potential. But I do you think you know you have to understand that it's hip to be able to upset some trivia like that is the privilege. That few people have enjoyed in human history and the price of being able to -- Anna Nicole -- debate. Is that you have to be eternally pitcher. You have to recognize that if you're great. You usual moment of eminence in the world you wouldn't sit in the idea that Americans can simply pull up the -- rich and -- sorry you know Iran Iraq is like a gritty reality show it was going to be people it's it's like had -- adult citizens survive but we'd like divert ourselves of the island. And just come and meet Amanda Nichols Smith and watched with the for the American Idol. Sorry that's not an option until they can ripple from the wild will be that the world becomes adopt an unfriendly place. And eventually that will be united down into the an American Idol and Anna Nicole Smith because the planet will have formed and.

I think Allison is here at WR KO getting good sense as to why this guy is my favorite columnist Mark stein author of America alone Mark you've been great to join us. Appreciate the insight that you've shared with us knowing that Iraq's neighbor to the north of New Hampshire will probably reaching out to you from that the time during the course of the presidential campaign