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Glenn Beck

Who Will Win Battle for Middle East Control?; Just Who is Barack Obama?; Video Games to Feature Religious Principles

Aired December 04, 2006 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

GLENN BECK, HOST: Coming up from the Mile High City, what the media is not telling you about the war in Iraq. Plus, one of the stars of the hit series "Heroes", Masi Oka, drops by. That`s next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight`s episode is brought to you by spines. If you`re about to cut and run in Iraq and let our enemies vaporize us, try asking yourself, got spine?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Well, we`re here in beautiful downtown Denver, the Mile High City. Words that could be used to describe me back in the early `90s. But that`s a different story. We`re on the road for a couple of weeks during our Christmas comedy tour.

So I`m in the hotel this morning, and I wake up and I flip on the news. And what a surprise. I see more bad news about Iraq. You`ve got the Rumsfeld memo, President Bush`s meeting with Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, one of my favorite Shiite leaders of the largest bloc in Iran`s parliament.

And Kofi Annan. Matt Lauer is also rapping about the state of civil war. I get it. Seriously. I`m begging the media, shut it! We understand Iraq isn`t going well right now. But you know what? The last thing we need to do is cut and run.

Here`s the point tonight. The media is in a full-fledged feeding frenzy. Practically every story they tell you is of the "I told you so" variety. But as you`ll see, the media is missing signs of hope and progress.

Here`s how I got there tonight. I`m going to tell you two stories. That the media, for whatever reason, isn`t reporting. For years, I have been telling you that the war in Iraq is all about Iran. And on that front, there`s actually some good news, or at least it appears to be good news on the surface. You`re not going to hear this anyplace else. Why? I wonder.

First story. President Tom, who I believe is kind of the sidekick to the antichrist, sort of the Tonto to the antichrist`s Lone Ranger. He is facing some political pressure in Iran. His opponents are now seeking to pass legislation which would cut his term as president short by 18 months.

Will they be successful? I don`t know. Maybe, maybe not. But the fact that some people in Iran are taking a long look at Ahmadinejad and saying "not so much," is extremely encouraging.

The second story I want to tell you about concerns our good friends and allies, Saudi Arabia. Sure, they gave the world many of the 9/11 hijackers, but according to a recent Associated Press article, Saudi Arabia is slightly freaked out by Iran`s involvement in the rest of the Arab world. And the Saudis may be working behind the scenes to try and curb Iran`s influence.

The article goes on to say that in every major conflict zone in the region -- in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestinian areas -- Saudi Arabia, which is a Sunni kingdom, has been putting its economic -- read that as oil -- and diplomatic weight behind the allies in direct confrontation with the groups backed by Shiite Arab.

Look for Egypt to play a larger role in the future as well, I believe.

Again, if I`m reading any of this accurately, and it`s kind of sketchy at this point, it is extremely encouraging. But have you seen this being reported on TV? No. And if I`m the only person talking about this and I`m a recovering alcoholic, former deejay, kind of quasi rodeo clown, we`re in serious trouble.

But here`s what I know tonight: if there is one thing I am crystal clear on, it`s this. Things are bad in Iraq. But you know what? Things were pretty crappy in the middle of World War II, as well, and we didn`t cut and run.

If we approached World War II with the same kind of wishy-washy, namby-pamby attitude that we`re approaching the Middle East with today, we`d all be speaking German right now.

You don`t decide in the middle of a war whether it`s worth fighting. The time to decide that is before you start. We`re there now. We not only have a moral obligation to see it through, abandoning the region now will lead to our destruction.

Here`s what I don`t know: whose vision in the Middle East is going to win out, the growing number of people who have no spines? Or those who truly understand that there is no room for compromise with such dangerous people in such dangerous situations?

Walid Phares, he is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Democracy -- Defense of Democracy, and an expert in the region. Walid, what do you think?

WALID PHARES, FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY: Well, I think that there is a big battle, as you just mentioned, between two large groups: the ones that want the past status quo, the return of dictatorship. Look what`s happening in Iraq; look what`s happening in Lebanon. Today, there`s about a coup d`etat happened by Hezbollah.

But on the other hand, you have democracy movements, and they are still weak. They need the support of the international community. And we need, basically, to support not just in terms of regime change but in terms of empowering them.

And you`re right. Saudis and Iranians today are at odds with each other. And that`s very interesting.

BECK: You know, Walid, I -- I`ve got to be real honest with you. I hate the ideas -- the idea that we`re in bed with the Saudi Arabians. Not good guys, you know? It`s kind of like the way we were in bed with the Soviet Union in World War II. That`s not really a good thing.

PHARES: Well, that`s exactly what it is. The equation is that you have Saudis who are Wahabbists and then you have the Iranians, who are the equivalent of the national socialists in the `30s and the `40s. Who are more dangerous? Certainly, Ahmadinejad and your friend, Hezbollah and others. So the Saudis and Iranians are fighting, and we need to see what to do after that.

BECK: It really is an ugly situation. Now, if I`m not mistaken, you don`t believe that this news coming out that they`re trying to cut Ahmadinejad`s term down is anything more than clerical stuff? Do I have that right?

PHARES: You do. Let me give you the nuance. What I think is happening is that, within the bad guys, there is a wing which has enough of Ahmadinejad`s complete control. Remember, the Iranian republic, the Iranian Islamic Republic, is an authoritarian regime under the control of a big guy who`s Khameini.

And once he sees that the president, Ahmadinejad, or others are taking more power, then they`ll tell him, "You only have now a year and a half." That`s what`s happening.

BECK: So do you believe that this -- this Armageddon, apocalyptic view from the regime in Iran is real, or is it bluster?

PHARES: It`s both, because the guys who are on the top, the regime, are using this to modernize their people, to tell them we don`t have time for social justice. We don`t have time for liberation of women, for student enhancement. What we have time for now is the massive battle with the United States, with the infidels, so on and so forth.

But deep inside, the belief, once they have the weapons, once they have the capacity, once the Americans are out, that would be their time to do it.

BECK: OK. So, you know, I had a theory. I shared it on the radio today that -- I think we should just -- I think we should leave. I think we should go and take our tanks and our troops and just bring them across the border and just tell, "Turn off the engines and leave them in Kuwait for a while," because everybody is yelling at us that we should get out.

Then, once we get out, then it will just -- just go into genocide. And then people like George Clooney will stand up and say, "Mr. President, you`ve got to stop the genocide." And we can go back in and win the war.

If we lose this war, what`s happening in Darfur is going to happen there. Right?

PHARES: It did happen in the `90s. And you remember that Saddam Hussein regime killed more than 300,000 Shiites, gassed the Kurds. And this would happen again. The Iranians will move in. The Syrians will move back to Lebanon.

And yet, as you just said, the elite will tell us why did you leave? Why did you leave those people, as you did in Darfur and Sudan?

So what we need to do is leave the urban areas. Leave the petroleum to the Iraqis. And guess what? Redeploy on the Iranian border, the southern border. And send the right message to those two regions.

BECK: I have to tell you, what a surprise this country -- we can`t secure our own borders. And that`s our biggest problem over in the Middle East, is we`re not securing those borders.

What is the thing that we should be looking for next as a positive sign or a negative sign?

PHARES: I think the negative signs are coming one after the other. It`s like a wave. It really depends on what Washington -- the new Washington, the one in January -- will do. Bickering inside Washington, or really taking the business very, very seriously and send a strong message to Ahmadinejad and to Bashar that they cannot cross the borders into Iraq, into Lebanon and change regimes.

BECK: All right. Walid, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

PHARES: Sure.

BECK: Now, in case you haven`t already heard, I hit the road this week for my annual Christmas tour. We just did a couple of shows in Salt Lake City tonight in Denver. And we will be on the show -- on the road for a couple of weeks.

And let me tell you, if you haven`t seen the stage tour yet, you don`t want to miss it. In fact, here`s a preview of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: The reviews are in. And it`s unanimous. The Glenn Beck Christmas tour is not to be missed. There are still a few seats left. But tickets are going fast. For more information, log on to GlennBeck.com. You won`t be sorry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is GLENN BECK.

BECK: Coming up, Barack Obama. Is he the big hope for the Democratic Party? I know at least one person who hopes not. How Obama is cramping Hillary`s style. That`s coming up next.

And is it just me or is this Russian spy story sounding more and more like a Tom Clancy novel? Be afraid. Be very afraid. Tonight, we sort out the facts and give you the real story behind Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

Plus, Masi Oka from the hit TV series "Heroes" joins me for an interview -- trust me on this -- you do not want to miss. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: The next two years is just going to be positioning for the `08 election. And in many ways, that is not just going to be Democrats doing that. The Democrats are going to be doing that a lot, but you have to remember, in the Senate, 10 percent of the Senate is going to be running for president. You`ve got 10 percent that all they`re going to be doing is positioning to be the next leader of the free world. Sad, isn`t it?

Mike, you know who gets screwed with that? You and me. And Mike in Ohio.

(SOUND EFFECT)

BECK: Hey, Mike.

CALLER: Hey. How are you doing in?

BECK: Good.

CALLER: Hey, I was calling to ask you a favor. Can I get some dance music?

BECK: Well, you`ve got to give me a reason.

CALLER: The freaking election is over! Come on. Everybody dance.

(MUSIC)

BECK: Everybody dance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: All right. Let`s be honest with each other for a second. Please. Just for a minute. Have I missed something up on Barack Obama? I mean, like maybe the whole tribulation period? Because it`s almost like Jesus has come back as Barack Obama.

One night maybe I overdosed on Ambien. I had a little too much sleep. I wake up. And I see everybody moving boxes for Obama into the White House. It`s one of those things, maybe, where you -- where you think that everybody else already gets it. You know, like the Scooter Libby case or stem cell research.

So you don`t want to look like an idiot and ask the obvious questions like "Who is this guy? What -- what has he done that qualifies him to be president?"

"Well, Glenn, you do know there was that speech he gave at the convention a while back."

"Yes."

"And that book, you know, he wrote a book."

"Right."

"And -- well, he`s not John Kerry."

OK, I get it. He`s a fresh face. And -- I could go for that. But before we give the guy the keys to the nuclear football, maybe we should spend -- I don`t know, maybe five minutes and figure out what he actually does stand for.

John Fund writes a weekly column for "The Wall Street Journal`s" site, OpinionJournal.com.

Hello, John.

JOHN FUND, OPINIONJOURNAL.COM: Pleasure.

BECK: Who is -- who is Mr. Obama?

FUND: He`s a very bright, well-educated person who got elected to the U.s. Senate largely because Alan Keyes was -- well, let`s just say that Alan Keyes` tray table is not always in the full, upright and locked position.

BECK: My God. So he`s -- is that his only run that he`s had to make?

FUND: No. He was a state senator in Illinois before that.

BECK: OK. Is he a good -- was he a good campaigner? Because I mean, running against Alan Keyes last time was -- OK, like running against me. It doesn`t get any easier.

FUND: Barack Obama is a very smart fellow. He is a good campaigner. He`s the Tiger Woods of politics. He`s everybody`s poster boy for racial reconciliation.

He`s very impressive, but he hasn`t done a lot in the United States Senate. I think he realizes that. He`s also got a book to sell which is why I think he showed a little leg in deciding well, maybe I might want to run for president.

In the end, I don`t think he`s running for president, Glenn. I think he`s trying to get on Hillary Clinton`s short list for vice president.

BECK: Oh, wow. So to understand who he is, is he Jack Kennedy, or is he Ted Kennedy? Politically speaking.

FUND: He is basically to the left of Jesse Jackson on a lot of issues.

BECK: Oh, my God. Oh, boy.

FUND: And he`s tried to moderate his positions in the Senate, so I think you`ll see him fuzzying things up a little bit. But if you look at his record in the state senate, which was before he had his eyes on the White House, I think you`ll see an extremely liberal politician.

BECK: OK. Give me -- give me some examples of where he`s just like nose bleed liberal.

FUND: He never met a spending program he didn`t want to support. He has never met a government regulation that he didn`t like. He was absolutely positively against the war in Iraq and that was before any troubles over there.

BECK: Really? So where -- where`s he coming out -- if he would run in 2008 -- because Hillary has not been against the war. She still won`t come out. How -- how is he positioning himself right now?

FUND: Accepting the accolades of everyone in the media and accepting as little as possible.

BECK: He is -- he is a bright guy, isn`t he? My theory on him is that we -- he`s kind of like a vessel for our hopes. We`re looking for -- he`s the unnamed Democrat. You know how they always said, "If you could vote for George Bush or another Democrat, which would you vote for?" The unnamed Democrat always wins, because you kind of put what you hope would be in a candidate.

FUND: Look, before Iraq really got us into trouble, I think a lot of people were doing the same thing with Condoleezza Rice. Remember all the articles about her fashion sense and her accomplishments at the piano. And not a whole lot, because she hadn`t done a whole lot yet on diplomacy. But a lot of the gushing praise that we see from Barack Obama was being lavished on her. Now her star is tarnished.

I think that Barack Obama realizes the moment he steps into the presidential ring he`s going to start getting the scrutiny and the questions. That`s why he`s getting all of the adulation, and I don`t think he ultimately is going to make the run.

BECK: Yes, because it really -- especially running against Hillary Clinton, which I have to tell you, I really believe -- I don`t know about Barack Obama, because I`m -- I don`t know who the guy is. I think that he could win if he had some street cred. He could win against Hillary Clinton, because there is a desire for people to, you know, throw the old bums out and get some new fresh faces in there.

FUND: Sure. Absolutely. But remember, Hillary Clinton is a tough customer. Anyone who runs against her is going to have their political kneecaps taken out.

BECK: Right. And so she is -- there`s really no upside for him to run against her.

FUND: He`s in his 40s. He can afford to wait. If he becomes Hillary Clinton`s vice president, she candidates and wins he`s obviously the heir apparent to be president in eight years. If she loses, he could get the nomination in four years. He`s got all the time in the world. Why go through grief now when you can bask in the glory and sell books?

BECK: So John Fund, your parents, do they have a sense of humor?

FUND: You`d have to talk to them. They had me.

BECK: I wanted to know if your middle name was either Hedge...

FUND: Mutual.

BECK: Or Mutual, yes. OK.

FUND: My father briefly did sell mutual funds. He did have a sense of humor. Of course, there`s me, and I`m my own joke.

BECK: You got it. Thanks a lot, John.

Back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. We`re in Denver with our affiliate, KHOT here, doing our Christmas comedy tour. We`re on the road for a couple of weeks.

Now, we want to talk a little bit about video games. When you think of video games, you think gore, violence, baby blubber named Luigi. Things you generally don`t think of, religion or morals. But there is a new wave of religious video games hitting the shelves this season, and they may change your expectations.

Jeff Frichner, he is the president of Left Behind Games.

Jeff, the books, the series, right?

JEFF FRICHNER, PRESIDENT, LEFT BEHIND GAMES: Yes, 65 million books sold.

BECK: I`m a big fan of the books. Really enjoyed the books. The video game, what is the -- I mean, what -- how does this work?

FRICHNER: Well, it`s -- it`s phenomenal. It takes place in the end of the word, so it`s fictional, just like the book series. And it`s a positive and moral message.

And for years, Glenn, people have been telling me where are these kind of games? Parents like myself -- I`ve got four kids.

BECK: Yes.

FRICHNER: And they are there are no games on the shelves with biblical or positive and moral messages.

BECK: Yes, now I -- you know, like I said, I`m a big fan of the books. However, you know, they released the children`s series. And I think I read -- my kids were teenagers at the time. And I think I read one of them. It spooked the living daylights out of them. How spooky is -- what age is appropriate for?

FRICHNER: Well, it`s a "T for teen" game. It`s appropriate for ages 13 and above. And it`s rated by the ESRB.

BECK: OK. So what is the -- what is the point? What is the objective of the game?

FRICHNER: Well, the objective is really so different than any other game out there. Most of the games have gratuitous violence, just nothing that parents would want their kids to play.

But this game on the other hand, teaches them moral value lessons. For example, to win the game, you have to fight in spiritual way, with spiritual warfare. There`s even a pray button in the game, Glenn.

BECK: A pray button? What is...

FRICHNER: That`s right.

BECK: What is a pray button? I`ve got to tell you, Jeff, I mean, I`m hitting the pray button. What -- what happens when you hit the pray button?

FRICHNER: Well, it increases your spirit points and it enables you to survive. This is not the typical game where you command and conquer troops. So your objective is to take out the enemy. In this game, you can actually win the game by not firing a shot.

Plus, it`s got biblical messages embedded in the game.

BECK: Wait a minute. That sounds like -- is that French version or is that the American version?

FRICHNER: No. It`s the American version.

BECK: You know, I tell you. Is this kind of the same -- I mean, have you noticed, Jeff, that there is, for instance, Jericho, tonight the big episode of "Heroes." I think it`s the last one before the Christmas break.

FRICHNER: Yes.

BECK: And it`s all about, you know, nuking New York or the world of great change coming with, you know, Armageddon or whatever. Are you sensing -- is this a general -- I don`t know collective conscience that is saying something big is around the corner?

FRICHNER: Well, I think that it is. Because frankly, my life changed greatly when I became a person of faith. And I think people are looking for moral truth in their lives.

Our world is a mess. People want that moral compass. And especially at this time, Christmas time. What`s the reason for Christmas?

BECK: Right.

FRICHNER: Jesus Christ.

BECK: You`re right. Right. Redemption.

Thank you very much. And Jeff, we`ll be looking for your game available everywhere for the holidays. Thanks.

FRICHNER: Thank you, Glenn.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: From Denver, as we continue our Christmas comedy tour, tickets are still available. Check my Web site, Glennbeck.com, for more details.

Now, "The Real Story." Last week, I showed you a clip from a brutal video of an interview with Islamic Sharia law executioner. And afterwards, we did a segment called "Sharia Law 101" with an expert to learn more about it. Turns out things like public stonings, beheadings, amputations, along with an extreme lack of women`s rights, are regular parts of the law in places like Saudi Arabia, our good friends.

I tell you all of this because of my fear that some people want this type of law brought here to the United States. Now, don`t think that is so far-fetched. Just two weeks ago on my radio show, I interviewed a Muslim representing a group based right in New York City that wants that very thing to happen.

Then, just last week, I told you about a new report saying that some communities in Britain have even developed their own alternative legal system run according to Sharia law. To me, that`s an absolute insult to everything our country stands for. But in the age of this political correctness nonsense that we`re dealing with, who has the guts to stand up and publicly declare that Islamic law does not belong and will not be tolerated?

Well, tonight I`m happy to say that the real story is we`ve found one country that did just that. Congratulations. The winner is Australia. Yes, Australians actually have a spine.

Australia is home to a large Muslim population. And just after the London train bombings, there was a debate that started there about how best to handle the extreme elements in their population. It was during that debate that Australia`s leaders spoke out. Now, what a surprise, with our media, we never heard of any of this, until a recent letter came in from a viewer that sent us a bunch of quotes, asking me, "Glenn, are any of these real?" Thankfully, yes, they are.

From Australia`s treasurer, "If you want a country that has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia not for you."

From the education minister, "People who don`t want to be Australians, to live by Australian values, well, then they can basically clear off."

And from the prime minister, when asked if the governor was prepared to get inside mosques and Islamic school, quote, "Yes, we have a right to know whether there is within any section of the Islamic community a preaching of virtues of terrorism, whether there`s any comfort or harbor given to the terrorists within that community," end quote.

These leaders have finally said what I feared was unspeakable to any politician. I can only hope that other countries, including our own, are listening.

Next, by now you probably know the story of that Russian spy who has recently poisoned to death in England. I`ve been wanting to tell you about this story for a while, but I kept holding off because to me it just didn`t feel like the story was complete, and I couldn`t see the complete picture. Everybody keeps saying that the Russian government -- quite possibly all the way up to Putin -- played a role in the poisoning. OK, great.

But what`s the missing piece here? Why? Well, this weekend, I spoke to a college professor friend, and he seemed clear on the answer on this. I want to share it with you, the real story.

The real story is that Russia is slowly but surely retreating away from democracy. Not a real surprise. Events over the last few years that seemed like isolated incidents at the time are now kind of lining up like runway lights pointing directly to that conclusion.

First, in late 2003, richest man in Russia at the time was arrested by agents from the FSB. That`s the KGB successor spy agency, and they`re always a lot of fun. But what`s most interesting is the timing of that arrest. It came right on the heels of this guy acquiring a prominent Russian newspaper and hiring an investigative journalist critical of President Putin. This guy is now in prison serving a nine-year sentence. And the stories about Putin, yes, not going to run.

Then, year later, Putin decided that the whole system of people freely electing Russia`s governors seemed a little too -- I don`t know -- fair, perhaps. So he decided to end it. Take a wild guess who now gets to appoint the governors. Yes, yes, Putin. Colin Powell said at the time that Putin was pulling back on democratic reforms and added that, quote, "Political power is not yet fully tethered to the law," end quote.

But it wasn`t until a couple of months ago that we all saw just how lawless that political power really is. October 6th, Russian journalist was assassinated while waiting in an elevator in her apartment building. She happened to be an outspoken critic of the Putin administration who, within days, was about to publish a major story about human rights violations by the Putin administration. Just another isolated incident? Yes, sure, it is.

All of this brings us back to the former KGB spy. You`ll never guess what he was doing at the time of his poisoning. Yes, investigating the assassination of that Russian journalist waiting for the elevator. In fact, this guy`s poisoning came after meeting with a source who had supposedly had inside knowledge about that killing. Starting to line up for you just a little bit?

This killing, like the arrests of the wealthy administration critic, the death of the outspoken journalist, are sending a very clear message to others in Russia: Criticizing Russia will have swift and severe consequences.

That is not how a democracy operates, but maybe that`s because President Putin really doesn`t have any interest in running a real democracy in the first place. After all, isn`t it much easier to rule through centralized power, fear, and intimidation? It`s much easier to rule as a, let`s say, czar or a dictator.

Oleg Kalugin, he is a retired major general in the Soviet KGB, a former member of the Soviet parliament. So you`re like a bad guy gone good, is that right, Oleg?

OLEG KALUGIN, FORMER KGB GENERAL: That`s correct.

BECK: Yes. And Putin, would you say, is he a bad guy that stayed bad?

KALUGIN: Well, he`s a guy who runs the country. He`s a guy whose past belongs to the old Soviet-style KGB. He`s nostalgic about the Soviet days. He has tried to reverse the process of reforms in Russia.

And now those who speak out or try to be honest about what`s happening in Russia, they are removed. And Litvinenko`s case, the murder in London, and the previous one of a Russian courageous investigation journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, this is just recently examples of other crimes committed since Putin took over as chief of the Russian security services and, finally, as president of Russia.

BECK: OK, so Putin is a communist but he`s like a capitalist communist? I mean, it`s almost like the mob system over there now, isn`t it?

KALUGIN: Absolutely. Well, his heart belongs to the past, but he operates with understanding that this world is -- well, it`s different. And he tries to capitalize on free enterprise system. He is not a poor man, but his heart belongs to the Soviet past.

BECK: All right, so, Oleg, the people that have been killed, these are reformers. And are they not only trying to warn the people in the former Soviet Union what`s going on, but are they also trying to ring the warning bell to America that Russia is on Evil Street again?

KALUGIN: Absolutely. I believe the recent murders will remind the Western nations, Western democracies, that we are dealing with a leadership in Russia which is unpredictable. Yes, they claim they belong to the world of the free nations, but they act as hoodlums, as thugs. Their old past shows, and we have to take care of that.

BECK: OK. So, Oleg, I`m going to go way out on a limb here. I`m somebody that believes our enemies, our religious enemies in the Middle East believe in the doomsday scenario. And there is this story in scriptures about Gog and Magog. That`s Persia, i.e. Iran. And the other is the Soviet Union, the former Soviet Union is Russia. And in this story, that these two unite and, you know, pretty much bring on Armageddon.

I see the way Putin is cozying up to Iran, and the hair stands up on the back of my neck. This guy is not an ideologue when it comes to aligning with the Middle East. He`s just a guy who maybe is seeing, "Well, I`m going to put my money over on the Middle East." Is that true or not?

KALUGIN: Well, Russia`s neighbors in the south -- and Iran is one of the richer nations. Russia has strategic interests. It has economic interests.

BECK: Yes, but they also are -- they`re also dealing with the same kind of nut jobs that we are. I mean, we`ve seen terror in the Soviet Union much worse, really, than what we`ve had here in the United States. How come they`re cozying up with these religious extremists?

KALUGIN: Well, Putin`s character is duplicity. He`ll cozy up anyone who is willing to -- well, keep quiet and cooperate. If he does not, he`s in trouble.

BECK: Oleg, quickly, because we`ve only got a couple of seconds. What is the next sign? What`s a bad sign that you say, "Watch for this; this will be bad if it happens"?

KALUGIN: Well, the forthcoming Russia elections may bring about more tensions in the country. Well, actually, the liberal media have been gagged. There are very few public figures who may pose threat to Putin, and yet he will not stand up to remove anyone who challenges his power.

BECK: OK. Oleg, thank you very much.

That is the "Real Story" tonight. Now, if you`d like to read more about this or if you`ve found a real story on your own, please tell us about it. Visit Glennbeck.com and click on the "Real Story" button.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: From Denver, as we continue our Christmas comedy tour, tickets are still available. Check my Web site, Glennbeck.com, for more details.

Now, "The Real Story." Last week, I showed you a clip from a brutal video of an interview with Islamic Sharia law executioner. And afterwards, we did a segment called "Sharia Law 101" with an expert to learn more about it. Turns out things like public stonings, beheadings, amputations, along with an extreme lack of women`s rights, are regular parts of the law in places like Saudi Arabia, our good friends.

I tell you all of this because of my fear that some people want this type of law brought here to the United States. Now, don`t think that is so far-fetched. Just two weeks ago on my radio show, I interviewed a Muslim representing a group based right in New York City that wants that very thing to happen.

Then, just last week, I told you about a new report saying that some communities in Britain have even developed their own alternative legal system run according to Sharia law. To me, that`s an absolute insult to everything our country stands for. But in the age of this political correctness nonsense that we`re dealing with, who has the guts to stand up and publicly declare that Islamic law does not belong and will not be tolerated?

Well, tonight I`m happy to say that the real story is we`ve found one country that did just that. Congratulations. The winner is Australia. Yes, Australians actually have a spine.

Australia is home to a large Muslim population. And just after the London train bombings, there was a debate that started there about how best to handle the extreme elements in their population. It was during that debate that Australia`s leaders spoke out. Now, what a surprise, with our media, we never heard of any of this, until a recent letter came in from a viewer that sent us a bunch of quotes, asking me, "Glenn, are any of these real?" Thankfully, yes, they are.

From Australia`s treasurer, "If you want a country that has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia not for you."

From the education minister, "People who don`t want to be Australians, to live by Australian values, well, then they can basically clear off."

And from the prime minister, when asked if the governor was prepared to get inside mosques and Islamic school, quote, "Yes, we have a right to know whether there is within any section of the Islamic community a preaching of virtues of terrorism, whether there`s any comfort or harbor given to the terrorists within that community," end quote.

These leaders have finally said what I feared was unspeakable to any politician. I can only hope that other countries, including our own, are listening.

Next, by now you probably know the story of that Russian spy who has recently poisoned to death in England. I`ve been wanting to tell you about this story for a while, but I kept holding off because to me it just didn`t feel like the story was complete, and I couldn`t see the complete picture. Everybody keeps saying that the Russian government -- quite possibly all the way up to Putin -- played a role in the poisoning. OK, great.

But what`s the missing piece here? Why? Well, this weekend, I spoke to a college professor friend, and he seemed clear on the answer on this. I want to share it with you, the real story.

The real story is that Russia is slowly but surely retreating away from democracy. Not a real surprise. Events over the last few years that seemed like isolated incidents at the time are now kind of lining up like runway lights pointing directly to that conclusion.

First, in late 2003, richest man in Russia at the time was arrested by agents from the FSB. That`s the KGB successor spy agency, and they`re always a lot of fun. But what`s most interesting is the timing of that arrest. It came right on the heels of this guy acquiring a prominent Russian newspaper and hiring an investigative journalist critical of President Putin. This guy is now in prison serving a nine-year sentence. And the stories about Putin, yes, not going to run.

Then, year later, Putin decided that the whole system of people freely electing Russia`s governors seemed a little too -- I don`t know -- fair, perhaps. So he decided to end it. Take a wild guess who now gets to appoint the governors. Yes, yes, Putin. Colin Powell said at the time that Putin was pulling back on democratic reforms and added that, quote, "Political power is not yet fully tethered to the law," end quote.

But it wasn`t until a couple of months ago that we all saw just how lawless that political power really is. October 6th, Russian journalist was assassinated while waiting in an elevator in her apartment building. She happened to be an outspoken critic of the Putin administration who, within days, was about to publish a major story about human rights violations by the Putin administration. Just another isolated incident? Yes, sure, it is.

All of this brings us back to the former KGB spy. You`ll never guess what he was doing at the time of his poisoning. Yes, investigating the assassination of that Russian journalist waiting for the elevator. In fact, this guy`s poisoning came after meeting with a source who had supposedly had inside knowledge about that killing. Starting to line up for you just a little bit?

This killing, like the arrests of the wealthy administration critic, the death of the outspoken journalist, are sending a very clear message to others in Russia: Criticizing Russia will have swift and severe consequences.

That is not how a democracy operates, but maybe that`s because President Putin really doesn`t have any interest in running a real democracy in the first place. After all, isn`t it much easier to rule through centralized power, fear, and intimidation? It`s much easier to rule as a, let`s say, czar or a dictator.

Oleg Kalugin, he is a retired major general in the Soviet KGB, a former member of the Soviet parliament. So you`re like a bad guy gone good, is that right, Oleg?

KALUGIN: That`s correct.

BECK: Yes. And Putin, would you say, is he a bad guy that stayed bad?

KALUGIN: Well, he`s a guy who runs the country. He`s a guy whose past belongs to the old Soviet-style KGB. He`s nostalgic about the Soviet days. He has tried to reverse the process of reforms in Russia.

And now those who speak out or try to be honest about what`s happening in Russia, they are removed. And Litvinenko`s case, the murder in London, and the previous one of a Russian courageous investigation journalist, Anna Politkovskaya, this is just recently examples of other crimes committed since Putin took over as chief of the Russian security services and, finally, as president of Russia.

BECK: OK, so Putin is a communist but he`s like a capitalist communist? I mean, it`s almost like the mob system over there now, isn`t it?

KALUGIN: Absolutely. Well, his heart belongs to the past, but he operates with understanding that this world is -- well, it`s different. And he tries to capitalize on free enterprise system. He is not a poor man, but his...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right, "The New York Times" did a story on little old me today. They correctly claimed that our ratings are way up, but they incorrectly implied that I have launched a war on the movie "Happy Feet." I think I did one segment on one day about one observation that I had which, by the way, was backed up by the director and the environmental groups.

The director, George Miller, openly admits he reworked the script for "Happy Feet" because he felt compelled to add environmental themes. And the Sierra Club has praised this tactic -- listen to this -- saying, quote, "Filmmakers have an incredible power to shape our kids," end quote.

You know what? I just like to be the one holding that power as a parent instead of you people in Hollywood. That`s my only point.

But a few of you disagreed. Dave in Illinois says, "Glenn Beck complains about the movie `Happy Feet` being propaganda. Well, his entire show is propaganda for Republicans. To be fair, why don`t you permanently put the words `commentary, not news,` at the bottom of the screen when Glenn Beck is on TV?"

First of all, Dave, sure, I always say this is opinion! This is an opinion! Dave, listen up: Me, not a journalist. You, a viewer. I say it all the time, I hate to break it to you.

The people giving you the news on television, they`re human beings. They`re not computers. And every human being has an opinion. It`s a constant struggle of journalism to remain objective, and only true professionals can pull it off. Me, not so much; I`m not a journalist.

I`d just rather know where everybody is coming from and then decide for myself. That`s why I tell you almost every night I`m a conservative and not a journalist. But that`s just my opinion.

Anthony writes in, "You`re a moron. That`s what I have to say after hearing about you and other conservatives ranting about `Happy Feet.` If you don`t like the context or subtle message in a movie, don`t watch it. I can`t go a day without hearing right-wing morons such as you flapping their lips all over the media, but I don`t think you should be censored, nor should a movie."

I don`t think it should be censored, either, Anthony. They can make any crappy movie they want. I just want to know what messages my kids are getting in advance. That message may even be right. I just don`t want a Hollywood director or a cute, crying penguin to give that message to my kids. Is that so much to ask?

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