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Glenn Beck

Tony Snow Explains Bush Strategy in Iraq; Bilingualism Versus Assimilation; Dems Halt Clock on 100 Hours

Aired January 11, 2007 - 19:00   ET

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

GLENN BECK, HOST: Well, here`s what we are dealing with: the president and what he should have said last night in his speech. White House press secretary, Tony Snow, will stop by to discuss that. And Nancy Grace is going to be here to tell the story of a chilling abduction.
That and more, next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight`s episode is brought to you by Bullcrapios, the official cereal of Washington, D.C. Start your mornings the right way with a big bowl of Bullcrapios.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: All right, if you couldn`t stay awake for the president`s speech, last night about Iraq, you`re not alone. Here is what you missed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: So America will change our strategy to help the Iraqis carry out their campaign to put down sectarian violence and bring security to the people of Baghdad. This will require increasing American force levels, so I`ve committed more than 20,000 additional American troops to Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: They preempted "According to Jim" for that? Really?

Here`s the point tonight. It is too late for speeches, because let`s be honest with each other. Most people of this country no longer listening to anything anyone`s saying about Iraq. They`ve made up their minds, and everybody thinks they know what Iraq is all about, and people are just tuning out.

Unfortunately, those people are wrong. The whole story of Iraq, why we`re even there, has been so poorly explained from the beginning most people just don`t get it.

Here`s how I got there. So the president said last night he`s going to send an additional 20,000 troops. That`s great. He also apologized, saying that any mistakes in Iraq were his responsibility. Good for you, President Bush.

But let me translate bull crap to English. All right? Let me tell you exactly what the president should have said and how he should have said it.

He should have said, "You know what, guys? Wow, did I screw some things up. OK, about the troops levels and stuff? Woo, my bad. And I also tied the hands of our troops.

"Now I did it because I`ve been trying to tell the rest of the world that this isn`t a world against Islam, but that ain`t working. I`m trying to make peace. Well, you know what? I was wrong.

"Al Sadr -- Al Sadr is a mad man. I refused to kill him while he sought refuge in a mosque. That was another mistake. But now the gloves are off. There is a warrant out for this guy, and has been for a long time, for murder. And we`re either going to arrest him or, al-Sadr, we`re going to kill you. If any of your supporters have a problem with that, well, we`ll arrest them or we`ll kill them, too, even if they`re hiding in a mosque."

The president also said last night that we`re sending an additional carrier out to the Gulf. What the hell does that mean to the average American? Squat.

The president should have said this: "Oh, by the way, we`re also sending another carrier out because we want to send a very clear message to Iran, and I need the American people to understand this. In the last three weeks, we`ve rounded up ten Iranian agents who have been plotting against our troops."

Now, in the real world, my president would say, "That`s an act of war."

But because we`re still pussyfooting around, he just said, "We`re just sending another carrier out there to the Gulf, and that hurts us."

This is exactly why nobody is listening to this guy in the first place. The president isn`t explaining what we`re really doing over there. All of our problems in the Middle East are caused by Iran, and they have been since 1979. Hello. It`s time to call a spade a spade and take the gloves off.

Now, Ted Kennedy, on the other hand, he has a different strategy for Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: An escalation, whether it is called a surge or any other name, is still an escalation. And I believe it would be an immense new mistake. We cannot simply speak out against an escalation of troops in Iraq. We must act to prevent it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Oh, that guy drives me out of my mind. Oh, I`m sorry. Is my mic on?

Listen, Ted is lying to you. All right? He doesn`t want his strategy implemented. And you know why? Because then he and the Democrats would own the disaster in Iraq, not just President Bush.

It would be the Democrats who would be on the hook in 2008, if and when things didn`t go well. The reason I believe the Democrats want absolutely nothing to do with this is check out what the smart one in the Democratic Party has said.

What has Hillary Clinton had to say about the president`s speech last night? Watch.

Oh, I`m sorry; I forgot. She didn`t say anything about it. You can`t get this woman on camera talking about the president`s speech or any of this stuff. Why? She doesn`t want to be the one leading the charge on this. Why? Because sending more troops is the right thing to do. If we don`t, it will lead to much more bloodshed in Iran -- in Iraq, and Iraq will become Darfur.

So here`s what I know tonight. I know we cannot retreat in Iraq. It will be an unmitigated disaster if we don`t send more troops in and -- this is the key -- we don`t fight to win. America must dig in and dedicate itself to a victory.

I also know our enemy smells our blood. Our enemies know that if they keep filling our TV screens with violence, death and chaos, we`re going to lose our nerve. Because let`s play all our cards face up.

America, we`ve become a paper tiger. Brace yourself. Our enemy understands our weakness better than we do. And things are going to get much, much bloodier, more troops or no more troops.

Here`s what I don`t know. Will we ever wake up to what the real story is here? Plus, will our leaders ever find a way to explain what`s really going on to the American people so we can fully grasp the real threat in the Middle East, and that is Iran.

White House press secretary Tony Snow joins us now -- Tony.

Big changes last night. But is anybody really even listening anymore at this point.

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Actually, I think it`s been pretty interesting. I`ve been doing a lot of media, a lot of talk radio and a lot of other stuff. And I think around the country people wanted a couple of questions answered.

No. 1, what does the president have in mind for winning in Iraq and how does he define it? And No. 2, what are you going to do about the Iraqis? When are they going to step up?

Americans heard last night full military control of all 18 provinces by November. They heard Iraqis in much greater numbers doing security in Baghdad. The 1st Brigade is supposed to go in -- that is Iraqi army -- on the first of February.

They heard that the Iraqis are taking $10 billion. They only have an $11 billion surplus. That is the portion they can spend. They`re committing that to development. They heard the Iraqis are working on something called the Iraq compact.

It`s going to bring billions more in developmental aid. In other words, the United States isn`t going it alone. The United States is going in smart. And what we`re doing is we`re working with Iraqis and with neighbors to try to isolate the bad guys and try to create some peace in Iraq.

BECK: Look, Tony, you know that I`ve been a supporter of this war. I believe in the president`s vision of changing the face of the Middle East.

But I`ve got to tell you, I mean, he had a lot of the elements in there, but he`s still not coming clean with the American people -- I shouldn`t say coming clean. He`s not explaining what the real problem is over there, and that is Iran.

He talked about the carrier. He also talked about, well, we`ve caught some people, you know, from Iran involved against coalition forces. Why isn`t that an act of war what they`re doing? With Iran sending forces over, fighting against us?

SNOW: This administration has been pretty tough on Iran. We`ve been working through the United Nations on Iran`s nuke program. The Iranians know we`re serious. They`ve got to stop being provocateurs within the region.

What the president was talking about last night is Iran`s role specifically in Iraq. And what did he say? He said we`re going to go after supply lines. We`re going to go after finances. We`re going to go after people. We`re going to go after weapons that are making their way from Iran into Iraq to kill Americans, to kill Iraqis and to support those that want to bring the government down.

You know, the fact is, in a speech 20 minutes, you don`t have a lot of opportunities to go into full detail. But I guarantee you, we know, as you know, that Iran remains the most serious, long-term threat. It`s the No. 1 global financier of terror. And they have been provocative. And they are trying to take actions. We are actually taking a more active role in confronting the Iranians, and the president was signaling that last night.

BECK: Al-Sadr, I think this is what the president said. But it was honestly -- I felt, for the average American, I felt like the whole speech was in code when he said there`s -- you know, the gloves are coming off, so to speak. Was he talking about al Sadr?

Here`s a guy who has an arrest warrant out for murder. We didn`t go after him in the first place, because he was hiding out in mosques. We were afraid of creating a martyr. Are we going to at least arrest this guy or kill this guy?

When the president said we handcuffed our people, does that mean we can kill people in mosques if we have to?

SNOW: What he`s saying is that you can`t have somebody pick up -- a politician pick up a cell phone and stay stop that military operation. Stop that operation.

But there`s an important thing here tonight. What you`re saying is when are the Americans going to do this? Wrong question. When are the Iraqis going to do it? That`s the most important thing.

BECK: You know what, Tony...

SNOW: No, let me finish here, because there are a couple of little developments that I think you need to know about...

BECK: OK.

SNOW: ... that may give you a little more comfort. We talked about the Iraqis getting on the brigades. The new rules of engagement are you find a bad guy, whether they`re Shia, Sunni or otherwise. You go after them.

Now, Prime Minister Maliki, he has gone public with that in the last couple of days. Yesterday, he called out the Sadrists, especially. He said you can`t operate outside the law. That includes the Sadrists.

Today, he talked about Muqtada al-Sadr. He said I expect you to be part of the solution. The fact is that he`s sending pretty clear signals. Muqtada al-Sadr has got to make some decisions.

This is going to be part of the political process, because he`s had people in the parliament. Or is he going to be part of the opposition that`s trying to create acts of violence?

Those are choices people in Baghdad and elsewhere are going to have to make. And a lot of Iraqis are going to have to make those choices.

BECK: Right.

SNOW: The government is on record as saying they`re going after him.

BECK: I will tell you that I agree with you when it comes to the government of Iraq: they need to step up to the plate. And I think they`ve done a poor job on that.

However, the average citizen of Iraq, I feel horrible for these guys. They`ve seen us, the way we said to the Kurds last time around, "Hey, we`ll protect you," and then never did.

I believe that a lot of the people in the region think that we`re going soft. They say what`s happening in Washington, and they wonder, OK, wait a minute. Bush is going to be leaving soon. What is that going to mean?

They have to make a choice. Do I stand up and make a stand now or do I, you know, lay back and take my chances and try to just live within a corrupt regime like I have for 30 years before?

You know, I feel bad for them, Tony.

SNOW: You have done a beautiful job of explaining some of the dangers of leaving Iraq without wondering whether you finished the job.

BECK: Exactly right.

SNOW: See, what happens is, if the job is not finished, if the Americans pull out regardless of consequence -- and that`s not going to happen. But let`s just play the hypothetical game.

Put yourself in the position of an Iraqi. What are you going to do? Well, you`re going to have to figure out where you`re going to place your bets. And chances are, you might go with a violent militia or a Saddamist rejectionist group.

What about other people in the region? If you`re a Saudi and you say to yourself, "Where do I look for security now? Do I rely on the Americans?"

It creates doubts in a lot of people`s minds thinking out far-reaching ramifications, and that`s why the United States remains engaged, remains in a leadership position, is talking about Iran and Syria. And everybody in the region knows about it, is engaged in military efforts that involve the Saudi Arabians, the Jordanians, the Egyptians and others. You know the dangers.

BECK: Tony, tell the president to stay firm on this. Nothing but victory. Back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. When our parents and our grandparents came to this country, they couldn`t wait to become Americans. The United States was this great melting pot. Do you remember that phrase when you were a kid, being told by your parents?

People were eager to blend in, not in exchange for the traditions and culture of their homeland, but in addition to them. They wanted to learn the language, the customs of their adopted home. After all, I mean, isn`t that why our parents and grandparents and great parents came here: to better their lives and enjoy a greater opportunity? You can`t do that if you can`t speak the language.

Assimilating into America, the desire to learn and speak English, seems to be lost on too many new immigrants. As a result, America is not the land of the free. It is becoming the land of us and them.

If -- let`s say you came to this country legally, and you really want to be here, and you want to learn the language. I want you here. It`s that brand of initiative that made this country great. But new Americans must assimilate.

Remember, to call yourself an American is not a right. It`s a privilege.

Joining me now with his insights into this problem is Herman Badillo. He is a former U.S. congressman, author of the new book, "One Nation, One Standard". And he`s honestly a man who has been called a racist lately. Herman, I mean, the name-calling. Que pasa, baby?

HERMAN BADILLO, AUTHOR, "ONE NATION, ONE STANDARD": Well, I don`t know. What happens is I`ve even been called blanquito, which means acting white, because I believe that the parents should pay more attention to the education of their children, make sure they learn English and they stay in school. And I think it`s stupid to say that that`s acting white. That`s what everybody should be doing.

BECK: Yes, you know, it`s amazing how education in some communities is being -- is being downplayed or even denigrated. That is the key to the American dream, to better yourself. It`s got to come through education.

BADILLO: Well, education is the answer to poverty. Many people expect government to provide jobs, to provide housing, to provide health care. But if you get a good education, you can get your own job, provide for your own housing, and your own health care. So that is the answer to solving the problem.

BECK: You are an immigrant from Puerto Rico.

BADILLO: Puerto Rico.

BECK: What is the difference? Why are Hispanics not making it, where Asians come in and knock it out of the park?

BADILLO: Well, one of the problems Hispanics have is the problem of immigration. Many of them get here illegally, see, and they don`t really have to make that commitment that people did when they came to Ellis Island.

And now we have 12 and maybe more millions of illegal immigrants. But the fact remains that, however you get here, you cannot make any progress unless you learn to speak the language first.

And also today, you see, you need to have a good education. Because when other immigrants came, nobody else graduated from high school. Today a high school diploma is a minimal value. You need to not only have a high school diploma but to go on to college and beyond. And the tragedy is that we have an incredibly high dropout rate from high school in the Hispanic community throughout the country.

BECK: I have to tell you, one of the most amazing things about you is you`re one of the guys who drafted the bilingual legislation in Congress. Now you say "not so much."

BADILLO: No, no. Because when I drafted it and it passed Congress in 1974, the idea was to teach the kids to speak English and to get some course content in Spanish, but it was only supposed to be for a limited period of time.

The way the educational system has implemented that, they are continuing bilingual education for four years, six years, eight years, and nobody learns.

BECK: Don`t condone it. I`ve since it with McDonald`s. I was just out in California yesterday. And you know, you see this -- you see advertisements in Spanish everywhere.

Does that help or hurt immigrants?

BADILLO: It helps Dunkin Donuts, because they buy the product, but it doesn`t help the immigrants, because they`re not learning to speak English.

BECK: Right. You know, it`s amazing. I was driving down the highway, and I saw all of these signs everywhere. And I thought, how do you make it? If you need Dunkin Donuts to tell, you know, this is where you buy hot donuts, to be in a different language, how do you ever drive down the street and know where you`re going in this country?

BADILLO: Well, you can`t. I mean, you can`t participate unless you speak the language. But again, more than speaking the language, at least make sure that the kids get a good education.

You mentioned the Asians. The Asians do that. The Asian community, which only makes up 4 percent of the population, it makes up 20 percent of the students in the Ivy League colleges like Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Stanford. Because the Asian community places a much higher value, a priority on the issue of education, which we don`t in the Hispanic community. And that`s why I wrote the book.

BECK: Herman, I have to tell you that I have friends who are Korea, South Korean, and they refuse to let their children speak anything but English at home.

BADILLO: Exactly.

BECK: And it makes all the difference in the world.

Herman, thanks a lot.

Coming up, more on the president`s speech, specifically that mention of Iran. We`ll get "The Real Story" behind it. Don`t miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. Imagine if your boss stopped the clock on your eight-hour workday every time you answered your phone, checked your e-mail, went to the bathroom. How long would your day last? About a week? Week and a half for me, maybe. Of course, completely idiotic, unless you`re in Congress.

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has stopped the clock on her first 100 hours of Congress so many times at this rate I don`t think that 100 hours is going to tick away until she`s wearing her summer pants suits.

To help me make sense of all of this with you is Jonathan Allen. He`s a reporter for the "Congressional Quarterly".

Jon, I just figured this out, how I`ve been scammed about three days ago. Isn`t this 100 hours over? See, I mean, this is the biggest scam I`ve ever heard.

JONATHAN ALLEN, "CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY": Well, you know, they came out originally and said they were going to do all these things in the first 100 hours, and then quickly amended it and said the first 100 legislative hours, you know, while the Congress is open, while they`re in session...

BECK: This is like...

ALLEN: ... while the Ohio state/Florida game is not going on.

BECK: Right. This is really like saying, Denny`s open 24 hours a day, not in a row, but they`re open 24 hours. I mean, come on.

ALLEN: You know, it depends on how long your day is, I guess.

BECK: Yes. So how long is it before the rest of America figures it out and say, "Wait a minute, you scammed me"?

ALLEN: I don`t know that there`s a scam for the rest of America in that, you know -- I don`t think -- maybe I`m wrong. I don`t know that everybody is paying that much attention to the -- to the clock...

BECK: Right.

ALLEN: ... as some folks are. You know, but I guess the real issue here is what they wanted to do, what the Democrats said they wanted to do, was get out early on their issues that they got elected on and try and get them passed early and say, "This is what we`re doing."

BECK: No. Look at what you`ve just done. You took, like, what, 90 seconds hemming and hawing, trying to find the way to say that, really, you`ve been scammed. We`ve been scammed. They said 100 hours.

You know, when the Republicans came in, they said in the first 100 days. Why would you pick 100 hours and then not actually do it?

ALLEN: Well, that`s a good question, Glenn. I mean, obviously -- obviously, there would be a lot of those hours where nobody would be watching if they did them in a row. A hundred hours, I guess, is about four days straight. And obviously, we`re into the second week of this 100 hours. Really it`s about 18 to 20 hours by their count -- 18 hours to 20 hours so far that`s been used up.

BECK: So how long -- how long is this 100 hours going to last? When do we see the end of this? Do we have a projected day to -- fall?

ALLEN: Glenn, I think it will be interesting to watch to see whether they continue to run the clock on 100 hours after they`ve done their first major legislative initiatives that they`re trying to do, whether they keep paying attention.

I think a lot of the rest of us will pay attention...

BECK: Yes.

ALLEN: ... and try to figure out when the 100 hours actually ends, because at this rate, it would certainly be a couple of months. You mentioned the speaker wearing a pants suit. She`s a little more traditional. She might be wearing a skirt come summer.

BECK: Right. So here`s -- I mean, this is the part that just kills me. This is just like -- it`s like going into, you know -- some places will say, hey, $100 PCs. And you walk in and they`re like, "Oh, no, we only had two of those."

I really feel scammed on this. And then, in the first 100 hours, and this is why I just think it`s bad politics. The first 100 hours they spend some of those 100 hours doing a tribute to Gerald Ford. What was that resolution about? That`s not -- I mean, he`s dead. We get it. He`s in the ground. Let`s move on.

ALLEN: Traditionally speaking, I mean, they`ll usually honor any -- any president who dies. That`s not an unusual thing. Especially President Ford, who was a member of the body for a long time. He was the minority leader, you may recall. So I think they wanted to do that pretty quickly.

But the bottom line here is if you agree with what the Democrats are doing you probably don`t care about the 100 hours.

BECK: Right.

ALLEN: If you disagree with what they`re doing you hate the whole process.

BECK: Nothing has changed in Washington, gang.

Back in a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. Welcome to "The Real Story." This is where we`re going to give you the latest news on Iran here in a second.

But first, let me tell you about a few people who are even more evil, more two-faced than President Tom. The real story tonight is that, while everyone is focused on the war overseas, a blight on the Earth is festering right here at home, and it goes by the names of Rosie O`Donnell, Donald Trump and Barbara Walters.

The three of these guys are embroiled in a highly intellectual argument. In case you have a life and haven`t been paying attention, let me get you caught up quickly here. Rosie has called the Donald a, quote, "snake oil salesman," an "adulterer," a "hot bag of wind with bad hair," and "a comb-over Energizer bunny."

OK. Now, Donald responds and calls Rosie, quote, "out of control," "total disaster," "out of her mind," a "bully," "stupid," a "real loser," like a "little clam," a "horrible human being," a "terrible person," "so disgusting," "not funny," "unattractive," a "slob," "wacko," "degenerate," and a "no life."

Honestly, I believe there are 6-year-olds who`d be embarrassed by all of this. But here`s the thing: These three are the trifecta of slim, each of them worse than the next.

I might agree with half of the names that they`ve called each other, but the real mystery to me is how Barbara Walters has gotten involved in this. I mean, I actually respected her when she used to do those interviews and make celebrities cry. Oh, making Hollywood celebrities cry, that`s something to strive for.

Anyway, now she`s caught up in the middle of this thing and apparently lying to both of them. Maybe she should have taken the advice that she allegedly gave to Donald to not get into the mud with "pigs." What do I know?

The saddest person, I believe, in this whole story, however, is us, the American people. There is absolutely no reason in the world any of us should care about this and the insults being hurled back and forth, you know, between a multimillionaire and a billionaire.

We should be able to see through the charade and realize that both of them are just trying to get ratings for their crappy TV shows. It`s disgusting and, quite frankly, on another note, have you seen Jay Leno lately? I mean, that guy is a freak of nature, isn`t he, with the chin and the oddly grayed hair? He`s not funny; he`s unattractive; he`s a slob, a degenerate; and, really, just a horrible human being.

Jay, you`re turn.

Next, from a frivolous story that everybody is paying attention to, to a serious one that nobody is paying attention to. Well, everybody today is focused on President Bush`s announcement about a troop surge in Iraq. We`re all missing another part of his speech that might be -- no, in fact - - is more important.

Did you hear this part? Quote, "Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. I recently ordered the deployment of an additional carrier strike group to the region. We will also deploy Patriot air defense systems to reassure our friends and allies." Uh, hello? What exactly does that mean?

Well, I`ll tell you. The real story is, if you want to solve Iraq, you first have to solve Iran.

I understand it`s the last thing that you want to hear, but we`ve got to stop kidding ourselves into thinking that any new strategy will actually work if it doesn`t include figuring out how to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons and trying to control the entire Middle East.

Last month, the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is basically made up of six Arab states, they met in Saudi Arabia. They did a lot of yapping about the threats from Iran. According to one of the participants, the leaders have reached the conclusion that Iran has already drawn up plans to take over Iraq once we beat it.

They also determined that Iran is increasingly putting a stranglehold on Lebanon by funding Hezbollah and on Syria, a country that is dependent on the Iranian support.

Now, picture yourself just for a second as a leader in, let`s say, Saudi Arabia. You`re sitting there with your harem and your Rolls-Royce, and you`re watching how Iran is not only actively working to take over these three countries but also starting a nuclear program that nobody is doing anything about.

So you get together with five other countries in the Gulf Council, and you come up with a plan. What`s your plan? Well, you decide that you`re interested in starting a peaceful nuclear program, as well. Sure. You say, quote, "If Iran is going to have the nukes, then so are we."

Well, that is going to create a whole other problem. The Gulf Council is made up of only six countries. So what about the Arab states that aren`t members, like Egypt? Well, they can`t be left out. So their president does exactly what any of us would do in his position. He calls a press conference and says, quote, "We don`t want nuclear arms in the area, but we`re obligated to defend ourselves. It is irrational that we would sit and watch from the sidelines when we might be attacked at any moment," end quote.

Great. Starting to sound a little like a nuclear arms race with nut jobs? Of course it should. That`s exactly what it is. Because that`s what`s happening, and no one wants to admit it. And don`t fool yourself. It is about weapons, not fuel.

These countries, they`re floating on oil. And it`s not like they have to deal with a bunch of California environmentalist whack jobs yelling at them about finding clean fuel. In fact, Iran flat-out has admitted that they might use the technology, "might," for weapons. Nobody is listening to that.

Their chief nuclear envoy just said that they really want to use nuclear technology peacefully, but -- and I quote -- "the situation could change if, you know, our country is threatened." Oh, well, that makes me feel a whole lot better, especially when Iran has already said over and over again that we are threatening them now by our very existence. You remember the whole great Satan thing?

You stop Iran, and you not only stop the nuclear arms race before the entire Middle East is a parking lot made out of glass, but you also do one thing that, you know, everybody seems to care about, and that is win the war in Iraq.

Amir Taheri, he is an author and a scholar of Iranian affairs. Mr. Taheri, I have to tell you, I read your article in the "New York Post." You are one of the few that seem to really, really get it. With this conference that went on, it`s some pretty spooky stuff.

Do the moderate Islamic nations in the region, do they trust us any more? And can we trust them?

AMIR TAHERI, MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: Well, it`s difficult question. But, you know, the moderate countries know that the United States is their friend. The only problem is they think it is a fickle friend and, because of domestic American politics, the U.S. might not be able to exert the kind of power that is necessary to exert in the present confused situation, because the Middle East is in a state of war.

There are two clashing visions, between that of Iran and that of the United States. And the moderate Arabs would like to have American leadership and American support, and sometimes they feel that they don`t get enough of it.

BECK: And Ahmadinejad has convinced the Khamenei regime that we are in strategic retreat, which, you know, looking at us, I think we are, too.

TAHERI: Well, yes, Ahmadinejad thinks the United States is a sunset power, as he calls it, "ofuli" in Persian, whereas the Islamic republic is a sunrise power and that the future belongs to a new Islamic superpower that is going to drive the United States out of the Middle East, control the resource of that region, and take on the infidel.

BECK: Give me the significance. There was a story that I read today about how Khamenei was suspected of being dead for a while because he didn`t show up at a Sunni -- I don`t even know what you would call it, a memorial or a festival.

TAHERI: No, it is the most important festival of Muslims, especially Sunni Muslims, in the year. You know, it`s the most important date on the Muslim character. And the Ayatollah Khamenei, who is the Iran supreme guy, did not show up in that one, just sent a written message. And a few days later, he appeared in a specifically Shiite feast and used that in order to drive a wedge between the Shiites and the Sunnis.

BECK: It was there when he said that the Sunnis are misguided and I believe he also said "deviant." What is the significance of this?

TAHERI: Well, he`s saying that the Sunnis should have followed the choice of the prophet, of his son in law, Ali Talib, 1,400 years ago, something that the Sunnis don`t accept. And he believes that those who do not accept this, they`re not genuine Muslims.

BECK: The GCC and this council that they had or this conference that they had, it strikes me, as they are preparing -- is it possible they`re preparing for war with Iran? They are really preparing. They`re asking us to check their defenses, you know, getting into alliances with NATO, et cetera, et cetera. Are they prepared for war?

TAHERI: Well, they are scared. Everybody is preparing for war. The Middle East is in a state of war. I`m surprised that the Americans don`t realize that. There is war in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, in Iraq, in Saudi Arabia, in, of course, the Palestinian-Israeli area, in Egypt, in Nigeria, all over the place.

You know, there is a clash between two visions, the modern vision and the Islamist jihadist vision. So there is a state of war, and these countries are very worried about it. They are trying to prepare the minimum needed for defending themselves in case they are attacked.

BECK: Great. Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate it. And that is our "Real Story" tonight. If you would like to real more about this or if you found a story on your own, tell us about. Please, visit glennbeck.com and click on the "Real Story" button.

Coming up next, Nancy Grace is here with the latest on that case of that 13-year-old in Missouri that is missing.

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BECK: And I don`t know if it was their strategy, our competence, their incompetence, I don`t know what it was, but the best moves the terrorists ever made was to not attack us against after 9/11. If it`s their strategy, brilliant, because an attack on our soil is the only thing that will make us wake up.

The lack of an attack on our soil makes us fat and lazy. They put themselves on the map with 9/11, and they haven`t hit us again. Now we`ve forgotten, and the only thing that makes us get tough again will be another attack. And you know what? If they`re smart, they`ll avoid another attack on us like the plague.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: All right, this is a disturbing story. Four days ago, Ben Ownby, he`s a skinny 13-year-old Boy Scout from Missouri, he got off the bus, home from school. He was about 500 feet from his front door, vanished. The only lead so far, at least two people have claimed to see a suspicious white pickup truck in the area.

Despite days of searching, FBI has had no major breaks. Nancy Grace, of course, has been following this story closely on her show. She joins me now.

Nancy, anything new in this to report?

NANCY GRACE, CNN HOST: Well, actually, there is something new, Glenn. Thank you for having me on the show.

There was a 16-year-old young man that was on that school bus along with 13-year-old Ben Ownby. He is the one that states he saw the white Nissan truck u-turning and speeding off. He has taken a polygraph and has passed.

And let me stress at no time in my mind was this man a suspect in any way, but he was the last one to see the boy. So, long story short, I think he took it, took the polygraph as a show of cooperation with police in case some people suspected him. But he passed the polygraph, which gives more credibility to the so-called getaway vehicle.

BECK: OK, wait a minute. You were a prosecutor for a long time. Would you have asked this kid to take a polygraph?

GRACE: No.

BECK: I mean, that doesn`t -- does that make even sense to you?

GRACE: Yes, it does. I personally would not have asked him, because his story has checked out in every way. And that includes the fact that he got off the school bus with witnesses. I`m talking about the 16-year-old witness who`s on our show tonight, by the way.

He got off the school bus with witnesses. And within 15, 20 minutes, he was on the phone with the boy`s dad. He is the one that really made the first outcry, so I don`t hold him in any suspicion at all. However, I think it`s helpful to establish and buttress that sighting of a Nissan pickup.

BECK: OK, this kid is a Boy Scout. I mean, he was a bright kid. Nobody gets into a stranger`s car. People have said that this young man was into the Internet and, you know, chatting, et cetera, et cetera. Is there a chance that this kid might have known this guy just through the Internet, that the truck could have pulled up and they would have said, "Hey, you know, I`m so-and-so"?

GRACE: Yes, there is, Glenn. And his family says he didn`t stay on the Internet a lot. But, for instance, my little nephew, who`s about the same age, Boy Scout, straight-A student, as well, he plays this game on the Internet with people all over the world. It`s kind of like, you know, the "Lord of the Rings" type of game. And they have a great time. His dad plays it with him. And you`re actually speaking to other people.

So I don`t know if there could be a connection there. The family says no. But I also want to point out that, in this area -- and I`ve been doing some private research on this -- there are several unsolved child kidnappings very similar to this one, one about 38 miles away. A little boy named Matt Hornbeck (ph) went missing under very similar circumstances.

So I`m very concerned about that. This is in broad daylight, Glenn, just a few yards from his parents` home.

BECK: You know, I hate to be grim here, but I saw one of the police officers come out, one of the spokespeople, and they said, "If you are the guy who has this kid, drop him off, because we`re going to find you." And I played it out in my mind and I thought, you know, these people who were doing this stuff, they`re out-of-their-mind nuts. What are the odds that this boy -- and I know every day that it goes by, it gets worse and worse. Hope here still, Nancy?

GRACE: You know, I was talking to Marc Klaas about it on the show last night. His own daughter went missing. And the reality is that most children are killed within 72 hours of their abduction, and we are now at that threshold.

And I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about this little kid. When you take a look at him, Glenn, he`s 4`10", he weighs 100 pounds, got on his little glasses, last seen with his little black book pack.

BECK: Nancy, what is happening to us? Is this getting worse or is it just because of, you know, people like us who are talking about it on TV? Has this always been going on? I don`t remember my folks being freaked out when I go outside and play all day.

GRACE: I don`t remember mine being freaked out. In fact, we would get so far away on our bicycles the only way we`d know to come home, we`d hear the horn blowing in the distance, so we would get on our bikes and go home.

BECK: My mother would just say, "Be home before dark." You know, and that`s when you would go home.

GRACE: I used to say that -- I used to really believe -- maybe it`s because I wanted to believe it -- that I don`t think there are any more pro rata child offenders than there always have been pro rata. But I`m now of the mind that they are increasing, and I don`t know why. I don`t know why.

You know what, Glenn? I used to sit in the courtroom, and I`d look over at the defendant and think about the wake of pain that they had caused so many people. Finally, after five years of doing that, I finally quit, asking, "Why?" Because my job, I believe, is to uncover the truth. You`d have to have a whole team from Vienna of shrinks to figure out a perpetrator like this.

BECK: All right, Nancy, thank you very much.

GRACE: Thanks, Glenn.

BECK: Remember, catch Nancy tonight...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: All right. Right or wrong, the American people have decided that they don`t like the way the president is running the country. And maybe you think you could do better. That`s why I`d like to present you the opportunity. It`s called "The Principality of Sealand," and it is up for sale, brother, a chance for you to purchase your own country.

But it`s not just a country. It is all the luxury of this, yes. There she blows, Sealand. It`s an old British anti-aircraft platform from World War II that sat out of the British territorial reach, and so it was claimed by a retired Army major who basically declared it a sovereign nation. Why not?

So why is it you would want your own country, especially when it basically is a concrete recreation of the Greek letter pi in the middle of the ocean? Well, you can do pretty much you want whatever you want. You can make up your own laws, like you`re able to set up offshore gambling, offshore accounts, or what they`re currently doing is Sealand, and that is storing offshore computer files. Wonder what`s in those? You know, things that may not be so legal to store elsewhere.

Real quick real estate warning: Sealand not really recognized by any government. Most importantly, England still thinks that it`s theirs. So you might want to be careful before you invest the close to a billion dollars that it`s going to take to gain control of Sealand, because Tony Blair can take it back whenever he wants.

Sealand, however, is not the only micronation, as they`re called. In fact, I would think that the political party that leads the world in failed micronation attempts has got to be the Libertarians. I mean, why waste all that time winning elections, changing the political landscape, and repurposing those accountants` offices into brothels? Instead, just invent your own country.

In 1971, a bunch of libertarians built a homemade boat, eventually docking it near the Bahamas, calling it Operation Atlantis. But before the libertarian utopia could take off, driven away by a Haitian dictator, and the ship, or the country, sank during a hurricane. And I hate when your nation sinks like that.

Next year, a millionaire found a coral reef that was just above the water during low tide, so he shipped out a lot of sand and made an artificial island in the Pacific Ocean. His group threw up a flag, called it the Republic of Minerva, and then sent around a declaration of independence to the surrounding countries, which brings up a very good lesson for those of you who are looking to start your own country: Don`t tell anybody, you know, that you`re going to start our own country until you have a lot of guns.

When nearby Tonga noticed them, they sent one gunship to the island, kicked everybody off, and then annexed it as their own. Get a suitcase nuke first. I`m just saying.

END