Mark Siljander

And then when I went to the Middle East, usually we go to Israel because I was on the Middle East committee too. And we were told not to see the Palestinians. And I thought, now, wait a minute, how can one ever work as a mediator, especially one of the most powerful countries in the world and most powerful parliaments in the world, the U.S. Congress, if we don't talk to both sides? We have to.

I'm very pro-Israel, but I felt we still have to talk to our enemies, what are perceived to be enemies anyway at the time. And I was threatened at that time not to pursue this type of, I would call it balance, of engaging people that our party was told not to engage.

I'm very pro-Israel, but I felt we still have to talk to our enemies, what are perceived to be enemies anyway at the time. And I was threatened at that time not to pursue this type of, I would call it balance, of engaging people that our party was told not to engage.

I'm very pro-Israel, but I felt we still have to talk to our enemies, what are perceived to be enemies anyway at the time. And I was threatened at that time not to pursue this type of, I would call it balance, of engaging people that our party was told not to engage.

Okay, so let me expand on this a little bit. So you talked about the anti-communism and the role of the military, the role of force in combating communism. And you talked about apartheid. And then we also started to talk about the conflicts that involve the Islamic world. So let me walk through those with an eye to fleshing out the neocon position.

Okay, so let me expand on this a little bit. So you talked about the anti-communism and the role of the military, the role of force in combating communism. And you talked about apartheid. And then we also started to talk about the conflicts that involve the Islamic world. So let me walk through those with an eye to fleshing out the neocon position.

Okay, so let me expand on this a little bit. So you talked about the anti-communism and the role of the military, the role of force in combating communism. And you talked about apartheid. And then we also started to talk about the conflicts that involve the Islamic world. So let me walk through those with an eye to fleshing out the neocon position.

I mean, obviously, during the 60s, there was a huge rebellion in the United States, especially by young people, against the use of the military in fighting the communists in Vietnam, an extension, let's say, of the Korean conflict. Now, when I was young, I was temperamentally, I suppose, predisposed and also by my youth to thinking that the anti-war protests were fully justified.

I mean, obviously, during the 60s, there was a huge rebellion in the United States, especially by young people, against the use of the military in fighting the communists in Vietnam, an extension, let's say, of the Korean conflict. Now, when I was young, I was temperamentally, I suppose, predisposed and also by my youth to thinking that the anti-war protests were fully justified.

I mean, obviously, during the 60s, there was a huge rebellion in the United States, especially by young people, against the use of the military in fighting the communists in Vietnam, an extension, let's say, of the Korean conflict. Now, when I was young, I was temperamentally, I suppose, predisposed and also by my youth to thinking that the anti-war protests were fully justified.

But as I matured and learned more about the absolute horrors of communism, both Soviet and Chinese, I could certainly see the rationale for war. the U.S. in particular, do everything it could from stopping any population like that of Cambodia, let's say, from falling into the hands of the communists. I mean, how many people in Cambodia died when the communists took over?

But as I matured and learned more about the absolute horrors of communism, both Soviet and Chinese, I could certainly see the rationale for war. the U.S. in particular, do everything it could from stopping any population like that of Cambodia, let's say, from falling into the hands of the communists. I mean, how many people in Cambodia died when the communists took over?

But as I matured and learned more about the absolute horrors of communism, both Soviet and Chinese, I could certainly see the rationale for war. the U.S. in particular, do everything it could from stopping any population like that of Cambodia, let's say, from falling into the hands of the communists. I mean, how many people in Cambodia died when the communists took over?

Four million in the killing fields? At least. Something like that. Some absolute cataclysmic catastrophe. And of course, North Korea has never been able, the Koreans have never been able to free themselves from the grip of the Chinese communists. And so it's an open question. with regards to communism, how much diplomacy is possible and how much force is necessary.

Four million in the killing fields? At least. Something like that. Some absolute cataclysmic catastrophe. And of course, North Korea has never been able, the Koreans have never been able to free themselves from the grip of the Chinese communists. And so it's an open question. with regards to communism, how much diplomacy is possible and how much force is necessary.

Four million in the killing fields? At least. Something like that. Some absolute cataclysmic catastrophe. And of course, North Korea has never been able, the Koreans have never been able to free themselves from the grip of the Chinese communists. And so it's an open question. with regards to communism, how much diplomacy is possible and how much force is necessary.

And the certainly weakness in the face of communism and military weakness was not advisable. And then, so let's just park that for a second. And then on the South African side, I mean, I've been concerned ever since the 1980s when the anti-apartheid movement emerged that...

And the certainly weakness in the face of communism and military weakness was not advisable. And then, so let's just park that for a second. And then on the South African side, I mean, I've been concerned ever since the 1980s when the anti-apartheid movement emerged that...

And the certainly weakness in the face of communism and military weakness was not advisable. And then, so let's just park that for a second. And then on the South African side, I mean, I've been concerned ever since the 1980s when the anti-apartheid movement emerged that...

South Africa would turn into what Zimbabwe turned into, or Rhodesia, and that the radical leftists would take over in the aftermath of the disintegration of the Apartheid Empire, and all hell would break loose. And it still seems to me that that's a real possibility, still, for South Africa. Right, so these are the sorts of things that you were caught up in, in that nexus.