TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
25:59 Share

Empathy is our best policy.

Optimize your nutrition with Factor, America's number one ready-to-eat meal service. Factor's fresh, never-frozen meals are dietitian-approved and ready-to-eat in just two minutes. Choose from 40 weekly options across eight dietary preferences, like Calorie Smart and Protein Plus.

Factor's Keto Meals can help you lose up to 8 pounds in 8 weeks. Get started at factormeals.com slash factormeals50 off to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. Weight loss with Factor Keto based on a randomized controlled clinical trial. Results will vary depending on diet and exercise.

Spring savings are in the air and at Ross, where they have savings on all the brands you love. From the latest fashion to outdoor decor and even pet supplies, savings are in every aisle. Go to Ross and save 20 to 60% off other retailers' prices on your favorite spring finds. You're listening to Comedy Central. Now, whoever our next president may be will face many challenges, especially in the foreign policy arena, the greatest of which...

Maybe how to deal with the overwhelming volume of goodwill left over from still President Bush's, let's call it, two-term democracy-spreading jamboree. To examine the bounty one of these lucky contenders will be reaping, we check in with our new segment, Fruits of Democracy!

Tonight, our latest Democratic offspring, Iraq. Did you know our baby turns five this month? And you're not going to believe this, she's already having play dates. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became the first Middle Eastern leader to visit Iraq since Saddam Hussein fell. Of, let's say, natural causes.

Now, obviously, a visit from the Iranian leader to Iraq prompts some concern. And still, President Bush has a clear message he'd like the Iraqis to deliver to Ahmadinejad. The message needs to be, you know, quit sending in sophisticated equipment that's killing our citizens. Stop exporting terror. The international community is serious about continuing to isolate Iran. A strong message to send.

But the Iraqi government owes us. I mean, they owe their life to us. Certainly, the president's message will be delivered. Here's Ahmadinejad getting off the plane. Obviously, they're going to hit him. No sugar coating, just direct and stern. Listen, mother----. Wait, what? Okay. There appears to be kissing. All right, now here's where they execute him. No, he's being greeted by a child with flowers. Okay. A red carpet and a child with flowers. Okay. Okay. To the untrained eye, that may appear to be gracious.

Maybe even a warm welcome, but I do want to point out that that little girl gave him chrysanthemums and everyone knows he's an orchid guy So that's a bit of you. Okay. That's a nice reception there Let's compare that to what happens when our president visits. He has to arrive unannounced undercover of night Is it me or did Al Qaeda blow up the Sun but it's just nighttime few I say few out loud few not a lot of people read that few and

Not only did Ahmadinejad announce his arrival in advance, but he was able to drive the infamous airport road that our people can only chopper over, walk flak jacketless outside the green zone, and visit some of Iraq's holiest sites, which we are not allowed into. Hey, Iraq, can we... What are you doing? It's your old buddy, U.S.,

Maybe we didn't make this clear, but we think the guy from Iran is a bit of an Ahmad-dickin-a-jod. And we're out there all day with the surging, and you're back there sharing sweetbreads with Johnny Leisure Co. Did you think we wouldn't find out? I don't wanna say anything, but one phone call and you get this. That's right! We can put those statues right back where we found them, mister! After we built you an entire green zone.

We could have gone with any color, but you wanted green. We wanted lavender, but no. It would be nice when our sworn enemy visits your country that you give him a slightly tougher reception than the one he gets at Columbia University. Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator. You know, it's things like this invasion clearly strengthening the hand of the person our president believes is the greatest threat to the world's security...

that makes me think maybe this whole thing was a mistake. I promised myself I wouldn't do that. We'll be right back. Don't look. For those of us invested in the U.S. economy who aren't able to consistently avail ourselves of the urgent contradictory mumblings of the CNBC oracles, times have been tough. We're down in the dumps, feeling like perhaps this time there'll be no rabbit to pull out of the hat. Perhaps America's time is over. But you know who's hearing none of that talk? Our best pal, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown!

- Your creation of America was the boldest possible affirmation of faith in the future, a future you have built with your own hands. People said it couldn't be done, but America did it. America is not just the indispensable nation. You are the irrepressible nation. - Now get out of bed, slugger, and go out there and invade the subcontinent. How must we be when Britain is trying to cheer us up

That place gets like two hours of sunshine a year. It's like a coffee-less Seattle. Not that we don't appreciate the effort. Clearly Brown likes Obama. What type of relationship will they have? Will they be unlikely partners like Bush and Blair? Inspirational allies like Roosevelt and Churchill? Or will they have more of a cool black guy, white nerd vibe to them? Like Hitch. Or Silver Street. That's my man! That's my man!

Gordon Brown's not going to be copying Obama. Or is he trying to horn in on Obama's mojo? At this defining moment in history. Sir, this defining moment in history. What we need is real change. Change is essential. It is that American spirit. It's the essence of America's spirit. All of us are going to have to work together. Let us work together. We have to seize the moment. We should seize this moment. What are you, a Barack Obama cover band? Gordon Hopefoot and the Yes We Can Five?

But in this buddy comedy, it was the white guy who taught the black guy something. Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed up to Washington like any decent house guest bearing gifts. Brown brought Obama a pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship, the HMS Gannett, which is the sister ship of the HMS Resolute, from which the Oval Office desk is carved. That is a fantastic gift.

Thoughtful, unique, entrenched with layers of deep meaning that connect Barack Obama's ancestral past to the lineage of the presidency, interwoven with the centuries-old special relationship between the United States and Britain. It is a gift wrapped inside a present, stuffed inside a thoughtful gesture. It is a hallmark turducken. And what did our new president give in return?

Well, he gave the Prime Minister 25 DVDs. He gave the guy a DVD box set? Guys are visiting head of state, not a PBS donor. You live in the White House, it's a museum. Give him some from your new house! Harding's chair, the Eisenhower spittoon, the Taft toilet desk. More of a necessity than a luxury. He couldn't move very fast.

Of course, the UK is just the tip of the Obama World Reconciliation Plan. We're also trying to reconnect with Russia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had a meet and greet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. I wanted to present you with a little gift. Please don't be DVDs. Please don't be DVDs. Please don't be DVDs. Mrs. Clinton presented the foreign minister with a little box with a button on it and a sign that said, "Reset." We want to reset.

relationship we worked hard to get the right Russian word you think we got it oh and one more thing Putin's father was killed by a red button other than that so did the button work to reset our relationship with Russia

Let's do it together. So we will do it together, okay? That's not going to help. We'll be right back. At Amica Insurance, we know it's more than just a car or a house. It's the four wheels that get you where you're going and the four walls that welcome you home. When you combine auto and home insurance with Amica, we'll help protect it all.

And the more you cover, the more you can save. Amica. Empathy is our best policy. Ready to optimize your nutrition this year? Meat Factor, America's number one ready-to-eat meal service. Factor's fresh, never-frozen meals are dietitian-approved and ready-to-eat in just two minutes. Their chefs handle the shopping and the chopping, delivering fresh, fully-cooked meals to your door. All you have to do is heat up.

and enjoy. Choose from 40 weekly options across eight dietary preferences like Calorie Smart, Protein Plus, and Keto. And if you're looking to lose weight, Factor's Keto Meals can help you lose up to eight pounds in eight weeks. Savor nutritious premium meals no matter how busy life gets. Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com slash

It's tax season, and by now, I know we're all a bit tired of numbers. But here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year.

Here's another: 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number: 100 million. That's how many data points LifeLock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US-based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by another good number: the Million Dollar Protection Plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back.

Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with LifeLock Identity Theft Protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code IHEART or go to lifelock.com slash IHEART for 40% off. Terms apply. Our top story, new reports that could make our already icy relationship with the country of Pakistan...

Colder than a witch's frozen dessert treats. Ticked. - Two influential human rights groups are out with scathing new reports this morning about US drone strikes overseas. The groups claim more civilians have been killed in Pakistan than the US has acknowledged. - The new prime minister is not gonna be very happy about all of this. - Oh, I'm sorry, Pakistan. I didn't know you didn't like your citizens being sky-sassinated.

on the whims of a foreign superpower. We thought you were cool. Uh, I guess it's unfortunate. But, uh, good thing is, I guess we can just lay low for a while and then just get back in touch with Pakistan when the wounds aren't so fresh, you know? Tonight, Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, is at the White House for his first face-to-face meeting with President Obama. Boy, that's the sort of meeting when you really need old Beau in the room, you know what I mean? Just have...

Just to have something else to talk about. Like, yeah, I know those drone strikes are f***ed up. Hey, look, he loves that bone, though. He really loves going for that bone. Oh, look at that. He's licking his own a**. What were we talking about? I tell you who Obama wishes he was right now. Secretary of State Kerry. Because when this went down, Kerry had the good luck to be visiting our ally, France. Kerry's timing could not have been better.

The timing could not have been worse. As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stepped off the plane in Paris, he was immediately embroiled in an embarrassing controversy between France and the U.S. Oh, what'd we do, France, to cause a controversy? What'd we drink out of the bidet again? What happened? Did we call sparkling wine champagne again? We know the difference. We just don't give a ****.

Did we make a mockery of your most cherished athletic event by having an American win it seven times in a row through a sophisticated blood-doping scheme? That last one we did do, actually. Is that what it is? The National Security Agency spied on millions of French citizens, according to the leading newspaper Le Monde. Oh, that.

Good thing our top diplomat's on the case. At the end of a day of rapid developments, Mr. Kerry offered this explanation. Kerry said to the French, quote, nations be spying, yo. This ambassador knows what I'm talking about. Actually, that's not really what he said. This is really what he said. As President Obama said very clearly in a recent speech that he gave at the United Nations General Assembly just a few weeks ago,

He said, "We in the United States are currently reviewing the way that we gather intelligence." By reviewing the way we gather intelligence, we mean from now on, we're going to try and do it secretly. In our defense though, our monitoring 70 million French conversations wasn't espionage, it's just French phone calls are all so hot.

It's like a nationwide sex line. Even French people talking about their mortgage payments, it's all like, oh, mon chien, oui, when can we run the room? Oh, the 2.5% APR, my loans, they aid for your deposit. Your other bank, you must never tell her.

And by the way, all right, we're spying on France. Not like we're spying on our other allies. In what appears to have been a blunt and embarrassing phone call today, the Chancellor of Germany told President Obama to stop tapping her phone. Ladies and gentlemen, my impression of how that phone call went. Hey, how are you, Angela? What do you mean? You know how I am. Although it is impressive that we managed to put a tap on the actual Chancellor herself. Who could have gotten close enough to do something like that? I mean, it's not... Oh, my God!

That's what it was! He was planting the bug! Unbelievable. White House. You got some explaining to do, White House. I can tell you that the president assured the chancellor that the United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor. Is not monitoring, will not monitor.

I think you're missing a tense there. You got your present progressive there and you got your simple future, but you're missing your past progressive, aka the we were not. Where's your past progressive tense, Jay Carney? By the way, that joke brought you by. Grammar, yeah, grammar, it's the rules what make your mouth feel dumb.

All right, so Pakistan, France, and Germany might have a few tiny reasons to be mad at us. We can cut back from this. In Mexico, many remain angry over reports the NSA hacked into the former Mexican president's email. The Brazilian president said she was forced to postpone a planned trip to the U.S. following reports the NSA spied on her personal communications. Complaints from nearly 40 other countries over revelations that the National Security Agency has been spying on their internal communications.

So what are you guys saying? We have a problem? We're somehow addicted to paranoid snooping on everyone and everything around us? How dare you? I am so offended. I bid you good day. But as a parting gift, if I could just leave this right here. It's just an innocuous toaster. Don't use it. Just when you're saying things, if you could make toast, we would rest of the world meet me at camera three.

So you guys are all upset we're spying on you and drone striking you and you're really upset. But I just have one question. Have you met us? Meddling in your affairs for our national self-interest is kind of our thing. What part of everything we've done since the Monroe Doctrine don't you get? I mean, bugging your phone's pretty weak teeth for us. Do you know how much cigar shrapnel Castro is still pulling out of his ass? Besides, if it makes you feel any better, our government isn't doing anything to you that they're not doing to us.

See right there boom boom They're spying get this They're spying on our studio, and I'm literally saying that into a camera that is going to broadcast It seems kind of redundant. I don't even know okay. I didn't even know about that Didn't did not know about that so look world you want an apology fine We're sorry that you forgot that we are kind of dicks

But you know what? All nations act in their own self-interest. Don't act like your shit don't stink. It does, and we know because we have a super secret program that goes through your shit. By the way, Germany might want to ease up on everything you eat and drink. France, you don't like our hubris now? You sure liked it when we were handing off the Vietnam War to us. Hey, can you guys hold this war for us for just a little bit? We just got something to do over in Algeria. And Pakistan!

We know that some of those drone strikes were at your request. And by the way, when were you gonna tell us that Bin Laden was crashing on your couch? And you, Germany! Yeah, you. Do I really have to justify myself to a country that invaded Poland 'cause they thought Poland was looking at them funny? So get over it. Or better yet, turn that frown upside down. Don't think of us as an overly aggressive, paranoid superpower. Think of us as what anyone's looking for in a partner. A good listener. A great listener.

The best listener in the history of the world. So before you say thank you, I would only ask one thing. Can you say it a little closer to that toaster? We'll be right back. At Amica Insurance, we know it's more than just a car. It's the two-door coupe that was there for your first drive, the hatchback that took you cross-country and back, and the minivan that tackles the weekly carpool. For the cars you couldn't live without, trust Amica Auto Insurance.

Amiga, empathy is our best policy. Ready to optimize your nutrition this year? Meet Factor, America's number one ready-to-eat meal service. Factor's fresh, never-frozen meals are dietitian-approved and ready-to-eat in just two minutes. Their chefs handle the shopping and the chopping, delivering fresh, fully-cooked meals to your door. All you have to do is heat

And if you're looking to lose weight, Factor's Keto Meals can help you lose up to 8 pounds in 8 weeks. Savor nutritious premium meals no matter how busy life gets. Eat smart with Factor. Get started at factormeals.com slash Factor.

Factor Meals 5-0 off and use code Factor Meals 5-0 off to get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. Weight loss with Factor Keto based on a randomized controlled clinical trial. Results will vary depending on diet and exercise.

Dreaming of hydrated skin amidst these dry winter months? Dime offers clean, master-aesthetician-crafted skincare products that deeply nourish, protect, and hydrate. Their formulas, made with clean ingredients, lock in moisture for skin that stays soft, smooth, and moisturized.

and radiant all season long. Hydration starts with Dime's best-selling Hyaluronic Acid Serum, delivering deep moisture where your skin craves it most. This lightweight, fast-absorbing serum helps quench dryness, plump skin, and boost elasticity from the inside out. Once your skin is prepped with the serum, seal in all that hydration with their Dewy Day Cream, a rich, luxurious moisturizer designed to provide all-day softness and lasting glow.

Together, this powerful duo keeps your skin smooth, supple, and luminous, even in the harshest weather. Shop the duo now at DimeBeautyCO.com. That's DimeBeautyCO.com. And get the hydrated skin of your dreams.

Welcome back to The Daily Show. My guest tonight is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist who writes for The New Yorker and is the author of the new book War on Peace, The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence. Please welcome Ronan Farrow. -♪♪

Hello. Welcome to the show. A pleasure to be here. You are an overachiever in the journalistic world. So many people talk about all the stories that you're breaking. I mean, the Me Too movement was broken by your story. Like, I mean, it's what sparked a movement. Well, there were very brave women who were sources. There were great activists who preceded that. But I'm honored to have been a conduit for some of those stories. They were tough to tell. They were tough to tell for the women involved.

they were also tough for you to tell as a journalist. Like we read all these stories about Harvey Weinstein and these people that he was hiring. Were you ever afraid? Is that a point where you go like, maybe I shouldn't break stories. I'm just gonna tweet 10 most likely things that people wanna click on. - I mean, I'll do that too. Cat listicles are the future, guys.

But it is true. You know, look, there was intimidation. There was a system designed to shut down these stories, and that affected not just me, but a whole range of brave journalists going up against this thing. And sure, like, the moment when you find yourself deciding, do I go home tonight because I'm getting staked out, and, like, if I do go home, I go in with my keys, and I'm, like, looking under the bed and putting back the shower curtain. It's like, okay, either I'm crazy, or actually the story is stranger than fiction. And as it turns out, what we were able to break is

he was hiring former Mossad agents, combat-ready operatives that were, in fact, following people around using false identities. The news that you just broke today, for instance, or that just broke today, is a story of how the Trump administration...

was secretly hiring an Israeli team of spies to dig up dirt on people who worked on the Iran deal. Is that correct? - In fact, the same Israeli spies from a firm called Black Cube. - The same as the Harvey Weinsteins? - That Harvey Weinstein hired.

And in some cases using the same false identities and front companies that I heard from when I was getting stalked by these guys. Wait, so explain to me just a little bit of the details. So they were hiring these people not to undermine the deal itself, but to undermine the people who put the deal together. Why? So that's the surprising part of this. These are policy wonks. These are Obama advisors. And we don't have all the answers yet.

but sources close to this and documents that we obtained at The New Yorker show very clearly there was a seemingly political in focus operation designed to smear them, seemingly all connected to their work on the 2015 Iran deal. - It's interesting because this sounds less like a story you would hear in a first world country or a country that claims to be pro-democracy than you would in a country that's totalitarian. You talk about this in the book War and Peace, the end of diplomacy and the decline of American influence.

it really speaks to, in a way, what's happening with the Iran deal. It seems like Trump and his people do not care about the diplomacy that America conducts in the world. It's now just become war or no war, talking or no talking. Why do you think that's happened? Yeah, these stories all connect.

Look, these are individuals fighting desperately to save a deal because they believe if we unilaterally as a nation back out of the Iran deal, for all its imperfections, it's worked in its narrow goal of containing them for a time. And if we back out, their fear is it drives a wedge between us and our allies, and it potentially sends a message to North Korea and other rogue states that we don't want to be sending, that they shouldn't come to the table.

And as you suggest, this is all connected. They are getting smeared and intimidated. Right. It's in a context, as I outline in War on Peace, where their profession is endangered, where people who make our deals and negotiate and hopefully secure options for addressing conflicts around the world that don't involve going in guns blazing, they are under attack. They are getting fired en masse. People don't understand what they do anymore. And more and more, that work is being outsourced to the military, to our spies, to the intelligence community.

That's interesting, because you-you spoke to every living secretary of state. And you spoke about how America's diplomacy has been on the decline. This isn't something that started with Trump, but it may be accelerating now. Is this a sustainable way to conduct oneself in the world?

where it is military first, diplomacy second? - Well, what I chronicle in War on Peace is in place after place, when we sabotage opportunities for political settlements and peaceful ways out, and we go in shooting first, it really comes back to haunt us, Trevor.

Again and again, we see situations where we end up lying down with warlords and strongmen and unsavory characters. And then we have no leverage over them because we have fired all of the diplomats who could negotiate and play hardball in that way. Right. And if you look at the current situation, there are countries where America doesn't have a diplomat right now. There are countries where there is no one handling that high-level negotiation. What happens in that case? Yes.

So you're exactly right. This is happening to a new extreme right now. Donald Trump has unceremoniously fired basically ambassadors across the world, assistant secretaries that run some of the most sensitive regions in the world. So we have an understaffed, unmanned diplomatic operation. There is precedent for this before.

We've seen other administrations, Democratic and Republican, sort of sideline diplomats and see how disastrous it is. But this is new in terms of what an extreme it is. And when you look at the consequences, we see situations where there are active opportunities to make peace, and we just give them up. We see situations where you could bring people to the table potentially and spare brave servicemen and women going into the line of fire, and we give those up. It's a real problem. And I'd also point out,

For people who kind of don't want to think about those high-level talks, these are also the people that screen dangerous interlopers from coming into the United States. Right, right, right. That stamp your passports, that save you if you're kidnapped abroad. This is unglamorous work, but it's life-saving. It's life-saving, it's integral, and it's currently crumbling. It's a fascinating book. You're a fascinating man. Thank you so much for being on the show. Pleasure to be here. I really appreciate it. War on Peace is available now. Ronan Farron, everybody. We'll be right back.

Explore more shows from the Daily Show Podcast universe by searching The Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch The Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount+. Paramount Podcasts.

PayPal lets you pay all your pals, like your graduation gifters. Who's paying for the mattress topper? You mean the beanbag chair? Aren't we getting a mini fridge? Can we create a pool on PayPal? It lets us collect the money before we buy. Ooh, yes, that's smart. Glad we can agree on something.

It's tax season, and by now, I know we're all a bit tired of numbers. But here's an important one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much money in refunds the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. It's tax season, and by now, I know we're all a bit tired of numbers.

Here's another, 20%. That's the overall increase in identity theft related to tax fraud in 2024 alone. But it's not all grim news. Here's a good number, 100 million. That's how many data points LifeLock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US-based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by another good number, the Million Dollar Protection Plan. In fact, restoration is guaranteed or your money back.

Don't face identity theft and financial losses alone. There's strength in numbers with LifeLock Identity Theft Protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code IHEART or go to lifelock.com slash IHEART for 40% off. Terms apply.

This is Serena Pitt from Bachelor Happy Hour. At David's Bridal, love is in every stitch. From the initial sketch to the final details, each style is designed with exquisite craftsmanship. Now you can turn all your wedding dreams into reality with Pearl by David's. It's

all things wedding planning in one place. Create vision boards, set up a wedding registry, connect with wedding vendors, and plan your entire big day with Pearl's free planning tools. Sign up for Diamond Loyalty to save 15% on your first purchase. Earn points towards special rewards and more at davidsbridal.com.