WEBVTT 00:00.140 --> 00:02.362 first , I want to bring in the governor 00:02.362 --> 00:04.584 from new york . He is not in Albany new 00:04.584 --> 00:06.696 york . He is in kuwait city live with 00:06.696 --> 00:08.862 me today George Pataki is my guest now 00:08.862 --> 00:10.918 and you just returned from a trip to 00:10.918 --> 00:13.251 Iraq . Can that battle be turned around ? 00:13.251 --> 00:15.870 He believes governor ? Well Bill , I 00:15.870 --> 00:18.100 think the most important part of that 00:18.100 --> 00:20.150 depends on the success of the Iraqi 00:20.150 --> 00:22.090 government . By all accounts from 00:22.090 --> 00:24.180 everyone we spoke to right now . The 00:24.180 --> 00:26.080 Iraqi government is not doing the 00:26.080 --> 00:28.360 necessary job to provide security or 00:28.360 --> 00:31.210 basic services to the people of Iraq . 00:31.210 --> 00:33.720 And I think that's why the president's 00:33.720 --> 00:35.609 meeting with the Prime Minister . 00:35.609 --> 00:37.664 Maliki is absolutely critical to the 00:37.664 --> 00:39.553 Prime Minister has got to get the 00:39.553 --> 00:41.776 message that he has a limited period of 00:41.776 --> 00:43.942 time to turn the Iraqi government into 00:43.942 --> 00:45.887 something that can actually govern 00:45.887 --> 00:47.887 effectively . You know , I used the 00:47.887 --> 00:49.942 word crunch time 30 minutes ago when 00:49.942 --> 00:51.998 Shepard Smith was on with us live in 00:51.998 --> 00:54.220 Amman is this crunch time for Maliki in 00:54.220 --> 00:54.100 the coming weeks and marches , you have 00:54.100 --> 00:56.480 to prove to the people of Iraq into the 00:56.480 --> 00:58.702 leaders back here in the us that he can 00:58.702 --> 01:01.770 get the job done . Absolutely mostly 01:01.770 --> 01:04.103 has to improve it to the people of Iraq . 01:04.110 --> 01:06.166 You know , the american soldiers and 01:06.166 --> 01:08.277 the civilians support , they have are 01:08.277 --> 01:10.332 just doing a tremendous job here and 01:10.332 --> 01:12.443 whenever you see them , it just gives 01:12.443 --> 01:14.443 you a tremendous sense of pride for 01:14.443 --> 01:16.610 their sacrifice and their patriotism . 01:16.610 --> 01:18.388 But the Iraqi government is not 01:18.388 --> 01:20.554 delivering and just one example by all 01:20.554 --> 01:22.554 accounts as well . Al Sader and his 01:22.554 --> 01:24.388 militia are stronger than ever . 01:24.388 --> 01:26.499 Getting somehow from the Iranians and 01:26.499 --> 01:28.550 the model is very clear , Al Sadr's 01:28.550 --> 01:31.320 militia could well become the Hezbollah 01:31.330 --> 01:33.970 of Iraq if the central government 01:33.970 --> 01:36.150 doesn't act . So this is crunch time . 01:36.150 --> 01:38.150 The Prime Minister has to show that 01:38.150 --> 01:40.094 he's capable of leading Iraq in an 01:40.094 --> 01:42.094 effective way . And the president's 01:42.094 --> 01:43.983 meeting with maliki is absolutely 01:43.983 --> 01:46.290 critical . Now we wait along with the 01:46.290 --> 01:48.457 rest of the world is here . Whether or 01:48.457 --> 01:50.457 not he's up to that job . Uh Kuwait 01:50.457 --> 01:52.790 City is a long way from the Moines Iowa . 01:52.790 --> 01:52.640 My report suggests that you're gonna be 01:52.640 --> 01:54.751 back in the morning Iowa , first week 01:54.751 --> 01:56.918 in december , you still want the White 01:56.918 --> 01:59.084 House in Ohio governor . Well , bill , 01:59.084 --> 02:01.196 I'm still the governor of New York in 02:01.196 --> 02:03.418 '06 and that is my job . I had a chance 02:03.418 --> 02:05.529 to see some of our national guard and 02:05.529 --> 02:07.696 reservists and active duty troops from 02:07.696 --> 02:09.807 New York here . And I'm a three other 02:09.807 --> 02:11.918 governors and we're all here first to 02:11.918 --> 02:11.830 say thanks and to congratulate the 02:11.830 --> 02:13.930 troops for their commitment and and 02:13.930 --> 02:16.200 then to uh be able to get a more 02:16.200 --> 02:18.422 intelligent assessment of the situation 02:18.422 --> 02:20.256 on the ground here in Iraq . But 02:20.256 --> 02:22.422 political decisions I'll make down the 02:22.422 --> 02:24.940 road . Well , some would wonder back 02:24.940 --> 02:27.107 here , how you can govern a state when 02:27.107 --> 02:29.273 you're on the road in Kuwait City . Uh 02:29.273 --> 02:31.329 you want to take a shot at that . Uh 02:31.329 --> 02:33.440 we're governing very well . In fact , 02:33.440 --> 02:35.551 the major commission report just came 02:35.551 --> 02:37.773 out today , restructuring healthcare in 02:37.773 --> 02:39.829 new york state . We have a number of 02:39.829 --> 02:39.600 other initiatives . I want to get 02:39.600 --> 02:41.840 completed by january 1st when I stepped 02:41.840 --> 02:43.896 down as governor , and I'm confident 02:43.896 --> 02:46.350 we're going to be able to do that a few 02:46.350 --> 02:48.294 weeks left in Albany . Thank you . 02:48.294 --> 02:50.461 Governor . Travel well , get home safe 02:50.461 --> 02:50.850 George Pataki , thank you very much .