Thread: Lou Dobbs interview with Robert Pastor 1/25/07

DOBBS: Two years ago the Council on Foreign Relations published a report titled "Building a North America Community." among the goals expressed, to break down trade regulations between the United States and Canada. Between Canada and Mexico and of course, then the United States. But without congressional approval or certainly without congressional oversight or voter approval.

Critics call the plan the North America Union. And many say that it would ultimately destroy U.S. sovereignty.

Robert Pastor is a member of the group that broke the original report. He joins us tonight. It's good to have you with us.

ROBERT PASTOR, CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN STUDIES: Thank you very much.

DOBBS: Robert Pastor, you were co-chairman of an independent task force sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations, and in this report titled "Building a North American Community" the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haass states, "The Task Force's central recommendation is establishment by 2010 of a North American economic and security of community, the boundaries of which would be defined by a common external tariff and an outer security perimeter."

At this point what is the basis for moving forward on that?

PASTOR: Well, the United States, Canada and Mexico now are already the largest free trade area in the world. We have $800 billion worth of trade. This is a source of comparative advantage for the United States. But the council report feels that we could take greater advantage if we were deepen economic integration, if we can secure ourselves better, not only at our borders, but also by thinking about continental security perimeter as well.

DOBBS: Why would you think about, just out of curiosity, a common security perimeter when the United States does not have secure ports nor does it have anything approaching secure borders?

PASTOR: Well, it's precisely because our ports are not secure and our borders are not secure that we need to find not only better ways to do that but also better ways to turn our two neighbors into partners to enhance our security and to enhance our prosperity as well.

DOBBS: And that can't be done with sovereign nations? There has to be integration of an economy? A customs union, if you will? And a common security perimeter?

PASTOR: I think the vision defined in that report is one of three sovereign nations cooperating with each other to deepen economic integration, to create a common external tariff, to improve our economies and to secure ourselves better.

DOBBS: Let me ask you, the Banff meeting in September of last year. You were there, weren't you?

PASTOR: I was.

DOBBS: And representatives of all three governments. Military, business, economic ministers and commerce officials. Why was the press not permitted to be there?

PASTOR: Well, there were press in the room. But the leaders of the three groups decided that they wanted to keep the discussions active and vigorous, and therefore confidential.

My personal view is that I would have preferred for the meeting to have issued a statement or a report afterwards. And I hope that if the group comes together again that they'll do that.

DOBBS: Under what authority are they coming together?

PASTOR: Oh it was a conference.

DOBBS: I know it's a conference. I'm asking what authority?

PASTOR: I think the three leaders. One was George Schultz from the United States. Peter Lougheed, the former premier of Alberta, Pedro Aspe, a former minister of finance of Mexico. Just assembled a group of about 75 people.

DOBBS: Just willy-nilly, got together.

PASTOR: Oh yes, don't you attend conferences from time it time to learn about the world.

DOBBS: No I prefer frankly to learn about the world through travel, my reporting, my reading and studying. The fact of the matter is, I really have an aversion to conferences altogether. But I know that some people make a living on them. Who is paying for all of this?

PASTOR: Well I was not organizing that. You'll have to get to the organizers of the conference. I think foundations. There may have been some corporate sponsorship as well. I was just invited to it.

DOBBS: Right, you also are considered by many to be the architect of this North America Union, or competitors council as it's coming forward.

I would like to ask you something, I found rather curious in the North America Forum. Saying, "While a vision is appealing, working" - this, by the way, brought forward by Judicial Watch through freedom of information.

"While a vision is appealing, working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on board, evolution by stealth."

Why should anyone in this country, Mexico or Canada, presuming they're interested in the sovereign rights and power of their respective nation, tolerate this kind of elitist nonsense?

PASTOR: Well, I'm not sure what you mean by elitist nonsense. I think ...

DOBBS: I would be glad to explain it.

PASTOR: Well, go ahead. DOBBS: The fact of the matter is that government relations are defined by our Constitution. And this is an attempt to integrate economies without the approval of the elected officials of the country and without transparency of any kind or consideration of the part of the elites who are combing behind this idea. We have a North America Free Trade agreement with very specific methodologies and appropriate processes to follow. None of that is being followed here.

PASTOR: Surely you of all people would not want to criticize freedom of speech. You don't want to criticize an opportunity ...

DOBBS: I wouldn't criticize it at all. As a matter of fact I'm so thrilled with the freedom of press and the public's right to know, I'd like it see it fully transparent to all of us. Wouldn't you?

PASTOR: Well, I couldn't agree with you are.

DOBBS: Well, why don't you talk it on your folks and say, let's get this thing straightened out and let's talk about what we're really talking about.

PASTOR: Well I think -- I commend you for beginning a discussion, which we ought to have on a national level about how to relate to our neighbors to enhance our security and enhance our prosperity as well. That's exactly what this is about. And there has been inadequate understanding of that.

And frankly very timid acts by each of the three governments. So I would like to see ...

DOBBS: Well you call them timid, I call them absolutely arrogant. And I'm one of those folks when you say stealth I get awfully excited about it. I know lots of other Americans do too. And certainly I bet you - I haven't talked with the Canadians or the Mexicans, but the fact is when individuals start taking on sort of super-governmental initiatives without either approval or direction of elected officials, it gets to be problematic, don't you think?

PASTOR: Well, you're certainly not suggesting that nobody should talk about these issues. In fact I would like to talk about them with you as well. Let's talk about, for example, how to enhance our prosperity among the three countries. I think we should move towards to negotiate a customs union. A common external tariff.

DOBBS: Well, I think ...

PASTOR: I don't think it makes any sense for us to have rules of origin procedures on our borders.

DOBBS: Let me -- We'll continue this conversation. We're out of time but let me just respond quickly to that one. I think that when we worry about prosperity with a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada, a $50 billion trade deficit with Mexico in such a asymmetrical, the nature of all of these economies, that I would like some more thoughtful people than you've aggregated to take on the issue but I'll be glad to continue on this issue and looking forward to talking to you in the next few weeks.

PASTOR: Well, I do to. You just call me up any time.

DOBBS: Thank you, Robert Pastor.

You have got it, partner.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/ ... dt.01.html

that guy is a lying beady eyed creep

He's a scoundrel and a traitor. His smug, smiling answers trying to sell his idea! Your idea is treasonous. It's even more treasonous because in his own statement read by Dobbs, he uses the word STEALTH!!


What complete an utter arrogance to Lou, the American people and our CONSTITUTION!!

The current adminstration is schooled in this treason as well.

Pastor never denied being the architect of the NAU. I wonder if Michael Medved was watching. He likes to discredit Pastor. Of course, I also believe Medved would support some sort of alliance between the three nations, as he has said as much.

I watched the interview. Almost couldn't eat my supper cause of the stench of snake oil.

How can something that affects every American be done completely in secret by people who are not our elected officials. Bush does not have the right to even spend resources on this. There is no authorization or appropriation for this yet he and his administration spent money on it.

Lou Dobbs wad great, he really tore into this traitor!