Nick Begich:

“If you go back and look at the Founding Fathers’ view, it was…the idea that people had a right to self-determination.

We’re in a conflict in Iraq, as an example, and we’re there to win the hearts and minds and spread democracy. But that’s not what the people apparently want. They want a theocracy. And if that’s what they want in their own right to self-determination, maybe we need to recognize individual sovereignty as long as they keep it within the boundaries of their country, and learn to leave people alone.

We’re the only country in the world with 800 bases and stations around the world to monitor and interfere with everyone else’s politics….”

Later, Nick responds to an irate caller who threatens Nick with “I want to see your face!”

“The idea of succumbing to the issue of fear and letting that drive this country’s entire domestic and foreign policy is ridiculous on its face.

The idea that we’re’ sitting in Iraq for four years, shoving democracy down the throats of people who prefer a theocracy to a democracy, violates the very essence of self-determination as our founding fathers looked at it, which was to stay out of people’s domestic affairs and mind our own business.

The idea of international terrorism: I believe we should deal with them swiftly and rapidly, and the fact of the matter is that we have not been doing that when we oppress American citizens….”

Transcribed by Jeff Fenske from Nick Begich on Coast to Coast AM, 12/10/06