1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WVZ, Boston's news radio. 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 2: We're trying this week to learn more and more about Iran, 3 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: to better understand what is transpiring half a world away. 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 2: And I know that most of us have pretty strong feelings. 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 2: I have strong feelings about what should happen and what 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 2: we would like to see happen. And the fact that 7 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 2: forty seven years have gone by and this theocratic dictatorship 8 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: has been able to maintain and hold power in Iran. 9 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: And so my next guest, I think has an extraordinary story. 10 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:48,319 Speaker 2: His name is Nick Berg, Nick b. E Erg, and 11 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 2: what makes his story so amazing to me is that 12 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 2: he was born in Iran in nineteen sixty seven. He 13 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: left Iran in nineteen eighty seven, so he spent some 14 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 2: time as a young child up until the age of 15 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 2: about twelve while the jav of Iran was in control. 16 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: And then when Iatola Hoomani came in nineteen arrived from 17 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 2: Paris in nineteen seventy nine and with a matter within 18 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: a matter of days or weeks, took control of the 19 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 2: country and the Javran departed. My guest stayed there until 20 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 2: he was nineteen years old. His mom is Iranian. As 21 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: I said, his dad worked for the US government in Iran. 22 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: We'll talk about that in a moment. He then leaves. 23 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: He's a US citizen by virtue of his father. Somehow 24 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: he gets to America and he serves in the US 25 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 2: Special Forces for eleven years, being deployed at a desert 26 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 2: shield desert storm in Bosnia and Sierra Leone has written 27 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: a book that I believe he will tell us is 28 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 2: based in large part upon his life. The book is 29 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: called Shadows of Tehran, and I think we're going to 30 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: learn a lot about this culture from a young man who, 31 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 2: at this point trying to do the math hasn't is 32 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 2: just about coming up on forty years old. Maybe I'm 33 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 2: just trying to do No, let's see, be forty. I'm 34 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 2: guessing you're forty five, forty seven, Nick. 35 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: Welcome, Oh, thank you, Dan, I'm fest nine. 36 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: Actually, yeah, my math is failing me here. Okay, so 37 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: you came to this country in nineteen eighty seven, you're 38 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: right at the age. My son was born in nineteen 39 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 2: eighty seven, So all I have to do is get 40 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 2: his age, which is thirty nine, and add twenty. Okay, 41 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: so there you go. You got it, So tell us, 42 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: tell us a little bit of the story. You knew 43 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: your dad he left in nineteen seventy five? Were you devastated? 44 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 2: Did he disappear? Did did he was he just reassigned? 45 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: What was the circumstances of his departure. 46 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, so he left Iran in nineteen seventy five, and 47 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 4: we didn't know why. He told my mother that he 48 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 4: was going to come to the US, set everything up 49 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 4: and buy a house and get everything ready for. 50 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 5: All of us to move to the US. 51 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: Well, after about. 52 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 4: Six months, he just stopped calling and we couldn't figure 53 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 4: out why. And then after a while we couldn't even 54 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 4: find where he was. At the time, we had some 55 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 4: family here in the US that tried finding him and 56 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 4: looking for him, but. 57 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 5: He would just kind of disappeared off the face of 58 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 5: the earth. So it were going to find him. 59 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: So it was you and your mom. Did you have siblings, sisters, brothers? 60 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I have a sister sister, she's two years. 61 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 5: Younger than me. Yeah, it was me, my mom and 62 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 5: my sister. 63 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. It must have been devastating to think that your father, 64 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 2: in effect, a former CIA operative who had married your 65 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 2: mom in Iran, had in effect deserted the family. 66 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah, And later on years later in two thousand 67 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 4: and nine, twenty ten, when I found them and talked 68 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 4: to him, and I asked him a question. 69 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 5: And I said, why, why did you need it? 70 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 4: Why did you marry mom and half kids and all 71 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 4: of that, And he just looked at me and said, well, 72 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 4: having a family was the best couple. 73 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 2: Wow. Wow, So you arrived here in nineteen eighty seven, 74 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 2: you're nineteen years old. How difficult was it to physically 75 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: the shot? The Shah's gone, he's been gone down for 76 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 2: eight years. How difficult was a few to get out 77 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: of the country in nineteen eighty seven. 78 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 4: It was a really difficult task because when I was 79 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 4: in Iran, as I call it, I was young and 80 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 4: thinking I can change the world, and I was trying 81 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 4: to trying to basically figure out how we can overthrow 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 4: the Islamic government in Iran. And we've worked with a 83 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 4: lot of anti revolutionaries as. 84 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 5: They call them over there, with a lot of anti 85 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 5: revolutionary groups. 86 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 4: And in my book, I kind of detailed a lot 87 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 4: of the things that I did with riding on a motorcycle, 88 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 4: doing curfew and all of that stuff, and dodging the cops, 89 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 4: and well they are not cops but. 90 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 5: The revolutionary, the core or the IRGC. 91 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 4: And so my execution note was out, and I had 92 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 4: to get out of Iran and through the Turkish border, 93 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 4: through the mountains and. 94 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 5: Here I go. I got of Iran. 95 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 2: So if you Nick, if you had not gotten out, 96 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 2: you were on a list to be executed. 97 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, wow. 98 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 5: How at that time they. 99 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 4: Were executing people left that right? 100 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 3: I mean they would they would storm into. 101 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 4: Houses without there's no such thing as warrants and things. 102 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 4: They were just storm into houses, pick people up and 103 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 4: take him out. And that was just the process of 104 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 4: how things happened there. 105 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 5: At that time. 106 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 4: And a friend of mine that was close his uncle 107 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 4: was close to the close to the government, figured it 108 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 4: out and his uncle told them, well, you need to 109 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 4: tell him get out of town very much so, and 110 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 4: I had to get out of town really quickly. 111 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: How tough, How tough was it to leave your mom 112 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 2: You're nineteen years old and your younger sister who at 113 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 2: that point is probably seventeen, right, right. 114 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's a life and death. 115 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 4: Uh, it's something that in the book when I write it, 116 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 4: I wrote this book really to talk about resilience and 117 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 4: talk about what it takes because a lot of people 118 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 4: don't really go through these kind of hardships and things 119 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 4: like that and real the understanding. 120 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 2: That, Yeah, thank thank god. So you got out. How 121 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 2: long did it take you to physically get from a 122 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 2: run to the. 123 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 1: US About a year? 124 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 5: About a year? 125 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, because how did you How did you prove to 126 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: our government that you were a US citizen? 127 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 4: So when I when I got into Turkey, I kind 128 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 4: of uh gave myself up to the border border guards 129 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 4: in Turkey and told them I'm American, but I have 130 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 4: nothing to prove that I'm American. So I was taken 131 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 4: to a holding facility and they contacted the American embassy 132 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 4: and they sent somebody down there. It took about two 133 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 4: months for them back and forth and to figure out 134 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 4: who my dad was and was he American was not? 135 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 4: And then somebody showed up finally over there, handed me 136 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 4: my American passport and said, here you go. 137 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 5: Good luck. You have thirty days to. 138 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 4: Get out of Turkey because your visa. 139 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 5: Is only good for thirty days in Turkey, and. 140 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: Good luck, welcome to America. Huh boy, I would think 141 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: now were they were you able to This is going 142 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 2: to be a dumb question, but I get paid pretty 143 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 2: good money to ask dumb questions sometimes. Did you have 144 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 2: to say to whoever was there from the US Embassy, Hey, 145 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 2: my dad was a CIA agent. Did you know what 146 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 2: his real name was? Were they able to confirm that. 147 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 5: I knew his name? 148 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 4: I didn't know at the point that he was a 149 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 4: CIA agent. I didn't find that out until years later. 150 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 5: Yeah. 151 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 4: At that point, I thought my dad was just the 152 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 4: American guy, and he was just a. 153 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 5: Diad, the dad that took off. 154 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, and yeah, I had no idea at that point, 155 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 4: and I did have his name. I did have They 156 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 4: know he was born in New Jersey, and I had 157 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 4: some information on him, and so I gave all of 158 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 4: that information. And luckily he actually registered me and my 159 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 4: sister at the American Embassy when we were born, and 160 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 4: he the. 161 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: American embassy, the American Embassy in Tehran yeh right, which 162 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 2: had been held captive. He leaves in seventy five that 163 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 2: embassy staff was held captive for four hundred and forty 164 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 2: four days from nineteen eighty nine to nineteen eighty one. 165 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 2: How did they how did those records even survive because 166 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 2: a lot of those records were burned and destroyed. 167 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 4: But well, when when he registered me and my sister 168 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 4: in the sixties, basically all of those records get transferred 169 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 4: to the state department, so they have records of it everywhere. 170 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 4: So there's piece that get sent through diplomatic communication and 171 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 4: all of that. 172 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 2: All right, But but so all you had was I'm 173 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 2: in America because my dad lived in Trun, married my mom, 174 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 2: and I was born. You have you have a date 175 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 2: of your birth? I assume, And then uh, and what 176 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: assured that? 177 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 4: First they didn't believe me because I didn't speak any 178 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 4: English either. There was what kind of American are you 179 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 4: if you don't speak English? 180 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, well I was. I was about to ask you 181 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 2: that question. I'm sure you were fluent in Farsi. 182 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 5: But yes, and that was not it. 183 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 2: So they probably said to you, you know, where is 184 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 2: the what is the name of the baseball team from Boston, 185 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 2: figuring that any American kid would know some of those questions. 186 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 4: I have no clue because I only been to the 187 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 4: United States before that one time. I'm with my mom 188 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 4: and my sister when we came to look for my dad, 189 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 4: and I was and I went to school in Detroit 190 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 4: in one of the suburbs of Detroit for about I 191 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 4: don't know, five six months, and then we packed our 192 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 4: bags and went back to Iran because they wouldn't let 193 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 4: my mom stay and she wasn't going to leave us. 194 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 4: And they said they told my mom at the time 195 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 4: that that was about nine years old. They told my mom, 196 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 4: you can't leave the kids here. Kids are citizens, but 197 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 4: you can't stay. So she was like, okay, I can't 198 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 4: leave two kids. Said we'll put them in Bosta there. 199 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 3: My mom was like, no, I don't. 200 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 2: Think no, no, no, no, no, no, no, all right. 201 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 2: My guest is Nick Burg. Nick I forgot to mention 202 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 2: to you when we spoke earlier tonight. We got some 203 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 2: commercial messages that I'm a little bit late on one here. 204 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 2: If any of you as we go along, want to 205 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 2: ask Nick any question again. The book is Shadows of Tehran. 206 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 2: It is really his life story. It is a novel 207 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 2: by Nick based on a true story, Shadows of Tehran. 208 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 2: It's an extraordinary story. We haven't even scratched the surface. 209 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: We'll talk more with Nick Berg if you'd like to 210 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 2: join the conversation six one, seven, two, five, four ten 211 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 2: thirty six, one seven, nine three, one ten thirty. We'll 212 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 2: also get you on We have a couple of lines 213 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 2: there as well, but we will be back right after 214 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 2: a couple of brief commercial messages here on Nightside, Stay 215 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 2: with us. This is an extraordinary story. 216 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio. 217 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 2: My guess is Nick Bird. His book Shadows of Tehran. 218 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 2: It's based on a true story, his story. He wrote it. 219 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 2: It's a novel, but it basically recounts as life. Okay, 220 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 2: so Nick, we got you to the US, which is important. 221 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 2: You're in the US. It's nineteen eighty seven. At some 222 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 2: point you decided to join the US military. How tough 223 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 2: was that to get into the US military as a 224 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:58,719 Speaker 2: guy who had just arrived from Iran? I bet you 225 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 2: that they looked at you pretty closely. 226 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 5: Tough at all. 227 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 4: The toughest part was the ass faptest that I had 228 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 4: to take. And I was just starting to learn English. 229 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 4: And the map part was easy, the physics part, all. 230 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 5: Of that was pretty much basic. 231 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 4: But the English part I completely bombed on the English part. 232 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 4: And you know that aswaptist determines what job you get 233 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 4: into army, so it's an important test and English part 234 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 4: English and math were the two really critical parts of 235 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 4: that test, so. 236 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 3: I'll never forget. 237 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 4: The army recruiter came to me and said, well, we 238 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 4: got your results back, and I'm like okay, And first 239 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 4: of all, let me tell you the story that I 240 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 4: was working at Wendy's and that the recruiter was having 241 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 4: lunch over there every day. And he showed up and 242 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 4: he said, hey, son, you want to three meals a day, 243 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 4: a nice place to sleep. 244 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 3: And I'm like, sign me up. 245 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 4: Where I going a whole lot of things. First, we 246 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 4: got to go get some paperwork. 247 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 5: Out of the way. You need to go take this 248 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:04,359 Speaker 5: as left. 249 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 4: I'm like, okay, so I want to touch at and 250 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 4: he comes back and he says, I have good news 251 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 4: are bad? 252 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 5: I said, what's the good news? He said? 253 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 3: The good news is is. 254 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 4: That we can get you in the army. 255 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,959 Speaker 5: I'm like, great, what's the bad dudes? 256 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:18,959 Speaker 4: He said, the bad news is you can only take 257 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 4: one job in the army because the score determines what job. 258 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 5: I'm like, okay, what is that? He said, You're sign 259 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 5: up for infantry. 260 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 2: Okay, you're a good You're a good. 261 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 5: So I'm like, okay, let's do that. So that's how 262 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 5: I joined the army. 263 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 2: And so where were you Where were you living at 264 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 2: this point, Nick? And how did you figure out where 265 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 2: you wanted to live? 266 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 5: Well, it wasn't media choice at that point. 267 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: I was. 268 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 4: I picked Detroit when I came from Europe, actually made 269 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 4: my way from Turkey to Belgium and then flew from 270 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 4: Belgium to the US. 271 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 6: And I figured I'll go to the Detroit because I 272 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 6: what I heard was is that it's a car place 273 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 6: and there's factories, and I figured I can get a 274 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 6: job there, maybe sweeping the oars or something, you know, 275 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 6: I don't know. 276 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 2: Good. 277 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, So so I said that would be a good 278 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 5: place to go. So I landed in Detroit. 279 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 4: And so that's how I picked up Detroit basically. 280 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: Okay, so you did you did eleven years, I think 281 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 2: if I'm doing my math grew, No, you did more 282 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: than how many years are doing? It was about eleven 283 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 2: eleven years? 284 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:32,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, eleven years? 285 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, and you were deployed. 286 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 4: Do some hotspots, Yes, I was, And you mean I 287 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 4: mean the thing is is that as a kid, I 288 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 4: was an overachiever and that never stopped. 289 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 3: So when I got into the Army, I went. 290 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 4: To sign up for airborne school. After airborne school, I 291 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 4: signed up for ranger School. After that, I signed up 292 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 4: for a number of different things and ended up in 293 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 4: Special Operations and UH. In special operations they will send 294 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 4: you wherever they need you pretty much, so you get 295 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 4: to go to different places and do different things. And 296 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 4: at the time, the Army's big advertisement was joined the 297 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 4: Army see the world. Might not be the place that 298 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 4: you want to see, but you'll see the world. 299 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 2: Yes, a part of the world. I get it. I 300 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 2: get it. So, so you went to ranger school. Were 301 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 2: you a paratrooper? 302 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 4: Yes, I was a paratrooper as well. 303 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 5: Yeah. 304 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 2: Wow, So just before I gotta I got a break 305 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 2: for newscast here. But but do me a favor. You 306 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 2: you listed for me some of the beautiful UH international 307 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 2: locations that you visited. Why did you share them with 308 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 2: my audience? Some of the the beautiful locations that you 309 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 2: were able to spend some time at, Go right ahead. 310 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, I was in UH in Saudi Arabia for there's 311 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 4: a shield and there's a storm throughout the whole thing. 312 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 4: And then from there to Bosnia to Sarah Leon to 313 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 4: Rwanda during the genocide and a number of other places 314 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 4: that I can't really talk about. 315 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 3: And UH, it was. 316 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 4: It was an exciting career and I really liked it, 317 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 4: and I wanted to stay the twenty years. 318 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 5: But when we come back, I'll tell you that story. 319 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 2: Okay, I'm looking I'm looking forward that the book, Nick 320 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 2: Berg's Shadows of Tehran. He and I do want to 321 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 2: get in at some point to your thoughts and your 322 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 2: perspective as to what is going on in Iran tonight. 323 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 2: In terms of I suspect that the people probably don't 324 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 2: have an idea about the idea of the ceasefire, or 325 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 2: if it's been presented to them. It's been a great 326 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 2: victory for UH, for the Islamic Revolution or whatever. We'll 327 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 2: get to all of that. My guest is Nick Burg. 328 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 2: I'm so enjoying this conversation. If you want to participate 329 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 2: six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one, 330 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 2: ten thirty. I'll be able to get to a couple 331 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,119 Speaker 2: of calls by the end of the hour. But you 332 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 2: got to dial now, folks. Coming back on Night Side. 333 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,719 Speaker 1: You're on the Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ 334 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: Boston's news radio. 335 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 2: I guess this is Nick Berg. Nick was born in 336 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 2: Iran in nineteen sixty seven. His dad was a CIA, 337 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 2: a US CIA officer. His mom was Iranian. The dad 338 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 2: left in nineteen seventy five, and it took Nick thirty 339 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 2: five years to find his father shortly before his dad's death. 340 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 2: It's an incredible story. He was able to get out 341 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:50,879 Speaker 2: of Iran under threat of the potential execution he had. 342 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 2: He had sort of he he was not going to 343 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 2: comply with what the UH, the Iranian government wanted to 344 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 2: impose on him. That that have been posted on So 345 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 2: many people came to this country, joined the US military 346 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 2: and after eleven years you wanted to stay in and 347 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 2: do twenty What was your rank at that. 348 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 5: Point, Nick, I was E seven at that point. 349 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 2: That's pretty good. 350 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, that was that was That was a pretty good rank. 351 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 4: I thought I have a nice ride, and then Bosnia happened, 352 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 4: and I went to Bosnia and got seriously injured that 353 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,640 Speaker 4: I couldn't be on U in special operations anymore. 354 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 5: And they put me behind the desk at that point. 355 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 2: And seriously, in what way were you? 356 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 3: I took a few bullets in my legs and too. 357 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's pretty cab. You know, most people have experienced. Wow, unbelievable. 358 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 5: Nick. 359 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 2: Thank you for your for your sacrifice. You were wounded. 360 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't think we lost any soldiers in Bosnia, 361 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 2: but you must have been in the midst of it 362 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 2: if you took a. 363 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 4: Few kind of places that we won't never admit that 364 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,719 Speaker 4: we are. So it was a little bit of a 365 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 4: different story there. 366 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 5: Yeah. 367 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 4: But the thing was is that my world kind of 368 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 4: came to an end because that was all I knew 369 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:14,400 Speaker 4: in America. 370 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 5: I was life in the army. 371 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 4: And to give you a little twist and then I'll 372 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 4: tell you this is going to give away a little 373 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 4: bit of the plot of the book at the end 374 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 4: of the in the middle of the book. 375 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:26,120 Speaker 5: But what I. 376 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 4: Realized when I found my father finally thirty five years 377 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 4: later in Las Vegas, out of all places, and he 378 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 4: was actually monitoring my entire career in the army and 379 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 4: directing it. 380 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 3: And you kind of yeah, And. 381 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 5: I had no idea, no idea whatsoever. 382 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 2: So he somehow he must have found out that you 383 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 2: had escaped around Maybe he communicated with your mom. 384 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,159 Speaker 4: Possibly, No, he monitored as soon as I connected with 385 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 4: the US embassy and they learned and that's where the 386 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 4: story kind of. 387 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 5: Started, and that kind of followed all the way through. 388 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 2: Wow wow Yeah. And did he ever explain to you 389 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 2: why he just up and left. 390 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 4: Well, the thing was is that he said he did 391 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 4: it for our safety, because he got himself into some 392 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 4: things that he'd at the time couldn't tell me. But 393 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 4: later on on his death bed, he finally told me 394 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 4: what the story was. 395 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 5: But the. 396 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,959 Speaker 4: Whole thing is it was around that he was a 397 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 4: different type of a person and being in special operations. 398 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,199 Speaker 4: And my sister is still really mad at him and 399 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,919 Speaker 4: about all the things that he did because we found 400 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 4: out that we have like a half Egyptian sister in 401 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 4: Egypt somewhere and different things. 402 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,120 Speaker 3: But after being. 403 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 4: In special operations in the US and all of that, 404 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 4: I start to kind of get him. I understood him 405 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 4: because he was a true patriot and his role because 406 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 4: before he came to Iran he was a nable intelligence 407 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 4: officer and all of that, what kind of bruh and 408 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 4: he fought in Vietnam and all of that. It was 409 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 4: that country was above everything else, above himself, his family, 410 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 4: everything else. And the reality is then, is that in 411 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 4: this world, the way we live and most people don't 412 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 4: know the world we live in is that. 413 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 5: We need people like. 414 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 2: Him, we really do. 415 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 4: We need people like him to do the things that 416 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 4: they do to keep us all safe. So I kind 417 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 4: of got him, I kind of understood him, and we 418 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 4: had a great relationship before he passed, and I recorded 419 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 4: all of his story and that's. 420 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:03,959 Speaker 5: Actually going to be the third book in this series. 421 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 4: I'm the second book is called Shadows of Deception that's 422 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 4: going to come out in the next year or so, 423 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 4: and the third book is his story. 424 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,399 Speaker 2: So you now are a professional writer. 425 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 4: No, I don't call myself a professional writer. I just 426 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 4: I like to tell tell this story and I wanted 427 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 4: this story to have a meaning, and I couldn't fit 428 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 4: it all in one book that way. 429 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 2: So that's what I said. But what I'm saying, are 430 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 2: you are you? You're fifty nine years old, you told me. 431 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 2: Are you still working in some form of fashion? Oh? 432 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely. 433 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 4: I'm I'm an IT executive for AI company. I teach 434 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 4: AI at UCLA, I write books. I have a very 435 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 4: active life. 436 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 5: I don't stop. 437 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,959 Speaker 2: Wow. Okay, so again I just want people. I've already 438 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,919 Speaker 2: had a text message from one of my most loyal 439 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 2: listeners that a book has been ordered and I won't 440 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,760 Speaker 2: identify what state it's going to, but it is going. 441 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 2: It's on the way. The book is Nick Bergs Shadows 442 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 2: of Tehran, Forged in conflict from Iranian rebel to American 443 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 2: Special Forces. Okay, so now I want to start to 444 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 2: open up a little bit. I want to get away 445 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 2: from the book. We'll plug the book again, I promise. 446 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 2: What do you think is going on in Iran right now? 447 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 2: I mean, obviously, these people have been under bombardment for 448 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 2: about five seven let's see, five weeks, thirty four days, 449 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:44,479 Speaker 2: whatever it is. Give us what is your best guess, 450 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 2: and if it's more than a guest, be free to 451 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 2: tell us. These people are literally in the dark. The 452 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 2: communications have been shut off. As I understand it, there's 453 00:24:55,600 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: no internet. Very few people really understand. What do you 454 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 2: I think the feeling is amongst the people of Iran tonight. 455 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 4: Well, there's there's a few things that I want to 456 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 4: make sure your listeners understand about this situation. One is 457 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 4: this government, as we call it, the occupation government, because 458 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,880 Speaker 4: that's truly what it is, the Islamic occupation government. They 459 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 4: have been ruling Iran for a very long time, forty 460 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 4: eight for nine years, and during this whole time, it's 461 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 4: kind of like a terrorist organization that took over the 462 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,639 Speaker 4: country and started draining its resources. 463 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:40,919 Speaker 5: Their economy even before the war was in really bad shape. 464 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 4: There's water shortages, electricity shortages everywhere, and they're standing on 465 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 4: top of one. 466 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 5: Of the most. 467 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 4: One of the biggest oil reserves in the world. 468 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 5: So there's no. 469 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 4: Reason for them to be in that shape and in 470 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 4: that poverty. You can look at the right across the 471 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 4: Persian and you have Dubai, you have Emirates, and you 472 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 4: have Gottire. 473 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 5: And all of these countries over there that are. 474 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 4: Thriving and Iran is not. And there's a reason for that. 475 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:14,199 Speaker 4: Their resources are being stolen from them, and all of 476 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,719 Speaker 4: those resources are being funneled in the Hutis in Yemen 477 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 4: and Hezbollah and Hamas and all of these terror organizations, 478 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 4: even the terror organizations that fought against our troops in 479 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 4: the back in Iraq during that war. 480 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 5: And they found that would isis right exactly. 481 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 4: They they they funneled money to all of these extremist 482 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 4: groups because the government is just a terrorist organization based 483 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 4: on the ideology and people. 484 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:44,640 Speaker 5: Are tired of it. 485 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 4: I have a lot of friends that I still talk to. 486 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 4: There's friends that just came out of Iran right before 487 00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:52,959 Speaker 4: the war and we we we have a lot of 488 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 4: conversations around this, and what they say is, look, ninety 489 00:26:57,920 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 4: percent of the people are against the. 490 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 5: Government and they want this government to go away. 491 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 4: One of the biggest uprisings happened in January of this year, 492 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 4: and it was everybody thought the government was going to 493 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 4: fall the way they are, but they went and brought 494 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 4: in all of these Al Shabab from Iraq and Al 495 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 4: Fatima from Afghanistan, all these extremist groups into the cities 496 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 4: of Iran and start massacring people. They killed thirty nine 497 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 4: thousand people in two days. And that's just brutal the 498 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 4: way they're dealing with people in Iran. So when the 499 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 4: war happened, then the war started, people were asking for help. 500 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 4: People were asking Trump and asking Israel since the twelve 501 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 4: day war for them to come and do something and 502 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 4: help them to get this to some point because their 503 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 4: people are not just tired, they're devastated. Right now, every 504 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 4: family knows somebody that was killed in Iran. 505 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 2: So my question Nick, and again I'm going to ask 506 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 2: the question and then we'll take an answer after this 507 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:11,479 Speaker 2: last commercial break. What should the US do, what should 508 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 2: Israel do? And what should the people of Iran do 509 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,199 Speaker 2: in the next two weeks? If anything. My guest is 510 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 2: Nick Berg. His book Shadows of Tehran is available. It's 511 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 2: basically the subtitle is Forged in Conflict from Iranian rebel 512 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 2: to American special Forces. This man has fought for our country, 513 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 2: He's fought for freedom, He's escaped from Iran. He's one 514 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 2: of the best guests I've ever had in this program, 515 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 2: and I've been doing this program for nineteen years. I 516 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 2: am so happy that he's joined us tonight. The timing, 517 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 2: his comments, his background, and what he has made of himself. 518 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 2: For those of us who are listening tonight, think if 519 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 2: you would have had the ability to escape from a 520 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 2: country like this and at the age of nineteen somehow 521 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,400 Speaker 2: get to America as an American citizen who didn't speak 522 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 2: English and make of yourself what he has made of himself. 523 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 2: It's an extraordinary story. And will continue that story right 524 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 2: after this final commercial break here on Nightside. 525 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: You're on Nightside with Dan Ray. I'm w b Z 526 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: Boston's news Radio. 527 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 2: My guess this Nick Berg, his book Shadows of Tehran. 528 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 2: Nick is an extraordinary guest, and I hope those of 529 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 2: you who are listening realize put yourself in his shoes 530 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 2: as to the situation he found himself in in nineteen 531 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 2: eighty seven, abandoned by a dad nineteen years old death 532 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 2: sentence hanging over his head in Iran for being sort 533 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 2: of a rebel in Iran. He certainly had a cause, 534 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 2: had to escape the country, get to Turkey, proved to 535 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 2: them he was a US citizen by because of his 536 00:29:56,360 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 2: birth his dad was a former CIA agent, and then 537 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 2: somehow get to to the States, went to Detroit, and 538 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 2: then signed up for the military. So with all of this, 539 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 2: you said you're teaching at U c l A. Now, Nick, 540 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 2: I didn't realize that. 541 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 4: Yes, I teach AI fundamentals at U c l A. 542 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 3: And i I'm. 543 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 4: Right now working full time as as an I executive 544 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 4: for a big software firm. 545 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 2: Wow wow wow wow wow. Nick. So my question is 546 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 2: we now are on the beginning of a of a 547 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 2: two week cease fire. What do you think the US 548 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 2: should do? What do you think Iran is going to do? 549 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 2: And what should Israel do in these next two weeks? Uh? 550 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 2: You know what I want to know? The advice should 551 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 2: give to Donald Trump, the advice should give to net Nyahoo. 552 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 2: And what do you think Tehran is going to do? 553 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 2: Are they going to just delay? Delayed delay? Do you 554 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,560 Speaker 2: think they're actually going to agree to an to an end? 555 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 4: Here? 556 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 2: Your your inside would be will be important for me 557 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 2: to hear, go right ahead. 558 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 4: Well, I'm if I was a guessing man at this point, 559 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 4: I'll say that this two weeks is basically Donald Trump 560 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 4: wanted to basically get some time so get some ships through. 561 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 5: The Strait of Hormos. 562 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 4: And what Iran is saying that they're going to control 563 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 4: the Strait of Hormos. 564 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:21,040 Speaker 5: He would never agree to that. 565 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 4: And Iran they're too much of a they'd have too 566 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 4: much pride, too much ideology to actually come up with 567 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 4: terms that Trump and them can agree to. And so 568 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 4: I think this is going to keep going. But if 569 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 4: I had advice for the President at this point, I 570 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 4: would tell him, don't let up the pressure. 571 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 5: The people of Iran will take care of this regime. 572 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 5: They are fighters, they are. 573 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 4: They have a twenty five hundred year history of being fighters. 574 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 4: And Iran have been here in the history before it 575 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 4: was run by, run over by the Arabs, by the Mongols, 576 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 4: by Alexander, by the Greeks and all of them, and 577 00:31:58,440 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 4: they all came back from. 578 00:31:59,480 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 5: All of it. 579 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 4: So they are fighters and they're going to survive and 580 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 4: they're going to overthrow this government. 581 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 2: Where the where would they get the weapons? They have 582 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 2: no weapons. 583 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 4: That what I would say that they need to get 584 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:14,959 Speaker 4: some weapons in those people's hands. 585 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 3: And this is not Iraq, this is not Afghanistan. 586 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 4: It's it's a totally different culture, totally different people. So 587 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 4: doing comparisons between those countries doesn't make any sense. 588 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 2: And it's a different So I understand this. Are you 589 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: saying Iran at its core is much more aligned as 590 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,280 Speaker 2: a Western culture than either Iraq or Afghanistan. 591 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 4: Absolutely, absolutely, even under the Islamic government. Right now, if 592 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 4: you watch some videos before the war happened in Iran, 593 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 4: women are walking around without headscarves, without a job, without 594 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 4: any of that stuff because they just refuse to give 595 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 4: in to the government. 596 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 5: They had the woman. 597 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 3: Life Freedom movement that happened a couple. 598 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 5: Of years ago. They were against the Islamic government. 599 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,600 Speaker 4: Culture of Iran is completely against. 600 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 5: The whole Islamic value. 601 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 4: And there's been this oxymoron of a government for the 602 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 4: last forty seven years, and we have a crown prince 603 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 4: that's ready with the ready government to take over Iran 604 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 4: as soon as that government gets toppled. 605 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 2: Do you think the people do you think the people 606 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 2: of Iran would accept Pallavi? 607 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 5: Oh? Yeah, absolutely absolutely. 608 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 4: In the January uprisings, everyone was calling his name, they 609 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 4: were yelling for his name, and they were yelling for 610 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 4: him to come back. 611 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 2: What percentage, Nick? And again, I know I'm starting to 612 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 2: get here with quick questions. What percentage of the Iranian 613 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 2: people do you believe still support this government? How small 614 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 2: or how big a percentage of Iranian people, whether they're 615 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 2: true believers or whether they're they just don't have the 616 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 2: courage to step aside. How what's the percentage that support 617 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 2: the government? 618 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,000 Speaker 4: About ten percent? About ten percent of the government. And 619 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 4: this is just by statistics, they're not official statistics, but 620 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 4: by people that have known it's. 621 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:08,720 Speaker 5: About ten percent. 622 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:12,200 Speaker 4: But remember the country's ninety million people, so ten percent 623 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:15,360 Speaker 4: of that is nine million people that are still supporting 624 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 4: that government. So everything that you see on TV and 625 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,880 Speaker 4: all of this stuff is that group of people that 626 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 4: you see. 627 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 2: Okay, the women who stood around some of the power 628 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 2: plants before last night's deadline and the ceasefire, were they 629 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 2: doing that willingly or were they being forced to do that? 630 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 5: In European Oh, they're being forced to. 631 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 4: They're being forced to and some of them were doing 632 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 4: it willingly because they're so brainwashed over this ideology and 633 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 4: these things that just. 634 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 5: It makes no sense. 635 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 2: Last couple of questions here real quickly, and again, I 636 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:52,759 Speaker 2: may want to have you back because this has been 637 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:57,479 Speaker 2: an extraordinary opportunity for me to learn. What advice would 638 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 2: you get to NETANYAHUO visa VI Lebanon and Hezbollah at 639 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 2: this point, Ron obviously wants them to participate as a 640 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:07,480 Speaker 2: as in the ceasefire. 641 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 5: Yeah. 642 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,759 Speaker 4: So I'm gonna tell you a story, and it's a 643 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:17,279 Speaker 4: quick one. In twenty five in about twenty five hundred BC, 644 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 4: when Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, took over Babylon, 645 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 4: there were Jewish slaves there, and he freed those Jewish 646 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:27,719 Speaker 4: slaves and send them back to Israel for them to 647 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 4: build their temple. Now they're paying back to favor. Look 648 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 4: at it that one. 649 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 5: Wow, that's how we look at it. 650 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 2: You look at it. My my producer was in my 651 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:41,400 Speaker 2: ear there for a second. How do you look at 652 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 2: that that piece. 653 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 4: Of history that that's in Yahoo and Israel are paying 654 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 4: back to favor to the Persian people. 655 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:51,240 Speaker 2: So you were happy with what Netnya who was doing 656 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:52,239 Speaker 2: and you believe. 657 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:56,720 Speaker 4: That people are okay, absolutely, and people of Iran always 658 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 4: been supporters of Israel. 659 00:35:58,920 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 5: You know. 660 00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:01,920 Speaker 2: I'll tell you, Nick, I just can't tell you how 661 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:05,279 Speaker 2: much I appreciate your time tonight. This was as extraordinary 662 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 2: and intry. I've been doing this for nineteen years. And 663 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:12,279 Speaker 2: the book is Shadows of Tehran, Forged in conflict from 664 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 2: Iranian rebel to American special Forces. Your life has been amazing. 665 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 2: And for those who grow up in this country and say, 666 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 2: oh woe is me, woe is me? What can I do? 667 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:25,759 Speaker 2: You have accomplished and achieved the American dream, and you 668 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:30,720 Speaker 2: have done it against all odds. I stand in awe 669 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 2: of your life story, and I hope everyone in our 670 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 2: audience buys this book, Shadows of Tehran. It is a novel, 671 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 2: but is in effect your life story, forged in conflict 672 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:47,479 Speaker 2: from Iranian rebel to American Special Forces. Nick, we will 673 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:51,759 Speaker 2: have you back on this program. This has been extraordinary and. 674 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 4: I can't thank you, thank you so much. And just 675 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 4: one last thing is that I want your listeners to know. 676 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,879 Speaker 4: Life is not one happens to you. Life is how 677 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 4: you respond to those things that happen to you. 678 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:07,280 Speaker 6: That's what makes you who you are, soundsor. 679 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:10,759 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you you're an extraordinary individual. Nick, Thank 680 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 2: you for your time tonight again Shadows of Tehran Amazon available. 681 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:19,880 Speaker 2: I'm sure we will talk again, my friend, Thank. 682 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 5: You, Thank you, Dan. Have a great evening YouTube. 683 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,359 Speaker 2: Here comes the eleven o'clock news. I want to hear 684 00:37:26,480 --> 00:37:31,359 Speaker 2: from you, my listeners. I took no phone calls that hour, 685 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 2: but I would love to hear from you. How inspirational 686 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 2: was that hour? If you ever doubted America, listen to 687 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 2: that hour coming back on Nightside