US Senate Approves Homeland Security Bill

By Deborah Tate Capitol Hill 13 March 2007

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The U.S. Senate, following the House of Representatives' lead, has approved a broad homeland security bill by a 60 to 38 vote. But President Bush says he will veto the legislature unless one particular provision is stripped from the measure. VOA's Deborah Tate explains from Capitol Hill.

US Capitol, Washington DC

The legislation aims to implement the remainder of the recommendations put forward by the bipartisan commission that probed the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

The bill includes measures to improve rail, aviation and cargo security, as well as funds for state and local emergency communications systems. It also seeks to improve intelligence sharing among federal, state and local officials.

Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who calls himself an independent Democrat, is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He appealed for bipartisan support of the bill ahead of the vote:

"America is safer than it was on 9/11 01, but not yet safe enough," said Joe Lieberman. " This bill, which I believe is non-controversial and ought to receive nonpartisan support, will make the people of America, in an age of terrorism, safer yet."

But the legislation includes a measure vehemently opposed by the Bush administration that would give federal baggage screeners at airports collective bargaining rights.

Majority Democrats argue that screeners have been denied such rights since joining the federal payroll after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Republican opponents of the provision say the Homeland Security Department needs flexibility in setting screeners' schedules and procedures.

Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, voted against the overall bill because of the collective bargaining amendment.

"It does have a fatal defect," said Mitch McConnell. "It has turned into, unfortunately, a reward to big labor by including a collective bargaining provision."

The Democratic-led House of Representatives has passed its own version of the homeland security legislation, with a similar provision extending collective bargaining rights to airport baggage screeners. The Senate and House bills must be reconciled before a final bill is sent to President Bush for his signature.

The president has vowed to veto the legislation if the collective bargaining measure is not removed.

Shi'ite, Sunni Split Feeds Iraq Conflict

By Margaret Besheer Washington 13 March 2007

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For the last year, Iraq has been consumed by violence that has pitted Shi'ite Muslims against Sunni Muslims. Some see the battle as religious, dating to the 17th century disagreement over who would succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Others say it is a modern day fight for political dominance.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (front) talks to Iraqi army soldiers in Baghdad, 9 Mar 2007

Sunnis and Shi'ites have more beliefs that unite them than divide them. They share the same holy book, the Koran, and practice the five pillars of Islam, including the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca.

Yet today in Iraq, they are fighting each other in a battle that Georgetown University Islamic History Professor John Voll says at its core is about the relationship between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunnis. The Shi'ites have been out of power and oppressed for a long time, while the Sunnis have been in power and do not want to share it.

Professor John Voll

"No politically dominant elite ever gracefully gives up power to a persecuted minority," he noted.

Professor Marius Deeb of The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies agrees.

"The conflict is really Saddamists versus anti-Saddamists. Unfortunately it took the form of the Sunnis, the old Saddamists, fighting the Shi'ites who come to be, unfortunately, pro-Iranian," he noted.

In February 2006, Sunni insurgents bombed a Shi'ite shrine north of Baghdad. That unleashed an all-out sectarian conflict in Baghdad and its surrounding areas that is still not under control.

Iraqis gather at the ruins of a shrine in Samarra in this 22 Feb, 2006 file photo

"You have the great symbols of the Shi'ite tradition and the great symbols of the Sunni tradition become the words and symbols for mobilizing," said Voll. "This is why the destruction of the Golden Mosque in Samarra was such an important event. It represented an image and a symbol of the Shi'ite identity itself, and by destroying, it was a way of trying to continue to show the vulnerability of the Shi'ites."

Iraq's government is dominated by Shi'ite Muslims and many of them are closely allied with Iran. That concerns Iraq's mostly Sunni neighbors. In 2004, Jordan's King Abdullah warned of what he called the potential for a new Shi'ite crescent of governments and movements stretching from Lebanon to Iran.

Professor Deeb says the concern should not be so much about a Shi'ite crescent, but rather about the rise of militant Islam in all its forms.

Professor Marius Deeb

"We can speak of a militant Islamic crescent which Iran and Syria are leading it with Hezbollah and Hamas and Islamic Jihad," he said. "They have the same agenda, an agenda which is destructive, unfortunately. Which will not lead to peace and reconciliation and end of conflict."

So what will bring the two sects together? Professor Voll says reconstruction of Iraq would be a good first step, providing areas where the two groups can cooperate.

"Economic reconstruction reduces the ability of Mehdi army and Sunni resistance militias to appeal to people," he said.

Professor Deeb says compromise and power sharing are important to reconciliation. Ultimately, he says, Iraqis need to discover again that they are part of one nation and let their national identity bind them together.

Iraq's Shi'ite PM Visits Sunni Stronghold of Ramadi

By Barry Newhouse Baghdad 13 March 2007

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Iraq's Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has made his first visit to the Sunni stronghold city of Ramadi in western Iraq. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Baghdad the trip was promoted as a symbolic visit by the Shi'ite leader to the heart of al-Anbar province's Sunni insurgency.

Iraq's al-Anbar province governor Maamoun Sami Rashid al-Alwani (L), Prime Minister Nur al-Maliki (C) arrive in Ramadi 13 March 2007

The prime minister's unannounced visit to Ramadi comes as U.S. forces continue to arrive in al-Anbar province as part of the expanding troop surge.

Mr. Maliki met with tribal leaders and al-Anbar's governor, saying the central government is working to solve the violent province's many problems.

The prime minister said Iraqi officials are focusing on improving security, government services and the economy in al-Anbar. He also said local officials told him there is a desperate need for many basic things such as food rations.

U.S. officials say al-Anbar, a vast province that stretches west of Baghdad to the Syrian and Saudi Arabian borders, is a key city in the country's Sunni insurgency and a stronghold for al-Qaida in Iraq. Several thousand of the more than 25,000 additional American forces being sent to Iraq are headed to al-Anbar, which has been the deadliest province for American forces in Iraq.

The U.S. military has fought a long-running Sunni insurgency in the area, despite massive military operations over the years in cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi.

Marine Captain Paul Duncan, who is based in Ramadi, says part of the problem in securing the area before was the military's tactics.

"For the longest time, al-Qaida was sending their fighting forces to Ramadi sort of towards their version of a boot camp for terrorism," he said. "And then the old school mentality of 'to go in, clear the area and then leave it' just didn't work. You need that sustained presence."

In recent months, with more coalition forces conducting daily operations throughout the city, Captain Duncan says Sunni tribes that had long fought U.S. forces in al-Anbar, are turning against local al-Qaida groups.

"When we first came in about a year ago, there were six tribes working with us, about 12 to 15 actively working against us and about three to four on the fence," he added. "Now, we have 16 tribes actively working for us, still about three on the fence and six working against us. But as soon as we are able to provide security in their areas, we believe they are going to flip as well."

Iraqi and U.S. officials credit part of their successes in al-Anbar province to Sheikh Abdul Satar Abu Risha, a Sunni tribal leader who has been instrumental in persuading tribes to turn against al-Qaida forces in the region.

Since tribal leaders decided to work with Iraqi and U.S. forces, military and police recruitment rates have increased and more police stations have sprung up in the Ramadi.

But as more Iraqi and U.S. forces enter Baghdad to try to stabilize the capital, American officials have predicted that insurgents leaving the city could try to destabilize regions further away. Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, has seen a spike in violence in recent months and worsening sectarian fighting between Sunni and Shi'ite militias. On Tuesday, 700 more U.S. troops arrived in Diyala to try to crack down on the fighting.

Bush in Mexico, Seeks to Repair Frayed Ties

By Paula Wolfson Merida, Mexico 14 March 2007

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President Bush spent Tuesday highlighting U.S. ties with Mexico, and his desire to find common ground on the controversial issue of immigration. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from Merida - the last stop on his five nation Latin America tour.

Presidents George Bush (r) and Felipe Calderon touring Mayan city of Uxmal

President Bush spent much of the day behind closed doors with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

At the top of the agenda was what to do about the flow of illegal Mexican immigrants across their common border.

Speaking at an arrival ceremony in the sun-drenched grounds of a restored country estate turned luxury hotel, Mr. Bush promised action.

"And so Mr. President, my pledge to you and your government - but more importantly, the people of Mexico - is I will work as hard as I possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform," said President Bush.

But President Calderon made clear his country is impatient, noting the toll illegal immigration has taken on Mexico.

"Mexicans lose in each migrant, the best of our people, young people, working people, and audacious people, strong people - people that leave Mexico because they don't find the opportunities here in order to pull through with their lives," he said.

His public comments were direct - far more so than those uttered by any of the other Latin American leaders who met with Mr. Bush during his travels.

Mr. Calderon criticized a new U.S. law that authorizes funding for a fence along parts of the border. And he recalled the promise President Bush made shortly after taking office to make hemispheric relations a priority - a vow that was broken after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"I believe that it is now time to retake the spirit of these words and to direct our relationship toward a path of mutual prosperity," said Felipe Calderon.

Dan Bartlett

A top aide to President Bush - White House Counselor Dan Bartlett - said Mr. Bush was not surprised by the criticism, noting immigration is a tough topic for all concerned.

"It's a very emotional debate," said Dan Bartlett. "It's an emotional debate in our own country, and I'm sure it's a very emotional debate in this country, because the lives - so many lives are affected, and children are affected, and moms and dads are affected."

Trade and development were also on the agenda for the Bush-Calderon talks, along with the growing threat of narco-trafficking.

It was the first meeting between the two men since Mr. Calderon's inauguration in December after a razor-thin election victory.

Following their talks, they took some time off to visit the remains of an ancient Mayan city at Uxmal. Throughout President Bush's visit, security was tight. But there were no signs of the kind of boisterous demonstrations seen earlier during his Latin America tour.

Mexico was the last stop in a journey that took the president to Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Guatemala. He returns to Washington on Wednesday.

VOASE0313_Health Report

13 March 2007

Laying the Roots for Healthy Teeth in Young Children
Experts say good dental care starts at birth by paying attention to a baby's gums.

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

It might seem hard to imagine that a bad tooth could be deadly.

More than 41,000 students in the Philippines brushed their teeth at the same time last month to set a world record, organizers said. The record was 33,038 in the United Kingdom.

But doctors in the Washington area say a twelve-year-old boy died last month from a tooth infection that spread to his brain. They say it might have been prevented had the boy received the dental care he needed.

Experts at the National Institutes of Health say good dental care starts at birth. They say breast milk is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow bacterial growth and acid production in the mouth.

But dentists say you should clean your baby's gums and early teeth after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if you bottle feed your baby. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give your baby only water.

When baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies. And use them very gently.

The use of fluoride to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. This natural element is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel, the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes, or cavities, from forming.

But the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry points out that young children often swallow toothpaste when they brush. The group notes that swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause problems. So young children should be carefully supervised when they brush their teeth. And only a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, the size of a green pea, should be used.

Parents often wonder about what effect thumb sucking or sucking on a pacifier might have on their baby's teeth. Dental experts generally agree that this is fine early in life.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says most kids stop sucking their thumbs by the age of four. If it continues, the group advises parents to talk to their child's dentist or doctor. It could interfere with the correct development of permanent teeth.

Dentists strongly advise a first dental visit at least by the time a child is one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear.

Healthy teeth are meant to last a lifetime. Daily cleaning is important to preventing infections and other problems. We will talk more in the future about dental care for children and adults.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. Transcripts and audio files of our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

VOASE0313_Explorations

13 March 2007

Bungee Jumping: Stretching the Limits of Fear, Just for Fun
Some people call it crazy, but enough find it exciting to make it a popular sport around the world.

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

Bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls bridge in Zimbabwe

And I’m Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Imagine standing at the edge of a tall bridge. Hundreds of meters below you, river water rushes by. You take a deep breath and jump off the bridge, head first into thin air. As a reaction to such excitement and fear, the hormone adrenaline floods through your body.

There is nothing but a long rubber rope attached to your ankles, holding on to your very life. Some people call it crazy. Others say it is exciting. Whatever you may think, bungee jumping has become a popular extreme sport all over the world.

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VOICE ONE:

A land diver climbs up a tower before his jump

Bungee jumping is not a new activity. Men on Pentecost Island in the South Pacific have been doing land jumping for hundreds of years. The men tie long vines from plants around their ankles. They spend days building tall towers out of vines and logs. Then they jump off these structures. It takes a great deal of skill to jump correctly and safely. Land diving for them is an important cultural activity.

According to their beliefs, the first land diver was a woman. She decided to run away from her abusive husband. So, she climbed up a tall tree and tied some vines around her feet. Her husband chased after her up the tree. He reached out to grab her, but the woman jumped and the man followed. The vines saved her life, but her husband died.

VOICE TWO:

A land diver jumps from a tower

Land diving has become a way in which these island men show their bravery in front of the women. People of the village sing loud songs to show their support for the brave divers. This tradition is also a way for the men to voice their troubles in public. For example, a man can discuss his marriage problems before he jumps. The villagers – including his wife - must stand and listen.

VOICE ONE:

This ancient custom caught the interest of some students at Oxford University in England. In the late nineteen seventies, they formed a group called the Dangerous Sports Club. They liked to invent risky and sometimes crazy activities. They were some of the first people to test several of what are now called extreme sports. They are said to have invented modern bungee jumping.

In the spring of nineteen seventy-nine, members of the group jumped off the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England. They were attached to the bridge by a bungee cord, a long elastic rope that stretches. They were dressed in black and white clothing and held bottles of Champagne wine. The press quickly reported on their wild activities. The group soon received even more attention when they organized a bungee jump off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

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VOICE TWO:

A man named A.J. Hackett of New Zealand later heard about this group. He decided to make the sport into a business. Mister Hackett worked with his friend Henry van Asch who was an expert at skiing. They started developing bungee ropes and materials. Scientists at Auckland University helped them. The two men knew that people would find bungee jumping exciting and fun. And they knew people would pay money for the experience.

To show the world about bungee jumping they held a major jump in nineteen eighty-seven off of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. They later got permission to open the first bungee jumping operation on the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Many people paid seventy-five dollars to jump off the bridge with a bungee cord attached to their ankles. Mister Hackett worked hard to make sure the public knew how safe his materials were. He developed a method to guarantee safety called the “Bungee Code of Practice.”

VOICE ONE:

Bungee jumping might seem frightening. But it is a very safe activity if you go to a well-established bungee jump company. People who work for bungee operators usually have a great deal of training and experience. They use very strong and carefully made rubber ropes. They choose a rope based on the jumper’s body weight. This is so they can manage how much the rope stretches when the person falls.

The rope attaches through a harness device tied around the jumper’s ankles. Often, operators use a body harness as well. This is so that you have twice the protection in case one harness breaks. Good bungee operators make sure all equipment is in excellent condition. They should also do several checks to make sure all ropes, harnesses and ties are correctly attached.

VOICE TWO:

It is important to remember that this sport is not safe for everyone. People who have high blood pressure or a heart condition should not try jumping. People with back or knee injuries or who suffer from epilepsy should also avoid this sport. And remember, if you do not feel like experiencing it yourself, you can always watch other people jump.

VOICE ONE:

Now you have jumped, bounced up and down several times on the rubber rope, and are hanging by your ankles in the middle of the air. You may be wondering what you are supposed to do now. Do not worry. The operators have different choices for getting you back to land right side up again. Often times, a bungee guide on a rope will attach to your rope and help you back up to the structure you jumped from. One extreme sports company gives a warning on its Web site. It warns that bungee jumping might lead to big smiles and deep feelings of happiness and excitement.

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VOICE TWO:

Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa

Since its beginnings in New Zealand, commercial bungee jumping has spread to countries everywhere. One of the highest bungee jumps in the world from a structure is near Locarno, Switzerland over the Verzasca Dam. The drop measures two hundred and twenty meters. In fact, you can see the character James Bond jump off this very bridge in the nineteen ninety-five movie “GoldenEye.” Or, there is the two hundred and sixteen meter jump from the Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa. This is the highest single arch bridge in the world.

VOICE ONE:

Of course, not every place has a body of water with a bridge from which you can jump. Some amusement parks offer bungee jumping from crane machinery. In the Andes Mountains of Peru, you can visit Action Valley outside the city of Cusco. Visitors can jump from a metal box that hangs from cables high up in the air. Most of these companies can sell you video recordings or photographs of your jump. This way you can prove to your family back home that you were brave enough to bungee.

VOICE TWO:

Now, extreme sports companies are finding ways to make bungee jumping even more frightening. Some offer bungee jumps at night, or jumps where you fall off a structure backwards. There are also bungee jumps from flying helicopters and hot air balloons. You can also try bungee jumping for two. Some companies can harness two people together so you and a friend can experience twice the excitement. A.J. Hackett’s company even offers a sky jump off the tallest building in Macau. Just how far would you go to experience the fast rush of bungee fear?

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VOICE ONE:

Hosiah Mudzingwa helps run a bungee operation on the Victoria Falls bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia in Africa. He has been jumping from this one hundred and eleven meter drop for many years. From the steel bridge you can see the giant waters of Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Mister Mudzingwa explains that every human being wants to feel the rush of adrenaline. He says when you bungee jump, you leave all stress and bad thinking behind. He says you come back up with a new mind.

VOICE TWO:

Preparing to jump; the Zambezi River is in the background

But what does a person who is new to bungee jumping think about this sport? Tim Rooney recently traveled to Victoria Falls. He only had twenty-four hours to spend in Zimbabwe. But he made sure he found time to jump off this famous bridge towards the powerful Zambezi River. Here is what he had to say about the experience.

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TIM ROONEY: “Hi, I’m Tim Rooney from Washington DC. Jumping off the bridge was one of the most spectacular, poetic moments of my life.

"The idea hadn’t really occurred to me until we got to the falls and we saw the view. I decided what better way to get to know this view than to jump into it.

"I think that the jump had more of a scary impact on my girlfriend who had to watch the whole thing. To an observer, a bungee jump looks like a terribly violent process. But the actual experience of it is one of floating. You jump and you don’t have any sensation of being tugged or falling or anything. You just are floating up and down. It is one of the most calm, wonderful things I have ever done. I recommend everybody do it.”

VOICE ONE:

This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Shirley Griffith. You can read and listen to this program on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.