US, S. Korea Finalize Agreement For Transfer of Wartime Command

By Kurt Achin Seoul 28 June 2007

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South Korea is a step closer to having independent control over its military forces in war. Seoul and Washington have finalized a plan giving South Korea command over its forces in the event of a war with North Korea. As VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul, the plan changes a military structure that has been in place since the 1950s.

S. Korean soldiers salute during ceremony, 21 Jun 2007

U.S. and South Korean military leaders finalized plans Thursday for a watershed shift in the two countries' security relationship. The plan gives South Korea full command of its forces by 2012.

About 28,000 U.S. forces are stationed here to help deter a repeat of North Korea's 1950 surprise attack. Under a policy that dates back to the Korean War, if fighting resumed, U.S. commanders would control not only their own forces, but also South Korea's military.

David Oten, spokesman for United States Forces in Korea, says there will be a five-year transitional period before returning full control to the Republic of Korea - South Korea's official name.

"When the transition is complete, the result will be two complementary … coordinated commands with the Republic of Korea as the supported nation and the U.S. as a supporting nation," Oten said.

During the Korean War, the U.S. led United Nations forces against North Korea and its ally, China. In 1953, an armistice halted fighting.

The U.S. military retained wartime control over South Korean forces as the nation rebuilt itself into an economic powerhouse.

South Korea and the United States have been negotiating details of the control transfer for more than a year. Both sides say it reflects a new strategic vision of South Korea as a successful nation that deserves autonomy over all its own affairs.

South Korea's relations with North Korea have dramatically changed since the two sides held a historic 2000 summit, with more regular contact. North Korea has always condemned the U.S. military presence on the peninsula. Many South Korean analysts say a more independent security relationship with the U.S. may give Seoul a stronger hand in dealing with the North.

Venezuelans March for Freedom of Expression

By Michael Bowman Caracas, Venezuela 28 June 2007

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Protesters in Caracas 27 June 2007

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have marched in the capital to press for freedom of expression, one month after self-proclaimed socialist President Hugo Chavez shut down the country's most popular private television station. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Caracas.

Venezuela's private news media declared Wednesday Press Freedom Day, and large numbers of spirited opponents of President Chavez heeded the call to take to the streets. Among them was school teacher Maria Isabel. "I am fighting for the rights of Venezuelans to have a free and democratic country where no one prevents me from expressing myself. I lived through the era of dictatorship, and I do not want to return to that situation," she said.

Government opponents remain incensed that President Chavez refused to renew the broadcast license of Radio Caracas Television, forcing it off the air.

Mr. Chavez accused the opposition-allied RCTV of inciting rebellion against the government and backing a failed 2002 coup.

The head of the now-defunct RCTV, Eladio Lares, says the allegations are false. Speaking with VOA at the march, he said what is at stake in Venezuela today goes far beyond the fate of one television station.

"What is at risk is freedom of expression, which at this moment is being restricted. We will recover it when the signal of Radio Caracas is restored," he said.

The government had initially objected to the march, saying it could interfere with a hemispheric soccer championship Venezuela is currently hosting, the Copa America. Security forces did not intervene or impede the march, however,

and one government representative, social projects administrator Omar Urbina, bravely waded into the crowd sporting a red baseball cap which signified his support for Mr. Chavez.

"I applaud freedom of expression. The world says there is no democracy here. But look, here it is," he said.

Almost as soon as he began speaking, however, Urbina was surrounded by angry and highly vocal marchers.

Urbina's attempts to speak with this reporter were repeatedly interrupted,and at one point he turned to plead with the crowd. "Show that you can behave, that you have manners. Show that there truly is freedom of expression. Then, turning to this reporter, he commented, You see? They will not let me speak," he said.

Elsewhere in the city, addressing government supporters, former Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel labeled the marchers as a defeated people who have been swept aside to the margins of Venezuelan history. He added there is no country on earth that enjoys more freedom of expression than Venezuela.

The march came as President Chavez arrived in Moscow, beginning a weeklong trip that will also take the Venezuelan leader to Belarus and Iran.

US Congressional Report Finds Flaws in Iraq Forces Training

By Dan Robinson Capitol Hill 27 June 2007

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A bipartisan congressional report says Iraq's military and police forces are not capable of taking over responsibility for security, and U.S. forces continue to bear the burden of President Bush's military surge. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill.

The House Armed Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee examined the training of Iraq's army and police, focusing on such issues as the Iraqi government's ability to support its own forces, and how various U.S. government agencies have handled the process.

In describing assumptions that Iraqi forces could be reformed as "seriously flawed," the 16-member panel says even now, with nearly 350,000 military and police, operational capability of Iraqi forces to take on the counter-insurgency fight cannot be determined.

Saying that the Bush administration and Pentagon have focused on "numbers, rather than the quality, capability, and sustainability" of [Iraqi] forces, the report characterizes the capabilities of Iraqi forces as "very uneven".

While some Iraqi army units appear to perform well, it says, Iraqi police have received less attention and have not been monitored sufficiently by U.S. and coalition partners.

Congressman Martin Meehan (D-MA), with Todd Akin (R-MO) release report on Iraq security forces, 27 June 2007

"Despite this expenditure, we currently have an ISF that is nowhere near ready to operate independently, particularly the police, and what this report lays out is how difficult it has been to reach that goal," said Democratic Congressman Martin Meehan, who chaired the panel.

On the Baghdad Security Plan, involving more than 20,000 U.S. troops working with Iraqis, the report says U.S. forces continue to take the lead, something that will likely slow transferring security burdens to Iraqis, at least in the short term.

The report says the Iraqi government is not yet able to fully fund its forces, with the defense and interior ministries not fully capable in planning, programming, budgeting, or procuring equipment, and "critically deficient" in logistics and personnel accountability.

Congressman Todd Akin comments on Iraq security force report, 27 June 2007

"We have to develop the logistics train so these people can actually support and field an army that can run on its own," said Congressman Todd Akin, who is the Republican co-chairman. "That is the part that is scheduled for this year and next year. That part is not strong, but that is in process."

The report comes as President Bush faces new pressures on Iraq, notably from key Republicans, such as Senator Richard Lugar, saying the time has come for the president to change direction.

"The issue before us is whether we will refocus our policy in Iraq on realistic assessments of what can be achieved and on a sober review of our vital interests in the Middle East," he said.

Presidential spokesman Tony Snow sought to portray Lugar's statements earlier this week on the Senate floor this way.

"What he is trying to come up with is a way of engaging regional powers and also Iraqi powers, the allies, in such a way as to deal with the ongoing problems they have had in terms of violence, but also build the institutions that are going to be absolutely necessary in order to have a safe and free and democratic Iraq," he said.

Lugar's statement was cited Wednesday by Tom Lantos, as he opened a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"This troop escalation has in fact been a categorical and catastrophic failure," he said.

Testimony by Retired Major General John Batiste, a key critic of the president's Iraq strategy, supported findings of the House panel on weaknesses of Iraqi forces.

"The Iraqi security forces have taken horrendous casualties, but do not have the tools to replace U.S. combat formations," he said. "Whether we can trust these Iraqi formations quite frankly is another question. Our experience over the past four years is that most Iraqi formations, certainly not all, will either not show up for the fight, or will not hold their ground in the face of the insurgent for a myriad of reasons."

Among numerous recommendations, the House subcommittee report calls on the Pentagon to send to Congress by the end of July plans for transferring responsibility to Iraqi forces.

Others include a report on whether efforts to improve "deployability" of the Iraqi army are likely to succeed, steps to improve monitoring of Iraq's defense and interior ministries and a report on the extent to which sectarian and militia influences are at work in the Iraqi Armed Forces, and options to counter them.

Bush Encourages Muslim Moderates

By Scott Stearns White House 27 June 2007

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President Bush says he is confident that religious moderates in the Middle East will ultimately overcome the extremism fueling terrorist violence. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Mr. Bush also announced a special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

President Bush speaking at the Islamic Center of Washington, 27 Jun 2007

President Bush says the concept of religious freedom and individual rights is expanding in every region of the world except one.

"In the Middle East, we have seen instead the rise of a group of extremists who seek to use religion as a path to power and a means of domination," said President Bush. "This self-appointed vanguard presumes to speak for Muslims. They do not."

The president says extremists falsely claim that America is at war with Muslims, when he says it is radicals who are Islam's true enemies by attacking religious shrines in hopes of dividing Shi'ite from Sunni.

Mr. Bush spoke at a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Islamic Center of Washington. The president first visited that mosque six days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to denounce reprisals against Muslim Americans.

On Wednesday, Mr. Bush said he is working to encourage democracy in the Middle East, not as a plan imposed from outside but as something that he says is being seized by the people of the region themselves.

"Millions seek a path to the future where they can say what they think, travel where they wish, and worship as they choose," he said. "They plead in silence for their liberty. And they hope someone somewhere will answer."

The president says elections in Afghanistan and Iraq are important milestones on the path to democracy, but he says the struggle does not end there.

"We say to those who yearn for freedom from Damascus to Tehran, you are not bound forever by your misery," said Mr. Bush. "You plead in silence no longer. The free world hears you. You are not alone. America offers you its hand in friendship."

At the ceremony, President Bush announced that he will name the first U.S. envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, a group based in Saudi Arabia that represents 57 Islamic states and territories.

Mr. Bush says that person, whom he did not name, will listen to and learn from representatives of Muslim states while sharing with them America's views and values. He calls this an opportunity for Americans to demonstrate respectful dialogue and continued friendship with Muslim communities.

VOASE0627_The Making of a Nation

27 June 2007

President Reagan's Main Goal was to Shrink Government. But Budget Deficits Created a Huge National Debt.
President Ronald Reagan was elected to a second term in nineteen-eighty-four. He won fifty-nine percent of the popular vote.

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VOICE ONE:

This is Rich Kleinfeldt.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Warren Scheer with THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a VOA Special English program about the history of the United States.

(MUSIC)

Today, we continue the story of America's fortieth president, Ronald Reagan.

VOICE ONE:

President Ronald Reagan raises his left arm as he is shot while leaving a Washington hotel in 1981.

Soon after Ronald Reagan's presidency began, there was an attempt on his life. A gunman shot him in March, nineteen eighty-one. Doctors removed the bullet. He rested, regained his strength, and returned to the White House in twelve days.

The new president's main goal was to reduce the size of the federal government. He and other conservative Republicans wanted less government interference in the daily lives of Americans.

VOICE TWO:

President Reagan won Congressional approval for his plan to reduce taxes on earnings. Many Americans welcomed the plan. Others were concerned about its affect on the national debt. They saw taxes go down while defense spending went up.

To save money, the Reagan administration decided to cut spending for some social programs. This pleased conservatives. Liberals, however, said it limited poor peoples' chances for good housing, health care, and education.

VOICE ONE:

President Reagan also had to make decisions about using military force in other countries. In nineteen eighty-three, he sent Marines to Lebanon. They joined other peacekeeping troops to help stop fighting among several opposing groups. On October twenty-third, a Muslim extremist exploded a bomb in the building where the Marines were living. Two-hundred forty-one Americans died.

VOICE TWO:

Two days later, Marines led an invasion of the Caribbean island nation of Grenada. Communist forces were rebelling against the government there. Cuban soldiers were guarding the streets. President Reagan said he feared for the safety of American students at Grenada's medical school. He sent the Marines to get them out safely. The Marines quickly defeated the communist forces. Many Americans were pleased. Others were angry. They said Grenada was invaded only to make people forget about what happened in Lebanon.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The next year, Nineteen-Eighty-Four, was another presidential election year. It looked like no one could stop President Reagan. His warm way with people had made him hugely popular. He gained support with the military victory in Grenada. And, by the time the campaign started, inflation was under control. The Republican Party re-nominated Ronald Reagan for president and George Bush for vice president.

VOICE TWO:

There were several candidates for the Democratic Party's nomination. One was the first African American to run for president, Jesse Jackson. He was a Protestant clergyman and a long-time human rights activist.

The candidate who finally won the nomination was Walter Mondale. He had been a senator and had served as vice president under President Jimmy Carter. The vice presidential candidate was Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro. It was the first time a major political party in the United States had nominated a woman for national office.

VOICE ONE:

One of the big issues in the campaign was taxes. Most candidates try not to talk about them. Democrat Mondale did. He said taxes would have to be raised to pay for new government programs. This was a serious political mistake. President Reagan gained even more support as a result.

The two candidates agreed to debate on television. During one debate, President Reagan looked old and tired. He did not seem sure of his answers. Yet his popularity was not damaged. On Election Day, he won fifty-nine percent of the popular vote. On Inauguration Day, the weather was not so kind. It was bitterly cold in Washington. All inaugural activities, including the swearing-in ceremony, were held inside.

VOICE TWO:

President Reagan's first term began with an attempt on his life. Six months after his second term began, he faced another threat. Doctors discovered and removed a large growth from his colon. The growth was cancerous. The president was seventy-four years old. Yet, once again, he quickly regained his strength and returned to work.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

For years, the United States had accused Libyan leader Muammar Kaddafi of supporting international terrorist groups. It said he provided them with weapons and a safe place for their headquarters.

In January, Nineteen-Eighty-Six, the United States announced economic restrictions against Libya. Then it began military training exercises near the Libyan coast. Libya said the Americans were violating its territory and fired missiles at them. The Americans fired back, sinking two ships.

VOICE TWO:

On April Fifth, a bomb destroyed a public dance club in West Berlin. Two people died, including an American soldier. The United States said Libya was responsible. President Reagan ordered bomb attacks against the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi. Muammar Kaddafi escaped unharmed. But one of his children was killed.

Some Americans said the raid was cruel. Others praised it. President Reagan said the United States did what it had to do.

VOICE ONE:

The president also wanted to intervene in Nicaragua. About fifteen thousand rebel troops, called Contras, were fighting the communist government there. Reagan asked for military aid for the Contras. Congress rejected the request. It banned all aid to the Contras.

At that same time, Muslim terrorists in Lebanon seized several Americans. The Reagan administration looked for ways to gain the hostages' release. It decided to sell missiles and missile parts to Iran in exchange for Iran's help. After the sale, Iran told the terrorists in Lebanon to release a few American hostages.

VOICE TWO:

Not long after, serious charges became public. Reports said that money from the sale of arms to Iran was used to aid the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Several members of the Reagan administration resigned. It appeared that some had violated the law.

President Reagan said he regretted what had happened. But he said he had not known about it. Investigations and court trials of those involved continued into the Nineteen-Nineties. Several people were found guilty of illegal activities and of lying to Congress. No one went to jail.

VOICE ONE:

Most Americans did not blame President Reagan for the actions of others in his administration. They still supported him and his policies. They especially supported his efforts to deal with the Soviet Union.

At the beginning of his first term, President Reagan called the Soviet Union an "evil empire". To protect the United States against the Soviets, he increased military spending to the highest level in American history. Then, in Nineteen-Eighty-Five, Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union.

VOICE TWO:

The two leaders met in Switzerland, in Iceland, in Washington, and in Moscow. Each agreed to destroy hundreds of nuclear missiles. President Reagan also urged Mister Gorbachev to become more democratic. He spoke about the wall that communists had built to divide the city of Berlin, Germany.

RONALD REAGAN:

President Reagan after his speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, on June 12, 1987.

"No American who sees first-hand can ever again take for granted his or her freedom or the precious gift that is America. That gift of freedom is actually the birthright of all humanity. And that is why, as I stood there, I urged the Soviet leader, Mister Gorbachev, to send a new signal of openness to the world by tearing down that wall."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Ronald Reagan was president as the American economy grew rapidly. He was president as a new sense of openness was beginning in the Soviet Union. Yet, at the end of his presidency, many Americans were concerned by what he left behind. Increased military spending, together with tax cuts, had made the national debt huge. The United States owed thousands of millions of dollars. The debt would be a political issue for presidents to come.

On our next program, we will discuss some social and cultural issues of the Reagan years.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This program of THE MAKING OF A NATION was written by Jeri Watson and produced by Paul Thompson. This is Warren Scheer.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Rich Kleinfeldt. Join us again next week for another VOA Special English program about the history of the United States.

VOASE0627_Education Report

27 June 2007

School Ends, and So Too Does Our Foreign Student Series
A look at graduation time in America. All 43 reports in our series on US higher education can be found at voaspecialenglish.com.

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This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

Summer means the end of another school year in America. May and June are graduation season.

A group of Brown University undergraduates before Brown's graduation ceremony in Providence, Rhode Island.

Centuries of tradition explain the special caps and gowns that students and professors wear at commencement ceremonies. Top members of the class and invited guests offer speeches and advice. Finally the time comes for what everyone has been waiting for: one by one, the names of the students are called.

They go to the front and shake hands with school officials. They might receive their official diploma that day or maybe a few weeks later.

Graduations are always emotional events. But in May, at Fort Hays State University in Kansas, a graduate named Nola Ochs received special attention. Her major area of study was history. Nothing unusual about that. But Nola Ochs is ninety-five years old.

That made her the world's oldest graduate for the keepers of the Guinness World Records. Until now they have recognized a ninety-year-old journalism graduate from the University of Oklahoma in two thousand four.

Nola Ochs' granddaughter graduated with her. One of the commencement speakers told the students to take a lesson from Nola Ochs and never stop trying.

That is good advice on which to end our Foreign Student Series on higher education in the United States. We began in September with the process of applying to an American college or university. We talked about admissions tests, financial aid, online education, student exchange programs, programs for disabled students and a lot more.

All forty-three reports can be found online at voaspecialenglish.com. Many were based on questions from listeners. We invite you to continue writing us with your questions about the American education system. Our Foreign Student Series may be over for now, but we will still try to answer questions on future reports. Our e-mail address is special@voanews.com.

Population experts at the Census Bureau say American colleges and universities will have an estimated eighteen million students this fall. Twenty years ago, there were thirteen million. Today there are not only more college-age Americans, but more going to college, including older people and women. At last report from two years ago, fifty-six percent of undergraduates were women. And women were fifty-nine percent of graduate students.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.