CNN news 2011-11-20
CARL AZUZ, HOST, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Thanks to Miranda and Trouble for today`s iReport introduction. I`m Carl Azuz. Today CNN Student News is reporting on Syria, storms, sugar and a super committee. First up, we`re heading to Afghanistan.
There are more than 100,000 NATO troops in that country. Most of those are American troops. And most of them are scheduled to leave by the end of 2014. Afghanistan`s president, Hamid Karzai, says that`s a good thing. During a speech to tribal elders on Wednesday, Karzai complained about NATO.
AZUZ (voice-over): He also tried to set some limits on what NATO troops can and can`t do in his country.
For example, Karzai thinks it`s a good idea for U.S. forces to have bases in Afghanistan, but he doesn`t want Americans to search houses or to arrest Afghans.
AZUZ: NATO is trying to include the Afghan military in more of its operations, and as Nick Paton Walsh reports, more areas are being turned over to Afghan control.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Slowly, NATO`s transferring the security of Afghanistan over to Afghans. The next regions to be handed over will soon be announced by President Hamid Karzai. It may, NATO and Afghan officials have told CNN, include two of what have been historically the most violent parts of the country`s south.
First, in Helmand, there`s the district of Nad-e-Ali, where many British troops have died over the years, but also in Kandahar, the Arghandab Valley, recently a hotbed of insurgent violence, where many Americans have also died.
Now an Afghan official in Arghandab tells us security is a lot better. But that`s because the Americans are there in force. If they leave, he tells us, things may get worse -- and fast. But the logic of this, some say, is to have Afghans face their toughest work while NATO still has enough troops to help.
HAROUN MIR, POLITICAL ANALYST: It is good while we have a significant NATO presence in Afghanistan to start with toughest parts in Afghanistan, and that will provide the opportunity for the Afghan security forces to defend themselves; in the meantime, have the support of NATO.
AZUZ: Next up, the Middle Eastern nation of Syria, it`s been suspended by the Arab League. France has removed its ambassador from Syria. Turkey is threatening to cut off power supplies. All of this is because of Syria`s violent crackdown on people who are protesting against the Syrian government.
AZUZ (voice-over): The Arab League voted to suspend Syria over the weekend. Officials from the group said this was because Syria`s president, Bashar al-Assad, didn`t keep his promises to pull troops out of some areas and give journalists access inside of Syria.
AZUZ: There are also reports about a group of fighters that deserted the Syrian military. They call themselves the Free Syrian Army, and they claim to have attacked an important government security compound this week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just the facts: Congress` so-called super committee was created in July as part of a deal to raise the U.S. government`s debt ceiling. The committee`s goal is to come up with a plan to reduce the country`s deficit. There are 12 members on the committee, six Republicans and six Democrats. And the committee is split evenly between U.S. representatives and senators.
AZUZ: The clock is winding down for those 12 super committee members. They have until next Wednesday to come up with a plan that would save the U.S. government more than a trillion dollars over the next 10 years.
AZUZ (voice-over): The committee has been working since September. It`s considered increasing taxes to raise money, lowering taxes for different groups of Americans, finding ways to cut government spending.
Whatever recommend the committee comes up with, Congress has until December 23rd to vote on it, and no one can change the recommendation by the committee, or try to block the vote. Them`s the rules. If the super committee can`t come up with a plan by November 23rd, or if Congress can`t pass it by December 23rd, automatic spending cuts go into effect, including cuts to the U.S. Defense Department.
AZUZ: So there`s a lot at stake here and not a lot of optimism. According to a CNN ORC International poll that came out yesterday, 78 percent of the people who were asked think it`s either somewhat or very unlikely that this super committee is going to meet next week`s deadline.
AZUZ (voice-over): As you can see from these pictures, parts of the southern U.S. have some cleaning up to do, after severe weather swept across the region yesterday. There were suspected tornadoes as part of the storms. They stretched from Louisiana through Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Parts of a few other states were under a tornado watch as well. At least one person was killed. Several others were injured. And there was major damage to some homes and buildings. The strong winds and possible tornado knocked down trees and left more than a thousand people without power.