text:
BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN)  -- Lebanese voters were heading to the polls on Sunday with their main choices to lead the next government a Hezbollah-backed alliance or a U.S.-backed coalition.

Hezbollah party workers in the southern town of Nabatiyah hope for an election victory.

Analysts say the race will be tight, with the Hezbollah-dominated "March 8 alliance" possibly winning a majority of seats in parliament. The polls opened at 1200 GMT and will close 12 hours later.

Turnout is expected to be high among the country's 3 million registered voters. About 50,000 troops were on the streets, but the run-up to the balloting had been free of violence.

The vote comes at a critical time for Lebanon as it sits amid a power struggle between a weakened pro-Western government and a stronger pro-Syrian Hezbollah political bloc that has gained political momentum in recent years.

The United States considers Hezbollah -- which is supported by both Syria and Iran -- to be a terrorist organization.

The group grew in popularity after its militant wing claimed victory over Israel after a 34-day military conflict in 2006. Since then, it has been more widely perceived by its supporters to be the "defenders" of Lebanon.

Though U.S. President Barack Obama didn't mention the Lebanese general election in his address on Thursday, he did call for religious tolerance in the Muslim world, noting sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites and the struggles faced by religious minorities.

"The richness of religious diversity must be upheld -- whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt," he said, referring to Christian groups in those countries. "And if we are being honest, fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well, as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence, particularly in Iraq."

In Lebanon's unique power-sharing government, the presidency is reserved for Maronite Christians, the speaker of parliament is always a Shia Muslim, and the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim. The law was created to balance power among Lebanon's three main religious groups.

Analysts say the Hezbollah-dominated "March 8 alliance" may win a parliamentary majority with the support of Christian opposition leader Gen. Michel Aoun -- the only prominent Christian politician to back the bloc.

"They keep trying to scare the Christian voters with their stories about Hezbollah's weapons, so to all of those who complain about Hezbollah, can they tell us how they will disarm the party," Aoun told supporters Friday. "Hezbollah's weapons will no longer be a problem when the causes behind its existence disappear, including the borders' issues."

A close look at Lebanon's political landscape reveals that the country's Christian voters are split on how they will cast their ballots. Some Christian voters want their representatives to step out of the shadows of Hezbollah and Saad Hariri, who leads the Sunni-dominated "March 14 coalition."

Christian voters are divided between supporting Aoun and other Christian leaders who want Hezbollah to disarm.

"In these elections, Christians look more divided than ever while others seem more unified than ever," said Shibley Telhami, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

For the Obama administration, the elections could be indicative of the president's odds of pushing stability in the region.

Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jimmy Carter said the United States should work with whichever coalition wins.

Carter was in Beirut as part of more than 200 international observers monitoring the election. He also oversaw balloting in Gaza during the elections in the Palestinian territory in January 2006.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas won that race "fairly and squarely" by a huge margin, Carter said. The United States and Israel later refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Hamas win.

"And it's resulted in a split in the Palestinians and a very difficult situation there," Carter added. "I think they (the United States) learned a hard lesson that they should accept the results of an election."

Two senior Obama administration officials -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden -- have visited Lebanon in recent months, signaling concerns with a possible Hezbollah victory.

During his trip to Beirut two weeks ago, Biden warned the country that while the United States supports Lebanon's democratic process, it will reconsider its assistance to the country if its next government strays from certain "fundamental principles."

Biden's visit followed Clinton's April trip to Beirut in which she called for an "open and free" election without outside interference -- a veiled reference to Iran and Syria.

Such rhetoric has been dismissed by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as "meddling."

The Hezbollah leader has been increasingly vocal in the lead-up to the election, blasting the current government as powerless.

However, part of the reason Lebanon's government is crippled is that it made concessions to Hezbollah -- including giving them veto power -- in order to end a political stalemate that boiled over into violence of historic proportions last year.

While some analysts are concerned Hezbollah could gain more control over Lebanon's government after Sunday's vote, a key Lebanese politician, Dori Chamoun, warned that assessment may be misleading.

Chamoun, who opposes the March 8 alliance, said talk of Hezbollah's possible victory may be based on "rumors" and propaganda being spread by the Shiite militia and their political allies.

"They (Hezbollah) think they can scare many but no one is scared," Chamoun told CNN. "They can spread all kinds of rumors on their four TV stations saying that they will win this upcoming elections."

Chamoun, whose father, Camille Chamoun, was Lebanon's president in the 1950s, is running for a seat in parliament.

Even if a Hezbollah-dominated government does move in, it could have trouble working with Christian and Sunni Muslim politicians who -- under Lebanese law -- must participate in the government.

It would also be difficult to find a Sunni political figure willing to serve as prime minister in a Hezbollah-led government since the majority of Lebanon's prominent Sunni politicians are aligned with Hariri's March 14 coalition, which has declared it will not participate in any government if Hezbollah wins.

Lebanon's political landscape could be shifting after a similar shift in neighboring Israel. Voters in the Jewish state overwhelmingly supported conservative parties over more moderate groups, bringing into power Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year.

Netanyahu is viewed in the Arab world as more hawkish than his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, who ordered the war against Hezbollah in 2006.

A Hezbollah victory in Lebanon could further inflame tensions with Israel, particularly with an estimated 30,000 rockets pointed at Israel from southern Lebanon -- all under the control of Hezbollah.

CNN's Cal Perry, Octavia Nasr and Saad Abedine contributed to this report.

text: BEIRUT

text: Lebanon

text: CNN

text: Lebanese

text: voters

text: were

text: heading

text: to

text: the

text: polls

text: on

text: Sunday

text: with

text: their

text: main

text: choices

text: to

text: lead

text: the

text: next

text: government

text: a

text: Hezbollah

text: backed

text: alliance

text: or

text: a

text: U.S

text: backed

text: coalition

text: Hezbollah

text: party

text: workers

text: in

text: the

text: southern

text: town

text: of

text: Nabatiyah

text: hope

text: for

text: an

text: election

text: victory

text: Analysts

text: say

text: the

text: race

text: will

text: be

text: tight

text: with

text: the

text: Hezbollah

text: dominated

text: March

text: alliance

text: possibly

text: winning

text: a

text: majority

text: of

text: seats

text: in

text: parliament

text: The

text: polls

text: opened

text: at

text: GMT

text: and

text: will

text: close

text: hours

text: later

text: Turnout

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: be

text: high

text: among

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: million

text: registered

text: voters

text: About

text: troops

text: were

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: but

text: the

text: run

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: balloting

text: had

text: been

text: free

text: of

text: violence

text: The

text: vote

text: comes

text: at

text: a

text: critical

text: time

text: for

text: Lebanon

text: as

text: it

text: sits

text: amid

text: a

text: power

text: struggle

text: between

text: a

text: weakened

text: pro

text: Western

text: government

text: and

text: a

text: stronger

text: pro

text: Syrian

text: Hezbollah

text: political

text: bloc

text: that

text: has

text: gained

text: political

text: momentum

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: considers

text: Hezbollah

text: which

text: is

text: supported

text: by

text: both

text: Syria

text: and

text: Iran

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: terrorist

text: organization

text: The

text: group

text: grew

text: in

text: popularity

text: after

text: its

text: militant

text: wing

text: claimed

text: victory

text: over

text: Israel

text: after

text: a

text: military

text: conflict

text: in

text: Since

text: then

text: it

text: has

text: been

text: more

text: widely

text: perceived

text: by

text: its

text: supporters

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: defenders

text: of

text: Lebanon

text: Though

text: U.S.

text: President

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: did

text: n't

text: mention

text: the

text: Lebanese

text: general

text: election

text: in

text: his

text: address

text: on

text: Thursday

text: he

text: did

text: call

text: for

text: religious

text: tolerance

text: in

text: the

text: Muslim

text: world

text: noting

text: sectarian

text: clashes

text: between

text: Sunnis

text: and

text: Shiites

text: and

text: the

text: struggles

text: faced

text: by

text: religious

text: minorities

text: The

text: richness

text: of

text: religious

text: diversity

text: must

text: be

text: upheld

text: whether

text: it

text: is

text: for

text: Maronites

text: in

text: Lebanon

text: or

text: the

text: Copts

text: in

text: Egypt

text: he

text: said

text: referring

text: to

text: Christian

text: groups

text: in

text: those

text: countries

text: And

text: if

text: we

text: are

text: being

text: honest

text: fault

text: lines

text: must

text: be

text: closed

text: among

text: Muslims

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: the

text: divisions

text: between

text: Sunni

text: and

text: Shia

text: have

text: led

text: to

text: tragic

text: violence

text: particularly

text: in

text: Iraq

text: In

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: unique

text: power

text: sharing

text: government

text: the

text: presidency

text: is

text: reserved

text: for

text: Maronite

text: Christians

text: the

text: speaker

text: of

text: parliament

text: is

text: always

text: a

text: Shia

text: Muslim

text: and

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: is

text: a

text: Sunni

text: Muslim

text: The

text: law

text: was

text: created

text: to

text: balance

text: power

text: among

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: three

text: main

text: religious

text: groups

text: Analysts

text: say

text: the

text: Hezbollah

text: dominated

text: March

text: alliance

text: may

text: win

text: a

text: parliamentary

text: majority

text: with

text: the

text: support

text: of

text: Christian

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Gen.

text: Michel

text: Aoun

text: the

text: only

text: prominent

text: Christian

text: politician

text: to

text: back

text: the

text: bloc

text: They

text: keep

text: trying

text: to

text: scare

text: the

text: Christian

text: voters

text: with

text: their

text: stories

text: about

text: Hezbollah

text: 's

text: weapons

text: so

text: to

text: all

text: of

text: those

text: who

text: complain

text: about

text: Hezbollah

text: can

text: they

text: tell

text: us

text: how

text: they

text: will

text: disarm

text: the

text: party

text: Aoun

text: told

text: supporters

text: Friday

text: Hezbollah

text: 's

text: weapons

text: will

text: no

text: longer

text: be

text: a

text: problem

text: when

text: the

text: causes

text: behind

text: its

text: existence

text: disappear

text: including

text: the

text: borders

text: issues

text: A

text: close

text: look

text: at

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: political

text: landscape

text: reveals

text: that

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: Christian

text: voters

text: are

text: split

text: on

text: how

text: they

text: will

text: cast

text: their

text: ballots

text: Some

text: Christian

text: voters

text: want

text: their

text: representatives

text: to

text: step

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: shadows

text: of

text: Hezbollah

text: and

text: Saad

text: Hariri

text: who

text: leads

text: the

text: Sunni

text: dominated

text: March

text: coalition

text: Christian

text: voters

text: are

text: divided

text: between

text: supporting

text: Aoun

text: and

text: other

text: Christian

text: leaders

text: who

text: want

text: Hezbollah

text: to

text: disarm

text: In

text: these

text: elections

text: Christians

text: look

text: more

text: divided

text: than

text: ever

text: while

text: others

text: seem

text: more

text: unified

text: than

text: ever

text: said

text: Shibley

text: Telhami

text: a

text: senior

text: fellow

text: at

text: the

text: Brookings

text: Institution

text: For

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: the

text: elections

text: could

text: be

text: indicative

text: of

text: the

text: president

text: 's

text: odds

text: of

text: pushing

text: stability

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: Former

text: U.S.

text: President

text: and

text: Nobel

text: Peace

text: Prize

text: Winner

text: Jimmy

text: Carter

text: said

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: should

text: work

text: with

text: whichever

text: coalition

text: wins

text: Carter

text: was

text: in

text: Beirut

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: international

text: observers

text: monitoring

text: the

text: election

text: He

text: also

text: oversaw

text: balloting

text: in

text: Gaza

text: during

text: the

text: elections

text: in

text: the

text: Palestinian

text: territory

text: in

text: January

text: The

text: Palestinian

text: militant

text: group

text: Hamas

text: won

text: that

text: race

text: fairly

text: and

text: squarely

text: by

text: a

text: huge

text: margin

text: Carter

text: said

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Israel

text: later

text: refused

text: to

text: recognize

text: the

text: legitimacy

text: of

text: the

text: Hamas

text: win

text: And

text: it

text: 's

text: resulted

text: in

text: a

text: split

text: in

text: the

text: Palestinians

text: and

text: a

text: very

text: difficult

text: situation

text: there

text: Carter

text: added

text: I

text: think

text: they

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: learned

text: a

text: hard

text: lesson

text: that

text: they

text: should

text: accept

text: the

text: results

text: of

text: an

text: election

text: Two

text: senior

text: Obama

text: administration

text: officials

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: and

text: Vice

text: President

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: have

text: visited

text: Lebanon

text: in

text: recent

text: months

text: signaling

text: concerns

text: with

text: a

text: possible

text: Hezbollah

text: victory

text: During

text: his

text: trip

text: to

text: Beirut

text: two

text: weeks

text: ago

text: Biden

text: warned

text: the

text: country

text: that

text: while

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: supports

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: democratic

text: process

text: it

text: will

text: reconsider

text: its

text: assistance

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: if

text: its

text: next

text: government

text: strays

text: from

text: certain

text: fundamental

text: principles

text: Biden

text: 's

text: visit

text: followed

text: Clinton

text: 's

text: April

text: trip

text: to

text: Beirut

text: in

text: which

text: she

text: called

text: for

text: an

text: open

text: and

text: free

text: election

text: without

text: outside

text: interference

text: a

text: veiled

text: reference

text: to

text: Iran

text: and

text: Syria

text: Such

text: rhetoric

text: has

text: been

text: dismissed

text: by

text: Hezbollah

text: leader

text: Hassan

text: Nasrallah

text: as

text: meddling

text: The

text: Hezbollah

text: leader

text: has

text: been

text: increasingly

text: vocal

text: in

text: the

text: lead

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: election

text: blasting

text: the

text: current

text: government

text: as

text: powerless

text: However

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: reason

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: government

text: is

text: crippled

text: is

text: that

text: it

text: made

text: concessions

text: to

text: Hezbollah

text: including

text: giving

text: them

text: veto

text: power

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: end

text: a

text: political

text: stalemate

text: that

text: boiled

text: over

text: into

text: violence

text: of

text: historic

text: proportions

text: last

text: year

text: While

text: some

text: analysts

text: are

text: concerned

text: Hezbollah

text: could

text: gain

text: more

text: control

text: over

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: government

text: after

text: Sunday

text: 's

text: vote

text: a

text: key

text: Lebanese

text: politician

text: Dori

text: Chamoun

text: warned

text: that

text: assessment

text: may

text: be

text: misleading

text: Chamoun

text: who

text: opposes

text: the

text: March

text: alliance

text: said

text: talk

text: of

text: Hezbollah

text: 's

text: possible

text: victory

text: may

text: be

text: based

text: on

text: rumors

text: and

text: propaganda

text: being

text: spread

text: by

text: the

text: Shiite

text: militia

text: and

text: their

text: political

text: allies

text: They

text: Hezbollah

text: think

text: they

text: can

text: scare

text: many

text: but

text: no

text: one

text: is

text: scared

text: Chamoun

text: told

text: CNN

text: They

text: can

text: spread

text: all

text: kinds

text: of

text: rumors

text: on

text: their

text: four

text: TV

text: stations

text: saying

text: that

text: they

text: will

text: win

text: this

text: upcoming

text: elections

text: Chamoun

text: whose

text: father

text: Camille

text: Chamoun

text: was

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: president

text: in

text: the

text: is

text: running

text: for

text: a

text: seat

text: in

text: parliament

text: Even

text: if

text: a

text: Hezbollah

text: dominated

text: government

text: does

text: move

text: in

text: it

text: could

text: have

text: trouble

text: working

text: with

text: Christian

text: and

text: Sunni

text: Muslim

text: politicians

text: who

text: under

text: Lebanese

text: law

text: must

text: participate

text: in

text: the

text: government

text: It

text: would

text: also

text: be

text: difficult

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: Sunni

text: political

text: figure

text: willing

text: to

text: serve

text: as

text: prime

text: minister

text: in

text: a

text: Hezbollah

text: led

text: government

text: since

text: the

text: majority

text: of

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: prominent

text: Sunni

text: politicians

text: are

text: aligned

text: with

text: Hariri

text: 's

text: March

text: coalition

text: which

text: has

text: declared

text: it

text: will

text: not

text: participate

text: in

text: any

text: government

text: if

text: Hezbollah

text: wins

text: Lebanon

text: 's

text: political

text: landscape

text: could

text: be

text: shifting

text: after

text: a

text: similar

text: shift

text: in

text: neighboring

text: Israel

text: Voters

text: in

text: the

text: Jewish

text: state

text: overwhelmingly

text: supported

text: conservative

text: parties

text: over

text: more

text: moderate

text: groups

text: bringing

text: into

text: power

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Benjamin

text: Netanyahu

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: Netanyahu

text: is

text: viewed

text: in

text: the

text: Arab

text: world

text: as

text: more

text: hawkish

text: than

text: his

text: predecessor

text: Ehud

text: Olmert

text: who

text: ordered

text: the

text: war

text: against

text: Hezbollah

text: in

text: A

text: Hezbollah

text: victory

text: in

text: Lebanon

text: could

text: further

text: inflame

text: tensions

text: with

text: Israel

text: particularly

text: with

text: an

text: estimated

text: rockets

text: pointed

text: at

text: Israel

text: from

text: southern

text: Lebanon

text: all

text: under

text: the

text: control

text: of

text: Hezbollah

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Cal

text: Perry

text: Octavia

text: Nasr

text: and

text: Saad

text: Abedine

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: How many troops are deployed?

answer: About 50,000

text: About 50,000

question: Who says the race will be tight ?

answer: Analysts

text: Analysts

question: What party is expected to win teh parliamentary majority?

answer: Hezbollah-dominated "March 8 alliance"

text: Hezbollah-dominated "March 8 alliance"

question: How many registered voters does the country have?

answer: 3 million

text: 3 million

question: Where is it that turnout is expected to be high ?

answer: among the country's 3 million registered voters.

text: among the country's 3 million registered voters.

question: Who may win a parliamentary majority ?

answer: "March 8 alliance"

text: "March 8 alliance"

question: WHat amount of troops will be deployed?

answer: About 50,000

text: About 50,000

question: Who may win a majority?

answer: "March 8 alliance"

text: "March 8 alliance"

question: Who says that the race will be tight?

answer: Analysts

text: Analysts


text:
MADRID, Spain (CNN)  -- More than 1,000 people rallied Sunday in support of Israel in front of the Israeli Embassy in the Spanish capital.

Spaniards protest Sunday in support of Israel's military action in Gaza.

The rally came a week after a demonstration across town in support of Palestinians in Gaza and sharply critical of Israel's attacks.

Sunday's pro-Israeli demonstration featured the sounding of air raid sirens -- like those heard in southern Israel to warn of incoming Hamas rockets from Gaza -- and a speech by a Madrid official from the ruling Socialist Party, observers said.

Last week's pro-Gaza, anti-Israeli demonstration included two national leaders of the Socialists, prompting a rare statement from the Israeli Embassy criticizing their participation.

But the Socialist government and the Israeli Embassy appeared to have mended fences during the week, issuing conciliatory statements.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos visited the Mideast last week, with stops in Syria, Egypt and Israel, where he was received by top officials.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was in Egypt Sunday, attending the meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh organized by Egypt and France.

The pro-Israeli demonstration on Sunday cut traffic on a broad boulevard in front of the Israeli Embassy. Israeli and Spanish flags were waved and one protest banner charged that "Hamas equals terror."

Spain has earmarked 6.5 million euros ($8.5 million) in humanitarian aid to Gaza.

text: MADRID

text: Spain

text: CNN

text: More

text: than

text: people

text: rallied

text: Sunday

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: Israel

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: the

text: Israeli

text: Embassy

text: in

text: the

text: Spanish

text: capital

text: Spaniards

text: protest

text: Sunday

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: Israel

text: 's

text: military

text: action

text: in

text: Gaza

text: The

text: rally

text: came

text: a

text: week

text: after

text: a

text: demonstration

text: across

text: town

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: Palestinians

text: in

text: Gaza

text: and

text: sharply

text: critical

text: of

text: Israel

text: 's

text: attacks

text: Sunday

text: 's

text: pro

text: Israeli

text: demonstration

text: featured

text: the

text: sounding

text: of

text: air

text: raid

text: sirens

text: like

text: those

text: heard

text: in

text: southern

text: Israel

text: to

text: warn

text: of

text: incoming

text: Hamas

text: rockets

text: from

text: Gaza

text: and

text: a

text: speech

text: by

text: a

text: Madrid

text: official

text: from

text: the

text: ruling

text: Socialist

text: Party

text: observers

text: said

text: Last

text: week

text: 's

text: pro

text: Gaza

text: anti

text: Israeli

text: demonstration

text: included

text: two

text: national

text: leaders

text: of

text: the

text: Socialists

text: prompting

text: a

text: rare

text: statement

text: from

text: the

text: Israeli

text: Embassy

text: criticizing

text: their

text: participation

text: But

text: the

text: Socialist

text: government

text: and

text: the

text: Israeli

text: Embassy

text: appeared

text: to

text: have

text: mended

text: fences

text: during

text: the

text: week

text: issuing

text: conciliatory

text: statements

text: Spanish

text: Foreign

text: Minister

text: Miguel

text: Angel

text: Moratinos

text: visited

text: the

text: Mideast

text: last

text: week

text: with

text: stops

text: in

text: Syria

text: Egypt

text: and

text: Israel

text: where

text: he

text: was

text: received

text: by

text: top

text: officials

text: Spanish

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Jose

text: Luis

text: Rodriguez

text: Zapatero

text: was

text: in

text: Egypt

text: Sunday

text: attending

text: the

text: meeting

text: in

text: Sharm

text: el

text: Sheikh

text: organized

text: by

text: Egypt

text: and

text: France

text: The

text: pro

text: Israeli

text: demonstration

text: on

text: Sunday

text: cut

text: traffic

text: on

text: a

text: broad

text: boulevard

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: the

text: Israeli

text: Embassy

text: Israeli

text: and

text: Spanish

text: flags

text: were

text: waved

text: and

text: one

text: protest

text: banner

text: charged

text: that

text: Hamas

text: equals

text: terror

text: Spain

text: has

text: earmarked

text: million

text: euros

text: million

text: in

text: humanitarian

text: aid

text: to

text: Gaza

question: In what city did the pro-Israel crowd rally?

answer: the Spanish capital.

text: the Spanish capital.

question: Where is the humanitarian aid going?

answer: Gaza.

text: Gaza.

question: Who rallied in from of the Israeli Embassy?

answer: Spaniards

text: Spaniards

question: What amount of money did Spain earmark for Gaza?

answer: 6.5 million euros

text: 6.5 million euros

question: what country is getting aid?

answer: Gaza.

text: Gaza.

question: What embassy had a rally?

answer: Israeli

text: Israeli

question: Where was the Israeli Embassy?

answer: Spanish capital.

text: Spanish capital.


text:
(Entertainment Weekly) -- Usually, when characters in a movie are one-dimensional, that's not a good thing. But in "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," the waxworks figures who come to life after sundown aren't crassly sketchy or dramatically lacking. They're one-dimensional, all right, but knowingly, delightfully so.

Ben Stiller and Amy Adams size up a bobble-head Albert Einstein in the "Night at the Museum" sequel.

Even at their most pop-up brash, they're true to the way that kids see history. They're like characters out of a cool yet innocent mischief-at-midnight children's book -- a "Where the Wild Things Are" of global story-time kitsch. And they give you a lift.

The movie, make no mistake, is clownishly silly, a lark as light as balsa wood. If anything, though, it's a faster, wittier spin on the formula of its predecessor.

Released in 2006, "Night at the Museum" was a family popcorn extravaganza that touched a chord even its producers may not have anticipated. In the sequel, Ben Stiller, as the former night guard Larry Daley (he's now a successful entrepreneur ... of flashlights!), spends one long night infiltrating the galleries of the Smithsonian Institution, where he attempts to rescue the exhibits he first got to know at the American Museum of Natural History. (He's trying to get his hands on the magical Egyptian tablet that brings them to life.)

The T.rex, the capuchin monkeys, Attila the Hun -- all have been shipped to the archives of the Smithsonian. And all are as feisty as ever. But "Battle of the Smithsonian" tilts away from the zoological.

The film is a history-of-the-world burlesque in which such drolly self-centered icons as General Custer (Bill Hader), Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), and Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria) -- a made-up pharoah who lisps with the enthusiasm of Boris Karloff on his own reality show -- collide happily with a living army of Albert Einstein bobblehead dolls, plus stone-carved angels who sing "More Than a Woman" and "The Thinker" come to life as a Brooklyn deadbeat.

This is what you call a wholesome kiddie movie on drugs.

It all works because Stiller, with his eager-to-please anxiety and his incredulous double takes, is the perfect addled straight man for a hellzapoppin history show. And it works because Amy Adams, as Amelia Earhart, has the breathless, daffy-sexy vivacity of a '30s screwball heroine, her eyes lit with fire, her delivery as sharp as cut glass as she rat-a-tats out lines like "You haven't been able to take your cheaters off my chassis since we met!"

"Battle of the Smithsonian" has plenty of life. But it's Adams who gives it zing.

EW Grade: B+

CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly

text: Entertainment

text: Weekly

text: Usually

text: when

text: characters

text: in

text: a

text: movie

text: are

text: one

text: dimensional

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: a

text: good

text: thing

text: But

text: in

text: Night

text: at

text: the

text: Museum

text: Battle

text: of

text: the

text: Smithsonian

text: the

text: waxworks

text: figures

text: who

text: come

text: to

text: life

text: after

text: sundown

text: are

text: n't

text: crassly

text: sketchy

text: or

text: dramatically

text: lacking

text: They

text: 're

text: one

text: dimensional

text: all

text: right

text: but

text: knowingly

text: delightfully

text: so

text: Ben

text: Stiller

text: and

text: Amy

text: Adams

text: size

text: up

text: a

text: bobble

text: head

text: Albert

text: Einstein

text: in

text: the

text: Night

text: at

text: the

text: Museum

text: sequel

text: Even

text: at

text: their

text: most

text: pop

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text: 're

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text: characters

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text: cool

text: yet

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text: Wild

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text: Are

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text: wood

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text: predecessor

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text: Museum

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text: touched

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text: chord

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text: former

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text: guard

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text: 's

text: now

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text: flashlights

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text: one

text: long

text: night

text: infiltrating

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text: galleries

text: of

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text: Smithsonian

text: Institution

text: where

text: he

text: attempts

text: to

text: rescue

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text: exhibits

text: he

text: first

text: got

text: to

text: know

text: at

text: the

text: American

text: Museum

text: of

text: Natural

text: History

text: He

text: 's

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: his

text: hands

text: on

text: the

text: magical

text: Egyptian

text: tablet

text: that

text: brings

text: them

text: to

text: life

text: The

text: T.rex

text: the

text: capuchin

text: monkeys

text: Attila

text: the

text: Hun

text: all

text: have

text: been

text: shipped

text: to

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text: archives

text: of

text: the

text: Smithsonian

text: And

text: all

text: are

text: as

text: feisty

text: as

text: ever

text: But

text: Battle

text: of

text: the

text: Smithsonian

text: tilts

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: zoological

text: The

text: film

text: is

text: a

text: history

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: burlesque

text: in

text: which

text: such

text: drolly

text: self

text: centered

text: icons

text: as

text: General

text: Custer

text: Bill

text: Hader

text: Ivan

text: the

text: Terrible

text: Christopher

text: Guest

text: and

text: Kahmunrah

text: Hank

text: Azaria

text: a

text: made

text: up

text: pharoah

text: who

text: lisps

text: with

text: the

text: enthusiasm

text: of

text: Boris

text: Karloff

text: on

text: his

text: own

text: reality

text: show

text: collide

text: happily

text: with

text: a

text: living

text: army

text: of

text: Albert

text: Einstein

text: bobblehead

text: dolls

text: plus

text: stone

text: carved

text: angels

text: who

text: sing

text: More

text: Than

text: a

text: Woman

text: and

text: The

text: Thinker

text: come

text: to

text: life

text: as

text: a

text: Brooklyn

text: deadbeat

text: This

text: is

text: what

text: you

text: call

text: a

text: wholesome

text: kiddie

text: movie

text: on

text: drugs

text: It

text: all

text: works

text: because

text: Stiller

text: with

text: his

text: eager

text: to

text: please

text: anxiety

text: and

text: his

text: incredulous

text: double

text: takes

text: is

text: the

text: perfect

text: addled

text: straight

text: man

text: for

text: a

text: hellzapoppin

text: history

text: show

text: And

text: it

text: works

text: because

text: Amy

text: Adams

text: as

text: Amelia

text: Earhart

text: has

text: the

text: breathless

text: daffy

text: sexy

text: vivacity

text: of

text: a

text: screwball

text: heroine

text: her

text: eyes

text: lit

text: with

text: fire

text: her

text: delivery

text: as

text: sharp

text: as

text: cut

text: glass

text: as

text: she

text: rat

text: a

text: tats

text: out

text: lines

text: like

text: You

text: have

text: n't

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: take

text: your

text: cheaters

text: off

text: my

text: chassis

text: since

text: we

text: met

text: Battle

text: of

text: the

text: Smithsonian

text: has

text: plenty

text: of

text: life

text: But

text: it

text: 's

text: Adams

text: who

text: gives

text: it

text: zing

text: EW

text: Grade

text: B+

text: CLICK

text: HERE

text: to

text: Try

text: RISK

text: FREE

text: issues

text: of

text: Entertainment

text: Weekly

question: what does EW say about the sequel

answer: Grade: B+

text: Grade: B+

question: Who does Amy Adams play?

answer: Amelia Earhart,

text: Amelia Earhart,

question: who stars in the movie

answer: Amy Adams

text: Amy Adams

question: What character does Amy Adams play?

answer: Amelia Earhart,

text: Amelia Earhart,

question: At which museum does the movie take place?

answer: Smithsonian,"

text: Smithsonian,"

question: What is the name of the movie being reviewed?

answer: "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,"

text: "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,"

question: Who plays the lead role?

answer: Ben Stiller

text: Ben Stiller

question: who is the standout from the film

answer: Ben Stiller and Amy Adams

text: Ben Stiller and Amy Adams

question: What is the sequel of?

answer: "Night at the Museum"

text: "Night at the Museum"


text:
(CNN) -- Malaysia swore in a new prime minister on Friday, the country's state news agency reported.

Malaysia's former PM Abdullah Badawi waves from a vehicle in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak became Malaysia's sixth prime minister after taking over for from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who stepped down after leading the country for more than five years, according to the Bernama news agency.

The new prime minister will immediately be tasked with reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits.

Until now, Najib Razak had served as the Southeast Asian country's deputy prime minister.

He is part of Malaysia's ruling party, the National Front Coalition, which has ruled the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1957.

But last year, a loose coalition of opposition parties won 82 of 222 parliamentary seats in elections. It was only the second time in the country's history that the ruling party failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution.

The election upset led to calls for Abdullah to step down.

In recent months, the country has seen riots with the country's ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who accuse the government of passing laws that favor the Malay majority. Najib has said he will do more to address their concerns.

Malaysia has been severely affected by the global economic downturn. Critics are demanding Malaysia diversify its technology-heavy economy.

Last month, Najib unveiled a multi-billion dollar stimulus plan for new spending, according to published reports.  Watch what can be expected from the new Malaysian leader Â»

Najib also brings with him a whiff of controversy. Two former bodyguards are facing charges in connection the murder of a Mongolian model. He has denied all links to the killing.

text: CNN

text: Malaysia

text: swore

text: in

text: a

text: new

text: prime

text: minister

text: on

text: Friday

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: state

text: news

text: agency

text: reported

text: Malaysia

text: 's

text: former

text: PM

text: Abdullah

text: Badawi

text: waves

text: from

text: a

text: vehicle

text: in

text: Kuala

text: Lumpur

text: on

text: Friday

text: Datuk

text: Seri

text: Najib

text: Tun

text: Razak

text: became

text: Malaysia

text: 's

text: sixth

text: prime

text: minister

text: after

text: taking

text: over

text: for

text: from

text: Datuk

text: Seri

text: Abdullah

text: Ahmad

text: Badawi

text: who

text: stepped

text: down

text: after

text: leading

text: the

text: country

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: five

text: years

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Bernama

text: news

text: agency

text: The

text: new

text: prime

text: minister

text: will

text: immediately

text: be

text: tasked

text: with

text: reuniting

text: a

text: multi

text: racial

text: nation

text: and

text: shoring

text: up

text: an

text: economy

text: in

text: dire

text: straits

text: Until

text: now

text: Najib

text: Razak

text: had

text: served

text: as

text: the

text: Southeast

text: Asian

text: country

text: 's

text: deputy

text: prime

text: minister

text: He

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: Malaysia

text: 's

text: ruling

text: party

text: the

text: National

text: Front

text: Coalition

text: which

text: has

text: ruled

text: the

text: country

text: since

text: it

text: gained

text: independence

text: from

text: Britain

text: in

text: But

text: last

text: year

text: a

text: loose

text: coalition

text: of

text: opposition

text: parties

text: won

text: of

text: parliamentary

text: seats

text: in

text: elections

text: It

text: was

text: only

text: the

text: second

text: time

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: history

text: that

text: the

text: ruling

text: party

text: failed

text: to

text: gain

text: the

text: two

text: thirds

text: majority

text: needed

text: to

text: amend

text: the

text: constitution

text: The

text: election

text: upset

text: led

text: to

text: calls

text: for

text: Abdullah

text: to

text: step

text: down

text: In

text: recent

text: months

text: the

text: country

text: has

text: seen

text: riots

text: with

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: ethnic

text: Chinese

text: and

text: Indian

text: communities

text: who

text: accuse

text: the

text: government

text: of

text: passing

text: laws

text: that

text: favor

text: the

text: Malay

text: majority

text: Najib

text: has

text: said

text: he

text: will

text: do

text: more

text: to

text: address

text: their

text: concerns

text: Malaysia

text: has

text: been

text: severely

text: affected

text: by

text: the

text: global

text: economic

text: downturn

text: Critics

text: are

text: demanding

text: Malaysia

text: diversify

text: its

text: technology

text: heavy

text: economy

text: Last

text: month

text: Najib

text: unveiled

text: a

text: multi

text: billion

text: dollar

text: stimulus

text: plan

text: for

text: new

text: spending

text: according

text: to

text: published

text: reports

text: Watch

text: what

text: can

text: be

text: expected

text: from

text: the

text: new

text: Malaysian

text: leader

text: Â

text: Najib

text: also

text: brings

text: with

text: him

text: a

text: whiff

text: of

text: controversy

text: Two

text: former

text: bodyguards

text: are

text: facing

text: charges

text: in

text: connection

text: the

text: murder

text: of

text: a

text: Mongolian

text: model

text: He

text: has

text: denied

text: all

text: links

text: to

text: the

text: killing

question: How long was Badawi in office for?

answer: more than five years,

text: more than five years,

question: What problems does Najib Razak face as the new PM?

answer: reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits.

text: reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits.

question: What has the ruling party failed to secure?

answer: majority needed

text: majority needed

question: What does the new PM face?

answer: reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits.

text: reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits.

question: Who is the sixth prime minister of an Asian nation?

answer: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

text: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

question: Who was the outgoing PM before Najib Razak?

answer: Abdullah Badawi

text: Abdullah Badawi

question: Which country is Razak prime minister of?

answer: Malaysia's

text: Malaysia's

question: What role was Najib Razak sworn in as?

answer: Malaysia's sixth prime minister

text: Malaysia's sixth prime minister

question: What did the ruling party fail in?

answer: gain the two-thirds

text: gain the two-thirds


text:
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday that the United States "will never turn our back" on Afghanistan. Gates, who is on an unannounced visit in the war zone, held a joint news conference with Karzai.

"President Obama is sending 30,000 more U.S. troops, the first of which are scheduled to arrive within days," Gates said. "Afghanistan's international partners have pledged at least 7,000 additional troops; when all is said and done, some 43 nations will make up a force."

Gates also was scheduled to meet with Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, as well as American military officials.

Karzai has asked for patience as his nation struggles to take control of its own security.

"A number of years Afghanistan will not be able to sustain our force with our own resources, " Karzai told reporters. "We hope the international community and the U.S. will help Afghanistan reach the ability to sustain our force with numbers and equipment."

Obama has said that U.S. forces will begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July 2011 -- at which point international troops would begin to turn over security responsibility to Afghan forces.

Gates spoke about the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan on Tuesday.

"Our relationship with Afghanistan is a long-term commitment," Gates said. "As security improves our relationship grows ... especially with economic and political development. As President Obama said, we will never turn our back on the region."

Karzai also offered his own timeline goal, saying Afghanistan wants to be able to assume security control in some parts of the country in two years, and to lead security for the entire country by the end of his five-year term, which just started after his recent re-election.

"We as Afghans will try our very best to reach that goal, and we hope our allies will back us to reach that goal," Karzai said.

Building and developing Afghan security forces will be a continuing challenge, Gates said, and is an effort that has involved some trial and error.

"One of the eye-openers for us was learning that the Taliban for the most part are better paid than the Afghan security forces, so that's something that we and the Afghans have already taken steps to correct," Gates told reporters on the way to Afghanistan. "I think, frankly, that's the biggest obstacle."

The Afghan president is under intense pressure to clean up government corruption, a task he said is under way.

"I have fired people and I will be firing people," Karzai said.

Some of those changes will become known when Karzai announces his new Cabinet. The Afghan president said at the news conference with Gates that he would try to get a list to parliament by the middle of next week. Karzai was originally expected to submit the list on Tuesday.

text: Kabul

text: Afghanistan

text: CNN

text: U.S.

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: Robert

text: Gates

text: told

text: Afghanistan

text: 's

text: President

text: Hamid

text: Karzai

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: will

text: never

text: turn

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text: Afghanistan

text: Gates

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text: an

text: unannounced

text: visit

text: in

text: the

text: war

text: zone

text: held

text: a

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text: Karzai

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text: troops

text: the

text: first

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text: which

text: are

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text: Gates

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text: Afghanistan

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text: international

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text: least

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text: troops

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text: and

text: the

text: U.S.

text: will

text: help

text: Afghanistan

text: reach

text: the

text: ability

text: to

text: sustain

text: our

text: force

text: with

text: numbers

text: and

text: equipment

text: Obama

text: has

text: said

text: that

text: U.S.

text: forces

text: will

text: begin

text: withdrawing

text: from

text: Afghanistan

text: in

text: July

text: at

text: which

text: point

text: international

text: troops

text: would

text: begin

text: to

text: turn

text: over

text: security

text: responsibility

text: to

text: Afghan

text: forces

text: Gates

text: spoke

text: about

text: the

text: U.S.

text: commitment

text: to

text: Afghanistan

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: Our

text: relationship

text: with

text: Afghanistan

text: is

text: a

text: long

text: term

text: commitment

text: Gates

text: said

text: As

text: security

text: improves

text: our

text: relationship

text: grows

text: especially

text: with

text: economic

text: and

text: political

text: development

text: As

text: President

text: Obama

text: said

text: we

text: will

text: never

text: turn

text: our

text: back

text: on

text: the

text: region

text: Karzai

text: also

text: offered

text: his

text: own

text: timeline

text: goal

text: saying

text: Afghanistan

text: wants

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: assume

text: security

text: control

text: in

text: some

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: in

text: two

text: years

text: and

text: to

text: lead

text: security

text: for

text: the

text: entire

text: country

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: his

text: five

text: year

text: term

text: which

text: just

text: started

text: after

text: his

text: recent

text: re

text: election

text: We

text: as

text: Afghans

text: will

text: try

text: our

text: very

text: best

text: to

text: reach

text: that

text: goal

text: and

text: we

text: hope

text: our

text: allies

text: will

text: back

text: us

text: to

text: reach

text: that

text: goal

text: Karzai

text: said

text: Building

text: and

text: developing

text: Afghan

text: security

text: forces

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: continuing

text: challenge

text: Gates

text: said

text: and

text: is

text: an

text: effort

text: that

text: has

text: involved

text: some

text: trial

text: and

text: error

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: eye

text: openers

text: for

text: us

text: was

text: learning

text: that

text: the

text: Taliban

text: for

text: the

text: most

text: part

text: are

text: better

text: paid

text: than

text: the

text: Afghan

text: security

text: forces

text: so

text: that

text: 's

text: something

text: that

text: we

text: and

text: the

text: Afghans

text: have

text: already

text: taken

text: steps

text: to

text: correct

text: Gates

text: told

text: reporters

text: on

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: Afghanistan

text: I

text: think

text: frankly

text: that

text: 's

text: the

text: biggest

text: obstacle

text: The

text: Afghan

text: president

text: is

text: under

text: intense

text: pressure

text: to

text: clean

text: up

text: government

text: corruption

text: a

text: task

text: he

text: said

text: is

text: under

text: way

text: I

text: have

text: fired

text: people

text: and

text: I

text: will

text: be

text: firing

text: people

text: Karzai

text: said

text: Some

text: of

text: those

text: changes

text: will

text: become

text: known

text: when

text: Karzai

text: announces

text: his

text: new

text: Cabinet

text: The

text: Afghan

text: president

text: said

text: at

text: the

text: news

text: conference

text: with

text: Gates

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: try

text: to

text: get

text: a

text: list

text: to

text: parliament

text: by

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: next

text: week

text: Karzai

text: was

text: originally

text: expected

text: to

text: submit

text: the

text: list

text: on

text: Tuesday

question: Gates acknowledges Taliban for what?

answer: the most part are better paid than the Afghan security forces,

text: the most part are better paid than the Afghan security forces,

question: where the meeting occurred

answer: Afghanistan

text: Afghanistan

question: Who met with Afghan president?

answer: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

text: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

question: Karzai sets his own timeline goal for what?

answer: to assume security control in some parts of the country in two years, and to lead security

text: to assume security control in some parts of the country in two years, and to lead security


text:
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Thailand's floodwaters inched toward downtown Bangkok Saturday, threatening some subway stations as leaders urged residents not to open defenses set up to divert the waters from the capital.

At least six subway stations are on the floodway, authorities said.

Residents have threatened to open the defenses to drain water from their flooded neighborhoods, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said.

"The main problem of solving flood is no longer technical but people," Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said during the weekly radio address.

The flooding has killed 442 people, the Interior Ministry said. Of Thailand's 64 provinces, 25 have been affected.

Bangkok's central business district is still dry but other parts of the bustling metropolis of 12 million people are inundated.

The flooding has had an enormous business impact as many factories and offices have been under water for more than a month. Affected businesses include Hi Tech Industrial Park, where Canon and Sony own assembly plants.

CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.

text: Bangkok

text: Thailand

text: CNN

text: Thailand

text: 's

text: floodwaters

text: inched

text: toward

text: downtown

text: Bangkok

text: Saturday

text: threatening

text: some

text: subway

text: stations

text: as

text: leaders

text: urged

text: residents

text: not

text: to

text: open

text: defenses

text: set

text: up

text: to

text: divert

text: the

text: waters

text: from

text: the

text: capital

text: At

text: least

text: six

text: subway

text: stations

text: are

text: on

text: the

text: floodway

text: authorities

text: said

text: Residents

text: have

text: threatened

text: to

text: open

text: the

text: defenses

text: to

text: drain

text: water

text: from

text: their

text: flooded

text: neighborhoods

text: the

text: Bangkok

text: Metropolitan

text: Administration

text: said

text: The

text: main

text: problem

text: of

text: solving

text: flood

text: is

text: no

text: longer

text: technical

text: but

text: people

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Yingluck

text: Shinawatra

text: said

text: during

text: the

text: weekly

text: radio

text: address

text: The

text: flooding

text: has

text: killed

text: people

text: the

text: Interior

text: Ministry

text: said

text: Of

text: Thailand

text: 's

text: provinces

text: have

text: been

text: affected

text: Bangkok

text: 's

text: central

text: business

text: district

text: is

text: still

text: dry

text: but

text: other

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: bustling

text: metropolis

text: of

text: million

text: people

text: are

text: inundated

text: The

text: flooding

text: has

text: had

text: an

text: enormous

text: business

text: impact

text: as

text: many

text: factories

text: and

text: offices

text: have

text: been

text: under

text: water

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: month

text: Affected

text: businesses

text: include

text: Hi

text: Tech

text: Industrial

text: Park

text: where

text: Canon

text: and

text: Sony

text: own

text: assembly

text: plants

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Kocha

text: Olarn

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: how many people were killed in flooding?

answer: 442

question: what is the name of the area where flood happened?

answer: Bangkok

text: Bangkok

question: What was the number of people killed?

answer: 442

question: What is the disaster?

answer: flooding

text: flooding

question: What killed the people?

answer: flooding

text: flooding

question: four forty two people were killed in what?

answer: flooding

text: flooding


text:
(CNN) -- Three faculty members were killed and three other school employees were wounded Friday in a shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a school spokesman said.

A female shooting suspect was in custody and a second person was detained, "not arrested," spokesman Ray Garner told reporters.

Huntsville Police Chief Henry Reyes left open the possibility that more than one person had been detained. "We have a suspect and possible persons of interest," he said late Friday. "Until we go through everything, we're not going to say exactly how many or who we have."

He said police were questioning the suspect, whom he would not identify.

Of the wounded, two were faculty members and the third was a staff member, he said.

Garner said the incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. in Shelby Hall. Police arrived at 4:01 p.m.; residence halls were locked down at 4:10 p.m.; the building was secured by 5:45 p.m., he said.

The suspect was taken into custody outside the building, said Reyes. No weapon has been recovered, he said.

The 6-year-old, $60 million facility houses the chemistry department and is named for U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama and his wife, Annette Shelby.

Garner identified the dead as Gopi Podila, chairman of the biological sciences department; Maria Davis, associate professor of biology; and Adriel Johnson, associate professor of biology.

He identified the injured as Joseph Leahy, associate professor of biology, in critical condition; Luis Cruz-Vera, assistant professor of biology, in stable condition; and Stephanie Monticello, staff assistant, also in stable condition. The wounded were taken to Huntsville Hospital.

Classes and athletic events are to be canceled February 15-19, he said.

Asked why students had not been alerted for more than an hour after the shootings, Reyes said, "I can't comment on that part."

text: CNN

text: Three

text: faculty

text: members

text: were

text: killed

text: and

text: three

text: other

text: school

text: employees

text: were

text: wounded

text: Friday

text: in

text: a

text: shooting

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Alabama

text: in

text: Huntsville

text: a

text: school

text: spokesman

text: said

text: A

text: female

text: shooting

text: suspect

text: was

text: in

text: custody

text: and

text: a

text: second

text: person

text: was

text: detained

text: not

text: arrested

text: spokesman

text: Ray

text: Garner

text: told

text: reporters

text: Huntsville

text: Police

text: Chief

text: Henry

text: Reyes

text: left

text: open

text: the

text: possibility

text: that

text: more

text: than

text: one

text: person

text: had

text: been

text: detained

text: We

text: have

text: a

text: suspect

text: and

text: possible

text: persons

text: of

text: interest

text: he

text: said

text: late

text: Friday

text: Until

text: we

text: go

text: through

text: everything

text: we

text: 're

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: say

text: exactly

text: how

text: many

text: or

text: who

text: we

text: have

text: He

text: said

text: police

text: were

text: questioning

text: the

text: suspect

text: whom

text: he

text: would

text: not

text: identify

text: Of

text: the

text: wounded

text: two

text: were

text: faculty

text: members

text: and

text: the

text: third

text: was

text: a

text: staff

text: member

text: he

text: said

text: Garner

text: said

text: the

text: incident

text: occurred

text: shortly

text: before

text: p.m.

text: in

text: Shelby

text: Hall

text: Police

text: arrived

text: at

text: p.m.

text: residence

text: halls

text: were

text: locked

text: down

text: at

text: p.m.

text: the

text: building

text: was

text: secured

text: by

text: p.m.

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: suspect

text: was

text: taken

text: into

text: custody

text: outside

text: the

text: building

text: said

text: Reyes

text: No

text: weapon

text: has

text: been

text: recovered

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: old

text: million

text: facility

text: houses

text: the

text: chemistry

text: department

text: and

text: is

text: named

text: for

text: U.S.

text: Sen.

text: Richard

text: Shelby

text: of

text: Alabama

text: and

text: his

text: wife

text: Annette

text: Shelby

text: Garner

text: identified

text: the

text: dead

text: as

text: Gopi

text: Podila

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: biological

text: sciences

text: department

text: Maria

text: Davis

text: associate

text: professor

text: of

text: biology

text: and

text: Adriel

text: Johnson

text: associate

text: professor

text: of

text: biology

text: He

text: identified

text: the

text: injured

text: as

text: Joseph

text: Leahy

text: associate

text: professor

text: of

text: biology

text: in

text: critical

text: condition

text: Luis

text: Cruz

text: Vera

text: assistant

text: professor

text: of

text: biology

text: in

text: stable

text: condition

text: and

text: Stephanie

text: Monticello

text: staff

text: assistant

text: also

text: in

text: stable

text: condition

text: The

text: wounded

text: were

text: taken

text: to

text: Huntsville

text: Hospital

text: Classes

text: and

text: athletic

text: events

text: are

text: to

text: be

text: canceled

text: February

text: he

text: said

text: Asked

text: why

text: students

text: had

text: not

text: been

text: alerted

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: an

text: hour

text: after

text: the

text: shootings

text: Reyes

text: said

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: comment

text: on

text: that

text: part

question: What university did the three killed faculty members work at?

answer: of Alabama

text: of Alabama

question: What time did the shooting occur?

answer: shortly before 4 p.m.

text: shortly before 4 p.m.

question: What were they killed by?

answer: shooting

text: shooting

question: Who is the hall named after?

answer: U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama and his wife, Annette Shelby.

text: U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama and his wife, Annette Shelby.

question: Was more than one person detained?

answer: a second

text: a second


text:
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNN) -- Hundreds of Christians packed the Church of the Nativity on Thursday for a midnight Mass in what is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

A worshipper touches a star at the point where tradition says Jesus Christ was born in the Church of Nativity.

The standing-room-only service included singing and organ music.

There were also large crowds outside the church, one of the most sacred places in Christianity.

So many people had flocked to the area this Christmas season that there were no rooms left at the inns and hotels in Bethlehem.

Some took this as a sign that tourism in Bethlehem was on the upswing.

Christmas is the one time of year when the West Bank's small, shrinking Christian communities show everyone else that they are still there.

Before the midnight Mass, Palestinian scout groups representing Christians throughout the West Bank did as they always do on this day -- they marched, banging their drums loudly and, in a way, trying to make a point.  Watch Bethlehem's Christmas celebrations Â»

The drumbeat has been heard by more and more people, locals say, as tourism has skyrocketed this year.

"This year, tourism is much better than last year -- we reached 1,250,000," said Victor Batarseh, the mayor of Bethlehem. "All our hotels are full around Christmastime. We have 30,000 tourists coming in."

Tourists in record numbers were on hand this year, braving an unusually cold, gray and windy day to watch the parade of drums and holiday songs.

"It's kind of neat to see it in the Middle East, and they're playing Christmas carols and the songs we know," said one American tourist.

"I'm loving it, it's just been an incredible atmosphere and just a wonderful learning experience," said another.

The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem also came to the birthplace of Jesus, as he does every Christmas Eve, allowed through normally tightly shut gates by Israeli troops.

The heavy security is a testament to ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

"My Christmas wish is that we will have real peace, based on justice and freedom," said Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian parliament member. "My Christmas wish is that the justice that Jesus Christ gave his life for will happen sometime in his birthplace in Palestine."

CNN's Ben Wedeman contributed to this report.

text: BETHLEHEM

text: West

text: Bank

text: CNN

text: Hundreds

text: of

text: Christians

text: packed

text: the

text: Church

text: of

text: the

text: Nativity

text: on

text: Thursday

text: for

text: a

text: midnight

text: Mass

text: in

text: what

text: is

text: thought

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: birthplace

text: of

text: Jesus

text: Christ

text: A

text: worshipper

text: touches

text: a

text: star

text: at

text: the

text: point

text: where

text: tradition

text: says

text: Jesus

text: Christ

text: was

text: born

text: in

text: the

text: Church

text: of

text: Nativity

text: The

text: standing

text: room

text: only

text: service

text: included

text: singing

text: and

text: organ

text: music

text: There

text: were

text: also

text: large

text: crowds

text: outside

text: the

text: church

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: sacred

text: places

text: in

text: Christianity

text: So

text: many

text: people

text: had

text: flocked

text: to

text: the

text: area

text: this

text: Christmas

text: season

text: that

text: there

text: were

text: no

text: rooms

text: left

text: at

text: the

text: inns

text: and

text: hotels

text: in

text: Bethlehem

text: Some

text: took

text: this

text: as

text: a

text: sign

text: that

text: tourism

text: in

text: Bethlehem

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: upswing

text: Christmas

text: is

text: the

text: one

text: time

text: of

text: year

text: when

text: the

text: West

text: Bank

text: 's

text: small

text: shrinking

text: Christian

text: communities

text: show

text: everyone

text: else

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: still

text: there

text: Before

text: the

text: midnight

text: Mass

text: Palestinian

text: scout

text: groups

text: representing

text: Christians

text: throughout

text: the

text: West

text: Bank

text: did

text: as

text: they

text: always

text: do

text: on

text: this

text: day

text: they

text: marched

text: banging

text: their

text: drums

text: loudly

text: and

text: in

text: a

text: way

text: trying

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: point

text: Watch

text: Bethlehem

text: 's

text: Christmas

text: celebrations

text: Â

text: The

text: drumbeat

text: has

text: been

text: heard

text: by

text: more

text: and

text: more

text: people

text: locals

text: say

text: as

text: tourism

text: has

text: skyrocketed

text: this

text: year

text: This

text: year

text: tourism

text: is

text: much

text: better

text: than

text: last

text: year

text: we

text: reached

text: said

text: Victor

text: Batarseh

text: the

text: mayor

text: of

text: Bethlehem

text: All

text: our

text: hotels

text: are

text: full

text: around

text: Christmastime

text: We

text: have

text: tourists

text: coming

text: in

text: Tourists

text: in

text: record

text: numbers

text: were

text: on

text: hand

text: this

text: year

text: braving

text: an

text: unusually

text: cold

text: gray

text: and

text: windy

text: day

text: to

text: watch

text: the

text: parade

text: of

text: drums

text: and

text: holiday

text: songs

text: It

text: 's

text: kind

text: of

text: neat

text: to

text: see

text: it

text: in

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: and

text: they

text: 're

text: playing

text: Christmas

text: carols

text: and

text: the

text: songs

text: we

text: know

text: said

text: one

text: American

text: tourist

text: I

text: 'm

text: loving

text: it

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: been

text: an

text: incredible

text: atmosphere

text: and

text: just

text: a

text: wonderful

text: learning

text: experience

text: said

text: another

text: The

text: Latin

text: Patriarch

text: in

text: Jerusalem

text: also

text: came

text: to

text: the

text: birthplace

text: of

text: Jesus

text: as

text: he

text: does

text: every

text: Christmas

text: Eve

text: allowed

text: through

text: normally

text: tightly

text: shut

text: gates

text: by

text: Israeli

text: troops

text: The

text: heavy

text: security

text: is

text: a

text: testament

text: to

text: ongoing

text: conflict

text: between

text: Israel

text: and

text: the

text: Palestinians

text: My

text: Christmas

text: wish

text: is

text: that

text: we

text: will

text: have

text: real

text: peace

text: based

text: on

text: justice

text: and

text: freedom

text: said

text: Mustafa

text: Barghouti

text: a

text: Palestinian

text: parliament

text: member

text: My

text: Christmas

text: wish

text: is

text: that

text: the

text: justice

text: that

text: Jesus

text: Christ

text: gave

text: his

text: life

text: for

text: will

text: happen

text: sometime

text: in

text: his

text: birthplace

text: in

text: Palestine

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Ben

text: Wedeman

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Where did hundreds go?

answer: Church of the Nativity

text: Church of the Nativity

question: What did Christians do?

answer: packed the Church of the Nativity

text: packed the Church of the Nativity

question: Where did Christians pack?

answer: the Church of the Nativity

text: the Church of the Nativity

question: Where did the crowds gather?

answer: outside the church,

text: outside the church,

question: Where is Jesus thought to have been born?

answer: BETHLEHEM,

text: BETHLEHEM,

question: What is the church thought to be?

answer: the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

text: the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

question: When was the mass?

answer: in what is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

text: in what is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

question: What is so special about the church?

answer: thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

text: thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ.


text:
Editor's note: CNN executive producer Suzanne Simons is the author of "Master of War: Blackwater's Erik Prince and the Global Business of War."

Private contractor Xe flies military personnel in Afghanistan and helps train Afghan border police.

The company formerly known as Blackwater, now called Xe much to its chagrin, has been at the center of the contractor debate for years.

From the time four of its men were ambushed and murdered in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004, to a shooting involving a team of its men in a Baghdad neighborhood in which at least 14 Iraqi civilians were killed in 2007, the company has drawn unwanted headlines.

Blackwater owner Erik Prince downsized the company earlier this year when business failed to keep pace with investment. He changed the company's name after the Iraqi government banned it from doing business there. But those who thought contractors were going away under President Obama's administration couldn't be more wrong.

According to the Department of Defense, there are some 68,000 contractors in Afghanistan today and more than 132,000 in Iraq. But those numbers aren't an accurate reflection of the total number of contractors because they don't include those working for other government agencies such as the Department of State.

Many of those tens of thousands are third-country nationals, meaning they were hired from a third country to go to Iraq. Many earn between $400 and $700 a month; while Americans, particularly those performing dangerous security duties, can earn as much in a day.

Despite being kicked out of Iraq, Xe still does a healthy business in Afghanistan, flying military personnel from one location to another and helping train Afghan border police charged with making the country's massive, porous borders more secure. It's one of the many jobs that the U.S. military just isn't staffed to tackle on its own.

In fact, the U.S. military today is beefed up by a force of nearly a quarter million private contractors. There are even cases where contractors oversee the contractors. And that's the problem. The U.S. has come to rely on them so heavily, in such a short period of time, that the government has come under fire for not managing them adequately.

Even among the eight-member team that makes up the Wartime Contracting Commission, a congressionally mandated effort to review the contracting process in Iraq and Afghanistan, the question of whether the United States needs the contractors isn't even an issue. The issue, rather, is how well the government is managing this massive support force called up in the immediate aftermath of the war in Iraq.

In its interim report released this month, the Commission found that "neither the military nor the federal civilian acquisition workforces have expanded to keep pace with recent years' enormous growth in the number and value of contingency contracts." The report also said, "the government still lacks clear standards and policy on inherently governmental functions. The decision has immediate salience given the decisions to use contractors in armed-security and life-support tasks for military units."

One of the biggest nightmares for legislators is that the force that has grown into such a critical modern-day military support structure was for a long time operating in a legal gray zone with no clear avenue of justice should something unsavory occur. That has led to some tough work for both prosecutors and the FBI, as they take on the task of investigating allegations of wrongdoing by contractors overseas.

Doug Brooks, head of the IPOA, an industry-friendly voluntary organization made up of 62 companies, spends much of his time doing outreach and making sure member companies measure up to the internal standards. "We have the power to kick people out of the association," Brooks said, but that's about where it ends. They can't prosecute anyone.  But to say that there has been no progress on the legal front wouldn't be fair. Legislation has been passed that essentially holds contractors accountable for their actions under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, but with everything in this business, there was a hang-up with that, too.  The legislation was written to cover contractors working in support of the Department of Defense, but there are even more contractors working in support of the State Department and other U.S. agencies.

The Special Inspector General for Iraq, Stuart W. Bowen Jr. produced a report in February titled Hard Lessons: The Iraq Reconstruction Experience. He then testified before Congress that "the United States government was unprepared and ill-equipped to mount a major contingency relief and reconstruction program in Iraq in 2003. For the last six years we have been on a steep learning curve."

He also told members of Congress that the United States relies too heavily on the hired help, testifying that "outsourcing management to contractors should be limited because it complicates lines of authority in contingency reconstruction operations." Something that retired Lt. Gen. Richard Sanchez would undoubtedly agree with.   Sanchez, who led the U.S. military operation in the early days of the Iraq war, has launched an information campaign aimed at bringing more accountability to the debate. He's even called for a truth commission to investigate policies regarding the interrogation of detainees.   Guess what. Contractors were involved in that scandal, too.

As for Blackwater, scandal, or the suspicion of it, played a significant role in its downturn. Plagued by lawsuits and federal investigations, the company now called Xe is a shell of what Blackwater was five years ago. Most of Prince's top executives are gone, budgets have been dramatically curtailed and the company has largely returned to its roots, as a training facility for law enforcement and special forces.   Is Blackwater's fate a sign that things are sour in the industry? Hardly.

As IPOA's Brooks puts it, they're here to stay, its about time we made it work. "I think the other conclusion that companies have come to is that we're going to be working with the private sector. Nobody wants soldiers to go back to flipping eggs, guarding gates, that kind of thing."

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: CNN

text: executive

text: producer

text: Suzanne

text: Simons

text: is

text: the

text: author

text: of

text: Master

text: of

text: War

text: Blackwater

text: 's

text: Erik

text: Prince

text: and

text: the

text: Global

text: Business

text: of

text: War

text: Private

text: contractor

text: Xe

text: flies

text: military

text: personnel

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: helps

text: train

text: Afghan

text: border

text: police

text: The

text: company

text: formerly

text: known

text: as

text: Blackwater

text: now

text: called

text: Xe

text: much

text: to

text: its

text: chagrin

text: has

text: been

text: at

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: the

text: contractor

text: debate

text: for

text: years

text: From

text: the

text: time

text: four

text: of

text: its

text: men

text: were

text: ambushed

text: and

text: murdered

text: in

text: Fallujah

text: Iraq

text: in

text: to

text: a

text: shooting

text: involving

text: a

text: team

text: of

text: its

text: men

text: in

text: a

text: Baghdad

text: neighborhood

text: in

text: which

text: at

text: least

text: Iraqi

text: civilians

text: were

text: killed

text: in

text: the

text: company

text: has

text: drawn

text: unwanted

text: headlines

text: Blackwater

text: owner

text: Erik

text: Prince

text: downsized

text: the

text: company

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: when

text: business

text: failed

text: to

text: keep

text: pace

text: with

text: investment

text: He

text: changed

text: the

text: company

text: 's

text: name

text: after

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: government

text: banned

text: it

text: from

text: doing

text: business

text: there

text: But

text: those

text: who

text: thought

text: contractors

text: were

text: going

text: away

text: under

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: administration

text: could

text: n't

text: be

text: more

text: wrong

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Defense

text: there

text: are

text: some

text: contractors

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: today

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: in

text: Iraq

text: But

text: those

text: numbers

text: are

text: n't

text: an

text: accurate

text: reflection

text: of

text: the

text: total

text: number

text: of

text: contractors

text: because

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: include

text: those

text: working

text: for

text: other

text: government

text: agencies

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: State

text: Many

text: of

text: those

text: tens

text: of

text: thousands

text: are

text: third

text: country

text: nationals

text: meaning

text: they

text: were

text: hired

text: from

text: a

text: third

text: country

text: to

text: go

text: to

text: Iraq

text: Many

text: earn

text: between

text: and

text: a

text: month

text: while

text: Americans

text: particularly

text: those

text: performing

text: dangerous

text: security

text: duties

text: can

text: earn

text: as

text: much

text: in

text: a

text: day

text: Despite

text: being

text: kicked

text: out

text: of

text: Iraq

text: Xe

text: still

text: does

text: a

text: healthy

text: business

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: flying

text: military

text: personnel

text: from

text: one

text: location

text: to

text: another

text: and

text: helping

text: train

text: Afghan

text: border

text: police

text: charged

text: with

text: making

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: massive

text: porous

text: borders

text: more

text: secure

text: It

text: 's

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: many

text: jobs

text: that

text: the

text: U.S.

text: military

text: just

text: is

text: n't

text: staffed

text: to

text: tackle

text: on

text: its

text: own

text: In

text: fact

text: the

text: U.S.

text: military

text: today

text: is

text: beefed

text: up

text: by

text: a

text: force

text: of

text: nearly

text: a

text: quarter

text: million

text: private

text: contractors

text: There

text: are

text: even

text: cases

text: where

text: contractors

text: oversee

text: the

text: contractors

text: And

text: that

text: 's

text: the

text: problem

text: The

text: U.S.

text: has

text: come

text: to

text: rely

text: on

text: them

text: so

text: heavily

text: in

text: such

text: a

text: short

text: period

text: of

text: time

text: that

text: the

text: government

text: has

text: come

text: under

text: fire

text: for

text: not

text: managing

text: them

text: adequately

text: Even

text: among

text: the

text: eight

text: member

text: team

text: that

text: makes

text: up

text: the

text: Wartime

text: Contracting

text: Commission

text: a

text: congressionally

text: mandated

text: effort

text: to

text: review

text: the

text: contracting

text: process

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Afghanistan

text: the

text: question

text: of

text: whether

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: needs

text: the

text: contractors

text: is

text: n't

text: even

text: an

text: issue

text: The

text: issue

text: rather

text: is

text: how

text: well

text: the

text: government

text: is

text: managing

text: this

text: massive

text: support

text: force

text: called

text: up

text: in

text: the

text: immediate

text: aftermath

text: of

text: the

text: war

text: in

text: Iraq

text: In

text: its

text: interim

text: report

text: released

text: this

text: month

text: the

text: Commission

text: found

text: that

text: neither

text: the

text: military

text: nor

text: the

text: federal

text: civilian

text: acquisition

text: workforces

text: have

text: expanded

text: to

text: keep

text: pace

text: with

text: recent

text: years

text: enormous

text: growth

text: in

text: the

text: number

text: and

text: value

text: of

text: contingency

text: contracts

text: The

text: report

text: also

text: said

text: the

text: government

text: still

text: lacks

text: clear

text: standards

text: and

text: policy

text: on

text: inherently

text: governmental

text: functions

text: The

text: decision

text: has

text: immediate

text: salience

text: given

text: the

text: decisions

text: to

text: use

text: contractors

text: in

text: armed

text: security

text: and

text: life

text: support

text: tasks

text: for

text: military

text: units

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: biggest

text: nightmares

text: for

text: legislators

text: is

text: that

text: the

text: force

text: that

text: has

text: grown

text: into

text: such

text: a

text: critical

text: modern

text: day

text: military

text: support

text: structure

text: was

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: operating

text: in

text: a

text: legal

text: gray

text: zone

text: with

text: no

text: clear

text: avenue

text: of

text: justice

text: should

text: something

text: unsavory

text: occur

text: That

text: has

text: led

text: to

text: some

text: tough

text: work

text: for

text: both

text: prosecutors

text: and

text: the

text: FBI

text: as

text: they

text: take

text: on

text: the

text: task

text: of

text: investigating

text: allegations

text: of

text: wrongdoing

text: by

text: contractors

text: overseas

text: Doug

text: Brooks

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: IPOA

text: an

text: industry

text: friendly

text: voluntary

text: organization

text: made

text: up

text: of

text: companies

text: spends

text: much

text: of

text: his

text: time

text: doing

text: outreach

text: and

text: making

text: sure

text: member

text: companies

text: measure

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: internal

text: standards

text: We

text: have

text: the

text: power

text: to

text: kick

text: people

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: association

text: Brooks

text: said

text: but

text: that

text: 's

text: about

text: where

text: it

text: ends

text: They

text: ca

text: n't

text: prosecute

text: anyone

text: But

text: to

text: say

text: that

text: there

text: has

text: been

text: no

text: progress

text: on

text: the

text: legal

text: front

text: would

text: n't

text: be

text: fair

text: Legislation

text: has

text: been

text: passed

text: that

text: essentially

text: holds

text: contractors

text: accountable

text: for

text: their

text: actions

text: under

text: the

text: Military

text: Extraterritorial

text: Jurisdiction

text: Act

text: but

text: with

text: everything

text: in

text: this

text: business

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: hang

text: up

text: with

text: that

text: too

text: The

text: legislation

text: was

text: written

text: to

text: cover

text: contractors

text: working

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Defense

text: but

text: there

text: are

text: even

text: more

text: contractors

text: working

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: the

text: State

text: Department

text: and

text: other

text: U.S.

text: agencies

text: The

text: Special

text: Inspector

text: General

text: for

text: Iraq

text: Stuart

text: W.

text: Bowen

text: Jr.

text: produced

text: a

text: report

text: in

text: February

text: titled

text: Hard

text: Lessons

text: The

text: Iraq

text: Reconstruction

text: Experience

text: He

text: then

text: testified

text: before

text: Congress

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: government

text: was

text: unprepared

text: and

text: ill

text: equipped

text: to

text: mount

text: a

text: major

text: contingency

text: relief

text: and

text: reconstruction

text: program

text: in

text: Iraq

text: in

text: For

text: the

text: last

text: six

text: years

text: we

text: have

text: been

text: on

text: a

text: steep

text: learning

text: curve

text: He

text: also

text: told

text: members

text: of

text: Congress

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: relies

text: too

text: heavily

text: on

text: the

text: hired

text: help

text: testifying

text: that

text: outsourcing

text: management

text: to

text: contractors

text: should

text: be

text: limited

text: because

text: it

text: complicates

text: lines

text: of

text: authority

text: in

text: contingency

text: reconstruction

text: operations

text: Something

text: that

text: retired

text: Lt

text: Gen.

text: Richard

text: Sanchez

text: would

text: undoubtedly

text: agree

text: with

text: Sanchez

text: who

text: led

text: the

text: U.S.

text: military

text: operation

text: in

text: the

text: early

text: days

text: of

text: the

text: Iraq

text: war

text: has

text: launched

text: an

text: information

text: campaign

text: aimed

text: at

text: bringing

text: more

text: accountability

text: to

text: the

text: debate

text: He

text: 's

text: even

text: called

text: for

text: a

text: truth

text: commission

text: to

text: investigate

text: policies

text: regarding

text: the

text: interrogation

text: of

text: detainees

text: Guess

text: what

text: Contractors

text: were

text: involved

text: in

text: that

text: scandal

text: too

text: As

text: for

text: Blackwater

text: scandal

text: or

text: the

text: suspicion

text: of

text: it

text: played

text: a

text: significant

text: role

text: in

text: its

text: downturn

text: Plagued

text: by

text: lawsuits

text: and

text: federal

text: investigations

text: the

text: company

text: now

text: called

text: Xe

text: is

text: a

text: shell

text: of

text: what

text: Blackwater

text: was

text: five

text: years

text: ago

text: Most

text: of

text: Prince

text: 's

text: top

text: executives

text: are

text: gone

text: budgets

text: have

text: been

text: dramatically

text: curtailed

text: and

text: the

text: company

text: has

text: largely

text: returned

text: to

text: its

text: roots

text: as

text: a

text: training

text: facility

text: for

text: law

text: enforcement

text: and

text: special

text: forces

text: Is

text: Blackwater

text: 's

text: fate

text: a

text: sign

text: that

text: things

text: are

text: sour

text: in

text: the

text: industry

text: Hardly

text: As

text: IPOA

text: 's

text: Brooks

text: puts

text: it

text: they

text: 're

text: here

text: to

text: stay

text: its

text: about

text: time

text: we

text: made

text: it

text: work

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: other

text: conclusion

text: that

text: companies

text: have

text: come

text: to

text: is

text: that

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: working

text: with

text: the

text: private

text: sector

text: Nobody

text: wants

text: soldiers

text: to

text: go

text: back

text: to

text: flipping

text: eggs

text: guarding

text: gates

text: that

text: kind

text: of

text: thing

question: What is the issue?

answer: how well the government is managing this massive support force called up in the immediate aftermath of the war in Iraq.

text: how well the government is managing this massive support force called up in the immediate aftermath of the war in Iraq.

question: who has garnered unwanted attention over the past few years?

answer: Blackwater, now called Xe

text: Blackwater, now called Xe

question: Where does Xe do business?

answer: in Afghanistan,

text: in Afghanistan,

question: Where does Xe do a great deal of business?

answer: Afghanistan,

text: Afghanistan,

question: What does the U.S. rely heavily on?

answer: private contractors.

text: private contractors.