Transcripts For ALJAZAM News 20140501

Protest about kidnapped Nigerian School girls. And the decision, the High School Senior accepted to all eight ivy league schools, annoyanceannounces his choice. We begin tonight in iraq, where the country has held an election. Despite months of rising violence millions of iraqis are turned up and central baghdad, people particularly the elderly found it tough to walk to polling station but walk they did to cast their votes. We came to vote. The only thing we can do now is choose the right person for the right job. I wasnt scared to come here despite the dangers. I wanted to come out and vote. And kurd all can meet among themselves and against each other. After the elections in 2010, it took nearly eight months for iraq to get the government and the public utility climate back then was very different to the one now. Back then there was a leader. Faces a fight, that iraq faces a number of months without a government whilst all that, many thought would never come. An election free of violence. Imran khan, al jazeera baghdad. And digital writer Jamie Tarabay joins us. She covered Baghdad Bureau as the bureau chief there. Jamie, welcome. How do you assess the success of todays vote . I think on many levels it has been a success. 7 people or so were killed in a day when a lot of the terrorists sort of organizations warned people not ogo out because they promised a lot of retaliatory attacked. But at the same time, there were laces across the country where people were not able to vote because of the security situation. Fallujah the city was shut down and no one inside the city could vote. And there were places such as mosul, where people werent able to vote there either. Whats the general feeling about the impact of u. S. Influence on these elections and over the time that america has spent there . Well, i think that i think look, rakes hav iraqis have alwd to vote. The fact that they have done so repeatedly i think is wonderful. They look to place like the u. S. To say, they have a tradition of democracy, we are very happy we can do the same thing too. We say only a few deaths. Thats true. But i mean the impact of those deaths still must have some effect on their concern about getting out there and voting, right . Absolutely. Its got to be a courageous act. Absolutely. Especially today there would have been a occurs few on vehicle traffic. Everyone had to walk, as we saw and a lot of people in the backs of their minds, do i really want to risk that journey, do i really worry about what might happen to me . Whos watching me go out and vote and what are they going to say to me later . These are decisions they think about every single day and today more so than ever. Youve got good insight. Youve been on the ground for a period of time, well talk to you later. Join us for our special iraq bloodshed ballots coming up at the bottom of the hour. Now to the state of play in ukraine where desperation is on the rise. Today the countrys act being president says theres no way to stop the unrest in the east. He said Security Forces are helpless. Hoda ahmid reports. Leluhansk is in the control f the prorussian forces. Points a finger at its own police forces. Departments of police and Security Services in these regions first of all are in the donetske and Luhansk Region are under duty to protect these regions. Theyre uneffective and in cooperation with terrorist groups. Reporter the interim governments failure to retake buildings seems to only embolden promoscow militants. Not any more isolated pockets of prorussian supporters. It is clear these are organized people and organized groups. They gather people and these buildings are just handed to them. Reporter police have been unable or unwilling to stop them. Theyre often seen standing around the barricades while promoscow protesters vow to bring down the government they are forced to. And here in donetske a rally was supposed to be held in this park. It was cancelled after no one could guarantee the safety of those who support a united ukraine. Just a few days ago, police stood idle. Hoda hamid al jazeera donetske. President obama will go to poland in june. The president will also be stopping in belgium and france. Plans for his visit come as nato is boosting its presence in the states of estonia latvia and lithuania. Nis spiker has that part of the storynick spicer has that part of the story. Russian planes which for years have flown into ball tick air baltic air space. Nations were once themselves annexed by leaders in the kremlin. Its regrettable that russian aggression and ukrainian, challenges require neighbor nations strategic thinking, smart planning, and a robust response. Reporter on wednesday, american Fighter Pilots handed over to british air men and women. 12 fighter planners on constant patrol and stand by. The baltic countries, estonia, lath via aand lithuania joined nato in 2004. Theyve had to rely on alliance members. Theres nothing new here except the number of nato partners that wanted to in a very visible way contribute to the integrity of the air space and along the way reassure an ally to let them know that nato is strong, nato is ready, and nato is committed to collective security. Reporter nato says it is watching. But the boosted presence is likely also a warning. With more jets taking to the air, armed and ready for action, just in case. Nick spicer al jazeera, lithuania. And the International Monetary fund approved 17 billion to keep ukrainian economy afloat. The United Nations is condemning the latest violence in syrias civil war. Air strike on a school in aleppo. It is syrias largest city and it has been a center of ongoing battle for control. Our james bays reports. Reporter everyday for more than three years there have been bombs and bloodshed across syria. But these latest attacks should shock the world. This was the result of a Syrian Government air strike in aleppo. The rubble here was a School Building which, despite all the violence in the city had been continuing to operate. Rescuers are still digging through the debris, but they believe as many as 25 people died here, the majority of them schoolchildren. The children had been preparing an exhibition on the war in syria drawing images of the violence they themselves had experienced, brutality no youngster should never have to endure. And theyd drawn images of the future they wanted for their nation. A future they will now not live to see. At the u. N. In new york expressions of shock but deadlock around the Security Council table will again mean no action. Its absolutely horrific what is happening day by day. Children, women, men, being directly targeted. Its a flagrant violation of the basic tenets of war. The Security Council, in previous situations when we have seen this, have come together, around humanitarian issues. And have passed robust Security Council resolutions. The differences, the political differences amongst councilmembers, and again, i stated this today, is itself having an impact on the way resolution 2139 is being implemented. Reporter in addition to the bombing of the school in aleppo, equally shocking attacks in the al shegur suburb of damascus where a Technical Institute was targeted killing 14 youngsters and injuring 80 others. And a car bomb in the busy city of homs, 100 dead, many of them children too. James bays, al jazeera. And theres more spillover from the ongoing fight in syria. Hundreds of additional syria refugees, up next, ball of fire. Tanker cars loaded with crude oil, jump the tracks and burst into flames. And in going places the young man accepted to every Ivy League University announces his choice. There were flames and black smoke in downtown lynchburg, tank cars said to be leaking but Officials Say the city Drinking Water was not affected. More than 300 people in half mile radius of the spill were told to leave. Computer problems grounded all flights leaving in the Los Angeles Area this afternoon. The faa said technical issues stopped Outgoing Flights from leaving l. A. X. And smaller flights for more than an hour. Several flights diverted to San Francisco international and now flights are leaving from los angeles. The fate of Nigerian School girls is still a worry tonight. Demanding the government do more to get them back. Ee van ndege is onivan indege. Can they are still missing. The school girls were taken by suspected boa boko haram fighte, to find his missing relatives. On me in particular is that of devastation. That of rage, that of disappointment. At a and abandonment by the government. Before the abduction took place, security on the ground was grossly inadequate. Far from okay and what happened meld after the incident also is a shamble. Reporter according to staff, 230 girls were cird napped during kidnapped during the attack. Despite the presence of hundreds of soldiers in the region to fight boko haram. Many in the school had been attacked before. A handful of supporters marched to the Assembly Wednesday calling for action. Many nigerians are outraged by constant attacks by boko haram. Parliamentarians say the government is doing whatever it can to find the girls. We have given out the required legislation, the legal framework. We have given and approved and appropriated funds which are basically the duties of the legislature and we have fallen through oversight. But law aftern is not convinced the authorities are capable of handling the situation. If the situation is that we are not adequate militarily or in terms of intelligence, it wouldnt be too much, it wouldnt be like admitting your weakness by seeking for assistance. Reporter and these nigerians say they will keep on asking questions and demanding answers until the missing girls come home. Al jazeera, nigeria. Sinn fein terrorist gerry adams is under arrest. Suspected of killing a belfast mother of 10. Admitto the kidnapping and killing wrongfully believing she was an informant. Adams turned himself in for questioning and that he is innocent. Arrested for Immigration Reform in washington, d. C. All of mayor families have been pulled apart by deportation. The preteens and teens say they are fighting for their undocumented parents and siblings. U. S. Government estimates 60,000 will cross into the u. S. Alone. One boy hopes to reunite with his father in houston. Paul beban has that story. A vast remote desert surrounds the city of nogales. A fence slices through it. This teenagers and two cousins have traveled 2400 miles to make it here to the mexican side of this border town. Translator my name is Axel Fernandez and im 15 and from honduras. One of the most violent cities in the world. After crossing illegally, collectively known as the beast. A dangerous and dusty free ride more than 1400 miles all the way to the border in nogales. The trip wasnt easy because we came on the train. When you dont have water or food you get really hungry. People always tell you someone has fallen from the train that the train can killer you. The three axel every and omar stayed in a cheap hotel. Its hard. Border patrol agent andy adale knows how hard the last stretch into the u. S. Can be. He drove us some 13 miles east of nogales where the border fence gives away to open desert. These people that come to the United States looking for a job which is most of them theyre very vulnerable. I just want to see my dad. They tell me the hardest part is coming. Well see if its hard in the moment. These people they dont know the criminal element that exists on the border. Once youre out in the desert they have incorporate t nowhere. Axel and his cousins couldnt afford to pay a guide or coyote. They decided to print a map from the internet. I bought a very big backpack. Ill fill it with socks and return flush with dollars. We asked if we could follow them but they said that moment was just for them not for cameras. We thought it was the last time we would see them but were back at the hotel on the mexican side of nogales because the guys, we stayed in touch with them, they tried to cross the border and they said they were picked up in the night by a gru group of nar, and now well get the details. They are very nervous. They actually think that somebody might have tipped the narcos, they are darker skinned traveling with backpack in a small group. We know those people come up from the hills and they just told us that we are not supposed to be there. So were they armed . They are armed. The narcos or bandits were heavily armed. Axel was so concerned that he thought he would turn himself into the authorities and hope they would get him home. One was deported, omar, the middle brother. Credit ever the oldest cousin, decides what to do next. Axel turned himself into the u. S. Border patrol, and is in the system. Since hes an unaccompanied minor child he is being processed, he may be reunited with his father in houston. How his case is eventually resolved, depends on his claims for asylum. Right now in the short term theres a good chance that alex and his father in houston will be reunited in houston. At the top of the hour, al jazeeras original program, botherland. Did your mother make the same trek . Did she tell you anything about the trip . Tonights episode follows a group of migrants fleeing south maker and follows one teenager trying to reunite with his mother. Florida is hit hard by a storm system thats been tearing across the country. The panhandle was hit by almost two feet of rain. System spun off a string of tornadoes to the midwest and south. Blamed for three are dozen deaths. President obama first talked about the basketball controversy when he was in asia. The comments incredibly racist. Jay carney says the president supports the leagues actions. The president believes that the nba has done the right thing. Understanding of course that the nba is the institution that makes the decisions in this case. But as both a basketball fan and as obviously someone who would be concerned about these issues, as so many of us are, he thinks they did the right thing. The nba is also trying to force sterling to sell the team but the owner says the clippers are not available. A big decision today from a new york High School Senior who was accepted to not one, not two, but all eight ivy league colleges. 17yearold quasi enan says hes chosen yale. He made the announcement at his high school. Enan said he visited the university and the Music Program blew him away. The opportunities that await me. Im excited to announce that this fall ill become a member of Yale University class of 2018. A first generation of ghanaian immigrants, says he is satisfied by yales offer. In depth coverage of test of democracy. As voters go to the polls. The price tag that the u. S. And iraq have played. The roles women will play in the next Iraqi Government. Its the most important vote since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Iraqs First National election without an American Military presence. Democracy. Mid east stability. Global security. And oil. All at stake. Voting in the center of conflict in the middle east. And voting under constant threat. The worst unrest in iraq in years. Our special report, iraq bloodshed to ballots. Im John Siegenthaler in new york. The polls are now closed in iraqs historic election. The first since u. S. Forces withdrew in 2011. Tonight we focus on the situation in iraq and the middle east since that withdrawal and ask was it worth it . As iraqis cast their ballot security was extremely tight. Millions of people went to the polls to elect a new parliament and ultimately a new Prime Minister. Imran khan spent the day at a polling place. Passed without Major Incident across the country there have been deaths as a result of violence but this is a day that many thought would never come. Election day passed without Major Incident. Here in baghdad there were no incidents at all. People have come out to vote. Election groups are telling us the turnout might be high as 60 . That turnout is key. The more people turn out, the more seats Political Parties get and the more seats they get the more they will be able to negotiate with other blocks to form a government. That all happens within the next coming months. We wont get real results, actual results for another couple of weeks yet. Thats when the politicking begins. Today is a day when iraqis are smiling theyve come out and theyve voted. Thats imran khan are reporting. 328 seats are up for grabs. 165 are needed for a majorities. In a parliamentary system the candidate who gets a majority can form a government and influence who is the next Prime Minister. There are three main power blocks. The current Prime Minister is shia and has the most political power. Then there is a coalition of sunni shia and secular politicians. The kurds in Northern Iraq are also an important political brock. Jamie tarabay joins us again. She covered iraq extensively as Baghdad Bureau chief. Why is this election so important in your opinion. Well i think for one of many reasons. Its the biggest test of how iraq can stand once u. S. Military has gone. This is the first time that iraqi Security Forces have been enforcing security themselves throughout the election week period, theres been a loll day this time in iraq holiday this time in iraq. Just to see if the iraqis can carry on with an attempted to bring on democracy. They havent had a real tradition of democracy in the past and whats able to have campaigns and go about with different parties and to look at how theyre actually going to begin breaking down seats and coalitions. And to you know, this is another step forward for iraqis and this is sort of the biggest demonstration of how theyve come in the last 11 years. Do you believe new leadership can really span this incredible divide in this country . You know, thats a great question and we really need to see who is going to come to the fore. There is discussion if Prime Minister Nouri Al Malikis coalition once again, may insist on him not seeking a third term as a condition of him being part of the majority. Whether maliki is being interested in being president or being part of the government. There are others who want him to be president because they believe he is the only one who can maintain security, and others who feel he wont maintain security at all. Who comes in needs to demonstrate any kind of reconciliation, that is something that definitely washington is going to be watching very closely. Can you talk about the fear factor here, what it takes for people in this country to actually go and vote and how it compares to 2010, the last election . This time around more than 2,000 people have been killed since the beginning of this year in attacks that have been extremely sectarian. In 2010 the climate was so different. They werent dealing with an open rebellion of Al Qaedaaffiliated fighters in anbar. There was an American Military presence helping keep things calm. At the time Prime Minister maliki is not speaking that way this time. It really has been quite a change in the last four years. All right Jamie Tarabay, jamie, thank you. Todays vote in iraq is a result of a decision made in washington more than a decade ago. Those decision led to a war, fall of a dictator and hundreds of thousands of deaths. Lisa stark has that story. It began with shock and awe. The bombardment of baghdad, administer 20th, 2003, Coalition Forces were hunting for Saddam Husseins weapons of mass destruction. They never found any. Indeed it was a dangerous dictatorship and to put in place a democratic order. In less than two months u. S. Forces reached the iraqi capitol. Saddams government fell. The celebration was premature. Sectarian violence, bombings, unrest would keep the u. S. In iraq for nearly nine years. When the last u. S. Forces left in december of 2011 nearly 5,000 troops and u. S. Civilians had been killed. More than 32,000 wounded. The number of iraqi dead at least 180,000. James jefer wa jeffrey was thenn ambassador to iraq. The place was in pretty good shape which is why the troops left. And today . The place is not in good begun for several reasons. The government of al maliki has unraveled. Leading to a horrifying increase in violence and opening the door to al qaeda. This administration, perhaps the next administration, is going to have to find a way to deal with it. How that is to be done, i dont know. But this is a problem from hell that is coming back. In november president obama and maliki agreed, iraq needs more u. S. Military equipment to help fight terrorists. But the white house made no specific promises. The Strategic Partnership between our two countries remains very strong. The u. S. Has some leverage in iraq through arms sales but it is hardly the only player. Iran has close ties to malikis shiite government. Despite the violence and the uncertainty, those we spoke with called this election an important milestone. When you put american troops and allied troops on the Ground Fighting for causes where theres at least some chance that some day wounded people and old ladies will hold up their finger with a purple marker on it, i say give it a chance. A former marine now with the iraq veterans gerns the war. They are very robust very diligent people and they will come back and be able to forge their path forward. Lisa stark, al jazeera, washington. As the u. S. Credit involvement has subsided, changed. Nick shirc schifrin reports. Since u. S. Troops left iraq, some observers say no country has the right pieces to win so the u. S. Is playing for a draw. Not a simple game anymore. And the United States is not in a position to check mate anyone. The region frankly is broken, its angry, its dysfunctional and theres no or little stability in the sense that you have a single power or even a group of powers that can somehow exert regional influence. Reporter so each middle eastern players is maneuvering for position. Two u. S. Wars ending maybe iran. Countries like iran are very good chess players. Iran now mainly shiite, has influence. In syria iranian sponsored fighters have helped save the Bashar Alassad government which is also shia, and in lebanon, remains a stronghold. Nuclear program which they say is for peaceful purposes only and eliminate crippling sanctions. This gives United States leverage, this gives the saudis leverage. Saudi arabia and other mainly sunni countries line up against iran. Help increase sectarian tensions and destabilize syria and its nature. Today in a process of decentralization. And decentralize sayings that has brought even new and profound challenges of governance. Syria is the most extreme example of this sort of melt down. Reporter in response the u. S. Threatened war against syria but backed down. U. S. Tried to bring peace to israel and the blnians but pale. You have a president that cares more about the middle classs legacy than he does about the middle east. And his risk aversion suggests that that is in fact the case. Reporter but as the u. S. Avoids war, slifnls ar civiliant in the middle. They are paying the price for the fact that there is no stability that there is no order in this part of the world, that external powers are able to or choose to impose. Reporter and as the violence grows, victory at this chessboard becomes impossible. Nick schifrin, al jazeera. That violence continued as iraqs election took place. Two women walking to a polling station in Northern Iraq were killed in an explosion. 2600 women candidates were on the ballot. And the iraqi constitution mandates that at least a quarter of the seats must be held by women. Yet the female population in iraq remains very much at risk. Iraqi american zana absalbi is the found es founder of women an international. Iraqi constitution indeed did give women 20 representation in the Iraqi Parliament which is a great political victory for women. That happened a few years ago but that is not quite enough. In the meantime for example only few months ago, there is a law called the jaffray law that passed in iraq that says that nineyearold girls are permittable to be married. That a husband has the right to have sex with his wife upon his demand and she has no right in that say whatsoever and that a woman cannot leave her home without her husbands permission. These things are not necessarily a good measurement of womens rights and these are just laws that passed few months ago. You have only 14 of iraqi women who are employed or in the labor market. These are actually very dangerous indicators about the situation of iraqi women and weve got to Pay Attention to them. Once security is so bad in the street of the current which is still bad as you know in the last 12 months in the country, usually the first people who withdraw out of the streets are girls and women. And that is why we are seeing more less girls in school than before, than twe year 20 yo and thats why were seeing less women in the job markets, less women in the streets, less women driving. Im a woman who grew up and went to school in iraq and the life i had is becoming history for a lot of the young women right now. Whats important as we look into iraq and its future is we have to watch whats happening to woman issues, not only because it is a separate issue of women but women are bellwether for the direction of the society. Bad things first start with women and good things also start with women. Women are for me the indicators for the Larger National direction of the country. We have to watch what happens to women. The jaffray law that passed, forcing a lot of sexual obligation for wives, for the National Direction ever the country weve got to watch it and got to support the womens voices in the country. Coming up next life in iraq, dirty water, sporadic electricity. For many life has never been worse. A marine corps veteran who fought in iraq and lost friends in combat. Answers the question was the iraq war worth it . Good evening, im meteorologist kevin corriveau. Much of the eastern seaboard to florida. What the storm did bring when it came through. We saw about 115plus tornadoes. Mostly they came through on monday. We also saw one ef 4 tornado. That means we saw winds with that tornado with winds 185 miles per hour. Fatalities, about one dozen, in florida, 20 to 22 inches of rain. Across northern florida and southern georgia, the flood warnings are still in effect in this area. Of course the ground is saturated, and only rain remaining will just contribute to the flooding. Parts of virginia all the way up to new york. If you do have travel plans any of these metro areas we are seeing right now this evening anywhere from one to twohour delays and this is also causing an effect, the rain is going to start to taper off until the afternoon things will get better by tomorrow evening. That is good news there. Thats a look at your national weather, news is coming up right after this. A symbol of pride today from a couple in Northern Iraq. A 15 showing off their inkstained a family showing off their ink stained fingers. Their hope a new government can take care of simple things like clean Drinking Water. The story from Charles Stratford in baz ra. Basra. Being tea for her family. A simple pleasure but not as uncomplicated as it looks. The water from the taps is undrinkable, been this way from basra for decade decades. Its salty, the children get stomachaches, you cant even wash before prayer. Reporter she said life was better. We lived a good life in the 60s. Its not like that for the children now. As the situation changed we were changed too. Nibras is the father of the house. He was forced to leave the police force after he suffered a blood clot to the brain three years ago. He says he pays his bill but the water is still bad, the daily electricity blackouts continue and he cant afford the medical treatment he needs. Translator my life is dark. I cant explain my feelings. We have poor electricity and the water is foul and polluted. The daylight is dark in my life. Reporter bas refusesa could be one of the richest cities in the world. Estimated 141 billion barrels of crude oil lay under the ground in this region. Basras budget in 2012 was 3 billion, money for water, sewerage and electricity infrastructure. But most people are giving up for the promises to be kept and they want to know where the cash goes. People in this neighborhood and under many others across the city have never had Potable Water from their taps, despite repeated promises by authorities, one of the reasons ask because of corruption. Candidate in april 30th elections, he says the government doesnt give enough money towards basic infrastructure projects. Translator whether the Central Government gets local government money, the stealing starts. The corruption we suffer here in basra is like in a lot of cities in iraq. Already progovernment politicians say the government is still struggling with the legacy of saddam hugh sai but thhussein but theare legacy. There are procedures being taken against corruption and we expect results soon. For umna and her granddaughter, who walk to fill their bucket at least twice a day, iraqs new democratic system must seem a very long way away. Charles stratford al jazeera basra. Lets g go back to Jamie Tarabay. She covered baghdad for npr. At the time baghdad was siphoning money off by saddam hugh sai, here under the maliki regime, the oil revenue has fostered so much corruption in the country. That was the real dream at least the United States talked about in the beginning was that oil would help pay to free iraq. What happened . Thats true. I mean you know, those revenues are set to increase over the years. It is something that you know, pretty much the entire budget for iraqs entire budget is paid for from oil revenue but its also an opportunity for Iraqi Government ministers to get rich. Whats the situation . How do you see the situation on the ground now, worse for some people than ever before . You know its interesting. I think that since once Saddam Hussein was out, he was a sunni and the people who were sunni underneath his rule you know lived well. They enjoyed privileges that the rest of the country didnt. Now theyre disenfranchised. They are enjoying the privileges on the other party. It depends on the direction the incoming government takes, whether its reconciliation or continuing down the path of sectarian divide. Jamie tarabay thanks very much. Thank you. United states invaded iraq in 2003 and left in 2011. It was wurcht longest and most expensive wars. David shuster has that. In 2003 on the eve of the iraq war, secretary of state Donald Rumsfeld said it would cost from 50 billion to 60 billion. Now its 3 trillion and counting. As the issues become more applicanted with the aging process thats when the big cost kick in. Reporter if you consider just the budget and federal spending in iraq over the last decade has averaged about 256 million a day. And while the troop levels and expenditures have dropped, the war is still costing us, in interest. The cost to iraqs economy is more difficult to calculate. Public and private infrastructure was destroyed, and some land and water remains polluted. But now, several countries and companies are profiting. China, one of the wars most outspoken critics has benefited in post war years, with cheaper oil contracts. Bp and shell are operating again in iraqi oil fields. As western companies edge back in they face challenges from rampant government corruption. Corruption perceptions index at number 171 at of 177. And for the average iraqi life remains exceptionally difficult. Nearly 10 million iraqis live on less than 5 a day. Translator this is an oilrich country but ive been living like this for 15 years. I dont have anything. The politicians come and make empty promises. Reporter poverty was a key issue in the election but in the slums outside baghdad some people threw stones at them. Others threw empty bottles just like their empty promises. Reporter the people say iraqi politicians are the ones that benefit most from a corrupt government and fractured society just like before the war. David shuster, al jazeera. Few people know the cost of war better than veterans. In tonights first person report, we hear from a marine corps vet and tells us why his experience in iraq was worth it. My name is elliot ackerman. I am a writer and veteran of the iraq war. I was deployed to iraq between june 2004 and february of 2005. I served as a rifle platoon commander. One of the largest things we were involved in was the second battle of fallujah in november 2004. 46 of us who were in that platoon 25 of us were casualties. Not a day goes by write dont think about what we did for each other and then also the cost of protecting each other and getting through that battle. I think theres always the tendency to look back at iraq especially right now when significant credit parts of al anbar problems have gone over to the Islamic State of iraq and syria. If you are in are iraq in 2004 why are you leer . Fighting for each other, that is something that has been echoed over the decades an centuries in many wars. So if we say was it all worth it you know to me it was worth it because when i served in iraq i served there to do the best i could so my buddy on my left or my right would come home. And so with all of the politics, the dam politics of whats going on in iraq, our service is commemorated by what we did for each other and nothing changes that. I hope just as a human being that the iraqi people will be able to navigate this. And find themselves in a better position in years to come. That was iraq veteran elliot ackerman. Coming up. Inside that south korean ferry as it sank with hundreds on board. The cell phone video one victims family wants you to see and what the crew told the passengers. Going where no one has gone before. The design of nasas space suit and what has changed to make anent astronauts life easier in space. That 11 00 eastern 8 00 pacific time. Freeze frame from baghdad, one of the workers from the electoral commission, without backup from american forces. Rakeiraqis headed to the polls, despite violence at some polling stations, turnout could be as high as 58 . That is the news at this hour. Borderland is next. Well see you back here at 11 00 eastern, 8 00 pacific time. A download it now Al Jazeera America is a straightforward news channel. Its the most exciting thing to happen to american journalism in decades. We believe in digging deep. Its unbiased, factbased, indepth journalism. You give them the facts, dispense with the fluff and get straight to the point. Im on the ground every day finding stories that matter to you. In new orleans. Seattle bureau. Washington. Detroit. Chicago. Nashville. Los angeles. San francisco. Al jazeera america, take a new look at news