>> hello, welcome to "the journal." >> headlines, the british prime minister defends his no to the european union efforts to save the euro. >> stock market's tumble as investors lose confidence in the euro zone debt crisis. >> an accident investigation into claims of fraud in russia. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> david cameron has been defending his decision to block changes to the european union treaty in saving bureau. his coalition partners say that

he is left britain isolated and marginalized. changes were needed supposedly to protect economic interests. >> statement, the prime minister. >> it was a rowdy session in the house of commons. prime minister cameron told and he's that he had tried hard to reach an agreement -- told mp'sh an agreement, but could not reach a sufficient agreement for britain. sufficiently they had to call for order. -- repeatedly, they had to call for order. cameron said that it had not been easy to stand alone to veto the treaty. and but, he rejected opposition claims that his decision had sidelined britain in the european union. he insisted that london would continue to work with the other 26 european union nations. >> britain remains a full member

of the union. the events of last week to nothing to change that. our membership to the european union is vital to our national interest. we are a trading nation and we need the single market for trade, investment, and jobs. >> his decision has also angered the liberal democrats. nick clegg was noticeably absent from the chamber. there was fierce criticism from opposition labour leaders, who accused cameron of coming back with a bad deal for britain. >> this prime minister left britain alone without allies and influence. it is bad for business. it is bad for jobs. it is bad for britain. >> opinion polls show overwhelming public support for his actions. the prime minister was unrepentant, saying that he had acted solely in the national interests. >> we spoke earlier with our london correspondent. we asked him what impression the

prime minister made during his speech. >> david cameron gave quite an assured performance. he brushed away most of the criticism, the heavy criticism that came from the opposition. he reiterated time and again that he had just acted in defense of the british national interest. he also showed a fighting spirit toward brussels, berlin, and paris. he said that britain might look very carefully at the actions of the newly created group of 26. and he said that he might block any kind of actions that the group is taking that might violate british interests. >> the conservatives and liberal democrats? >> the liberal democrats have taken to the airwaves today. many leading liberal democrats right now have said that the coalition is safely involved.

they have gritted their teeth and they have some problems with his european strategy, if you will. the fact that nick clegg was suspiciously absent today shows that the rift in the coalition might be bigger than david cameron wants us all to believe. >> the british people are backing up his stance on this issue. is there a chance that britain could leave the european union altogether? >> i do not think that is on the cart. today david cameron insisted that britain needs the european union, once to stay in the european union, once to be a good partner for trade. indeed, one-third of the british exports go into the european union. it would be, in this difficult economic time, it would be economic suicide, frankly, to leave the european union for

britain. >> thank you so much. a strong britain inside of the european union. that is what the european monetary affairs commissioner wants to see. he says that it is unfortunate that britain has found itself in a position where it is not involved in the european union's economic decisions. >> for the sake of europe and its crisis, and for the sake of the british citizens and their perspectives, we want to swing at a constructive britain and europe. we want britain to be at the center of europe, not on the sidelines. >> well, the european union has certainly not seen the post- summit signals that they certainly wanted to see from the markets. that is an understatement. >> investors want so desperately to believe in the solution, but

there is still way too much doubt out there. shares in europe and the united states tumbled amidst growing investor doubt that not enough has been done to bring the debt crisis in europe under control. the sharp retreat follows a strong rally from the end of ast week and an initialnd of reaction to the inter- governmental treaty agreed upon to create fiscal unity and resolve the crisis. the plan will not be finalized until march. investors remain too nervous about what can happen between now and then. >> by the opening of trading on monday morning, doubts had set in amongst investors. the mood on the floor in frankfurt was jittery. germany began the week in negative territory. >> the big question is, how will the ratings agencies reacte? it is just a matter of time

before these companies, countries, and banks begin to get downgraded. >> although analysts praised the decisions in brussels as important, it did not seem to help the market. wall street also fell at the start of monday trading. >> the organization for economic cooperation and development says that all major economies are losing momentum. they say that economic activity across member countries is at its weakest in two years and that growth in the 17 member nations, including germany, will weaken next year and fall below the long-term average. the average for the united states, china, and canada, is not quite as gloomy. only a moderate slowdown is expected. european shares suffered their biggest drop in several weeks. they also came under renewed pressure from ratings agencies.

our correspondent sent us this summary from the frankfurt stock exchange. >> the move was sour on the floor in frankfurt. on the one hand, moody's said that the outcome of the meeting in brussels, which had been not sufficient, but on the other hand s&p said that they were very specimen -- pessimistic. meaning that germany could week -- lose its aaa rating and that financial shares are under pressure. this led to heavy losses for these shares, going down sharply. >> we can stay for a closer look at monday's numbers and the dax. it fell by nearly 3.4% to 5785

points. across the atlantic, in new york, the dow jones is trading lower by nearly 1.8%. on currency markets, the euro is also weaker against one u.s. dollar. shares in kommetzbanc gave up 8% after they reveal the day had been undergoing with talks between the german government on state aid. they want to avoid a state aid and desperately need to look raise 5 billion euros in fresh capital by mid 2012 to meet the new rules set by the european banking authority. germany's second-largest bank was able to raise a similar amount from shareholders in june with write-downs on greek sovereign debt and tougher capital rules.

the italian banks did not do well in the latest round of stress tests carried out by the european banking authority. lenders say that they are considering legal action to dispute the results. they say that 65 european lenders will need to further increase their capital reserves amongst signs that the debt crisis could worsen. the italian banks have been told that they need to raise capital levels by 15 billion euros. it reported capital shortfall of 8 billion euros. we stay in italy, where thousands of workers were on strike to protest the government's planned austerity measures. the prime minister insists that the reforms are vital to avert financial disaster in the country. labor unions say that the latest package will hit individuals that are least able to shoulder the financial burden. >> the country's three biggest unions mounted a protest outside

of the parliament in rome. they claimed that the government austerity measures hit workers and pensioners, leaving the rich unscathed. unions say that the government is not interested in alternatives. >> we had talks with the government, which defended its own position. they did not seem interested in winning us over. >> some of the pressure eased up in italy on monday. rome sold government bonds for 7 billion euros. the yield was down slightly. it seems there is more confidence in rome possibility to pay its way. on the streets, -- in rome's ability to pay its way. on the streets, people had this to say. >> i hope that it would be ok. we all have to make sacrifices. >> we have to tighten our belts.

what else can we do? turn to a life of crime? >> the italian parliament is due to debate the latest 24 billion euro austerity package on tuesday. it is expected to be approved before the christmas break. >> the u.s. president, barack obama, has promised iraq continued support even after they watched the troops returned at the end of this year. it came in washington after meeting with the iraqi prime minister. the 8000 troops still in iraq are scheduled to leave by the end of 2011. security remains precarious, however. the renegotiations and keeping some forces in iraq, but they broke down after washington insisted that the troops remain immune to prosecution by local authorities. we will be taking an in-depth look at how iraq is preparing for the withdrawal of american troops. a spokesman for the russian prime minister, vladimir putin,

says that the results of the parliamentary polls will stand as a wave of protests continue. the governing party's victory has struck the largest protest since the 1990's. his supporters are taking to the streets as well. >> pro-vladimir putin protesters held their rally in view of the kremlin, the russian siege of power. some 5000 vladimir putin supporters came out to join the largely choreographed a display of support. a further attempt to dilute allegations of vote rigging. >> supporting united russia, showing that we are the majority, not the opposition. it was a conscious decision. >> we do need the opposition. our society needs dialogue, so that there is someone to talk to. >> the russian president posted on his facebook page that all

allegations of election fraud would be investigated. many russians are not convinced. >> i think that his post is inadequate. we support the protests. i am sure that in this election, we have had the wool pulled over our eyes. i am sure that the share was overstated. >> many russians are also appalled by internet videos like this one, purportedly showing one woman turning in a stack of ballots for a united russia. at today's protest, russian security forces were conspicuous by their absence. a detail that will not help to dispel the growing resentment. >> here in germany, the number of traffic fatalities is set to go up for the first time in two decades. one reason for the jump was an unusually warm spring. it brought out more motorcycles. the statistics are especially worrying for cyclists and

pedestrians, who are dying in larger numbers on those roads. the safest place to be, it seems, is the audubon. >> statistics show that the numbers of crashes and death continue to fall. the only piece of good news in this otherwise gloomy report. it says that the number of road traffic fatalities will rise for the first time in 20 years. increased 7% to an estimated 3100 deaths by the end of this year. much of the rise comes from germany's cities. it is the most vulnerable road users who are affected. cyclists and pedestrians. >> we have the problem in urban areas with a disproportionately high number of urban road users are killed in accidents. there is a growing trend for people to get around on bikes and on foot. a good thing, of course, but it

means that german streets are getting more crowded. >> many experts say that the situation would improve if towns and cities impose a speed limit in built up areas. without that, they warned, the number people killed on germany's roads could rise next year. >> in a few days it will be 100 years since the norwegian export -- a norwegian explorer became the first group to meet -- to reach the south pole. the norwegians -- the norwegian prime minister arrived ahead of schedule. they will seek to retrace the steps of the original expedition. december 14, 1911, the explorer planted the norwegian flag here, beating the british rival by just four weeks. the dogs made it, too. do not forget that.

i will be back to take a look at iraq and how it is doing as american troops prepared to withdraw. >> her mother is hiv-positive. he was infected at birth. and she probably will not live until the age of 5. this program plans to put an end to the end of motherhood childhood transmission.

the german aids foundation is supporting. give a baby a future. make a donation. save a life. >> welcome back. the iraqi prime minister, nouri al-malki, has been in washington to talk with president obama, just as the u.s. begins its troop withdrawal of the country. ending the deployment was a key election promise by obama. the fact, he wants those u.s. soldiers back home for -- in fact, he wants those u.s. soldiers back home for christmas. iraqi soldiers have their concerns. >> they have invested a lot of time and money in setting up their businesses. business has boomed under the watchful eye of u.s. troops in the country. with the military set to leave at the end of the year, he is very concerned about the future. so are many of his fellow iraqi's.

>> i am worried about my plantations. i have invested more than 50,000 euro's in them. there are other projects that i am anxious about. >> this is one of them. the construction of a new police station in a problem neighborhood in baghdad. in the past, it has witnessed gunfire between terrorists and militia members. they cut 30,000 euro's into this building as an investment in greater security. >> this road used to be exgerous. people used to call this area that's zone. >> attacks and violence used to be a daily occurrence in iraq. attacks and violence between the shiites and the kurdish north, pushing for the rhone. u.s. troops brought a measure of

stability to iraq. the country's political parties have seemed unable to find a solution to these problems. all the infighting, intrigues, and recriminations are another destabilizing factor. >> some politicians claim that the iraqi security forces are not capable of guaranteeing security. this is making many iraqis in secure. >> the iraqi defense ministry says that the country's security forces will be able to maintain public order when u.s. troops have left. >> we have several options. there are agreements on cooperation with the u.s. and countries in europe, like france and germany. >> that does little to allay the fears of some business partners. some worry that the country might descend into civil war when the americans have left. >> of all of the other

challenges facing iraq, there has been no political reconciliation between the three main ethnic and religious groups in the country. they are scrambling for both power and resources, like oil, water, and land. there are also concerns about how regional partners, like iran and saudi arabia, will jockey for influence. but the biggest problem remains day-to-day security. >> seems like these are part of everyday life for the people in iraq. many lived in constant fear of attacks. it remains a major battleground for the al qaeda terrorist network. it could open the way for al qaeda to grow even stronger in iraq. >> connected to the fact that al qaeda and other groups are trying to give the impression that the u.s. is leaving as a result of their actions. >> the vast majority of iraqi's are muslims. more than one-third are sinise.

she a muslims are the biggest religious group in the southeast. there are also tensions with kurdish populations in the north. one source of conflict is the oil reserves. it provides iraq with the bulk of their income. most of that is in the kurdish area. more or less independent from baghdad over the last six years. >> the kurds will do everything that they can to maintain their defacto independent status. it could lead to conflict. until now, the u.s. has been there to stop the situation from descending into violence. but, when the iraqi government and military are strong enough, i expect that they will try to rein in the kurds. >> there are still about 10,000 u.s. troops in the country. when they leave, civil war could be a real possibility. there are problems in the iraqi army. observers believe that power

struggles within the armed forces could lead to instability. >> the individual political parties that came off best in the internal political conflicts between 2005 and 2007 are naturally trying to fill key positions in the military with their own men. meaning that the iraqi troops are unlikely to be a fighting force. >> the country will also have to decide its position on regional politics. will it been more towards the u.s. ally, saudi arabia, or toward iran? >> the big unanswered question is how far iran and saudi arabia will be able to use iraq as a theater for the conflict between them from 2012 onwards. we can see signs of that happening at the moment in bahrain and syria. >> it may be some time before iraqi's can enjoy lasting security in their country. >> just how long is anyone's

guess, as the civilian death toll continues to mount. the price for america has been high as well. the military has seen a record number of dead, wounded, suicides, and emotional disorders. those who are returning home on harmed are glad that they made it, even if they are coming back from a war that most americans believe was a mistake. >> few expected the war to have lasted so long. the u.s. troops arriving back here at fort hood in texas are among the last to return home from iraq. the families of the returning soldiers are waiting anxiously, just a few kilometers away. amongst them, lori henley and her children. >> we are so excited. it has been a long year. there's nothing as exciting as knowing that they are coming home to stay this time. ♪

>> it has been 10 long months since sergeant troy saw his wife and children. >> feels good to be back home. no complaints. ready to get home, now. >> president barack obama promise to put an end to the iraq war as soon as possible as part of his campaign. >> today, i can report that as promised, the rest of our troops in iraq will come home by the end of the year. after nearly nine years, america pause war in iraq will be over. >> nearly 4000 u.s. troops lost their lives in the war. the campaign cost washington more than $1 trillion. no weapons of mass destruction were found in the country. the united states public's opinion of the war in iraq has changed significantly. >> polls show that the average

american, across the board, more than two-thirds now believe it was a mistake to go to war. almost completely flipped from may of 2003. >> it is feared that the departure of u.s. troops could leave a vacuum that will be filled by the iraqi neighbor, iran. >> i think that iran is in a strong position, but that could be overstated. i do not think that they will run the table in the persian gulf, as some have implied. >> some washington lawmakers wanted to keep up to 20,000 troops in iraq through the end of next year, but negotiations broke down. concerns like that are far from the minds of these military families. the war is over and sergeant troy and his family can look forward to starting a new chapter in their lives. >> that is our in death as the remaining troops in iraq returned to america. thank you so much for joining

us.