NPR 2009-09-12

On this eighth anniversary of the terror attacks that prompted the US invasion of Afghanistan, a leading Senate Democrat 1 has demanded that far more Afghanistan security forces be trained. Until that happens, Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin says no further commitment should be made to send more US troops to Afghanistan. More from NPR's David Welna.

With a request expected soon from the top US military commander in Afghanistan for more US forces, Armed Services Chairman Levin said the emphasis should be on training more Afghan forces.

“We need a surge of Afghan security forces. Our support of their surge will show our commitment to the success of a mission that is clearly in our national security interests without creating a bigger US military footprint that provides propaganda fodder 3 for the Taliban.”

John McCain, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, said he too thinks more Afghan troops should be trained.

“But without a significantly increased troop presence, that training alone will not succeed.”

McCain said what’s needed in Afghanistan is a surge in US forces. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

Dignitaries and families of those killed in the Sep. 11th terror attacks gathered in New York today at Ground Zero, to commemorate 4 the dead. NPR’s David Folkenflik has this report.

On a blustery wet morning, survivors 5 and people active in public service gathered by the site where the World Trade Center Towers once stood and read aloud the names of those who died one by one. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said New York City would be the first to take up President Obama’s designation of each 9/11 as an annually 6 recognized day of service, honoring those who answered the call to try to save others amid the carnage.

“We will safeguard the memories of those who died by rekindling 7 the spirit of service that lit our city with hope.”

Vice 2 President Joe Biden attended as well, invoking 8 the words of the poet, Mary Oliver, to remind Americans that while bound by grief, they are also united by the joys of daily life. David Folkenflik, NPR News, New York.

Signs of higher sales at the wholesale 9 level along with a boost in consumer sentiment are the latest indicators 10 to give credence 11 to an improving economy. The Commerce Department reported today wholesale sales rose 0.5% in July while stockpiles on shelves and backlogs 12 fell. Meanwhile, a Reuters/University of Michigan Survey showed the Consumer Confidence Index last month up by nearly five points. Bill Cheney is an economist 13 with John Hancock Financial.

“This number was definitely up quite significantly well up, and now above the lows from last winter to be fairly confident that consumers are feeling better and ‘feeling better’ means ultimately spending more.”

Economist Bill Cheney.

On Wall Street, the Dow ended the week down 22 points to close at 9, 605. This is NPR.

Coast Guard officials are defending what they say was a routine training exercise on the Potomac River today that briefly 14 set off a major scare. The exercise picked up on closed circuit radio channels, discussed shots being fired at what was termed "a suspicious vessel 15". The incident prompted media reports and sent the FBI agents scrambling 16 to the scene that also led to a brief grounding of planes at nearby National Airport. Coast Guard officials defended the drill even though today marked the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, saying such exercises occur every day. Confusion was brought to mind in an event earlier this year in New York, when a presidential airliner 17 and two F-16 jets were flown low over the city, as part of the White House photo shoot.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologized on behalf of the British government for the way of a brilliant World War Two code-breaker was treated for being gay. NPR’s Rob Gifford reports.

Gordon Brown’s statement comes as a result of a petition signed by 30, 000 people, including many public figures, calling for a posthumous 18 apology for Alan Turing. Turing was a brilliant mathematician 19 who helped crack Nazi 20 Germany’s Enigma 21 communications code, which proved to be a turning point in World War Two. But Turing was gay at a time when homosexual activity was still illegal in Britain. And in 1952, he was prosecuted 22 for gross indecency. He was given experimental chemical castration as a treatment and his security privileges were removed. Two years later at the age of 41, he committed suicide. Gordon Brown, writing in the Daily Telegraph newspaper said while Alan Turing was dealt with under the law of the time, his treatment was of course utterly 23 unfair. Rob Gifford, NPR News, London.

Crude oil futures 24 fell $2.50 a barrel to close at $69.44 a barrel.

I'm Jack 25 Speer, NPR News in Washington.