European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 6, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                              July 2007 stars and stripes Mideast edition pages in the states Fanny pack diplomacy lawmakers seek to get tourists Back to after Lull by Jim Abrams the associated press Washington the United states has lost billions of dollars and an immeasurable amount of Good will since the 11 terror ism attacks because of a decline in foreign several senators Are now trying to get the government involved in bringing those visitors the Senate Commerce com Mittee has approved a Bill to establish a nonprofit Public private corporation to promote the United states As a tourist Destina Tion and Clear up misperception about travel it also would create a new office in the Commerce department to work with other Agen cies on fixing visa policies and entry processes that discourage visits to the United states from countries outside of Canada and Mexico totalled million in Down 17 percent from a Peak of 26 million in Accord ing to Commerce department Fig in the same Cross order travel around the world was up 20 Oxford economics said the 17 percent drop in visits since 2000 has Cost the billion in lost visitor spending and almost visits from the six countries that provide the most tourists South Korea and Australia have dropped 15 percent since its a situation that really is disastrous when you take into account the Overall global trends in International and the fact that the currency makes travel to the country so said Adam managing director for tour ism economics at Oxford eco the new corporation envisioned by the Bill would be funded by Industry contributions and a user fee levied on travellers from the 27 coun tries participating in a visa waiver program with the United but Industry experts also stressed that changes must be made in the visa and entry sys tems that keep people unfortunately the first three to get through Cus Toms is creating a poor impression and becoming a great Barrier to said Geoff executive director of the discover America a group working to improve americas Jae Kaan Alara and Baris Beyaz All from Turkey Cool off tuesday in the Mist on the strip in Las heat wave hits West coast Las Southern California near temperature records the associated press los Angeles a heat wave sizzling across the West showed Little sign of letting up with Las vegas forecast to tie a record High and even Northern Idaho expected to top 100 you can become dehydrated really Quick be fore you know you step outside said Charlie a meteorologist with the National weather service in Las Las vegas was expected to hit which would tie a record for the Date set in near record highs were also forecast for Southern where the Mercury was expected to top 115 in a High of 101 was forecast thursday in and nearby Coeur which would exceed the record of 100 set in Fri Days forecast didst hold much Relief from the nearly we Klong heat in Arnold Schwarzenegger or dered the opening of state Cooling centers in 13 and the operator of the statewide Power Grid asked californians to try to conserve Energy to avoid the High combined with an extremely dry also worried wildfire Crews across the three firefighters suffered heat exhaustion while battling a 700acre wildfire that broke out wednesday Northwest of Santa said Santa Barbara county fire Craig moisture Levels in some of the largest logs East of the Cascade Range have dropped to what typically is seen in the hottest Days of Forest service officials were headed toward a hard fire the Way it the Public needs to be prepared for said Steve fire management officer for the Colville National Forest in weve Slid into fire season without people making a big Issue about get legally married while deployed Usa marriage certificate recognized by military no travel required completed in 3 weeks personalized service do the right thing Contact Sam or Barbara Call 0016103535381 toll free 8774822406  Congress counters Bush plan for missile Sites in Europe by Walter Pincus the Washington Post Washington democrats in Congress Are building a legislative Roadblock to the Bush administrations plan to place elements of a missile defense system in Poland and the czech the Senate is expected to join the House next week in reducing funds in the fiscal 2008 defense authorization Bill for construction of 10 interceptor missile Sites in Poland and for deployment of an band radar in the czech the in passing its version of the legislation last Cut million from the which would have funded preparation of the polish Sites next the move pre vents the White House from proceeding unless president Bush vetoes the in its report on the authorization the Senate armed services committee cited rus Sias opposition and said any funding should await completion of talks Between the two gov the panel also noted that moving ahead without nato participation in a system that is in part intended to protect Europe from Ira Nian missiles would Cost the United states an estimated billion through fiscal although preliminary talks have begun with polish and czech the committee said that these negotiations May not be concluded before the end of this and then would have to be ratified by the parliaments in each the missile defense Agency has told the Senate panel that construction and deploy ment could not begin until the two countries ratify agreements with the United Esti mating that such actions would not take place before according to the the committee also raised in its report the timing of a potential iranian air Force Henry Obering director of the missile defense recently testified before the panel that Intelli gence misjudged North Korea ability to launch a Long Range missile in right the experts Are saying that Iran will not have an icbms until the 20102015 time Obering but its going to take us at least that until 2011 or to get a first capability in the advertise stars and stripes your Hometown newspaper Contact Fred Schneider  6155 601 295 Dan 314 3498295 me 9738089