Bob Schieffer FreeSpeech:"Democracies--no business running secret prisons"

[omega minimo]

This was a surprising bit of "Free Speech" by Bob Schieffer the other night. When he said this.........

"They saw that open government based on law gave them a better chance to have those things than government conducted in secret and based on the whims of unelected leaders"

...couldn't help but wonder if he was referring to OUR "unelected leaders."

Check it out:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/13/freespeech/main2003365.shtml
freeSpeech: Bob Schieffer
CBS News' Chief Washington Correspondent Speaks Out About National Security - Sept. 13, 2006

I have no sympathy for those suspected 9/11 ringleaders. If the evidence proves them guilty, I hope they get the death penalty. But I'm glad they took them out of those secret CIA prisons. For me, it's a matter of national security - ours. Democracies have no business running secret prisons. That's what our enemies do. If we are in a battle for the hearts and minds of people around the world, as the administration says we are, I won't feel very secure if the people around the world believe we are no different than our enemies.

Of course we must do all in our power to protect this country. During the Cold War we built a mighty arsenal of weapons, and it kept the Soviet Union at bay for decades. But the weapons didn't win the war. We won when the people under Soviet domination could finally look across the Iron Curtain and see that open, democratic government made for a better life. Their governments were buying missiles when all they wanted were better schools and washing machines.

They saw that open government based on law gave them a better chance to have those things than government conducted in secret and based on the whims of unelected leaders ... and so the Iron Curtain fell. As Americans, we do believe our system offers a better way. But the only way to convince others of that is if we live by our values.

Real security begins with remembering who we are. We gain nothing by adopting the methods of our enemies.

[Erika]

1. Bob has gravitas. Too bad he was replaced by the Noxema girl

He made excellent points. I could not believe it when I heard Sean Hannity on Faux saying we should rip out Saddam's fingernails until he told us where the WMD's were. What a sadistic fool.

Hopefully, we will not become them.

[omega minimo]

2. Well that's a nice mess o' dots to connect, Erika...

:hi:

Yeah, in the envrironment of Sean Insanity and Cutie Couric, Schieffer has to wait until he leaves the anchor chair (or does he?) to make a statement like that? Or is it "safe" --something he might say on Sunday morning?

I was surprised by it.

"Hopefully, we will not become them"

Ranti Rhodes was describing today what "we" are already doing................. Unbelievable torture that Bush, Cheney and Rove were stomping around the Capitol today to make RETROACTIVELY legal.

[omega minimo]

8. .

[politicasista]

3. He should have had gravitas in 04 during the last debate

instead he threw softball questions to Bush rather than asking the questions to hold him accountable.

[omega minimo]

4. Right -- so it's curious that it's "okay"

to make a strong statement now in one of the first CBS "Free Speech" segments.

:shrug:

[politicasista]

10. That's fine

I know Katrina and Iraq and awaken them from feeding their poisionous spin to the public and now that Bush is a lame duck, it's fine to go ahead and make strong "Free Speech" segments, but I don't see posts saying that it's "too little, too late" or "bout time you had balls or grew a spine" rants.:shrug:

I am glad he is speaking out, the more the better.

[omega minimo]

11. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

[texpatriot2004]

5. Exactly nm

[omega minimo]

6. ok ty nt

:hi:

[omega minimo]

7. Dayum-- get this up above the Cut Off Willy!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jazzjunkysue]

12. Schaeffer is a good man and calls out the liars. Not afraid of PNAC.

Good for him. K&R

[omega minimo]

13. thank you JJS. Speaking of PNAC...

are any Democrats or pundits bringing that up-- and if not, why not? Seems like the issues of the week (as they tie it all up with a bow on Friday night) all go back to that--

They prolly think Merkins are too STUPID to understand such a complex subject :eyes:

[jazzjunkysue]

14. I think americans will understand how ugly this war is if we're allowed ph

photos and network coverage. But with the senate and house and media all complicit, americans have no way of finding out what their country does. And so few of us listen to BBC or other outlets, that we prefer to live in our disneyland and sing patriotic songs and wave flags.

So, thank god for Schaeffer for getting this out there. Let's keep this kicked and send him some props.

[yellerpup]

9. K&R!

I'll watch CBS again when Bob Sheiffer comes back.