To the Point

President Threatens to Spread More Liberty, Democracy

Less than a week after President Bush called for liberating jailed dissidents from their chains, there are new reports of abuses in a US prison in Baghdad. Meantime, Republicans, as well as Democrats, are asking if the call to support democracy in -every nation- includes allies in the war on terror, such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan, or whether America should turn its back on repressive regimes like China, which is a major trading partner? Will the rhetoric of expanding freedom conflict with America-s economic and political interests? We hear more about spreading democracy from experts in international relations, Iran's first ambassador to the UN, a former US Defense Department official and the President-s favorite author, Natan Sharansky. Making News: Senate Debates Secretary of State-Designate Condoleezza Rice The US Senate is conducting nine hours of debate on the nomination of Condoleezza Rice to be the new Secretary of State. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts blamed her for misleading Americans about the need for war in Iraq. Jonathan Broder, Defense and Foreign Policy Editor for Congressional Quarterly, says that while Rice will doubtlessly be confirmed tomorrow, Democrats will use today's debate to voice frustration over Iraq. Reporter-s Notebook: Oscar Nominations In, Fahrenheit Out The Oscar nominations are in, and The Aviator leads the pack with 11. Million Dollar Baby and Finding Neverland each got seven and Fahrenheit 9/11 was shut out. Time magazine's Richard Schickel, one of America-s most respected veterans of film criticism, offers his take on this year's nominees.