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Harry Dope · Guest

Why Aren't We Arguing For Liberty?
Fred Thompson continues his virtual campaign today by asking an important
question about our efforts to spread democracy and liberty. Why have we
neglected the most powerful weapon in our arsenal -- the truth? Thompson
argues that our Radio Free broadcasts helped bring down the Soviet empire,
and their neglect has allowed socialism to surge again in Latin America:

Well, he's done it. Hugo Chavez was already systematically silencing
criticism of his autocratic rule through threats and intimidation.
Journalists have been threatened, beaten and even killed. Now he's shut down
the last opposition television networks in Venezuela and arrested nearly 200
protesters - mostly students. It's a monumental tragedy and the Venezuelan
people will pay the price for decades to come. Americans are also at risk as
he funds anti-American candidates and radicals all over Latin America.
It's equally tragic that the U.S. is in no position to provide the victims
of this emerging dictator with the truth. There was a time, though, when
Americans were on the front lines of pro-freedom movements all over the
world. I'm talking about the "surrogate" broadcast network that included
Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, often called "the Radios." ...

The Radios were not some bland public relations effort, attracting
audiences only with American pop music. They engaged the intellectual and
influential populations behind the Iron Curtain with accurate news and smart
programming about freedom and democracy. They had sources and networks
within those countries that sometimes outperformed the CIA. When Soviet
hardliners and reformers were facing off, and crowds and tanks were on the
streets of Moscow and Bucharest, the radios were sending real-time
information to the people, including the military, and reminding them of
what was at stake.

Then we won the Cold War. The USSR collapsed in 1991, and America relaxed.
Military downsizing began and the Radios began to reduce broadcast air time
to target countries.

How badly do Venezuelans need an independent source of news? They're
marching in the streets in defiance of newly-minted dictator Hugo Chavez
after he shut down the last major independent broadcaster for its criticisms
of his leadership. Not that Venezuelans can know this through Chavez'
state-controlled media:

While almost 40 percent of voters in last year's election opted for Mr.
Chávez's opponent, the president's support topped 60 percent and he still
enjoys wide popular backing. This level of support is expected to be on
display Saturday, when Mr. Chávez has called for large demonstrations in
support of the RCTV decision.
Until then, however, the message from students is still being heard, if
not widely broadcast, in Venezuela. "They are taking our free speech away,"
said Sandra Bellizzia, a marketing student at Alejandro Humboldt University
who had "RCTV" painted in black on her face at a protest here on Thursday.
"If they closed any channel, it would mean the same thing."

Had we presented a continual and sustained effort to supply the people of
Venezuela and the rest of Latin America with unbiased, truthful reporting,
they could be relying on that information now. As Thompson notes, democracy
activists knew they could rely on our communications channels during the
Cold War. We helped people free themselves, not with weapons or surgical
bombing strikes, but with reliable information that allowed them to see
around the propaganda of their governments.

What happened? Too many people bought into the "peace dividend" mentality.
Mitt Romney acknowledged this in my interview with him on Wednesday
specifically regarding Chavez and Latin America. After the Soviet collapse,
we stopped worrying about Latin America, not understanding that tinpolt
dictators will still arise, even without Russian financing. We let our guard
down, and more importantly, we let the agents of freedom down in the region.

Dictatorships and oppression will afflict mankind for ages to come, and we
have to be prepared to fight against it, using the most effective weapons in
our arsenal. Fred reminds us that simple communication of truth, and the
establishment of our credibility from that effort, is perhaps the most
powerful and effective weapon against tyranny that we possess. It's high
time that we start using it again.

--
"The transition from dictatorship to democracy will take time, but it is
worth every effort. Our coalition will stay until our work is done and then
we will leave and we will leave behind a free Iraq." President George Bush
2003

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LarsensAttack · Guest

Amanda Williams wrote:

jls · Guest

You think he can handle it, Dopey?

Thompson's health is bad and he looks like he's been dredged up out of
a swamp.

He says his cancer is in remission. I don't believe it.

Christopher Morris · Guest

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