Memorials

Today is one of those days when I ended up tossing out most of what I had planned in favor of some reports that aired this morning. Arwa Damon is on an embed at a FOB in Baghdad, and spoke with some of the troops about their Memorial Day:

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During the special that AC360 did to mark the anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, Michael Ware expressed so eloquently something that the vast majority of us do not (perhaps can not) truly understand, "the nobility of men in combat." 

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Actor Gary Sinise recently performed at a concert for veterans -- held in a fairly unusual venue, the center courtyard of the Pentagon! -- and Jamie McIntyre covered it and interviewed the actor, who has been a very active supporter of the troops for many years:

 

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Finally, on a very welcome programming note: Fareed Zakaria GPS will be the name of the newest addition to CNN's line-up of Sunday talk shows. The program premieres next Sunday, June 1st, at 1pmET. From an AP article:

CNN is starting a weekly talk show on international issues led by Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria that will debut next Sunday with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as an interview subject.

"Fareed Zakaria — GPS," which stands for "global public square," will air Sundays at 1 p.m. EDT and be rebroadcast at a yet-to-be determined time on CNN International.

CNN U.S. chief Jonathan Klein approached Zakaria about a year ago and was told that "the only show I want to do is one that fills in the huge gaping hole in American television, which is 95 percent of the rest of the world," Zakaria said in an interview with the Associated Press on Monday.

Zakaria, a columnist and editor of Newsweek International, wrote the just-published book, "The Post-American World."

He said he's frustrated when he turns on American news networks to hear endless discussions about why Hillary Clinton should or shouldn't leave the presidential race, because there is legitimate news elsewhere. He fears a vicious circle is at work: Networks don't show much international news because they fear viewers aren't interested, and viewers aren't interested because they get so little of it.

Zakaria also said he understands the need to make a compelling program that won't seem like the college seminar you tried to skip.

"People instinctively think they're going to be bored by this and you have to grab them by the lapels," he said.

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Have a safe and peaceful holiday... and don't forget to thank the Vets you know. 

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