Deadly Campaign For Freedom
This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.
Martyrs for democracy. We don't see their names much or know their stories but the list of people who have been killed because they believe in justice and freedom in Iraq and the Middle East keeps growing and growing.
On the last day of campaigning before the Iraq elections a Sunni sheik running for parliament was assassinated even though he had the protection of body guards. Two of Saddam Hussein's lawyers have been murdered, which means there is a substantial cost for protecting the rights of everyone, including a brutal dictator.
Last week in Beirut, Gebran Tueni was buried. Tueni was a newspaper man who had the courage to speak out after the Syrian backed assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Tueni left Lebanon because he feared for his life. He was killed the day after he came back. In the campaign for freedom the stakes are high as it gets.
Harry's daily commentary can be heard on manyCBS Radio News affiliates across the country.
By Harry Smith