Face in the News: Much on the line as conflicts in Missouri, Iraq escalate
By Howard Cohen
WASHINGTON (CBS News) -- "Face the Nation" on Sunday covered clashes at home and abroad, breaking down the latest developments from Missouri to the Middle East.
One year ago, the George Zimmerman trial set off a national discussion about race relations in America, and the scenes this week from Ferguson, Mo., made it clear the conversation is not over. Outraged at the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a police officer, many have taken to the streets. Clashes intensified Sunday night between protesters and police.
Preliminary autopsy results for the teen, Michael Brown, were released on Monday. The autopsy, conducted on behalf of the family, indicated Brown was shot at least six times.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joined "Face the Nation" to discuss the situation. He said his actions in the crisis have been aimed at keeping peace, but at the same time allowing for protesters' voices to be heard. He criticized the release by Ferguson police of a surveillance video appearing to show Brown stealing cigars from a convenience store, saying it "had an incendiary effect," especially because the officer was not aware of the alleged robbery. Nixon said the tape was released "to besmirch a victim of a shooting."
The governor's interview with "Face The Nation" host Bob Schieffer were picked up by the Associated Press, Reuters, the Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, Bloomberg, Yahoo News, Slate, CNN, the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, the International Business Times, The Guardian, the Daily Mail and online magazine The Root.
Cornell William Brooks, the new president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, slammed the heavy-handed police response to protests but also urged residents to stay peaceful. His comments were covered by The Hill and the Washington Times.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, militants from the extremist group ISIS are trying to seize a key dam in Mosul, a move that could jeopardize the water supply for millions of Iraqis. However, there was some good news in the country earlier this week when besieged Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki said he would step down, allowing his successor to take over and give the country much needed political stability. Many hope this move will be the first step toward a more inclusive Iraqi government that can effectively lead the fight against ISIS.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said that due to the growth of ISIS, the terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland is greater today than before 9/11. He also criticized President Barack Obama's reluctance to strike ISIS, or ISIL, targets in Syria.
"You're not going to solve the ISIL problem in Iraq without dealing with the Syria problem," Rogers said. "I think the president said they're not related. They are absolutely related."
His comments were covered by the Washington Post, the Washington Times, The Hill and Time.