Voices in the News
A sound montage of some of the voices in this past week's news, including: Marion Jones, Olympic medalist for track and field; Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) and Eric Prince, CEO of Blackwater USA; Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD); President Bush; Moazzam Begg, former Guantanamo detainee; Ibrahim Gambari, U.N. special envoy to Myanmar; Dr. Masjik Munir, resident of Pakistan; President Gen. Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan.
JAMES HATTORI, host:
This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm James Hattori.
And these were some of the voices in the news this past week.
Ms. MARION JONES (Track and Field Olympic Gold Medalist): I'm retiring from the sport of track and field a sport, which I deeply love. I recognized that by saying that I'm deeply sorry it might not be enough, insufficient to address the pain and the hurt that I had caused you.
Representative DANNY DAVIS (Democrat, Illinois): You do admit that Blackwater personnel have shot and killed innocent civilians, don't you?
Mr. ERIC PRINCE (CEO, Blackwater USA): No, sir. I disagree with that. I think there's been times when guys are using defensive force to protect themselves, to protect the package that their trying to get away from danger. There could be ricochets, there are traffic accidents. Yes, this is war.
Representative ELIJAH CUMMINGS (Democratic, Maryland): Blackwater, we have to question in this hearing whether it was - it created a shadow military of mercenary forces that are not accountable to the United States government or to anyone else. Blackwater appears, so far, to the culture of shoot first and sometimes kill and then ask the question.
Mr. PRINCE: Every life, whether American or Iraqi, is precious. I stress the committee of the American public however that I believe we acted appropriately at all times.
President GEORGE W. BUSH: I have put this program in place for a reason. And that is to better protect the American people. And when we find somebody who may have information regarding on a potential attack on America, you bet we're going detain them, and you bet we're going to question them.
Mr. MOAZZAM BEGG (Former Guantanamo Detainee): I was beaten, shackled, spat at, kicked, punched, stripped naked, left to the isolation - I'm naked, hooked, tied. I filed a confession because I'm terrified of being executed. I was terrified of the held there for decades on end.
Mr. IBRAHIM GAMBARI (U.N. Special Envoy, Myanmar): I've been allowed here three times now. And each time I've been allowed to see the senior general and the (unintelligible) and in the last visit (unintelligible) allowed to see us twice. So, that gives me some encouragement that perhaps, you know, there may be an opening there.
Dr. MASJIK MUNIR (Resident, Pakistan): We want someone who is more a representative of the people, who's not dictated by any foreign power.
PHILIP REEVES: You mean that Pakistan needs new political leaders?
Dr. MUNIR: Yes, politically leaders. That's right. With, I mean for the last 60 year, the same political parties, the same families of the political parties are coming and we know what they're doing.
President PERVEZ MUSHARRAF (Pakistan): The majority - vast majority- majority, have voted for me, and therefore, that regards (unintelligible). Thank you very much.
Copyright © 2007 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.