When it came to human rights, America used to set a standard that was understood and respected throughout the world. Sadly, that came to an end with the notorious photographs from Abu Ghraib prison.
With a new presidential administration coming into the White House in just eight months, is the damage irreparable, or can the U.S. restore its leadership on this issue? And if so, how? And then, what do we do about such countries as China who equate human rights with chaos in Tiananmen Square? What do we do about human rights and our own diplomatic or military intervention?
We’ve brought together people who’ve been doing some of the most important work on human rights in this country. Their discussion, moderated by NY Times columnist Roger Cohen, will focus on what will—and what should—happen when we have to make inevitably hard choices on human rights.

Roger Cohen is a journalist who has been stationed all over Europe, including as the bureau chief of the Balkans for the New York Times. He has a regular column in the International Herald Tribune and the New York Times on foreign affairs. Roger authored Hearts Grown Brutal: Sagas of Sarajevo and co-authored a biography about Telluride resident General Norman Schwarzkopf, which is titled In the Eye of the Storm.

Alex Gibney just won an Academy Award for Best Documentary for Taxi to the Dark Side, his searing film about the American torture of Afghan detainees. His previous film, Enron, was nominated for an Oscar, and his latest film, Gonzo, is about Hunter S. Thompson. Alex wrote and produced The Trials of Henry Kissinger. Currently, he’s working on several films, including one that will try to explain what the notorious D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff was up to.

Samantha Power is the author of the important new book Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World. Her previous book, A Problem from Hell, helped shape the debate on intervention in Bosnia and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2003. She’s the editor of Realizing Human Rights: Moving from Inspiration to Impact, a writer for The New Yorker, and a professor at Harvard University.

Ken Roth is the director of Human Rights Watch, the leading human rights organization. During Ken’s 15 years of leadership, HRW has quadrupled in size, while greatly expanding its portfolio to add special programs devoted to refugees, children's rights, international justice, AIDS, gay and lesbian rights, human rights emergencies, terrorism and counterterrorism, and the human rights responsibilities of multinational corporations.
- David Holbrooke