Bob Herbert has consistently covered important issues. Yet he rarely gets the compliments he deserves. In many ways he is my generation's Edward R. Murrow in that he gives us the "little picture" when telling a larger, important story. Herbert does it again today as he goes to Ottawa to hear firsthand the tale of Maher Arar. Mr. Arar was taken by our government to Syria for torture. It did not matter that this was illegal and the evidence was thinner than paper.
http://nytimes.com/2005/02/25/opinion/25herbert.html?hp
We all need keep the spotlight on issues like this. We also need to thank Mr. Herbert.
By the way, a dateline like Ottawa is not unusual for Mr. Herbert. Unlike the recently departed and lauded William Safire, Bob Herbert is not on the phone with the bigwigs, he is out hearing the little but important stories.