general scowcroft, to you first.st, let me just understand where the two of you are coming from. do you think an attack on -- a strike on syria right now is the right thing to do for the united states? >> we have put ourselves in a position where one can argue it is because of the chemical warfare convention. but we have not sought help from anybody to enforce a chemical warfare convention. it's not a u.s. treaty, it's an international treaty that says these are terrible weapons of mass destruction and should not be used. we have been unilateral in this. we haven't formally gone to the u.n. we haven't formally gone to nato. and so, yes, if we're going to enforce it. but if we're going to enforce it we should do it as a part of unity. >> woodruff: ambassador hill, how do you see it? is this the right thing for the united states to be doing right now? >> i think it's the right thing in the absence of any alternatives at this point. we need to take a stand on the use of chemical weapons, weapons that have been banned fo

genel scowcroft. what we've seen is a real dilemma. in many cases, covert action is the most effective way to accomplish foreign policy objectives. but it is only effective if it remains covert. the broader you can go in the legislative branch, the more support perhaps you caget for an action. yet, the broader you get, the more chances you will defeat your very purpose, which is keeping it covert. mr. wicker, you've heard the description of the dilemma. is it just a pragmatic policy dilemma, does it suggest that there's something fundamentally inconsistent about covert action and our system of government? there is an essential fundamental conflict within an open system like ours. it goeto general scowcroft's phrase that we need "plaible deniability." that's a nice way of saying you need to be able to lie your way out of this. a government engaging in covert activities taking upon itself the inherent necessity that to keep those activities covert, it's going thave to lie repeatedly. there is a corrosive effect in that that's not good in

on the newshour tonight, we hear from former national security advisor brent scowcroft and former diplomat chris hill. and we continue our talks with members of congress about syria- - tonight, democratic congressman alan grayson. >> woodruff: then, from western massachusetts, a story about a county taking "going local" to ol

on the newshour tonight, we hear from former national security advisor brent scowcroft and former diplomatis hill. and we continue our talks with members of congress about syria- - tonight, democratic congressman alan grayson. >> woodruff: then, from western massachusetts, a story about a county taking "going local" to a whole new level by printing its own money. >> it's about community support. it's about shopping local. it's about sustainability right here where we live and we work.

on the newshour tonight, we hear from former national security advisor brent scowcroft and former diplomatchris hill. and we continue our talks with members of congress about syria- - tonight, democratic congressman alan grayson. >> woodruff: then, from western massachusetts, a story about a county taking "going local" to