U.S. soldiers, with whom I now have more than a passing acquaintance, joke that they track my movements in order to know where they will be deployed next.

But 17 years ago, I arrived at CNN with a suitcase, with my bicycle, and with about 100 dollars.

And I really believe good journalism is good business.

Because I am foreign I was assigned to the foreign desk. I kid you not, its true.

Mostly, as I said, a desire to do a bit of good, and the quaint notion that this is what we signed up for, this is the business that we have chosen.

In emerging democracies like Russia, in authoritarian states like Iran or even Yugoslavia, journalists play a vital role in civil society. In fact, they form the very basis of those new democracies and civil societies.

We in the press, by our power, can actually undermine leadership.