You can download "Why We Fight" on the internets.

[whometense]

I just finished watching it - wow.

If anyone wants to watch it, it's available for download here: http://www.thedossier.ukonline.co.uk/video_iraqwar.htm

It's a small screen, but has a HUGE impact.

If anyone feels like discussing it, I'm up for it.

[europegirl4jfk]

1. That's a great documentary!

Has it even been shown on US TV? I saw it on German TV a while ago and my daughter watched it on French TV last week. She called me later because she was so impressed and wanted to talk about it. She is really getting into politics now, it's amazing. She watched another documentary the week before. Something about Australian journalists embedded with the US Army in Iraq for a whole year and getting real answers from the soldiers who, after a while, started to speak about their doubts and questioned the war. I have to ask her for the title of this one.

[globalvillage]

2. Thanks, whome.

I've wanted to see it.
Speaking of films, has anyone (everyone) seen "Crash"?
I thought it was excellent.

[fedupinBushcountry]

3. Crash was good

My daughter told me about a documentary put out by the BBC "Power of Nightmares". She said one of her college friend's Dad watched it and he is no longer a Republican, so it must be good.

I just found a link to watch it:

http://www.wanttoknow.info/powerofnightmares

It is in 3 parts about 3 hours long according to my daughter.

Well looks like I have plenty to keep me busy this weekend.

[globalvillage]

4. You know, whome,

On the Friday night "getting to know you" thread, one of the questions was "what are you afraid of?"
Weird, isn't it?

Powerful when it dawned on that cop exactly what happened. When does everyone else wake up?

I'll wait till everyone else has had a chance to see it before I offer a full opinion, but I agree. A very intense film. Not a lot that's new, but it pulls everything together in a very emotional and frightening way.

This group could probably have a pretty decent discussion around the 15 seconds of JK. I'll bet we could spend hours on the entire film. Right now, I'm drained.

[whometense]

5. I almost feel like I need to see it again.

I agree with you about that moment with the cop.

One thing it pulled together for me was the discussion about Eisenhower and that period. My father worked for Raytheon when I was a kid. We never knew what he was working on because he had security clearance and wasn't allowed to discuss it. But just knowing he was working on things that required security clearance...


It was just a fact of life. A lot of fathers in our town worked at places like Raytheon. I never thought about it until I was much older. But it gave me a strange feeling tonight to hear the name of the place mentioned in the film. My family wasn't rich, but we were very comfortably middle class, and we owed that status to the military-industrial complex.

Eisenhower was a fixture of my early childhood. I remember that every day Captain Kangaroo would salute a portrait of him that hung on the wall with a glass of milk. The first president I was really conscious of was JFK. But I was very impressed with Eisenhower from what they showed of him in the film - I sort of knew he'd made that speech, but hadn't really thought about what that said about him. I remember him as avuncular, wearing Mr. Rogers cardigans and playing golf. But he was sharp. And that speech - delivered today, that would make him a flaming lefty.

[globalvillage]

6. I don't remember Eisenhower growing up.

I was born in '59, so my earliest political memories are of the JFK assassination.
Yes, Ike's comments on leaving office were a warning we didn't heed, and it's chilling to watch that bit of film today.

I have this above my desk at work:

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

The denial of the workers making weapons seemed an allegory for the denial of a large portion of the American public about the war and the state of our country in general. Is that how you saw it? Everyone trying not to think about the consequences as they go on with their day-to-day. I'm conflicted when I think about their role. They are just people doing their jobs, and they do have to put food on their families, after all. I'm sure they would all rather be making toys, like the one woman said.

The Iraqi morgue was a little shocking. And the number of bombs that didn't hit targets at the start of the war. Collateral damage. I hate that term.

The PNACers are just totally evil. There's no other way to say it. And if we need any more evidence that McCain is completely schizo...

I need to watch it again.

[Luftmensch067]

7. Thank you!

I heard someone on AAR (Rachel?) interview the filmmaker and really wanted to see this; I've been wondering where and how it would appear. Will dl at work on Monday and watch at lunch!

[globalvillage]

8. It's an hour and a half.

Worth every minute.

[Luftmensch067]

9. Hm. OK, maybe I'll watch it AFTER work! LOL!

Thanks for telling me!

I hope to let a bunch of other people know about this link, too. Sounds like something everyone should see.

[globalvillage]

10. It downloaded for me very quickly.

So that was good. Yes, everyone should see this. It's very well done and comprehensive of history and consequence.
If we could get the sheep to sit through it, they might wake up.
The story of the NYC cop, who appears throughout, is very convincing and tragic.

[ginnyinWI]

11. Just finished watching

This is very good! I wish everyone in America could see it--especially those who believe in this war.

Howard Zinn, in People's History of the United States has gone into American Imperialism and its causes--we've always had an interest in gaining access to foreign markets and foreign resources to some degree or other. So this is nothing new. I think this administration, though, is particulary close to corporate interests! And ruthless about how they go about serving them.

Throughout history we see the same pattern: 1) drumming up support for a war, 2)deceptions during the war, 3) war profiteering, and then 4) neglect of veterans of that war. The rich and powerful become more rich and more powerful, and the little guy loses.

( I saw something recently about the British Navy, back in the days of the Spanish Armada. When they got back into port, they didn't have money or didn't want to pay the sailors. So they locked up the ship and refused to let any of them off the boat! They basically kept their brave sailors-- who had fought the Armada-- prisoners! Doesn't get much worse than that. But it just goes to show...)

The story of the guy who decided to join the Army was sad. He had no prospects and no family--I think just wanted to belong somewhere and have some support. I think this story plays out over and over. It's either out of need or out of buying the patriotic line, that they will be fighting for American Freedom. And because some of our wars actually have been about American or Allied freedom, they are able to co-opt it and make other wars about the same thing.

That lie about the precision bombing, which is anything but, was so typical. I remember that it made me feel better at the time. I guess for fighting the propaganda should be: if it makes you feel better about the war, it's probably a lie.

[Kerry fan]

12. I have a dumb question.

How do you download it?

[TayTay]

13. Hey, welcome Kerry Fan

Nice to have you check in. Stay a while, post some stuff. We love newbies!

:patriot:

[globalvillage]

14. Hey, welcome!

Go about halfway down the page. Below the pic (Why We Fight), click on 'real player'. It should download pretty quickly.

[Kerry fan]

15. Thank you. I'm watching it now.

My daughter showed me. I'm not a newbie. I'm just not able to post very much. Elderly and disabled. But one of Kerry's most devoted supporters to the best of my abilities. I follow your efforts pretty closely. Keep up the good work. Let's get him into that damned White House. The country needs him desperately.

[globalvillage]

16. Well, check in from time to time, then

just so we know you're OK.

:patriot: