Breaking The Silence: Truth and Lies in the War On Terror
John Pilger dissects the truth and lies in the 'war on terror'. Award-winning journalist John Pilger investigates the discrepancies between American and British claims for the 'war on terror' and the facts on the ground as he finds them in Afghanistan and Washington, DC. In 2001, as the bombs began to drop, George W. Bush promised Afghanistan "the generosity of America and its allies". Now, the familiar old warlords are regaining power, religious fundamentalism is renewing its grip and military skirmishes continue routinely. In "liberated" Afghanistan, America has its military base and pipeline access, while the people have the warlords who are, says one woman, "in many ways worse than the Taliban".
In Washington, Pilger conducts a series of remarkable interviews with William Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, and leading Administration officials such as Douglas Feith, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and John Bolton, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. These people, and the other architects of the Project for the New American Century, were dismissed as 'the crazies' by the first Bush Administration in the early 90s when they first presented their ideas for pre-emptive strikes and world domination.
Directed by: John Pilger
Remember this allways: WAR IS A RACKET.
“What we in America call terrorists are really groups of people that reject the international system..” - Henry Kissinger
International system, aka the New World Order
There are those of us Americans that don't take 9/11 at face value we also know that no government committee would dare even if they proved it without a doubt come out and say George Bush brought down the towers and killed Americans and used it start his war to begin the Demoncrats climb towards world conquest. There would be a rebellion on the spot and our government would likely be handed over to the Afgan people to hang for war crimes
WAR ON TERROR!! hmmp.. this can be anything, just like the stupid anything tax they called carbon tax! .. No offence to those poor souls where terror is a missile at your door step, but in this western? modern? society we peacefully live in (most times) . Terror ? Whats terrifying usually the unknown, anything to the gullible , the average normal "smoking" family is the one thats suffering as Hitler quoted I think " Its easier to convince the masses of the people with a big lie rather then a small lie" . How sad , how un Australian, how drugged are we to demonise cigarettes and forcing Lies to be printed on every packet " Smoking Kills" . really? We just gave up completely on the bodied organisations that we 1st created that answers and delivers to keep real and placebo clearly apart. for eg. CSIRO. the guys that actually have the knowledge that smoking obviously doesn't kill so they don't cant and wont indorse the b.s. printed, because in my youth i clearly recall classic holly wood movies categorised under Family and Funny Section , them terrorist we idolised, eg. Denis The Menace, Problem Child, Young Guns.. etc..
Now days movies define terrorist as religious fundamentals blowing shit up. I ain't saying there isn't any, sure, look hard enough you find flat earthlings that don't know the Sun IS a STAR .. its horrific , comical, sad and funny, just depending where we find ourselves on the evolution chain. A packet of smokes cost like 50 bucks! ., this is terror on such a large and powerful scale even those that comply don't fully understand. Care to experience being subjected to the magic of social subliminal chastising? I warn you its not for everyone to go experience, doing so I've lost myself, almost lost my life several times, almost lost my family (still struggling) I've even allowed myself to get incarcerated believing it was not only the best method but only way I could save myself from completely loosing my mind, and even more terrifying my family. I lost my job~ coz I had a smoke on a short break~?
Smoking cost keep on rising, So I choose to be an advocate for smoking! Unlike dimwit politicians that would rather have been labeled hypocrite, I choose not to discriminate smoking in all its forms.. OMG. theres heaps~!! most I quickly came to find were already illegal~? ... The closest death I came to smoking was when trading such commodities the other party figured they're better off not keeping to arrangement and just kill me instead.
long story bloody short., were all in our own little worlds,. those of us that enjoy a smoke from time to time., are being forced to stop! Terrifying part is the unconstitutional method allowed to hide all the suffering and psychological frustrations each smoker is forced to see lies and disgust on products never intended for such purpose... Smoking keeps me cool so I don't be frustrated enough to pick on dimwits whom out of fear only of being classed sexist or racist or what ever, actually voted in the Homosexual and Lesbian marriage law by hiding behind the happy old english word Gay. (even the most primitive societies ask "Do you accept?" which confirms they're gay happy choice anyway..
Those whom have adopted smoking as part of culture only see a message to go overseas and fight something , no you bloody idiot! stay here and protest your right.
STOP LOCAL TERROR, its about time smokers make some uncool noise . no offence intended . , but very offensive to smoke .. ... stupid us , how quickly we forget Vietnam massacres the governors we trust had commit , stupid us , uniting for love and peace not war forced the end, so don't demonise those who smoke or do weird s#$@ you don't understand.. For F@#$ Sake ! , just this once, let them filthy smokers in our societies have enough bloody change to take there loved ones movies or ball. i know the shows impossible but live and let live... Justice! Not Laws , Freedom! Not Fines, Governors! Govern us to protect society from itself, not us from ourselves .. pppffffft.. time for a smoke
So you're happy paying to kill yourself, wonderful ..... After 8 attempts I finally managed to quit, thank Zeus. I learned that no cigarette 'tastes good', and I tried about all of them. I was left with coughing, headaches, sore throat, stomach upset, heartburn and hemorhoids from smoking cigarettes. And I was paying for all these side effects! Hey, express yourself, go ahead and kill yourself..... or perhaps you will only be 'impaired', as they say, with shortness of breath and whatever other side effects might arise. Yes, we're free to commit suicide by smoking if we choose...... so double down, buy a couple of extra packs for those moments that really matter.
Government of Afghanistan are Pashtun tribe is criminal terrorist
Northern Alliances not in power ...lol ...
Karzai & Ghani are Leader of Taliban and they are terrorist criminal
I am infuriated. I've been infuriated that Obama campaigned on Guantanamo, and didn't do SQUAT about it. I saw TWO men interviewed by VICE, who described their torture in Guantanamo...
I am ashamed to be an American. Every AMERICAN should know their county's TRUTH. :( Horrified.
Love it. Thank you. I am sharing this with friends. Thank you to the investigative journalists who PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE for the depth...for the bigger picture. <3
I would like to add a bit of commentary to this. While this may have been true to the period of time that this documentary was made, I can say for sure that things have improved in the country of Afghanistan as far as healthcare and women's rights. I served in the NATO team that was charged with building up the Military hospital systems (which also served the local population). Working with not only the ANA (Afghan National Army), but the outlying ANP (Afghan National Police) in the Herat, I watched their health department grow a great deal. I also had the pleasure of watching the first class of female soldiers. This may not mean much to any of you, but that is extreme progression in the unequal society they have. Warlords often maintained a bit of piece inside the areas. So, while they may seem terrible they were always a better alternative to the extremist taliban that would perform terrible acts on people that would violate their interpretation of Muslim laws. From the stories the locals told me these things were absolutely terrible!
While the America government may have terrible motives, the boots on the ground are good American people who have a passion for individuals. I deeply care about the country of Afghanistan and still talk to many of the people that I met from the country and consider them friends.
I was born in 1960. I never thought there would be a day when 'American' was a dirty word. It's here! Washington, D.C. is a cesspool of scum - lies, greed and a quest for some imaginary power. I'm sure Prescott Bush is in the bowels of hell waiting on his son and grandson too.
Every time I see George Bush making a speech I think to myself "What a monster he is and shame on us for giving him such power".
what does the U.S. have to do with Afghanistan's mistreatment of their women???? We the citizens of the U.S. continue to be manipulated by our politicians and journalists alike, However you are wrong when you claim that the U.S. only attacks weak countries!!! Was Japan and Germany weak or how about North Korea?? Why then did the Soviet Union withdraw from the middle east; was it due to their weakness??? Note we the ordinary citizen who must serve our country know that we are subjected to the violence involved with war and you are wrong if you think that the U.S. representatives will not stand their ground against all represented and even imagined treats,
Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor first -- we were responding to the attack. As a result, Germany, which was allied with Japan, declared war on the U.S. In the case of North Korea, that conflict resulted from North Korea's invasion (backed by China and the Soviet Union) of South Korea, at which point a U.N. coalition force, led by the U.S., intervened on behalf of South Korea. Those conflicts, and U.S. involvement in them, stand in an entirely different category from nearly all of our military excursions since. If you are going to cite history, you should probably make an effort to learn about and understand it first.
Your choice of words is inaccurate and highly biased. Furthermore, your omission of background events polarizes the actors in the Korean War. First of all, the United States is never referred to as 'we.' They are heaps of people you are addressing in cyber space that have never set foot in the U.S. And even if both you and I were U.S. citizens, the philosophical problems of treating a state as a collective or an independent entity are so grave that it seems best for now to speak in terms of government leadership rather than the nation-states themselves as actors. I would point to legal rulings giving corporations rights as individuals as illustrative of this sort of absurd conception of organizational bodies as somehow 'alive' and acting on their own.
As for the bias, at the time the Korean War happened under the extremely stressful circumstances of the new Cold War. There are wars that are punitive in nature- no one would deny that- but most wars when analyzed turn out to be reactive/protective/defensive. Additionally, like Vietnam, the Korean War was after a civil war, wouldn't you agree? So I doubt it was started with purely preemptive or aggressive motives. That would be like saying that the Union 'invaded' the Confederacy (no doubt that is an argument too however).
In spite of individual acts of valor along with heart-rendering tragedies, that there are good guys and bad guys in war is pure myth. There is only death, destruction, and terror. All ideology aside, that is the first line objective of modern warfare: to blow up things and the people in them to smithereens, to pound them into submission.
The US has a lot to do with the treatment of Afghanistan's women. In the 1970s Afghanistan had a progressive socialist government, with as many women in universities as men. The US funded the Mujahedin, who would go one to become the Taliban, to overthrow that government and draw the USSR into a costly war that eventually broke the Soviet Union. More or less the same thing the US is now doing in Ukraine, by overthrowing the democratically elected government and installing a rabidly anti-Russian fascist regime.
As you know, life became very brutal for women in Afghanistan once the American-backed government was in power. But let's not forget, overthrowing governments and installing brutal dictators is something America has done in many countries around the world and is still doing today.
Why on earth would anyone who admits to being manipulated by his nation's government and its press say in the same breath that he must serve the very same country that does those things to him? A corrupt nation is not worth serving any more than moldy bread is worth eating.
Yes, so, it seems, yes...
Mr. Pilger should have rebuked John Bolton's facetious question: "Are you a Communist Party member then?" with "No. To you, sir, I'm a journalist and that's all you need to know."
A neocon practitioner of friendly fascism, Amb. Bolton was the very worst possible appointee to represent us at the U.N.
As an American I'm truly disgusted and ashamed of the atrocities committed by our military around the world. While I'm fortunate to be living a privileged life than most of the worlds population, these luxuries have come at a tremendous cost to the less fortunate who stand in the way of the American empire. We are now entering an age of consequence for these actions. May God have mercy on our souls.
I wouldn't take it so personally. No one chooses their nationality of birth (a geographical happenstance), and I seriously doubt you're in any way responsible for the atrocities committed in the name of might of empire. The real designers of such things are hardly human to us; they're all evil and plumb mad and such. it comes down to the question of evil itself: who can answer to it? The one hope and expectation that we can have is that people can change. We can start there.
It's useful to study empire in a historical context. it brings to mind that saying that was popular in the 70's: same game, different name. It's not that the U.S. is a uniquely barbaric power, it's just acting as nearly all empires do- vicious and without mercy. It picks on the little ones who can't defend themselves, it feeds on the blood of those who have precious little and it does not tolerate dissent. Some empires are worse than others, but basically they all do this.
lol I remember as a brainwashed teenager saying things like "It's not the Soviet people we hate, it's their government." I wish i could say that was quaint now. But it wasn't, it was so stupid, and very sad.
The fact you can acknowledge the obvious, makes you ahead of the bell curve. In reality, you didn't create the system, and you have little choice of what your government does. As long as you live a good life, and treat the people around you as well as possible, you have nothing to feel bad about. With that said, we all have to appreciate, and honor those who go out on a limb, risking everything to make sure the 'chickenhawks' are kept in check! Take care, diffperspective.
You are confused. Truth is America is about to join the less fortunate populations in the world. By not doing anything, America permitted the rise of oil empires that is financing its downfall.
America is leader in open or free trade. But the terrorist does not want freedom. Instead it established price cartels and market controls, Such anti trust devices do not blend with free markets and jeopardizes the promise of prosperity.
This time with the help of journalists tinkering dangerously with politics and science, oil prices are at an all time high. The hike compromised the free markets and forced countries to heavy borrowing, printing money like never before. Governments just financed the oil price hikes and the rise of fortunes of a few.
Time is a resource. While journalists are busy diverting issues and engaging in blame games; Multitudes are not warned that the are living on borrowed time. Soon citizens got to pay the debts their government acquired to strengthen the markets weakened by high energy prices.
Yet what responsible journalists are keeping from us is the TRUTH that without these cartels, oil producion is profitable at a few cents to a gallon of petrol.
Of course serfs cannot have a means to wage wars in protest, an urgent reason for the drive to disarm the US military as soon as possible.
# 1 Terrorist in the World
The United States of America!
Bush Cheney Rumsfeld Rice Wolfowitz and Rove Created 9/11
as a Spring board For there Military Industrial Complex and the NWO!
It is pointless to fight with terrorism, you need to kill the root of it - cash income what is opium. Nooe will blow stuff up for free not even bad guys.
This was a terrific documentary that was asking all the right questions. I once heard a interview with Benjamin Ferencz, the chief prosecutor for the U.S at the Nuremberg Trials, and how livid he was at the idea that the U.S now felt justified for a 'pre-emptive strike' against Iraq. This issue had already been dealt with at Nuremberg because it was the same reasoning the Nazi's used for attacking their neighbors. It was determined that no country could attack another prematurely, based on fear. In other words, if it takes a mushroom cloud, it takes a mushroom cloud.
John Pilger at least had the courage to raise the issue, unlike the vast majority of western media who only reported what they were told.
Note: John Bolton is an absolute idi*t who epitomizes 'lame' during the interview.(asking Pilger are you a member of the communist party?) This from a man who previously ran the equestrian before getting his new post.(not what you know, it is who you blow)
As I have stated on previous occasions, they could have hung Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Bremner, Perle, Krystal, and Rice alongside Saddam, and I wouldn't have shed a tear. In reality, these people killed far more innocent people in 8 years, then Saddam, Bin Ladin, and Ghaddafi killed in 40 years combined. The fact that these people are untouchable, and have never been charged with war crimes, is proof positive that the U.N and international courts have failed miserably. (no justice - at least not in this lifetime)
All I can say is they best enjoy it while they can, (selling their souls for short term greed/fascism) because Karma is a nasty lady. (payback is a b*tch) Take care, and best wishes everyone!
These people that are always crying about loosing loved ones in air strikes really need to step back and take a look at the bigger picture. Why are you living with your children in a wartorn location? Seriously? If another country is dropping bombs and other parts of the population are blowing themselves up. WHY ARE YOU STILL LIVING THERE?
Yes, your question is a valid one, and I have asked myself the same thing, only to conclude that they have no choice, there is no where else to go. (between a hard place and a rock)
Are you serious?
How about 'why isn't the global community doing anything about it?' 'Why does the U.S. accept 'collateral damage' as justified?' 'Why does the U.S., since WWII, continue its policy of bombing bombing bombing?
Where would you have these people go? Do you not think the 'bad guys' would prevent their going or go with them?
are you trolling ?? If some country would start to drop bombs on my homeland most of people wpuld stay home cos we have nowhere to go ,no money, no connections. Most of us dont even know english. Fuc* you realy for being that ignorant.
Bush was really effective in the War on Terror. His enemies are still at him long after he has RETIRED and refuse to make any update comments.
The problem with documentaries about the war is the rekindling of fear and panic against a seemingly invincible or pervasive opponent as the US. Democratic System or government. It is not hard to imagine how an autistic student suffering indigestion from violent issues has become tahe next terrorist wishing to end or terminate all forms of terror.
First paragraph: Quite the most ludicrous I've seen today.
(And its had stiff competition!
"Your obstinance and intolerance for anything beyond your silly doctrine will not help you or do anything for the greater good of human beings"
*********************************************************************************
Project much?
Lengthy, discursive, and convoluted rejoinders escape my octogenarian comprehension and waning enthusiasm. Perhaps a Jung, Freud, or an Einstein could decipher that treatise?
I did take note of your clairvoyant abilities, (the dictionary bit) , and should I ever decide to purchase a lottery ticket, I'll be sure to consult you.
To answer your [revealing] query; "But if we are to reject metaphysics what would we have in its place?" Tangible, concrete, r-e-a-l-i-t-y.
Yes, I was wrong. And I am sorry for all the assumptions. In spite of that I still maintain that you are indeed intolerant by any measure of the word. With all due respect to your age, it seems that someone 80ish would be more open to possibilities beyond obliteration upon death (your atheism is deduced, not assumed). Perhaps you find questions that cannot be clearly answered too disturbing? Many do, but thinking that I know the exact nature of 'reality' seems to me to be the height of human arrogance.
OK. So you argue that education could solve many of the problems brought up in Pilger's video and 'bring about a greater commitment to human welfare.' I agree with that. So how do we get started? We must begin by exposing to pupils that a non-spirtual (secular if you like) West has for centuries been brutalizing nearly all of the Muslim world (among others). Isn't religion just a rallying cry then for the inevitable backlash of terrorism and counter-terrorism? That the real explanation lies not in the consequences of the supernatural as such, but rather in realpolitik?
I agree with all you've articulated...except the remark; "but thinking that I know the exact nature of 'reality'.
I never stated that I do, and more, it always stirs me when a person of worthy intellect wastes valuable mental energy on metaphysical conundrums.
''Reality'' may be categorized by the psychological kind, (abstractions,religion etc.) , and that which our senses actually perceive as tangible and knowable.
If anything else exists beyond the latter, it is unknowable, of only passing interest, and anecdotally has driven many a philosopher mad.
As a person who has read considerable philosophy, (enquiring youth!) , now 'tis difficult to understand how so much esoteric, tortuous, and worthless rubbish, (ontology, solipsism, eschatology, epistemology, et al) has been published!
Finally, no, no, & no to the notion, "Perhaps you find questions that cannot be clearly answered too disturbing?" I'm ready for the 'big sleep'...had quite enough of this journey.
Keep reading, keep analyzing, and writing young fella and, I promise you in another decade or so, you'll end up as batty as I. :-)
I completely relate to your position, in particular the 'had quite enough of this journey' part. This is not to say that I am 'sick of life', just the hypocrisy that goes with it. It would seem this mindset comes from mental fatigue incurred from the relentless pursuit of actually trying to understand the nature of the world we live in. (a.k.a thinking) Question: Do you really believe you are batty? I can guarantee you that I have seen, and heard far worse than what I have read from your comments. (don't be so hard on yourself)
You've heard "tongue in cheek"? On the other hand, from a long and lonely perspective it appears to me that [my] form of 'batty' these days might not conform to aspects of common lunacy ?
Of course, my 'batty' is more rational than your (generic) 'batty'! :-)
This was yet another affirmation of my beliefs that the Ira k war was UN called for. The powers that be truly did use the 911 crises as a means to grab at the oil fields of Ira k. I have felt bad for the People of Irak and hope that some day the truth will be more important to empires than it is today !! This is a must see for all Free thinkers !!!
"Consumerism" and "spirituality" are entirely separate categories. Your words suggest a confused play with metaphysics and semantics as a hypocronant (neologism) panacea for our current depravity?
A social commitment to human welfare and happiness can be had through education. That would make any recourse to the supernatural ineffective, outdated, and foolish.
I assume you're replying to me. What I am suggesting is that your definition is too narrowly based on something religious/superstitious. And despite my suggesting that there is more to the word than you understand (as you have not looked it up in a dictionary yet), you doggedly adhere to this concept of social evolution without indoctrination. You have denounced me as some sort of theist who is against scientific enquiry or objective education though I have said very little on these topics. Now you invoke 'metaphysics' as somehow 'bad' according to the same definitions. But if we are to reject metaphysics what would we have in its place? Are you saying that any subjectivity at all is illusion? I believe science is proving pure objectivity as elusive, or as Einstein said, 'a persistent' illusion. You might want to keep on this stuff, it's enlightening. Anyway, first, remember that next time you burn your finger or get food poisoning- your objectivity will fly out the window guaranteed.
Lots of philosophers have already been down this path you seem to be pursuing. They found nothing but despair and uncertainty (Sartre described it as 'nausea').
I am not confused regarding my view on consumerism. A life based on making money to pay off debt to buy more things and acquire more debt only to work more to pay that is devoid of life as life ought to be and full of fear and a sense of lack. Your obstinance and intolerance for anything beyond your silly doctrine will not help you or do anything for the greater good of human beings. I would suggest it's the little things in our existence that count the most, not these blanket generalizations that replace the old myopia with a new blindness.
Yes, spirituality is getting a bad rap, and you seem to be running into the same resistance as I am. If the theists, and atheists alike are both upset with my position, what does that make me? (idealist) This word is also getting a bad rap today because the definition has changed from 'seeing things for what they could be as opposed to the way they are' to some 'rhapsodically naïve delusional position of little value.
Tell me something; do you find that an open minded approach is now seen as the enemy? It would seem to me that the only things that I am intolerant towards are hypocrisy, and moral apathy. If this is the only intolerance I have, I for one am proud of it, and sleep very well with this position.
Yes, I feel that rationalism has been highjacked to promote an abject view on people in general. There is hopelessness in the air, and a sort of delight in picking apart the dead cells of history. There's a sort of hedonistic revulsion to affairs now of 'I don't know what's coming but until then I got mine and when it finally blows I hope I'm not around.' I have friends who won't even write the word 'terrorist' on Skype and friends here in China who will not say 'Tiananmen' in public. There is cowardice, paranoia, and a 'can't afford to care about that' attitude. What to do?
I like Pilger. He gets in people's faces with horrifying accusations without flinching an inch. He cares for people and stands up for them. To me that's a hero, If this notion of spirituality is seen somehow as irrational and unscientific, then where does this feeling of caring for and protecting people come in? I believe a society's prevailing philosophy will doom it or make it great.
What does it mean if individuals resolve their knowledge of atrocities and injustice with mere analysis? It does nothing for anyone. Every problem asks us to resolve it.
The proponents of the European Enlightenment did not make statements in fear of being mystical. The concept of an 'inalienable right' is a mystical one- how can it be proved scientifically? It is a concept in line with what we want to become in defiance of what is.
And who here reading this will come out and argue against free speech? You'd be attacked as the fool that you are.
Cleverness is not going to help the world but tolerance and patience will. We watch these facts unfold not because we are sadistic voyeurs but because we want them stopped. We want to change ourselves. Who wants to perform diagnostics to tell how hell is run by madmen, only to leave it at that? Obviously anyone with one wit of rationality in his or her brain can see that the whole damn system needs revamping. Is that idealistic? Sure. Can it work? I don't know and none of us will know unless we start with ourself.
Well bluetortilla, you seem to have your head on quite straight, and you have identified that which matters most. Getting others to open their mind to the possibilities is a difficult task to say the least. As you so eloquently put it, they have to start with themselves, and all we can do remind them of that which they already know. I have put my own head on the 'chopping block' many times, and although I cannot change the world, I can make an impact, and that is enough for me.
I don't expect others to think like me, I just want them to think, period. If I can do this, then I have done my job. There is a better way, but for this to happen, we must break the stranglehold of evil, and put it in it's place, once and for all. Even if we could succeed, we can never drop our guard. (endless vigilance) This is of course my idealistic side expressing itself, and I make no excuses for it. In the final analysis, we are what we choose to be, and I am thankful that I have been able to live the life that I have. Yes, the system needs to be completely overhauled, and those who have been profiting from the current construct are not about to give it up without a fight. (no one said life was going to be easy) On the contrary, if I didn't feel the sting of evil, I would have never developed the tools to combat it. (morality) That is the test, and it never ends. Take care, and best wishes!
And I would like to note that you do in fact change the world, like it or not, and for better or worse.
As a collective, we can dramatically change our environment around us, but as an individual, depending on our abilities and fortitude, is ultimately far more minimal. Needless to say, the decisions made by the Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Morgans, etc are far more tangible. If however, you are making reference to aspects of the environment, our collective impact is far more equally spread out. In any case, this was not to split hairs, only to clarify. Take care bluetortilla!
Once again I can show that I'm more arrogant than I am verbose: :D
I think there is a powerful illusion that an individual doesn't matter much if at all on the one hand, and that such a thing as a 'collective' can only emerge as a perception though its effects can be measured. In fact, for any change to happen the onus can only fall on the individual as the group has no means to act independently, enticing as that illusion is. All of this be demonstrated with simple science and logic.
But we still speak of nations and organizations as actors, as individuals with a will of their own. We are prone to dramatize. I guess that's the only way we can sort out the madness of mass human activity.
Famous individuals have always powerfully affected our minds and our world-view and encourage us either positively or negatively relative to culture and belief. Such people evolve into myths or archetypes that serve as standards of reference for our own behavior. However, as individuals each had to 'draw the line' as it were many times in their lives. And if we are to change the world rather than promote the status quo so should we.
Unfortunately as individuals we tend to have very low self-esteem and regard ourselves almost as ants. Or as if we have two lives- one important to us personally, the other expendable in the context of the greater society. If you take out one worker ant, there is very little chance of the colony being affected just as there is little chance of society being noticeably affected by locking up one political dissident (though that never fails to horrify me). In each case we perceive critical mass a tipping point for change. But ants are all born from the same eggs and modified during that maturation; perfect in the tasks they perform. Human biology and social structure is radically different. Nevertheless, some observers have sought to qualify the importance of the individual by the concept of 'thought contagion't another dehumanizing concept that originally came out of Red Paranoia during the Cold War but still popular with reductionists today. Eventually, the contagion concept could be used to label people as dangerous or defective and quarantine or eliminate them. Same old story.
However there can be no doubt that your ideas influence the thought of others, but it seems to me it goes mostly unnoticed due to the resistance in others in order to maintain their mindset (and most likely their sanity). Despite resistance we have to strive against ostracism or worse, to state what we believe and not to concur with what we don't actually believe (something people do all the time).
Despite our deep desire for an understanding of an external human world, we all end up being highly selective in the data we take in and I would conclude that our perception is extremely limited and narrowly focused. When it comes down to it, as long as you are alive, this is your world; yours to waste or yours to cherish. Certainly it's easier to help the guy next door than it is to help stop war, but maybe the two things are not different.
Thank you for spending the time to relay your thoughts to me, it is most appreciated. I completely follow your logic, although I am not sure it is actually arrogance to believe in the power or importance of one individual, but is perhaps the same idealism I speak of. (I think it is a good thing) However, I am now going to throw you a curveball, because I am interested in your perspective.
Throughout history, you are correct that 'one person' can have a dramatic effect on the whole. (inspiration) However, here is a scary twist to ponder. (bear with me)
Whether it be government, church, or just wealthy people, the need for societal control is undeniable. (there must be order for stability) Imagine how short our lifespans would be if cells in our body just did what they wanted, instead of what they are supposed to do, and continuously fought the status quo. (here comes the scary part) When trying to determine what is 'good' or 'bad' in life itself, us 'free radicals' see our part as a check, or safety valve to make sure things go as they should. (in everyone's best interests) Years ago, the church called anyone who questioned their directive a 'heretic'. (greek word meaning choice) In other words, yes, I choose to think or believe something other than what I am being told. For this, they were 'burned at the stake'. Prior to this, Socrates promoted 'critical thinking', and was found guilty by his peers for disturbing the peace, and corrupting the youth. It would seem that history is riddled with individuals (Ghandi, Martin Luther King, even Christ himself) who fought for something better, yet we always see their reward as something inappropriate. (taken out)
Nothing terrifies me more than the thought that people like Hitler, Stalin, and their modern contemporaries (Bush, Cheney - yes I made that comparison) are actually doing the 'right thing' being good people, and we are the 'bad people' because we destabilize, and upset their absolute power mentality. Of course, I don't believe this for a second, but I would not consider it intelligent if I didn't at least consider the possibility, that we are the 'misguided ones'. I am sure if you ask the preceding names, they would not hesitate for a second, and that they are the 'righteous ones'. (that is the scary part) At the very least, I have to consider the possibility simply because things are never as they appear, we are all flawed, and we really don't have a clue as to the point of life, or why we are here. (if one even exists)
If you ask the atheists, there is no point. It is all just happenstance, in which case nothing really matters, so why get wound up about anything that doesn't impact one personally. Just live for today, and who cares about what happens tomorrow. (anything goes, no responsibility)
If you ask the theist, you better do as you are told,(yet you have free will) don't question the powers that be, or you will end up in eternal damnation. (but god loves you)
Then, there are people like myself (the artistic, and science driven spiritualist) who believe that we are here for a reason, (have purpose) one of which it is to make sure that things are fair and equitable, not just for all of us, but for all those who have yet to arrive. That we have a responsibility not just to ourselves, and each other, but to the life form we occupy. (the planet)
Of course, all of these are generalities, and it does not mean you can't have moral atheists, or immoral theists. What is undeniable is that how we perceive ourselves in the big picture has a direct result in how we think, and apply ourselves.
Yes, I agree with you that this is our world to waste, or cherish, and our impact as individuals is more obvious to those around us, than those half a world away. The real question is how can humanity evolve towards something worthy, if:
1) We are on different pages due to differences in culture, belief systems, and broad ranging educational acceptance, and understanding.
2) We are all on the same page, never questioning what we are told, sacrificing the individual completely for the whole.
3) We are all fighting with each other, thinking only of ourselves, and what matters to us only at this moment.
It would seem to me, that our situation is tenuous at best, and if we are to advance ourselves, we are going to need a paradigm shift in thinking. Either way, we will never 'rid the world of the evil doers', but we have to rid them from positions of power. We will never all think the same, but need to be on the same page when it comes to tolerance, and equality. Most importantly, we are going to have to restructure the financial construct that presently exists, and adopt a 'star trek' mentality when it comes to what is most important in life.
Ultimately, the entire situation is intriguing, and anything but boring, and although I don't have all the answers, I can make an impact. Since it is mine to choose, ( I hope) may it be better than many of the choices I see being made around me. Since life is art, (subjective) I can only make sure that my choices are the ones I can live with, as well as those around me. Take care, and best wishes bluetortilla!
P.S: My hypocrisy is very limited, in a world where it is virtually unbound.
Thanks for your insights. I wish we got more of them. I know it's off topic, but it seems people are mainly into little blurbs. Those'll get more 'ups' too ha ha.
I don't want to read blogs, but its nice to read actually paragraphs of thought in which an individual can state a conviction and why she stands behind it.
No curve ball- I agree with all you say. It's just that I find myself wanting to bring to light the things that don't get observed. Of course I'm interest in the effects of a collective and the analysis of that. I want to see how paradigms provide predictable patterns of behavior on a larger scale, and I think we can agree that such a perspective in the common and main one.
At the same time though I feel compelled, as have most modern philosophers, in the diminution of the individual, not in objective measurement but in self-percipiton vs. the measurable impacts of individual action (Nietzsche et al), and the conflation of action with being; action as both impetus and result of a spiritual state.
It may be seen both ways and must if it is to be seen correctly (well there undoubtedly more ways but I'm not sure what they would be). Anyway, as your immune systems fights off a cold (and gives immunity to that particular cold for life moreover), it's not just the intelligence of the system, the collective action, that is remarkable but also the fact that one cannot play games and decided which cells involved were in reality superfluous. So it follows that if you are not in your unique way striving for a better world (Star Trek style! yay! I love it) then you cannot gauge the impact of your 'drag' on tipping the scales toward a brighter future for all of us- and ESPECIALLY- for our children and their children, as I am without a doubt that a child is far more important than me.
I think low self-esteem is pandemic, neo-social darwinism continues to overwhelm us, we're cogs, we're blips, we're worth maybe 10 megabytes on the social computer- we don't think highly of the individual. We think 'no, one person can't make a difference- not unless they're superrich or something.' 'I'm not important- not really, not in comparison.'
I'd like to remind everybody that probably no, you're not going to make a change in this world that you'll see directly. But together, believing our individual participation counts measurably and directly, we can transform this beautiful planet of ours and finally become the noble beings we all long to be.
No curve ball at all!
In politics we are all looking for systemic causes, abstractions and paradigms to try to get a grips on how events unfold. We are most definitely interested in the effects of collective behavior and how it comes about, and anomalous patterns as a result of, e.g., things like funding and infrastructure.
My take is not a new one but perhaps a line of modern philosophy that is being abandoned which describes the diminution of the individual in modern times despite the empirical certainty that individual action is measurable and significant (Nietzsche et al). That there is inexorable link between action and being, and that the impetus of the one propels the other in a reciprocal fashion.
Be that as it may (the onus for an enlightened state being at the hands of the individual and not from external peer pressures), there are in numerous models to look at to draw questions and conclusions from. When you catch a cold you can thank your immune system certainly for ridding you of the virus, with the remarkable reassurance that you will never fall ill from that strain of virus again. However, if you were to try calculate which cells were superfluous in fighting off the infection (because surely your body generated more than it needed), you would find yourself in a quandary where the only solution to the problem is that since it cannot be determined which cells were not needed, the answer must be that they all were.
We are stuck in neo-social darwinistic society in which we remain cos, blips, and our individual live probably amount to know more than 10 megabytes or database space. We feel that, in comparison to 'the world' (a scientific abstraction), we don't amount to much and we don't expect much . We think 'no, one person isn't going to make a difference.' And we believe that. And in doing so we guarantee that we are not going to be on the side of people that are needed to tip the scales and make our world a better place. Especially for our children and their children, as I am certain that a child is more important than me.
'Star Trek style'? Yap! Bring it on. Roddenberry was a genius and a visionary. Star Trek is not an overrated idealistic impossibility but a guide for what we may someday become. The nobility in us is not lost but rather in wait. But no one can give it to you. It is a process of awakening.
I like to think of these things because they're so rarely mentioned in our quest for fixing our political problems and achieving an egalitarian world someday in the future. For the time being we have the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. It's grossly ignored, but it's law, and it' all we've got. Shouldn't every person live in such a manner that upholds these rights?
"spiritually bankrupt"? That has the ring of mysticism or a religious fix? It should be obvious from history that belief in such nonsense does little to make us kinder, gentle, or civilized...as men/women are quite willing to kill whenever their govts. ask them.
There are more definitions to the word 'spiritual' other than religious ones. I like the word just fine. Perhaps you think it smacks of moralizing? Anyway, you can look it up and decide for yourself. Personally, I think the word has gotten a bad rap as of late. I'd like to be more spiritual in this age of crass consumerism, not less.
I wish this doc had been available in the US when it was made. Nearing fascism? Sadly, our freedoms are even more restricted due to the current admin. But, our choices aren't choices any longer. And the media is complicit in pandering the lies. This weighs heavy on my heart.
Good doc, but I really want a follow up.
It would be great to hear from the same folks about what has gone on in the Obama admin. The doc has a part about our country nearing fascism.
Pilger is an awesome journalist. To be honest, I have no idea why people in power ever agree to interviews with him. He separates the lies from the facts with a cleaver and shows us gruesome scenes that we'd rather not see but should in order to be reminded of the dangers and horrors facing us today. My impression is that Pilger is an extraordinarily caring and peaceful man with the detachment and fearlessness required to go head to head with the monsters of the world.
Spread your public opinion.
Great documentary. Leaves no doubt that the mainstream media is complicit in the crimes being perpetrated. Soon to be 2014 and things are even worse on that account. The "New American Century" is upon us.
Pity, in human affairs "might makes right" is the dominant reality. Anything else is wishful thinking or mental illness.
Morally, we languish in the Stone Age, and intellectually we try to convince ourselves we are civilized.
World is spiritually bankrupt right now.... gotta start putting into that. "Wishful thinking"/"mental Illness"? I disagree. There is nothing normal about being well adjusted to a sick society.
Just to poke my nose in, I think UnderSiege is saying the same thing: that anyone who goes against the status quo tends to be regarded as mentally inept. At best, free thinkers are labelled 'idealists' not to be taken seriously.
I believe that U.N. charter on human rights followed to the letter is a good foundation for a more just world society. If the state cannot live up to its creed, then at least I can. And I must.
I am an intolerant man- I am intolerant of hypocrisy, of living in fear, of ignorance, and especially of violence and bigotry. And I don't fear those who laugh at me and my 'ideals.' Rather, I stand my ground and insist that the protection of human freedom is the duty of everyone. Until we as a species reach critical mass in our adherence to these principles, we will suffer and live out a paranoid collective consciousness that is heading toward armageddon.
I totally agree with Manfruss. Ans as scary and corrupt as it is for Australia - I'm a Canadian, living only an hour away, in Canada, from the U.S. The propaganda machine of U.S. mainstream media is truly having its way with far too many Americans. They arecattempting to spread their "Empire of a New world Order" around the world. Whistleblowers deserve our support for what they inform us about and we must not let them be abused by the corrupt powers that be. Canada, not unlike Australia, is realizing though the U.S. is a needed ally that we need to say "No" too as we also try to not be enslaved and taken for granted by the U.S. and its out of control Military Industrial Complex.
Sorry dude your too late, read Bill-38. Cross border law enforcement and oil pipelines. How are we any different in Canada? If anything were dumber as they don't even have to pull the wool over our eyes.
The US military industrial complex is the worlds biggest terrorist organization. Period.
Wath a mess, how did all go rong , I know who I'm blaming the dummys across the pond, ass holes, let them stock up with guns and fight each other, religion s nuts !!!!!
very insightful documentary, I hope the people of Afghanastan understand that most people do not support the so called "War on Terror", I think our Government needs to start thinking for itself, and stop following America blindly.. The only people that think America is great is ' American's' and even some of them are starting to wake up to the truth...
A little outdated, since we now know the Bush administration was behind 2comcast9/11; still worth watching though, as the journalist is pretty fearless and well informed.
Brilliant documentary , of the reality We are All living in.
The government has no money, for reconstructing the disastet , they THEMSELVES first created ? But they seem to have the funds for Weapons and Wars ?
How can the American people , let , these atrocities continue and remain Silent ?
How can we , as ordinary people, born free , peaceful and mindfull end up like this?
John Pilger in the "Conspiracy" section? He is a Journalist, this is not conspiracy. At best you could argue it opinion possibly, but that's a pretty big stretch in my personal opinion.
Gota be careful sometimes,because you rebuke,or bring out to light the wrong doing by several public servants,and believe me you would be branded as a traitor,if not as a terrorist. Each and every day that goes by I am convince that the Bush regime (yes regime,because that can not be call Government) was the architect of that fatidical day. True Americans do not act in such a way.
American People are dumbest people on the planet reason of this is - even when economy collapsed they still lived better than 90% of the world ,they will believe and will be manipulated by their government until they reach the peak when half of America loose their jobs or will not have money for living ,then they will start thinking and stop listening TV bullcrap . America is so ignorant that average man don't know more than 2-3 European cities that's how people of America are uneducated. It's easy for government to manipulate such a mass of dumb people .
Grow up! I'm an American and I can not only "cite more than 2-3 European cities", but describe the many I've been to... around the world, and so can many of my friends, colleagues or acquaintances. You are - by definition - educated since English isn't your native tongue. Therefore, when you equate "uneducated" to "dumb", you're proving yourself dumber than those you're trying to criticize. Worse, you're insulting a few billion humans who probably were less fortunate than you wrt getting a formal education. Finally, you're squandering your education when you formulate unfounded statements like "American People are dumbest on the planet" (sic). You've obviously watched quite a bit of "TV bullcrap" yourself!
Alex, perhaps better to understand the person you are responding to, than attack them without giving any credit. I think many Americans are very ignorant because unlike you, they have not travelled and are not very educated. Those of us who are well-travelled and educated are a minority in the USA. I only want to say that the Bush Administration put average US citizens' noses to the grindstone to keep them too busy and overworked to have a clear understanding of the truth and our media (as Pilger is making clear) is keeping the masses ignorant. The economic crisis happened just in time to divert our attention away from all this information. US citizens were kept busy running after jobs and struggling with the housing crash. Just consider if Americans are not being manipulated. As far as why this excellent documentary is listed under conspiracy? "InedibleHulk" replied earlier that, "It's under conspiracy because that's what it's about. A group of people secretly planning a crime." I agree.
I think the key lies in the fact that Americans have been kept ignorant of economics in general, and not learning that having debt means not having the freedom to rebel against the government. To lose a job frequently means losing a house or losing a car, and makes protesting very difficult. Why were we never taught about the dangers of debt in school? Now our accumulated debt puts the U.S. in a very awkward position, between a rock and a hard place one could say, but the internet is likely changing all that...... think of it, the world's knowledge at our command, simply type in a word to have it in front of you. Type in french inflation 1890, or german inflation 1923 to understand what debt and inflation can do to a country. Or just type in John Pilger......
Wow, I've heard some diatribes on Americans before, but 'the dumbest people?' I think all groupings of peoples are equally dumb or equally smart as the case may be.
If you're arguing that Europeans in general are better informed than Americans you might attract more interest. :)
I'm an American cuz i was born there... lol
Thought I'd watched "the war you don't see"--but it was this. Film must be acquired from Amazon via DVD.
John Pilger is one of the best independent journalists. i hope he will make more documentaries like this one. The old ones are great too.
I am finishing a 5000 word thesis proposal in relation to the United States and the Imperial projects in which they are engaged. I am glad the documentary brought up 'Project Camelot' the code name of the operation in which 'SUSPECT' Vietnamese where slaughtered by US forces.
Nice Job, Brent. 100% with ya there. Moderators, thank goodness you're here to censor in the Land of the Free as you can afford, and the Home of Rambo Bravado.
Of all major measured global statistics, the US ranked #1 in only one category— Confidence. Not Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine, any of the Sciences, Philanthropy...f****** confidence, and there's hardly anything more dangerous, for us or anyone, than id**ts that are sure they are genius.
Its funny how almost everyone rips on republicans, can't be more original?
And the West still wonders WHY they HATE us ?
I would too, If I was living in one of those countries.
Its far too early to draw hard conclusions, because its too easy to make a film that supports any view. This without being an ambulance chaser. In speaking to so many Afghans and Iraqis myself, they are far better off than many in Africa, India and China; even without the violence. It helps to understand a real devastation of war and the issues under the skin. 80% of Europe could not protect their citizens from a natural disaster, much less defend themselves from attack. Libya is a recent example of how in-effective NATO and EU is when it comes to collective effort. Russia could walk across Europe today and only China could stop them.
Kinda early on the Libya conclusion yourself, eh?
hey!moderator,lick my ass and suck on my nail........
????,
no wonder you call yourself a nail!
az
Listen, the american people are getting fed up too, vote Ron Paul to fix this s***. He wants to bring our troops home from all over the world, end the war on drugs, and start following the constitution. He wants to kick the(not federal) FED and the IRS(Internal Rothschild Self-serve) out for good. He's the next Thomas Jefferson, and the media hides him from us, and makes him look like a clown.
Speak it brother! Ron Paul is totally what this country needs. I am not a republican whatsoever and his ideas make sense to me. My fellow Americans need to be able to look past party lines and seriously think about who they are voting for. Continuing to do things the same way year after year, yet expecting different results is insane.
Did Obama really bring any change other than more unemployment and more war? What the hell was the deal with Libya? Not the sort of thing I expected Obama to get involved in. Sorry, but you cannot say you are trying to help repressed people and not put boots on the ground. From WikiPedia article about Gaddafi -
He also met Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman in 2009. In August 2009, convicted bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was released to Libya on compassionate grounds and was received with a large celebration. Gaddafi and his government were criticized by Western leaders for his participation in this celebration. On 23 September 2009, Muammar Gaddafi addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In 2010, Gaddafi agreed to pay US$3.5 billion to the victims of IRA attacks he assisted during the 1980s
Was the recent no fly zone in Libya really the result of Gaddafi being repressive? We never really seem to have problems with leaders being 'repressive', unless there is something in it for us. You could kill all the brown people you want in the sand, and it would never even be a blip on the lame stream media networks. Why did this suddenly become an issue that required a no fly zone? If Gaddafi was really that repressive of a leader, all of those 'rebels' would be toast, end of story. There is something else going on here that we are being lied to about.
You can't give people freedom by replacing a bad situation with a worse one, by replacing death & destruction with even more death & destruction. The irony is that our troops are being killed by the same weapons that we gave the Taliban in the first place. We are not stopping terrorists, we are creating them. Our foreign policy creates more terrorists than it stops, by giving them a reason to become one. We need to stay out of other peoples countries & sort our own problems out first. We have killed more people in Afghanistan & Iraq than the regimes that we have tried to replace. It's not working & we need to get out now.
And Canada sheepishly follows along!
Agreed. I've always said, a good nothing is always better than a bad something.
who is more ruthless, unmercifull and inhuman in the history of the world?
1. chengez khan
2. G.BUSH and his accomplice BLAIR
3. OR THE FATHER OF TERRORISM RICHARD NIXON ans his accomplice HENRY KISSINGER
4. Adolf Hitler
5. STALIN "father of communism"
I need your opinion people..
I think that they are all about equal.
Dude, Hitler and Stalin are on a whole differant level then the rest of those. The three most Brutal tyrants in modern history are Stalin Hitler and Mao. They are the top by sheer weight of numbers. You could give the top spot to Hitler for the evil ideology behind it, and the fact that they had brought the slaughter to an industrial scale and where set to finish the extermination of every jew in europe, as well as anyone else they saw as a threat to their ultimate plans. Hitler and his henchman were DEEP into the occult, they had some really messed up plans. They believed in Arian god-men who came from the sky, and where preparing for their return. Basically aliens.They felt that Jews where a lesser species that was here on earth before these "Aryans" came and mated with some earth humans. So they thought if they could cleanse the earth of all non-aryan genes, then the "god-men" would come back and exhault them. If that's not the evilist mofo ever, then I don't know who is.
You might compare some numbers, throwing Pol Pot into the mix. Im not sure that he is with those 3, but he is close.
I would certainly add HiroHito to that list, based on the number of victims (over 10 millions in China alone, millions more in Korea and in the former British Empire) AND the underlying ideology. Polpot should be there too, not only because of the sheer numbers (in a comparatively small country), but also because it was a very methodical systematic organized slaughter (victims concentrated, tortured, abused to death, executed). Not that it's any consolation to the equally systematic torture/death victims of the misc military juntas of South-America... And as disgusting as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are, sadly US foreign policy since WW2 has been (indirectly) responsible for many more civilian deaths in countries where governments were toppled eg the Congo, Indonesia, Greece, Iran etc And Europe also has plenty of blood on its hands too when you start looking into all the post-WW2 decolonization movements (many of which led to arbitrary borders, which led to regional wars) etc
dick cheney and his gang.......
I have heard that AMERICANS @ BRITISH PEOPLE are the most ignorant people of the world. Bcuz of the false information provided to them by their respective govt's. misinformation or in most cases no information.
I think this documentary proved that report right.
But still most of the people of USA and UK are still in ignorance may be more than 90%.
PLZ ALSO WATCH A DOCUMENTARY BY JOHN PILGER "THE WAR YOU DONT SEE" Its more facts revealing and you can say a follow up to this documentary. Recently released and most watched.
A lot of them are waking up actually and have done so for many years. But its not just the Brits and Americans its the whole world. All governments run in the same fashion: information is on a need to know basis, filled with untruths, white lies, and just plain lies.
knowing about it and changing the system are 2 different things, otherwise whats your excuse for the state of the islamic world? before you shout us/uk foreign policies explain the sunni/shia slaghter, thats all your own doing. the very people you are lecturing are largely us/uk people.
couldn't_be_then_who?
PS, I think Kissinger was the father of terror and Nixon the accomplice, making his ideas official.
The UK, for years has done a better job of at least trying to get some truth on the air. Ive seen much tougher questions asked on BBC than anything in the US, but we hve great new hope with Current TV and its new, highly progressive lineup of: Keith Olbermann, The Young Turks, David Schuster, and Jennifer Grandholm each with an hour long show, on an Independent Network. It may be our best chance for an actual beacon of investigation and truth. I also don't want to forget Rachel Maddow and Ed Schultz at MSNBC. Though that network is very controlling, these 2 have stood up to it, and have been great voices for the everyday person, for those with no voice and the oppressed/repressed.
How is this a conspiracy documentary? Surely it just politics?
@Rob
It's not true that the BNP were the only UK party to oppose the war in Iraq (ignoring all the regional nationalist parties) both the Green Party and the (also villified) 'Respect Coalition' came out or formed in opposition to the war. Both of these parties put in a lot of effort in forming an active opposition to the UK's involvement including organising the nationwide protests against the war!
These parties for all their faults tried to prevent the war in Iraq from taking place. Mind you you are right that the anti war parties got little or no air time!
@ Rob,
I understand and see where you're coming from, but I'll put to you, ............. Consider this, your house, your family, your property, someone or a group of people comes into/onto your property/home and if for an instant you in any aspect/way shape or form within a mili-fraction of your belief, think that harm is going to come to your family you would annihilate even kill them and think nothing of it.
I DARE ANYONE WHO SAY THAT THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ACTIONS OF THESE SORT TO WRITE BACK AND SAY/MAKE THEIR POINT.
Assuming that no one disagrees, We all think that this is Wrong, Wrong, Wrong and not in any way acceptable.
My Point!
Though I don't think that the Powers to Be are blameless (they are the root of the whole matter), the soldiers are still faulted because : ..............
You are the ones who came to my land !
You are the ones who pushed forward !
You are the ones who brought the weapons !
You are the ones who had the mind to over run me, my wife, my daughter and my sons and slaughter me as though I was nothing, less than dirt, and did it !
You are the ones who wiped out my whole lineage as though I were a piece of sh*t that you step in and your annoyed that it is on your $3,000.000.000.00 boots "how dare I? "
You are the ones who with your training flawlessly executed all of the above !
You are the ones who with not even knowing me, felt comfortable to take an order from a man, who took an order from another man, who took an order from another man, who then took an order from another man who some how feels that he's Better, Higher and more superior than any other man to the point that he being superior Think it Nothing, Nothing !!! To send all of these Loyal, Committed and Obedient Men ( Sheep ) who just took the orders from Him, straight way to their deaths.
But! This is ok because the Superior One give the Order and Same Difference cause they are Soldiers, RIGHT ? !!!
You are the ones who will Die If I get the Jump on you when you come to Kill ME !
You are the ones. YOU !
And why would you call these Wars Unpopular, maybe you use the wrong word, how is it possible for a war to be Unpopular !
In Wars : People get killed !
: People get send to their Deaths !
: Economies gets destroyed !
: People are Poisoned for Centuries after !
: The land gets Poisoned for Centuries after (this off-course includes the water)!
: The Innocents, Hundreds of Thousands of us Die !
: Lies are told on a People a Race (What's the big deal !) well, then they are Document as True, then the lies are taught to our Children and to the next, and next, and the next Generation. All Lies! !
All in All Wars are BAD, There is a reason why Wars are meant for Last Resort, We al live on earth and the only Beings we can Fight is Human every other thing we Dominate, so we only fight against our selves !
Make no mistake I applaud Soldiers All Over we need them to be to the forefront when Mega Super Powers like United States see something of Value on your property and decide that it's theirs!
I feel bad for the United Nations, every time the USA want to go Invade someone they are made to look utterly Stupid, it's ridiculers, are they even still in operation, If they are they should dismantle and cut there losses, because what their doing now is bad business .
As for the Documentary, it's a good Doc.
The only thing is surprise, surprise, conformation of the US Lies, Corruption and their blatant Misuse of Power.
It's all good somebody will some put a stop to their Foolishness !!
Its funny cause its just like the religion idea, if you doubt it and question the logic behind something its a conspiracy theory, or your a radical. Its funny how more and more thought to be "conspiracy theories" prove themselves through logic and reasoning,and then the ignorants who had once called them are nowhere to be seen.
Great doc... thanks!
This documentary is awesome. The arrogance that these people portray whilst defending their actions is disgusting, governments (U.S. & U.K.) and the media should be held personally accountable for the atrocites they inflict and promote on innocent people. Then maybe there would be justice in this world.
Apologies about the man with the specs, I thought he was the one spewing all that bullcrap. But yeah, that's the mindset a lot of Americans have, unfortunately.
What I will never understand is why the American people don't start a grass roots movement to stop these wars. You have a vote. Use it. Support only those candidates who do not support the war. Organize. Talk to your friends, neighbors, and work associates. Do NOT go on about American imperialism, world domination and the like. It doesn't matter if its true. Its too hard to prove and you will come off as a kook to those you're trying to convince. Explain the benefits of diplomacy. Convince fellow voters that there should be more money for social programs in those countries. It really doesn't matter any more why they went in to those countries. What matters is that they leave. Use the democratic process to your advantage. Use the Tea Party as a guide on how to get this grass roots movement off the ground. If you want results that is how to do it.
US voting system would be a real democratic tool if there was a box that indicated that you did not want any of the listed candidates. Then some of the 'alternative' candidates might have a better chance. Education and The Voting Reform movement is vital.
What bothers me is the Bush Administration and their lies. Those politicians who did not mind spending Trillions for a murderous unjust war yet now squeal about domestic spending to patch the USA back together--they need to be thrown out of public service and thrown into those damn sinkholes opening up all over the USA and Florida.
deeply ashamed - this doc is old too... 10,000 killed multiply that by 20..
When "we the people" of America allow our senses to be numbed by TV, mainstream media spin, easy flow of money and living large, we are just as responsible as those who orchestrate crimes against other countries and their people. I believe Americans will not wake up until the agression turns inward to bite them in the butt, and they begin to feel pain. Americans must wake up, and soon, to what's right under their noses.
It is said that the modern warfare causes the absolute minimum of civilian casualties.
My guess would be that war in the old way would cause less civilians to die. That was just never the case so far because it was never seen as a good choice to keep civilians alive.
At least in the past.
I can't thank you enough Vlatko.Again you came through for us with an honest doc that hits hard.I just hope the peoples from other countries understand we here in the U.S. are victims of a war mongering regime too.We are losing our freedoms and have less say in our govt. every day.We are NOT our govt.
Excellent John, I thought your epilogue was very poignant.
I Would Love For Europe To Wage War On America There Worse Than The Taliban ... There The Bad Guys
Pete. Something a group of us were discussing last night. In the UK we recognise that we can't blame our brave soldiers (I was one!) when they are told to fight a hugely unpopular war. We have to praise our soldiers for their courage and mourn their losses but condemn the powers that be that are pursuing this unpopular conflict.
Amazing how many people do understand that the Aghan situation is a corporate one centred on control of drugs entering the EU (for profit), oil pipelines, and now huge rare mineral resources. 1+1 definitely equals more than 2 here. Note also that only one political party is completely opposed to these corporate wars and that is one that gets no air time, is institutionally villified by the mainstream media, and presented as the boogeyman to our kids by institutionalised teachers. Why would they do that? Perhaps because the British National Party is the only one with the balls to speak the truth. The NWO-ists don't like the truth.
This poor people dont deserve non of this they havent anything to do with the attack in 9/11 but americans believe they have the rigth to kill murder and acuse anyothers of what they caused in their own it is so sad watching many inocent people die but it just usa the inportant only american lives are worthed third world countries are condened to live off what power natios dicide for them to have. The slaved of the so call modern countries what disgusting is this I know I will get a bunch of insults for givien my opinion but I don*'t care I can still talk at least
Now, Aug. 2010: Add the illegal war in Pakistan, brought to you by the President and his party who supported all this in congress by paying for with stolen and cointerfeit money.
@Reason, Hardy, Buttercup. It's under conspiracy because that's what it's about. A group of people secretly planning a crime. Just because the word has been linked with tinfoil hats and sandwich boards by pop culture doesn't change its literal meaning. That's what THEY want you to think... ;)
This was produced in 2003. Seven years later and the US army and allies are still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and people still blindly support 'our boys over there'. People equate patriotism with support for the military. How sad. The 'crazies' are in power. "Terrorism that never speaks its name because it is our terrorism"
In 2003 the number of military bases was according to the film 152. According to the Pentagon's own list, the number of military bases is as of 2009 around 865, but if you include the new bases in Iraq and Afghanistan it is over a thousand, that is those outside the US.
Haven't watched it yet but was wondering why the description talks about the military base and pipeline but fail to mention the drugs.
it is listed under conspiracy because anyone that speaks the truth must lose credibility. one effective way of doing this is by labeling them deluded conspiracy theorists although you have to be completely oblivious to not see that these wars are based on lies.
I second that, 'Reason'. Has nothing conspiratorial about it.
Why is this listed under Conspiracy and not War or Politics?
Very well done, however Thomas Donnelly is listed as the Principal Author on this section of the PNAC Report and William Kristol is only listed as a Project Participant on the Section Rebuilding America's Defenses. Just wondering if that has changed since publication of the report in September 2000?
A superb piece of work, starkly highlighting the truth of America's post-war imperialsim, written and presented by the highly acclaimed John Pilger. A definite 'must watch'.
Thank you for uploading.
Thank you Vlatko! This was a very informative but grim side of the war. We don't hear this side enough in my opinion.