This unpretentious but devastating documentary hits the nail right on the head in examining the failures of western policy in post-war Iraq. The question of whether the peace could have been won doesn't even come into it; for what is revealed is a story of deliberate incompetence. Quite simply, the neo-conservatives who launched the war believed that the Iraqis would self-organise into a democratic state if only Saddam was toppled; and that the U.S. government's duty to its own people was not to help those whose country it had invaded, but rather, having gone to war, to get out as quickly as possible. In the words of one memorable quote: "The only thing we owe the Iraqi people is their freedom!" In other words, the U.S. thought that they were doing the Iraqis a favour by making havoc and not clearing up; indeed, they actively avoided helping, by barring anyone with any connections to the old regime (i.e. anyone with any experience of government) from playing any role in the new one. There are some amazing details in this film: so hastily were the plans for the occupation put together that one document authorised the use of the "Reichsmark" as the official currency; but one really gets the feeling that the absence of planning was caused by design. British officials interviewed speak with guarded regret, but it is clear that at every level of our administration, the need to stay aligned with America was paramount; concluding the America's plans were simply insane was never an option. The consequences of all this have been appalling, obviously most of all for the Iraqi people; and for anyone who's ever wondered whether the neo-cons are too readily damned by their opponents, this documentary is an eye-opening must-see.
2 Reviews
Depressing but really well delivered film with a strong message built on relevant (and very senior) contributions and records
bob the moo23 April 2008
Let's get my politics out of the way right here and now so that I can get on with reviewing this film, rather than being accused of reviewing the invasion of Iraq. Well, if my use of the word "invasion" doesn't give it away, I am a weak-willed liberal who was against the policy in Iraq, wanted to go the UN route and am daily horrified by the mess has been left behind almost 5 years after Bush stood in front of a "mission accomplished" banner announcing the end of major combat operations. However I do not think that we should pull out of Iraq because I believe that we have messed it up so badly that we have no moral option now but to stay and help them reconstruct although of course my hope is that this does not take the 100 years that Presidential candidate John McCain says he would be fine with.
Anyway, so in regards the subject and message of this film, I am the choir to be preached towards but I assure you that I will not find a film "good" simply because I happen to agree with it. No, the qualities by which I do judge a documentary are more varied and this and many of them are on display in this interesting and well structured film (or pair of films since it was originally screened by the BBC in two parts). Starting out some time before the war actually starts, this film looks at the planning (or lack of planning) from this stage right through to the time when it is too late and the administration are neck-deep in occupation. The structure allows for a clear view across the action so that the opportunity is there for "good planning" to be acknowledged at any stage, but it is clear through this film that one could kindly describe as naïve although incompetent, ignorant and arrogant are probably truer.
Certainly it is hard to end this film with any other opinion because it does a devastating job of building its case and it never feels like it is manipulating the truth or spinning events to make it fit the version of reality that it is putting forward (which is more than one can say of Bush and Blair's presentation of their case). Nor does the film rely on contributions from liberal commentators who are stating their opinions. Instead the film has interviews with key people from the UK and US. Paul Bremer, General Jackson, Chalabi (leader of the Iraqi National Congress who wonderfully accuses Bremer of "blaming the w*gs" or "bl*ckies" for the failures), Ali Allawi (Iraqi Minister) and many others. Very senior diplomats and representatives such as Sir Greenstock also take part in interviews with presenter John Ware, as well as contributions from less senior people who were involved in high-level meetings. All of the contributions are well used and well edited into a documentary that does well to build its case across the film while also following events chronologically, which in reality is all the more damning in the way that reality doesn't weaken the case one bit ie things don't get better years into the occupation.
All of the contributions are interesting, whether they are from people you have heard of or not. On top of this some are just astonishing whether you have heard them or not. Good to see a replay of Hoon joking in the Commons about looting (calling it "good practice"), but there are nice quotes to be had such as "stuff happens" from Rumsfeld and "I don't do bus schedules" from a planning meeting! Also some events are known (securing the weapon stores would have been a good idea no?) but also some that I had not heard (that so much looting of cooper occurred that the global price decreased!). Some have called the film "biased" but to me that is like calling a documentary making Hitler look bad "biased"! The fact I agree with it may make me blind to the suggested "bias" but for me the film is even-handed, stays away from sensationalism and lets the facts speak for themselves you may not like what they say, but there it is.
The material may help it by essentially being an open goal of incompetence but this is still a really interesting documentary that is structured and delivery to great effect. The contributors are all relevant people (some very senior) and not easy liberal commentators who were not there, which only helps add validity to the film itself. Overall a very strong and interesting documentary whose only downside is how damn depressing it is to see the repeated fatal failures of our "leaders", who seem unable to learn the lessons of "common sense", far less the historical ones that we are currently repeating on a daily basis.
Anyway, so in regards the subject and message of this film, I am the choir to be preached towards but I assure you that I will not find a film "good" simply because I happen to agree with it. No, the qualities by which I do judge a documentary are more varied and this and many of them are on display in this interesting and well structured film (or pair of films since it was originally screened by the BBC in two parts). Starting out some time before the war actually starts, this film looks at the planning (or lack of planning) from this stage right through to the time when it is too late and the administration are neck-deep in occupation. The structure allows for a clear view across the action so that the opportunity is there for "good planning" to be acknowledged at any stage, but it is clear through this film that one could kindly describe as naïve although incompetent, ignorant and arrogant are probably truer.
Certainly it is hard to end this film with any other opinion because it does a devastating job of building its case and it never feels like it is manipulating the truth or spinning events to make it fit the version of reality that it is putting forward (which is more than one can say of Bush and Blair's presentation of their case). Nor does the film rely on contributions from liberal commentators who are stating their opinions. Instead the film has interviews with key people from the UK and US. Paul Bremer, General Jackson, Chalabi (leader of the Iraqi National Congress who wonderfully accuses Bremer of "blaming the w*gs" or "bl*ckies" for the failures), Ali Allawi (Iraqi Minister) and many others. Very senior diplomats and representatives such as Sir Greenstock also take part in interviews with presenter John Ware, as well as contributions from less senior people who were involved in high-level meetings. All of the contributions are well used and well edited into a documentary that does well to build its case across the film while also following events chronologically, which in reality is all the more damning in the way that reality doesn't weaken the case one bit ie things don't get better years into the occupation.
All of the contributions are interesting, whether they are from people you have heard of or not. On top of this some are just astonishing whether you have heard them or not. Good to see a replay of Hoon joking in the Commons about looting (calling it "good practice"), but there are nice quotes to be had such as "stuff happens" from Rumsfeld and "I don't do bus schedules" from a planning meeting! Also some events are known (securing the weapon stores would have been a good idea no?) but also some that I had not heard (that so much looting of cooper occurred that the global price decreased!). Some have called the film "biased" but to me that is like calling a documentary making Hitler look bad "biased"! The fact I agree with it may make me blind to the suggested "bias" but for me the film is even-handed, stays away from sensationalism and lets the facts speak for themselves you may not like what they say, but there it is.
The material may help it by essentially being an open goal of incompetence but this is still a really interesting documentary that is structured and delivery to great effect. The contributors are all relevant people (some very senior) and not easy liberal commentators who were not there, which only helps add validity to the film itself. Overall a very strong and interesting documentary whose only downside is how damn depressing it is to see the repeated fatal failures of our "leaders", who seem unable to learn the lessons of "common sense", far less the historical ones that we are currently repeating on a daily basis.
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