The Murderous Reign of Saddam Hussein
The Iraqi Truth Project has released a DVD documentary called Weapon of Mass Destruction: The Murderous Reign of Saddam Hussein. One of my favorite historians, Victor Davis Hanson, and one of the best up-and-coming documentary film-makers, Evan Coyne Maloney, both had a hand in this film. It will be shown at the war crimes trials of both “Chemical” Ali and Saddam Hussein.
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I did watch the trailer. It damn near knocked me out of my chair. I knew right away I had to order this movie at once. I’ve been back to watch the trailer several times already. It’s an incredibly powerful minute-and- a-half of footage and music.
(The link to the trailer is at the top of the Iraq Truth Project page)
I’ll be honest, I saw this film with my wife at the Liberty Film Festival in Los Angeles. The first half of the movie that actually covers the atrocities of Saddam is gripping and powerful. The second half (i.e. the parts by the film’s well-meaning but ultimately lacking real-estate agent cum filmmaker) are poorly paced, slapdash, and play like a bad Sean Hannity show.
But again, the first half is outstanding.
From the trailer it looks like a compelling documentation will be diluted by indiscriminate bad-mouthing of opponents of the war and a healthy dose of feel-good military machismo suggesting a “clean” war.
Which is a pity from where I’m standing.
Then again, pretty much the same applies to Michael Moore movies IMO, which also contain some good stuff, food for thought marred by oversimplifications and dishonest portrayals. The use of “WMD” in the title would seem to support my speculation above.
Obviously I’d be glad to be shown to be wrong by the actual film.
Perhaps Christopher should watch the movie again without the fog of an upcoming election. At a recent showing in Canada they rated it as the most accurate documenatary made yet about America in Iraq, the “Bush Doctrine” and what life was like under Saddam Hussein.
After being viewed by thousands of troops serving in Iraq today, the commanders in the field have asked for more copies so our American heroes can see the real good they are accomplishing.
While we are discussing how bad saddam was, lets not forget the victims of Bush’s puppet govt. in Iraq.
(NY Times)
The State Department detailed human rights abuses by the newly sovereign government, including torture, rape and illegal detentions.
Bravo to anjin-san
How about the Murderous Reign of the Bush Crime Family-
I do not recall the saddam era having a car/suicide bomb
going off every few hours someplace in Iraq, this started
with the illegal BUSH invasion of a defenseless country.
follow the trail of money to cheny/haliburton and Saudi/bush
for the solutions.
“Without the fog of an upcoming election”?
Which election are we talking about?
Again, I don’t dispute the parts filmed by the Kurdish gentleman in Iraq. Those parts were excellent and heart-wrenching.
It was after that that it lost it’s way…
‘Bush’s puppet govt. in Iraq.’
Maybe you missed the news but the original Iraqi transistion gov’t didn’t pick the US candidate and in the 1/30 elections Allawi’s party finished 3rd.
‘I do not recall the saddam era having a car/suicide bomb’
Do you recall the half million people in mass graves, use of gas against Kurds, invasion and rape of Kuwait, forced starvation of adversaries, draining of southern marshes, embezzlement of UN humanitarian funds, payments to suicide bombers?
‘follow the trail of money to cheny/haliburton and Saudi/bush’
self parody.