Farenheight 9/11 Reviewed

Here's an interesting review of Farenheight 9/11. Interesting because instead of the generally right-wing popular press reviews of the film which tend to argue just about anything to convince people not to see the movie this one is from the left and though in favour of the goals of Moore in making the film is disturbed by his method.

The major argument is that Moore has presented a dumbed-down case against the Bush Administration that borders on xenophobia, and though using radio-talkback tactics against the right-wing holds a delicious irony it really isn't the best way to go.

The article is also helpful for raising an number of alternatives to Moore's explanation of the reasons for the Iraq war. Specifically the widely reported documents called "Clean Break" (1996) and "Project for a New American Century" (1998) encourage Israeli and American leaders respectively to seek violent military solutions, increase military spending, lower standards of and requirements for war and generally to behave like bullies. And both specifically call for actions against Saddam Hussein. 10 of the 18 signatories to the Project for a New American Century document are later selected to join the Bush Administration.

One source I found while googling summed it up like this:

"The Project for the New American Century (PNAC), a neoconservative think tank formed in the spring of 1997, issues its statement of principles. PNAC states that its aims are “to shape a new century favorable to American principles and interests,” to achieve “a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad,” “to increase defense spending significantly,” to challenge “regimes hostile to US interests and values,” and to “accept America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.”"

The source for this quote is well worth reading as it provides numerous sources for it's claims and summarises the whole lead up to the war and all the people involved. It provides a very good background in why the war happened - and it really is as simple as saying something like "certain US power brokers want to secure oil resources in an unstable and overstretched market, they want to encourage military spending and they want the US to remain the world's only superpower and bully anyone likely to challenge US dominance."

The source mentioned above is a timeline of all the events involved with the Iraq war and contains numerous breathtaking quotes. Just so you know, I really, really recommend you read it.

As far as Farenheight 9/11 is concerned it is an interesting question. Could Moore have done a better job with his documentary? Was it rushed and ill-researched? Was it deliberately playing on baseless racial fears as a dubious means to the end of bringing down George W Bush?

I guess if you who have actually seen the movie have any thoughts you can add a comment here... can't you :)

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