Zander’s Weblog

Interviews with members of the resistance in Iraq, filmed about 4 years ago. The motivations given were certainly plausible, even predictable. Bush et al. were idiots for going there. Leaving is the best and only option.

Fleshes out, in more ways than one, and in Errol Morris’ inimitable style, what little we gleaned from the news reports of the day. But as the film’s title suggests, SOP is unlikely to change (nor are governments or military establishments). Given the subject matter I feel guilty mentioning the stunning cinematography, and Danny Elfman’s great music, but there you have it.

A rather loosely structured assemblage of clips showing coverage of the Iraq war from the other side of the fence. Interesting to watch knowing what we do now. When Rumsfeld hammers Al Jazeera for bias is it the pot calling the kettle black?

See this movie, then read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”. Then march in the streets for solar power! A very convincing documentary. In the world just before oil there were maybe 300 million inhabitants. With oil we now approach 7 billion, with India and China just arriving at the oil party as the glass is half full and dropping. The only reason we have been able to support a population this size is by using massive amounts of fertilizer (the green revolution). Fertilizer is made from oil (as are insecticides, pharmaceuticals, plastics, clothing, the computer you are reading this on, etc.) You do the math. In this light, a global recession could be seen as a good thing. It will leave more oil for your ancestors. Just maybe your grandchildren will be able to experience an airline flight before such things become an insane extravagance. I think this film also makes it perfectly clear why we are in Iraq.

No one doubts that oil is not an unlimited resource, that we’re burning through what we have at a rapid and accelerating pace, that this activity is harmful to the planet, and that sooner or later some serious shit is going to hit the fan. This film examines how we got here and where we might want to go.

Charles Ferguson’s documentary (Special Jury Prize for Documentary at 2007 Sundance) about how Iraq was turned into a quagmire. Devastating. Americans will carry this burden like the Germans carry Hitler. Where is our congress? Why are there no Nuremberg trials?