A look at what really happened in the presidential elections of 2000.
XXI Century: blood and oil
- Description
- Reviews
- Citation
- Cataloging
- Transcript
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As the war against Iraq was approaching, many international organizations were working to identify and anticipate the effects of this new conflict on the civilian population and economy of Iraq. Interviews with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War present us with possible scenarios for the conduct and repercussions of the current war. What is the price, and who will pay it?
Part 6 of 'XXI CENTURY' also looks at the damage done to the UN, the refusal of the US to join the International Criminal Court, to be bound by any international standards. It looks at the justification for war, namely weapons of mass destruction. Former weapons inspector Scott Ritter demolishes that argument. So what are we fighting for? Howard Zinn points out that the central feature of US policy in the Middle East is our need for a dependable supply of oil. It alone can explain our actions from the overthrow of the Mossadegh regime in Iran in 1956 to the first Gulf War in 1991, even to our attempt to oust Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.
Helping us deconstruct US foreign policy are Gore Vidal, Roger Normand of the Center for Economic and Social Rights, Jose Alvarez of Columbia Law School, investigative journalist Greg Palast, and historian Arno Mayer.
'An exceptionally well done panorama of significant political events surrounding September 11th, 2001 and the American Empire.' Willliam Blum
'Highly revealing! A documentary which celebrates the peace movement while fueling your rage to danger levels.' Red Pepper
Citation
Main credits
Zamparini, Gabriele (film director)
Zamparini, Gabriele (film producer)
Zamparini, Gabriele (screenwriter)
Zamparini, Gabriele (director of photography)
Meccoli, Lorenzo (film producer)
Meccoli, Lorenzo (screenwriter)
Meccoli, Lorenzo (director of photography)
Meccoli, Lorenzo (editor of moving image work)
De Grazia, Victoria (on-screen participant)
Palast, Greg (on-screen participant)
Sidel, Victor W. (on-screen participant)
Normand, Roger (on-screen participant)
Solomon, Norman (on-screen participant)
Alvarez, Jose (on-screen participant)
Goering, Curt (on-screen participant)
Cline, David (on-screen participant)
Tutu, Desmond (on-screen participant)
Chomsky, Noam (on-screen participant)
White, Edmund (on-screen participant)
Vidal, Gore (on-screen participant)
Brody, Reed (on-screen participant)
Ritter, Scott (on-screen participant)
Zinn, Howard (on-screen participant)
Mayer, Arno J. (on-screen participant)
Other credits
Editor, Lorenzo Meccoli [and 5 others]; camera, lighting, and sound, Lorenzo Meccoli, Gabriele Zamparini.
Distributor subjects
American Democracy; American Studies; Anthropology; Citizenship; Civil Liberties; Conflict Resolution; Ethics; Foreign Policy, US; Global Issues; History; Human Rights; Humanities; International Studies; Iran; Iraq; Media Studies; Middle East Studies; Social Justice; Sociology; United Nations; War and PeaceKeywords
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And therefore it\'s forced upon us to full
force in the United States military.
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And we will prevail
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The Union as it was a presentation to
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the American public turned him hit buttons
and stuff like they\'re not a very good one.
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I don\'t think well when he was talking about
war he either get this solemn phasor.
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We get this stern phase but
he was China gets you to
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think and yeah we\'re
gonna kick their as yet.
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I\'ll show him was right.
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The reality is they\'re gonna
kill a lot of people you know
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and as was all left dotted arrow pigs
you they\'re gonna kill a lot of people.
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The Americans are going to
die Iraqis are gonna die.
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Large numbers of Iraqi civilians who
aren\'t holding guns are all going to die
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My age
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that
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I was part of a Center for Economic and
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Social Rights delegation to
Iraq a fact-finding mission
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In January of 2003 it had several purposes.
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One of them was a humanitarian assessment.
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And we came out with a
report called the human
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costs of war in which
based on our visits to
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hospitals and clinics based on our
interviews with UN officials government
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officials and based on a whole set of confidential
UN documents that we were able to get.
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The report makes very clear that there
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will be a humanitarian disaster
in the event of war and not only
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that the United Nations the
independent relief agencies and
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the Iraqi government are totally
unprepared to deal with it.
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The problem that we see today is that the
lessons of the first Gulf War had not been
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learned by the world certainly not by
the United States not by the Pentagon
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They\'re planning once again
to target electricity.
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Only this time the impact
will be far far worse.
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You\'ll have far more casualties
because whereas in 1991 Iraq was
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a wealthy country relatively speaking
today after 2012 years of sanctions.
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There\'s no middle-class left.
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The vast majority of Iraqis are
dependent for their survival on
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the Oil for Food program based on the
weakened state of the Iraqi population
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Based on the weekend structure of
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hospitals and food supplies and
food distribution in Iraq.
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The report by jacked suggested
that a military attack at
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this time on Iraq would lead
to vast civilian damage.
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The estimates of jacked
range from 50 thousand to
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over 200 thousand civilian deaths
as a result of the military attack.
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One of the imponderables of course one
of the things that are impossible to
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predict is what weapons will
be used on an attack on Iraq.
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There is some danger that the United States
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may use earth penetrating
weapons that are based on
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nuclear weapons than an attempt to destroy
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underground bunkers and
attempt to destroy what they
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feel may be underground stores of
chemical and biological weapons.
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The danger of these Perth penetrating weapons
is that first of all they\'re very unlikely
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to destroy underground stacks of
chemical or biological weapons.
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If those exist they will simply disperse
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them into the environment of
the and not destroy them.
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And furthermore and away
even more dangerous.
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The use of nuclear weapons would open
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the door to further use of
nuclear weapons which has
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not been used in war of course since
the United States used them in
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1945 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Another weapon that that has been
discussed is a weapon that produces
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an electronic pulse of such a magnitude
that it cuts off power supplies
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That will of course affect power in
hospitals power to move food supplies.
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Will have a direct effect on the
health of the civilian population.
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And in fact it\'s kind of
interesting the way this is
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now just the last few days there
had been the first articles
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appearing saying that
the that Washington is
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beginning to take into account
the risks of the war.
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It was one of the New York Times the other
day that the risks the risks exclude
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totally the concerns of
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the aid agencies the UN and so on that
there could be horrible humanitarian
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Atrophy and that\'s not even mentioned.
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The risks are the costs
to the United States.
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They say quote Rumsfeld and catalog
big thick book full of risks.
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And these are the risks
that the US government
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and the New York Times and
the elites see risks to us.
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Now to be precise there is a
mention of risks to Iraqis
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namely it said Saddam Hussein might
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use chemical weapons against
the Iraqis and blame it on us.
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That\'s the risk we might be blamed for it.
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Or things might go wrong and that would
alienate the population. So like if
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many people die might alienate the
population and there\'ll be bad for us.
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That\'s the only reason
it would be bad for us.
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The Wall Street Journal a couple of
days later had an article on these very
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faint and they\'re all
excited and the military
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got these wonderful new
weapons that it\'s garlic.
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My 10-year-old grandson playing a
video game and they can use them
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against these none these creatures
you know who can\'t shoot back.
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And so it\'s going to be great fun.
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They\'re worried about some of
them that they call E weapons.
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The weapons will instantly
and permanently wipe out
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the electrical power and other systems
which means massive biological warfare.
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Because it wouldn\'t mean UI that power systems
water systems sewage systems and so on.
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What happens to the people in a city okay
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huge biological warfare and they say
Well we\'re kinda holding off on
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using these because it might harm
us forces to we hadn\'t really
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perfected it yet or again might
kinda alienate the population.
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So that\'s why we might not
use the only possible reason
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America is a friend to the people of Iraq.
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I always in contact with people
interact through most of
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the bombing until the very end when
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the telephone lines were all destroyed.
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And one of the families I was
really close to as Karima.
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She\'s a single mother.
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She has eight kids to two-sided
ins and six daughters.
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And they\'re the most beautiful
daughters you\'ve ever seen.
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The oldest one is 16.
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And the when I was really close
to her name was a mala she was
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13 and she turned 14 the
second day of the bombing.
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And I haven\'t I haven\'t
heard from her since.
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And similarly my friend Haider
he\'s also a student he\'s he\'s 20
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And he was away for out of the country in
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Jordan for a school vacation and he
could have stayed and avoided the war.
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And he decided to come back
to be with his family.
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And he spent the last three weeks every day
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he\'d he\'d call me every
night and often you call
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me in tears because he
kept trying to convince
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his mother to leave with his
his two younger sisters.
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And she wouldn\'t leave him alone.
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And she wouldn\'t leave his father alone.
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And I don\'t know I don\'t know
if they decided to leave.
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I don\'t know if they\'re still in Baghdad.
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I do know that the neighborhood that
they live in was bombed very severely
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By the United States and what\'s striking
to me is that we just we never see.
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We never see these faces.
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We always see the faces
of the Iraqi officials.
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We always see that picture
of Saddam Hussein.
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We never see the pictures of Iraqi people.
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I think part of the problem in America
is that people have a hard time.
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Picturing what these people look like.
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I mean there are some great
movies that have been made
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by the Iranians especially Carlos Tommy.
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And it seems to me a shame
that movies like that can\'t be
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seen by more Americans because
I think it sounds stupid.
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But I think that if people could picture
individual people and see children and see women
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and see old men and see very nice
people living ordinary lives.
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And then imagine that they\'re
all going to be destroyed.
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It would put a human
face on this situation.
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The last Iraqi War there
was a lot of talk in
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America by how no civilian suffered
there was surgical bombing.
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They always use this word surgical bombing.
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In fact we now know that many civilians
suffered terribly in that war and certainly
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they the consequences the
economic consequences
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of that war had been terrible
for the Iraqi people.
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But most Americans don\'t realize that they
really imagine that the last war was won
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by a few well-placed bombs that killed nobody
that only destroyed armaments or soldiers.
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But that civilians weren\'t touched.
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Well this is a terrible myth.
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And I think people imagined that
this new war will be like that too.
00:12:01.685 --> 00:12:08.374
So it reduces the problem of thinking we\'re
going to murder lots of innocent people.
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In December of 2002 I accompanied
Sean Penn the actor and
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director to Baghdad was a trip organized
by the Institute for Public accuracy.
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It was difficult as an American to be in
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part of the hospital where
children were dying and to realize
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that it was the US government
really and not entirely
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but to a significant extent
responsible for their deaths
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and people in the United States don\'t
want to deal with that reality.
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For the most part because of the news media
they haven\'t had to deal with that reality.
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I think of the great American
writer James Baldwin who
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wrote of the people of the United States.
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He put it this way. He said they have
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destroyed and are destroying and do not
know it and do not want to know it.
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But Baldwin went on to say
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It\'s not permissible that the authors
of devastation should also be innocent.
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It is their innocence that
constitutes the crime.
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And a few decades later as we look at what\'s
happened in iraq clearly that kind of
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false innocence of the people in
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the United States which has been
made more easy by the US News Media.
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That phony innocence is
really part of the crimes
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against humanity that had been inflicted
on Iraq by the US government.
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In my name with my tax dollars
that\'s the reality for Americans
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President John Quincy
Adams said in the 128\'s
00:14:10.345 --> 00:14:15.459
On the subject of our fighting
deliberate Greece from Turkey.
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And the United States goes not abroad
in search of monsters to destroy.
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The United States took
up all foreign affairs.
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She might become the dictators of the world
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But she would no longer be the
ruler of her own spirit or soul or
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should we be allowed in 2004 to hold a
presidential election here in the homeland.
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I suspect way to realize that
the only regime change that
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need concern are regains period or soul.
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Isn\'t washed Washington.
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President Adams is long since dead.
00:15:07.865 --> 00:15:13.999
And we have now been in business
since at least 1900 with
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the conquest of the Philippines the
local population did not want us there.
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We promised them independence we
killed 220 thousand and while subduing
00:15:25.010 --> 00:15:30.169
them a few years ago there was
a significant exchange between
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the then general colon
power and then States
00:15:33.650 --> 00:15:39.739
person Madeline Albright like so many civilian
she was eager to use our troops against
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one of our many many many enemies
everywhere we look somebody
00:15:44.390 --> 00:15:49.864
lurking who might one day
find a special death ray.
00:15:49.865 --> 00:15:52.654
Turn it on us.
00:15:52.655 --> 00:15:57.750
One can hardly sleep at night knowing
these dangers all around us.
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When power said no she said
what\'s the point of having
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all this military and not using it
He said they are not toy soldiers.
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But in the interest of
fighting communism we
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didn\'t spend trillions
of dollars until we are
00:16:15.470 --> 00:16:20.539
now threatening to sink under
the weight of so much weaponry.
00:16:20.540 --> 00:16:26.970
Much of it we have shifted over
on to Afghanistan and Iraq.
00:16:27.550 --> 00:16:32.164
So why stop fooling around
with diplomacy and treaties
00:16:32.165 --> 00:16:37.624
And coalitions and just use our military power
to give orders for the rest of the world.
00:16:37.625 --> 00:16:40.399
Last summer Congress received
from the administration
00:16:40.400 --> 00:16:44.269
a document called the national security
strategy of the United States.
00:16:44.270 --> 00:16:49.174
As a historian Joseph Strom Berg observed
and must be read Dewey believed.
00:16:49.175 --> 00:16:53.659
The doctrine preaches the desirability
of the United States becoming to
00:16:53.660 --> 00:16:58.114
use Adams word dictators of the world.
00:16:58.115 --> 00:17:00.994
It also said user in
Nicaragua was quite enough.
00:17:00.995 --> 00:17:04.714
You know now it\'s going to be Korea China.
00:17:04.715 --> 00:17:06.619
It also assumes that the President and
00:17:06.620 --> 00:17:10.924
his lieutenants are morally
entitled to govern this planet.
00:17:10.925 --> 00:17:14.629
It declares that our best
defense is a good offense.
00:17:14.630 --> 00:17:17.209
The doctrine of preemption is next
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declared as a matter of common sense they
could probably right and Self-Defense.
00:17:22.205 --> 00:17:25.324
America will act against
the emerging threats.
00:17:25.325 --> 00:17:32.254
Before they are fully formed
this kind of madness.
00:17:32.255 --> 00:17:35.539
This is not what we started the country for
00:17:35.540 --> 00:17:40.279
the rest of the world one\'s
free nations have a stake in
00:17:40.280 --> 00:17:48.280
preventing sudden catastrophic attacks were
asking them to join us in many are doing so.
00:17:49.210 --> 00:17:56.910
Yet the course of this nation does not
depend on the decisions of others
00:18:04.450 --> 00:18:08.929
We\'re witnessing a unique
event in the history of
00:18:08.930 --> 00:18:11.479
the United Nations and event that possibly
00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:14.419
signals the end of the United
Nations as we know it.
00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:18.469
The UN was established after
World War II when the world came
00:18:18.470 --> 00:18:22.834
together with a moral consensus
that this could never happen again.
00:18:22.835 --> 00:18:29.028
What that meant is that an unrestrained war
a war in which civilians were targeted
00:18:29.029 --> 00:18:32.959
without common legal principles
that would restrain all
00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:37.699
parties both sides from ever doing
that again the fundamental purpose and
00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:42.724
Article One of the United United
Nations charter is to avert
00:18:42.725 --> 00:18:48.574
the scourge of war that twice in our lifetime
has brought untold sorrow to mankind.
00:18:48.575 --> 00:18:52.999
That basic principle and that basic
purpose of the United Nations has
00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:57.769
been fundamentally challenged now
by the United States and Britain.
00:18:57.770 --> 00:19:02.149
Because they\'ve circumvented
the Security Council
00:19:02.150 --> 00:19:04.669
they needed another
resolution for this to be
00:19:04.670 --> 00:19:07.534
illegal war and they fail
to get it but rather than
00:19:07.535 --> 00:19:11.444
abiding by the rules The President
Bush has said very plainly.
00:19:11.445 --> 00:19:12.804
The rules don\'t count.
00:19:12.805 --> 00:19:14.004
They don\'t matter anymore.
00:19:14.005 --> 00:19:16.044
We\'re going to go to war anyway.
00:19:16.045 --> 00:19:18.909
Not only that it\'s a what
he calls a preventive war.
00:19:18.910 --> 00:19:20.409
It\'s it\'s it\'s really not a war.
00:19:20.410 --> 00:19:23.739
It\'s it\'s an invasion by the most
powerful country in the world of
00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:27.069
a relatively small weak country
00:19:27.070 --> 00:19:29.709
whose entire economy and of
course the military as well
00:19:29.710 --> 00:19:32.889
has been subject to 12 years of sanctions.
00:19:32.890 --> 00:19:35.889
But I think the most
important thing here is that
00:19:35.890 --> 00:19:38.799
if we throw out the UN charter
as the United States is doing.
00:19:38.800 --> 00:19:44.394
What are we left with what we\'re left with
is the situation before World War II.
00:19:44.395 --> 00:19:48.669
And that was where Germany for
example launched invasions what
00:19:48.670 --> 00:19:53.279
they called preemptive wars
against say Norway and Denmark
00:19:53.280 --> 00:19:57.949
That was judged by the world at the
Nuremberg tribunals and it was judged
00:19:57.950 --> 00:20:02.644
to be in the words of the tribunal
the supreme international crime.
00:20:02.645 --> 00:20:06.649
So we\'re going back to a period
where it\'s now legitimate for
00:20:06.650 --> 00:20:09.139
the most powerful countries
in the world to commit what
00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:11.734
used to be understood as the
supreme international crime.
00:20:11.735 --> 00:20:17.659
And so because the United Nations or
because the Security Council failed
00:20:17.660 --> 00:20:20.539
the world failed in
upholding the UN Charter is
00:20:20.540 --> 00:20:24.724
fundamental purpose failed because the United
States wouldn\'t allow it to do its job.
00:20:24.725 --> 00:20:27.529
It falls to the rest of us.
00:20:27.530 --> 00:20:28.969
It falls to civil society.
00:20:28.970 --> 00:20:32.269
It falls to the general public
who has spoken very strongly
00:20:32.270 --> 00:20:36.259
against this war to try to enforce
00:20:36.260 --> 00:20:39.319
International law through the
International Criminal Court
00:20:39.320 --> 00:20:43.684
through the concept of universal
jurisdiction for war crimes
00:20:43.685 --> 00:20:51.685
the New International Criminal Court which
was overwhelmingly voted by a 120 to seven.
00:20:54.305 --> 00:20:57.559
In 1998 in Rome there\'s
probably going to be
00:20:57.560 --> 00:21:03.919
the most important human rights
institution created in the last 50 years.
00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:10.549
This is the court that is going to be
able to investigate and prosecute the
00:21:10.550 --> 00:21:18.124
Saddam Hussein\'s the gusto Pinochet\'s the
Pol Pot\'s the EDM means of the future
00:21:18.125 --> 00:21:24.214
It\'s not a panacea it\'s not going
to stop crimes from happening.
00:21:24.215 --> 00:21:28.054
But hopefully over time the existence of
00:21:28.055 --> 00:21:33.169
an international justice system
to punish the perpetrators of
00:21:33.170 --> 00:21:37.639
the worst atrocities is going
to change the way countries are
00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:42.649
governed and international
relations are are organized.
00:21:42.650 --> 00:21:44.929
And I think that\'s one of the things
frankly that the United States
00:21:44.930 --> 00:21:50.449
fears the policymakers in
the Bush administration and
00:21:50.450 --> 00:21:54.469
the Pentagon believed
that the United States is
00:21:54.470 --> 00:22:00.484
the most powerful country in the world and
it\'s not in their national interests.
00:22:00.485 --> 00:22:04.159
Two subject American use of power
00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:08.374
American war making to the
constraints of the rule of law.
00:22:08.375 --> 00:22:13.549
I think the fear goes way
back in American history.
00:22:13.550 --> 00:22:19.879
That is this notion that the
US could be subject to court.
00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:23.239
Jurisdiction are outside
the four corners of
00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:27.379
the US goes back to this notion
that nobody can second guess.
00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:35.254
The US and that our institutions for
justice are the best in the world.
00:22:35.255 --> 00:22:38.854
And this notion of a US
exceptionalism pervades
00:22:38.855 --> 00:22:42.979
that it\'s particularly difficult
for other countries to accept
00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:46.069
because the US is the first to suggest that
00:22:46.070 --> 00:22:49.789
they should be subject to
international criminal process.
00:22:49.790 --> 00:22:53.974
We were strong advocates of the
international tribunal for Rwanda.
00:22:53.975 --> 00:22:58.669
For the former Yugoslavia we
supported it financially.
00:22:58.670 --> 00:23:02.584
And that\'s a clear case of justice.
00:23:02.585 --> 00:23:06.229
International justice is
good for you but not for us.
00:23:06.230 --> 00:23:13.024
The United States was one of the handful
of countries that didn\'t ratify.
00:23:13.025 --> 00:23:15.649
This treaty
00:23:15.650 --> 00:23:21.859
And although President Clinton signed the
treaty his last day in office before he
00:23:21.860 --> 00:23:25.549
left the new administration
the Bush administration
00:23:25.550 --> 00:23:29.389
coming in unsigned It was
an signed the treaty.
00:23:29.390 --> 00:23:33.964
It was almost unheard of that
that type of action where
00:23:33.965 --> 00:23:40.909
a successor government on signs a treaty
that are previous government had had signed.
00:23:40.910 --> 00:23:48.289
And not only did it on sign but it was so
hostile and is so hostile to that treaty or
00:23:48.290 --> 00:23:52.684
indeed almost it seems any form of
00:23:52.685 --> 00:23:54.829
international standard whether it\'s
00:23:54.830 --> 00:23:57.874
human rights standard whether
it\'s environmental standard
00:23:57.875 --> 00:24:02.494
or whatever that seems
to interfere with with
00:24:02.495 --> 00:24:08.119
its way of doing business he
administration has been quite
00:24:08.120 --> 00:24:10.969
clear that it opposes the
International Criminal Court
00:24:10.970 --> 00:24:14.614
and it opposes it precisely for the reasons
00:24:14.615 --> 00:24:21.679
that it could put a US service
person or those higher up on trial.
00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:25.549
In fact the US made quite clear it\'s
00:24:25.550 --> 00:24:29.389
position during the negotiations for the
International Criminal Court at Rome.
00:24:29.390 --> 00:24:33.648
And since there has been
legislation passed in Congress
00:24:33.649 --> 00:24:36.919
that that suggests that we would be able
00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:40.369
to do certain nasty things
to certain government.
00:24:40.370 --> 00:24:43.939
If they ratified the
International Criminal Court
00:24:43.940 --> 00:24:46.429
and it\'s clear that the opposition extends
00:24:46.430 --> 00:24:52.609
not just within the administration but also
majorities in both houses of Congress.
00:24:52.610 --> 00:24:58.279
And now at the moment we see the
United States actively using
00:24:58.280 --> 00:25:04.969
its military muscle its economic
muscle to threaten other governments
00:25:04.970 --> 00:25:09.484
that have signed a treaty not to
cooperate with the treaty and to sign
00:25:09.485 --> 00:25:14.344
special agreements with the
United States which specify
00:25:14.345 --> 00:25:19.219
that those countries will not
turn over any American soldier or
00:25:19.220 --> 00:25:24.769
civilian to the International Criminal
Court and there\'s immense pressure.
00:25:24.770 --> 00:25:29.554
Now on small countries like
East Timor or Bulgaria or
00:25:29.555 --> 00:25:34.849
Romania to sign these these
bilateral treaties with
00:25:34.850 --> 00:25:40.519
the United States indicating that they
won\'t in effect respect the provisions of
00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:43.129
the International Criminal Court
when it comes to the United States
00:25:43.130 --> 00:25:47.640
soldiers it\'s an absolute catastrophe
00:26:01.690 --> 00:26:07.954
The United Nations was born in the
hope that survived a world war.
00:26:07.955 --> 00:26:12.244
The hope of a world moving toward justice.
00:26:12.245 --> 00:26:17.610
Escaping old patterns of conflict and fear.
00:26:17.800 --> 00:26:23.299
The founding members resolve that the
peace of the world must never again be
00:26:23.300 --> 00:26:29.719
destroyed by the will and
wickedness of any man
00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:33.244
We created a United
Nations Security Council
00:26:33.245 --> 00:26:35.599
the United States as a member
of the Security Council.
00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:37.279
In fact one of five permanent members with
00:26:37.280 --> 00:26:39.829
a veto capability of the United States
00:26:39.830 --> 00:26:42.649
voted for a resolution calling
for racks disarmament but
00:26:42.650 --> 00:26:45.559
since 1991 the United States
has maintained a policy of
00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:50.164
regime removal which is taken priority over
the international mandate of disarmament.
00:26:50.165 --> 00:26:53.749
In 1998 the United States used
the weapons inspection process
00:26:53.750 --> 00:26:57.559
as a vehicle of deliberately provoke you to
confrontation with the Government of Iraq.
00:26:57.560 --> 00:27:00.109
And then the United States ordered
the weapons inspectors out.
00:27:00.110 --> 00:27:01.519
They weren\'t kicked out by Saddam Hussein.
00:27:01.520 --> 00:27:03.304
They were ordered out by the United States.
00:27:03.305 --> 00:27:06.199
And the United States began a
unilateral military campaign
00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:11.704
Operation Desert Fox in which 8697 targets
that were bombed by the United States
00:27:11.705 --> 00:27:14.599
we\'re had nothing to do with
disarmament and everything to do
00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:17.329
with the security of tsunami
saying You remember
00:27:17.330 --> 00:27:20.359
the United States policies regime
removal and they sought to eliminate
00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:22.009
Saddam Hussein through military action
00:27:22.010 --> 00:27:24.079
military action that was
empowered by intelligence.
00:27:24.080 --> 00:27:27.679
Information gathered through the
inspection process United States corrupted
00:27:27.680 --> 00:27:29.584
the inspection process by using it for
00:27:29.585 --> 00:27:31.849
purposes other than that
mandated by the Security Council
00:27:31.850 --> 00:27:37.294
. I spent seven years as an inspector
in Iraq is frustrating work.
00:27:37.295 --> 00:27:39.679
We didn\'t get full cooperation
of the Iraqi government
00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:43.489
but we have to keep this in
mind during those seven years.
00:27:43.490 --> 00:27:46.384
Every inspector came home alive and
00:27:46.385 --> 00:27:49.984
no American soldiers had to die and
we didn\'t kill an Iraqi civilians.
00:27:49.985 --> 00:27:52.804
We accomplished quite a bit
in the field of disarmament.
00:27:52.805 --> 00:27:56.959
We\'re able to ascertain a 90
to 95% level of accounting for
00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:59.269
these weapons as well as
00:27:59.270 --> 00:28:03.034
100% accounting for the factories used
by Iraq to produce these weapons.
00:28:03.035 --> 00:28:04.339
We didn\'t get a 100%.
00:28:04.340 --> 00:28:08.209
We don\'t know what the final disposition
is of some critical aspects of
00:28:08.210 --> 00:28:10.649
the Iraqi programs but there is no evidence
00:28:10.650 --> 00:28:13.909
there retains weapons of
mass destruction today.
00:28:13.910 --> 00:28:16.354
And we talked about the
inspection process today.
00:28:16.355 --> 00:28:17.959
Remember the inspectors today are getting
00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:21.634
much better access than we ever
enjoyed when I was an inspector.
00:28:21.635 --> 00:28:24.679
And it appears as though they\'re being
00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:27.709
successful they haven\'t found any
weapons of mass destruction.
00:28:27.710 --> 00:28:31.474
It as long as the inspectors or interact
getting the full axis they need.
00:28:31.475 --> 00:28:35.089
There\'s no way I can rebuild these
weapons of mass destruction.
00:28:35.090 --> 00:28:38.689
So of course the weapons inspection
process must be respected.
00:28:38.690 --> 00:28:43.519
It is after all not only the rule of
law but it is a method of dealing with
00:28:43.520 --> 00:28:46.009
the critical situation that doesn\'t involve
00:28:46.010 --> 00:28:48.814
going into war doesn\'t
involve the loss of life.
00:28:48.815 --> 00:28:50.569
We must give the inspections a chance.
00:28:50.570 --> 00:28:52.789
We have no choice but to give
the inspections a chance.
00:28:52.790 --> 00:28:56.329
If we want to call ourselves
a law abiding people
00:28:56.330 --> 00:29:00.514
President Bush was never interested in
disarmament that disarmament never had a chance.
00:29:00.515 --> 00:29:05.419
But even though the leader of the disarmament
hands blacks asked for more time even
00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:10.264
though the Security Council made very
reasonable proposals just give them more time.
00:29:10.265 --> 00:29:13.459
Let them see what they can
find help them support them.
00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:15.889
President Bush said no we want war.
00:29:15.890 --> 00:29:18.004
It\'s about the removal of Saddam Hussein.
00:29:18.005 --> 00:29:24.439
Saddam Hussein and his sons must
leave Iraq within 48 hours.
00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:31.009
Their refusal to do so will result in
military conflict commenced at a time of our
00:29:31.010 --> 00:29:34.729
choosing for their own
safety all foreign nationals
00:29:34.730 --> 00:29:39.570
including journalists and inspectors
should leave Iraq immediate
00:29:46.570 --> 00:29:52.234
When you live with nothing but lies being
told you on the media nothing but lies.
00:29:52.235 --> 00:29:53.899
And it\'s done the way they do.
00:29:53.900 --> 00:29:56.659
Advertising is repetition weapons
of mass destruction she\'d
00:29:56.660 --> 00:30:00.164
got mass destruction mass
destruction structure.
00:30:00.165 --> 00:30:02.749
When you hear that 10 thousand times
a day you\'d finally Thank you
00:30:02.750 --> 00:30:05.779
must out you know they can\'t
go on like this forever.
00:30:05.780 --> 00:30:07.729
Well he didn\'t have.
00:30:07.730 --> 00:30:10.429
Now I\'m sure we\'re busy
planting them you know all over
00:30:10.430 --> 00:30:13.519
the place and we will just
go Oh look what we\'ve found.
00:30:13.520 --> 00:30:19.189
Goodness me here\'s an atom bomb made
in USA No no no no scratch that out.
00:30:19.190 --> 00:30:20.854
Scratch that out sets
00:30:20.855 --> 00:30:25.909
He made that Mark I fully expect us to
plant something or other but as it\'s
00:30:25.910 --> 00:30:28.669
United States of Amnesia
why go to the trouble it\'s
00:30:28.670 --> 00:30:32.224
expensive to have troops going
around looking for stuff.
00:30:32.225 --> 00:30:35.239
I think they think the
public or forgotten and I
00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:38.629
think the public is forgetting
it doesn\'t much care.
00:30:38.630 --> 00:30:43.549
I thought when I said that we would
lose the war I still think we will.
00:30:43.550 --> 00:30:50.640
Afghanistan the fighting is going on rather
rougher than it was during the so-called war.
00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:56.989
It will keep right on going as long
as we have a presence in Iraq.
00:30:56.990 --> 00:31:00.409
And we will eventually be driven out.
00:31:00.410 --> 00:31:04.474
Somebody will have a bright idea one
of those New York conservatives
00:31:04.475 --> 00:31:08.494
and they\'re like well decide
to kill everybody there.
00:31:08.495 --> 00:31:10.819
This would be a very good thing to do.
00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:13.339
Gotta show force and
00:31:13.340 --> 00:31:18.289
all these cities all of whom ran from
the idea of going into the army.
00:31:18.290 --> 00:31:21.799
Toxin tough and they get together
we\'re ever going to show
00:31:21.800 --> 00:31:25.594
our muscle fat boys with asthma.
00:31:25.595 --> 00:31:30.049
Talking tough like makes
the blood ran cold.
00:31:30.050 --> 00:31:36.150
War goes on and we are winning.
00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:52.869
So I think that we haven\'t a chance of winning
in the Middle East nobody else cares.
00:31:52.870 --> 00:31:57.909
Nobody except the Turks were the Ottoman
Empire which Woodrow Wilson one of
00:31:57.910 --> 00:32:03.234
the great fools and our history and decided
the breakup after the end of World War one.
00:32:03.235 --> 00:32:09.894
So we get Turkey which turns out to be really
quite quite quite a formidable country now.
00:32:09.895 --> 00:32:13.539
And broke up bits and pieces into Syria and
00:32:13.540 --> 00:32:16.659
Jordan into this into that
which had formerly been then
00:32:16.660 --> 00:32:21.234
became French and British mandates
and are now countries that are
00:32:21.235 --> 00:32:27.020
uneasy with all sorts of
warring religious groups
00:32:34.770 --> 00:32:40.524
It\'s very very important
to see the long run to see
00:32:40.525 --> 00:32:48.429
the Muslim areas adjacent to
euro as areas of conquest.
00:32:48.430 --> 00:32:53.829
Reconquest division read
division which the United States
00:32:53.830 --> 00:32:56.919
joins in the course of
the late 19 thirties at
00:32:56.920 --> 00:33:00.519
least in terms of project there\'s
lots of evidence of fat.
00:33:00.520 --> 00:33:03.594
And then the course of World War II when
00:33:03.595 --> 00:33:08.789
the great old powers in collapse or
no longer able to control that area
00:33:08.790 --> 00:33:10.909
The United States very quickly moved
00:33:10.910 --> 00:33:14.539
in recognizing as the others
did that this was an area
00:33:14.540 --> 00:33:21.270
now petroleum and petroleum is absolutely
critical to the new phase of development.
00:33:21.490 --> 00:33:25.219
We have no ambition in
Iraq except to remove
00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:30.270
a threat and restore control of
that country to its own people
00:34:42.340 --> 00:34:49.729
Well it\'s very clear that the reasons given
by the Bush administration for going into
00:34:49.730 --> 00:34:53.119
Iraq are empty they fall
00:34:53.120 --> 00:34:57.109
apart immediately you know they don\'t make
any sense weapons of mass destruction.
00:34:57.110 --> 00:35:02.029
You know obviously that\'s not what
Bush administration cares about
00:35:02.030 --> 00:35:05.449
because there are other countries
which grew much greater weapons
00:35:05.450 --> 00:35:09.049
of massive structure which
has an eight nuclear powers.
00:35:09.050 --> 00:35:12.919
Iraq might have possibly one nuclear
weapon in two years or three.
00:35:12.920 --> 00:35:15.274
So weapons of mass destruction is just
00:35:15.275 --> 00:35:23.269
really it\'s just an argument made by the Bush
administration to justify you know and and
00:35:23.270 --> 00:35:28.309
the I believe the chief reason for
the United States fastening and
00:35:28.310 --> 00:35:33.589
Iraq is question of oil.
00:35:33.590 --> 00:35:36.904
The administration of course
doesn\'t wanna talk about while.
00:35:36.905 --> 00:35:40.879
It would rather not talk about oil because
soon as you talk about oil it brings
00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:45.469
up all those banners that people
carry say no blood for oil.
00:35:45.470 --> 00:35:49.129
But if in fact the course ever
since the end of World War II
00:35:49.130 --> 00:35:53.854
1945 President Roosevelt met
with even salad if Saudi Arabia.
00:35:53.855 --> 00:35:56.929
And they made an agreement an
agreement was that the United States
00:35:56.930 --> 00:35:59.989
would now become the major
player in the oil fields
00:35:59.990 --> 00:36:02.629
in the Middle East and in
return the United States
00:36:02.630 --> 00:36:06.199
would maintain the Saudi
monarchy and power.
00:36:06.200 --> 00:36:10.984
Now ever since land oil has been at the
center of American Middle East policy.
00:36:10.985 --> 00:36:14.254
I mean there\'s a reason for the
United States so overthrow of
00:36:14.255 --> 00:36:17.944
Mossadegh regime and in Iran in 1953.
00:36:17.945 --> 00:36:20.059
The reason for everything
00:36:20.060 --> 00:36:23.344
the United States has done and the
reason for the First Gulf War.
00:36:23.345 --> 00:36:28.939
Surely a argument the excuse was Kuwait
invasion of Kuwait but who can believe that
00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:34.999
the Bush administration was really
heartbroken over the invasion of Kuwait
00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:37.699
The Bush administration has
seen many invasions of
00:36:37.700 --> 00:36:41.179
many countries including
by the United States
00:36:41.180 --> 00:36:48.989
and no problem you say but so oil was behind
it no question and today no doubt about it.
00:36:48.990 --> 00:36:53.074
You know Iraq has the second largest
oil reserves in the Middle East.
00:36:53.075 --> 00:36:57.454
And and the United States was
determined to get control of them.
00:36:57.455 --> 00:37:03.124
And Saddam Hussein stands went away.
00:37:03.125 --> 00:37:06.274
Well one long-term objective
of the United States.
00:37:06.275 --> 00:37:11.299
You have to be political idiot
not to know it is to extend
00:37:11.300 --> 00:37:16.609
and intensify its control over the
world\'s major energy resources
00:37:16.610 --> 00:37:20.449
And there\'s a simple way to do that.
00:37:20.450 --> 00:37:23.299
It\'s not so simple but
an obvious way to do it.
00:37:23.300 --> 00:37:25.879
And that is to regain control over
00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:29.554
Iraq\'s resources which are the
second largest in the world.
00:37:29.555 --> 00:37:35.629
And to be able to establish major military
bases for the first time right at the heart of
00:37:35.630 --> 00:37:37.669
the oil-producing region and
00:37:37.670 --> 00:37:42.409
the United States does not intend
to use the oil that\'s never been.
00:37:42.410 --> 00:37:46.009
An issue even. Secondary issue
00:37:46.010 --> 00:37:50.284
has many more stable sources but
it doesn\'t want to control it.
00:37:50.285 --> 00:37:55.864
And that\'s been true since 1945 since
it pushed out the Britain and France
00:37:55.865 --> 00:37:58.564
The positions of world domination
00:37:58.565 --> 00:38:01.834
the United States doesn\'t have any
problem having access to oil.
00:38:01.835 --> 00:38:04.234
It buys some of its oil from
00:38:04.235 --> 00:38:08.179
the Middle East as to other countries
and it could buy lots more.
00:38:08.180 --> 00:38:10.534
The all question is the following.
00:38:10.535 --> 00:38:15.334
It\'s about profits from
oil and profits from oil.
00:38:15.335 --> 00:38:19.729
Depend on the control of the price and
00:38:19.730 --> 00:38:22.069
the significance of Middle Eastern oil is
00:38:22.070 --> 00:38:24.589
that whoever controls
Middle Eastern oil controls
00:38:24.590 --> 00:38:28.773
the price of off and because
maintaining the price
00:38:28.774 --> 00:38:33.499
at the level that the US one so
that is done by restricting supply.
00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:38.074
I think it\'s more important to
see the United States is worried
00:38:38.075 --> 00:38:42.634
About a scarcity of oil but rather
about an overabundance of oil.
00:38:42.635 --> 00:38:45.799
It\'s no coincidence. Let\'s put it this way.
00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:52.714
That Iraq is part of the region
that has the largest oil reserves
00:38:52.715 --> 00:38:55.999
in the world Afghanistan
is part of a region that
00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:59.569
has the second largest oil reserves in
the largest gas reserves in the world.
00:38:59.570 --> 00:39:02.509
And if you look at a map of
the world right now and you
00:39:02.510 --> 00:39:06.259
see where the United States has
established its military basis.
00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:11.479
You see there\'s just a ring all over Central
Asia all over the Middle East all of
00:39:11.480 --> 00:39:14.059
the Middle Eastern countries
except five now have
00:39:14.060 --> 00:39:17.974
a US military presence now 12
years ago this was inconceivable.
00:39:17.975 --> 00:39:20.209
It could not have been imagined.
00:39:20.210 --> 00:39:22.519
The US troops would be based throughout
00:39:22.520 --> 00:39:25.939
the Persian Gulf in Saudi Arabia and
the homework Mecca the heart of
00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:29.059
Islam this this could not have been
imagined and yet now there\'s hardly
00:39:29.060 --> 00:39:32.599
a country that doesn\'t
have a US military base.
00:39:32.600 --> 00:39:36.454
Condoleezza Rice was on
the board of Chevron Oil.
00:39:36.455 --> 00:39:39.349
And so she had in fact there\'s
00:39:39.350 --> 00:39:43.279
a tanker oil tanker called the
Condoleezza named after her.
00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:47.599
And so you can just see that that you
know when they say Is there influence of
00:39:47.600 --> 00:39:52.564
oil in the Bush administration know Lee all
companies are the Bush administration.
00:39:52.565 --> 00:39:58.770
So you want to know is the winner who are
going to be the winners in this conflict.
00:39:58.780 --> 00:40:02.134
You have to look at who
on the first conflict
00:40:02.135 --> 00:40:05.929
After the war we never got democracy
and quaint as we are promised
00:40:05.930 --> 00:40:10.354
women who had been driving around had
freedom suddenly we\'re back under the veil.
00:40:10.355 --> 00:40:15.469
So who won the answers
Chevron Oil Chevron got
00:40:15.470 --> 00:40:18.919
George Bush the daddy to write a letter to
00:40:18.920 --> 00:40:22.879
the Emirate of Kuwait asking for
an oil concession for Chevron.
00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:25.159
Now the Emirate can\'t say
no because after all
00:40:25.160 --> 00:40:28.249
George Bush\'s the guy has saved all
their Rolls-Royce. That\'s right.
00:40:28.250 --> 00:40:31.099
So he saved them so they could give
00:40:31.100 --> 00:40:33.949
a concession to Chevron Oil and
then shame on all by the way
00:40:33.950 --> 00:40:36.109
turns around and gives a $0.5 million and
00:40:36.110 --> 00:40:39.949
more to the Republican Party
campaigns for president
00:40:39.950 --> 00:40:45.139
for Bush\'s son now Bush himself got no
money but his son was well compensated.
00:40:45.140 --> 00:40:49.980
And needless to say when I say son
was well compensated by Chevron.
00:40:50.290 --> 00:40:53.929
Obviously it didn\'t hurt that
Bush had written a letter for
00:40:53.930 --> 00:41:01.930
them back to Hugo Chavez.
00:41:02.810 --> 00:41:07.309
So you have tremendous information coming
out from the US press about Hugo Chavez
00:41:07.310 --> 00:41:09.529
straight out of the State
Department is a would-be dictator
00:41:09.530 --> 00:41:12.319
says The New York Times the guy
won a majority of the vote.
00:41:12.320 --> 00:41:16.009
They didn\'t call it George Bush would be
dictator even though he lost the vote
00:41:16.010 --> 00:41:20.209
in America well what is Hugo
Chavez is real crime. One
00:41:20.210 --> 00:41:27.199
he has a reform program which involves
which requires doubling the royalties on
00:41:27.200 --> 00:41:29.929
US oil companies from 16% to
00:41:29.930 --> 00:41:35.224
about 30% for the oil pulled out of Venezuela
crude oil pulled out of Venezuela.
00:41:35.225 --> 00:41:39.079
Obviously Condoleezza Rice
doesn\'t really like that.
00:41:39.080 --> 00:41:42.468
The second thing is that Hugo Chavez
00:41:42.469 --> 00:41:46.909
restored the power of opec because
he was really running opec
00:41:46.910 --> 00:41:50.209
through the Office of the
Secretary General of opec who is
00:41:50.210 --> 00:41:55.414
his personal ally Ali Rodriguez people
think of opec as an Arab organization.
00:41:55.415 --> 00:41:58.714
In fact it was Hugo Chavez who had Control.
00:41:58.715 --> 00:42:02.359
And the US did not like that at all
especially the problem is that if
00:42:02.360 --> 00:42:07.249
if the war in the Middle East you end
up with losing oil fields there.
00:42:07.250 --> 00:42:09.109
Where do we get the oil we
have to get it from Venezuela.
00:42:09.110 --> 00:42:14.464
The last Arab oil embargo was smashed
by ramping up production Venezuela.
00:42:14.465 --> 00:42:15.919
We need control that oil.
00:42:15.920 --> 00:42:19.189
Hugo Chavez has got to go So they
start working on him through
00:42:19.190 --> 00:42:24.289
the through the bush
fingers into the media.
00:42:24.290 --> 00:42:29.329
Control the media that Hugo Chavez
is crazies in that and therefore we
00:42:29.330 --> 00:42:33.694
can we can support and help
a coup d\'etat against him.
00:42:33.695 --> 00:42:39.559
And we you know that is what I call a
second hidden front in the oil wars.
00:42:39.560 --> 00:42:45.570
Is our TAC are quiet undermining
of the Venezuelan government.
00:42:51.780 --> 00:42:55.359
Iraq is become the weapons
of mass distraction.
00:42:55.360 --> 00:42:58.689
Everyone\'s looking at Iraq
even the left is looking at
00:42:58.690 --> 00:43:01.074
a rack and forgetting
everything else that\'s going on
00:43:01.075 --> 00:43:03.789
not only in Venezuela
which were all ignoring.
00:43:03.790 --> 00:43:07.539
But one of the things I\'ve been working on
is what the World Trade Organization the
00:43:07.540 --> 00:43:11.649
IMF and the World Bank which had
kind of the the the financial arms.
00:43:11.650 --> 00:43:16.419
They have financial enforcement agencies
of the New World Order economic order.
00:43:16.420 --> 00:43:20.979
What they\'re up to and I
have obtained thousands
00:43:20.980 --> 00:43:22.809
literally thousands of pages
of documentation from
00:43:22.810 --> 00:43:25.254
inside this organization
forgave show you some here.
00:43:25.255 --> 00:43:28.889
I wonder if I am in my notebooks it\'s all
marked secret all marked confidential
00:43:28.890 --> 00:43:32.739
About what they\'re really doing to
tear apart Argentina Ecuador etcetera.
00:43:32.740 --> 00:43:35.524
In fact I\'m now trying work.
00:43:35.525 --> 00:43:39.379
I\'m working with Noam Chomsky
on analyzing the secret papers
00:43:39.380 --> 00:43:43.369
I have from the World Bank
about what they intend to do
00:43:43.370 --> 00:43:47.239
to Turkey of course if they don\'t help
out the United States in war if they
00:43:47.240 --> 00:43:51.589
if they help out the US and war
There\'ll be given a pass but not much.
00:43:51.590 --> 00:43:56.119
Part of the program is that the IMF
is forced as forced the nation to
00:43:56.120 --> 00:44:01.129
raise its interest rates
causing their budget.
00:44:01.130 --> 00:44:04.579
To fall short by $9 billion.
00:44:04.580 --> 00:44:06.319
The US economy is going
to give me $8 billion.
00:44:06.320 --> 00:44:10.819
So basically the US government is going
to give them just enough to pay back
00:44:10.820 --> 00:44:16.309
the European and American banks
but not enough to survive.
00:44:16.310 --> 00:44:17.899
But they don\'t get that money.
00:44:17.900 --> 00:44:21.139
They will be hung out to
dry and all their assets
00:44:21.140 --> 00:44:24.859
power companies water
companies bridges ports
00:44:24.860 --> 00:44:32.820
you name it are going to be sold off to
to the European American consortium.
00:44:38.170 --> 00:44:43.650
As far as this crisis
around Iraq is concerned.
00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:51.840
My point of departure in reflecting on it is
a rather bizarre one and let it seems to me
00:44:53.120 --> 00:44:59.764
That even if I list all the
causes that people have given
00:44:59.765 --> 00:45:07.765
for America\'s Oh the Bush administration\'s
fixation on Iraq and Saddam Hussein.
00:45:08.390 --> 00:45:11.119
Namely the problem with the father namely
00:45:11.120 --> 00:45:15.184
oil the political reasons
and so on and so forth.
00:45:15.185 --> 00:45:23.185
It seems to me that there is still a missing
link because quite frankly I don\'t get it as
00:45:25.040 --> 00:45:29.414
to why and how the Bush
Administration came to get
00:45:29.415 --> 00:45:35.433
effect onto Iraq and Saddam Hussein
the way they have During the past
00:45:35.434 --> 00:45:38.599
year and a half though
it must be admitted that
00:45:38.600 --> 00:45:42.124
in terms of some of the advisors around him
00:45:42.125 --> 00:45:45.919
they were of course not
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:50.134
obsessed but nevertheless very much
preoccupied with the Iraq problem.
00:45:50.135 --> 00:45:55.444
Even before Bush came to the White House.
00:45:55.445 --> 00:46:03.019
In any case it seems to me
that the big question is as to
00:46:03.020 --> 00:46:08.779
why in America it\'s
00:46:08.780 --> 00:46:15.720
extremely difficult to raise
fundamental questions about
00:46:16.780 --> 00:46:24.780
what the project the larger project of this
fixation on Iraq might really involve.
00:46:27.550 --> 00:46:31.999
I don\'t think that there is anything.
00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:40.000
This honorable about for example bringing
into the discussion the problem of oil.
00:46:41.570 --> 00:46:46.770
One does not have to be either in marches.
00:46:46.840 --> 00:46:53.674
Or if not a Marxist a materialist
Oh if not a materialist.
00:46:53.675 --> 00:46:58.969
One doesn\'t have to be an enemy of America
00:46:58.970 --> 00:47:04.399
In order to say that there may be an oil
interests that is it worked because after
00:47:04.400 --> 00:47:12.400
all oil has been at the center of the
politics and diplomacy of the great powers.
00:47:13.895 --> 00:47:16.840
Since before World War one.
00:47:17.170 --> 00:47:23.314
I need not go now into
the way in which Iraq.
00:47:23.315 --> 00:47:28.699
So we say was constructed
immediately after World War one.
00:47:28.700 --> 00:47:31.939
But it was constructed as part of
00:47:31.940 --> 00:47:39.940
a negotiation for the reorganization
of the legacy of the Ottoman Empire
00:47:40.940 --> 00:47:44.550
between Britain and France.
00:47:44.590 --> 00:47:49.279
One can be indignant about
it but it\'s a fact of life.
00:47:49.280 --> 00:47:54.124
And likewise after World War II
once again the question came up
00:47:54.125 --> 00:47:59.614
student just exactly how oil figures
00:47:59.615 --> 00:48:07.615
in the reconstruction that went on after
1945 and it would seem to me not altogether
00:48:08.420 --> 00:48:11.149
accidental that after all at the time of
00:48:11.150 --> 00:48:15.199
Mossadegh Iran again the aisle factor
00:48:15.200 --> 00:48:19.339
played very heavily and that was in
the early 19 hundreds and fifties.
00:48:19.340 --> 00:48:22.939
When America took over so to speak
00:48:22.940 --> 00:48:27.739
and the eastern Mediterranean from
the British Turkey and Greece and
00:48:27.740 --> 00:48:32.359
so on that too was related
to sort of taking
00:48:32.360 --> 00:48:36.679
over the Imperial watch that written at
00:48:36.680 --> 00:48:43.669
exercised for a whole century and
before the Americans got into this act.
00:48:43.670 --> 00:48:47.460
Anyway that\'s certainly one aspect of it.
00:48:47.980 --> 00:48:53.254
For the Bush administration
to maintain that Iraq.
00:48:53.255 --> 00:48:58.399
And in particular Saddam Hussein is
00:48:58.400 --> 00:49:05.044
a threat to the world including
to the United States
00:49:05.045 --> 00:49:08.070
really boggles the mind.
00:49:09.010 --> 00:49:13.549
In a piece that I wrote
on this iraq business.
00:49:13.550 --> 00:49:20.749
I tried to suggest that
compared to the Soviet Union
00:49:20.750 --> 00:49:28.750
which the United States with its allies
successfully contained until 1989.
00:49:29.885 --> 00:49:32.959
Without going to war.
00:49:32.960 --> 00:49:36.180
Iraq is a pygmy.
00:49:36.880 --> 00:49:40.204
Still that then raises the question as to
00:49:40.205 --> 00:49:46.384
why the insistence on the
direct military intervention
00:49:46.385 --> 00:49:53.564
And quite frankly the answer to that I would
not even know how to begin to address it.
00:49:53.565 --> 00:49:57.900
I mean to formulate an Azure and
that comes to the missing link.
00:50:07.120 --> 00:50:15.120
Ladder brothers and sisters have the
wrong conception of the front line.
00:50:16.030 --> 00:50:19.219
They bleed the front
line is again banging on
00:50:19.220 --> 00:50:23.460
the streets dealing with the
underground drug industry.
00:50:24.850 --> 00:50:28.339
But the real front line is
00:50:28.340 --> 00:50:36.340
On the home front will sisters and brothers
but especially sisters of all colors.
00:50:37.445 --> 00:50:45.445
Caring for the precious children often putting
up with a male miss the real front line.
00:50:48.035 --> 00:50:54.484
Working people fighting against
unaccountable corporate power.
00:50:54.485 --> 00:50:58.789
With this obscene levels
of wealth inequality
00:50:58.790 --> 00:51:06.169
the real frontline citizens
00:51:06.170 --> 00:51:09.964
of all colors fighting gets
arbitrary police power.
00:51:09.965 --> 00:51:16.399
Criminal justice system that oversees
black people being convicted.
00:51:16.400 --> 00:51:24.400
For 70% of the drug sentences must
commit only 12% of the drug crimes.
00:51:25.985 --> 00:51:29.479
The real front line has not
just here but around the world
00:51:29.480 --> 00:51:33.490
is the struggle against aids in Africa.
00:51:33.580 --> 00:51:38.928
Since solidarity Mexican workers
Colombian peasants Iraqi
00:51:38.929 --> 00:51:44.599
babies brothers and sisters
in East Timor and Tibet.
00:51:44.600 --> 00:51:49.920
The real frontlines.
00:51:51.940 --> 00:51:56.929
Our memories of those who
00:51:56.930 --> 00:52:03.030
sacrifice themselves on the battlefields
first to die last beyond that own.
00:52:03.070 --> 00:52:06.190
The front line.
00:52:07.300 --> 00:52:13.320
We hold up the bloodstain
ban of justice and freedom.
00:52:15.910 --> 00:52:23.910
The frontline we challenge athletes
entertainers professors doctors lawyers
00:52:25.730 --> 00:52:33.730
promises to be on the front line don\'t sell
your soul for a mess of pottage. Stay on
00:52:35.585 --> 00:52:38.040
the front line.
00:53:16.510 --> 00:53:18.720
Okay.
00:54:21.640 --> 00:54:24.210
Okay
Distributor: Bullfrog Films
Length: 54 minutes
Date: 2005
Genre: Expository
Language: English
Grade: 10-12, College, Adult
Color/BW:
Closed Captioning: Available
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