Why We Fight by Eugene Jarecki - Essay Example

?Why We Fight Introduction “Why We Fight” is an awesome documentary directed by Eugene Jarecki and the video was released in the year 2006. The documentary falls under the series of eponymous propaganda movies which were launched by the U.S. government in order to propagate a justification from their end to join the war. The documentary was initially screened at the Sundance Film Festival in the year 2005. A notable fact in this regard is that the date it first appeared was 17th of January in the year 2005 which happened to be exactly forty –four years after the farewell address of the President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This documentary received very strict and limited public release. A main reason for this was that, it contained some of the explicit and detailed perception regarding the American war policy. On 22nd January 2006 the documentary made its way for the public release and then the documentary was released on DVD on 27th June in the year 2006. It was released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The documentary bagged Grimme Award in 2006. It produced enough justification for the military aggression and myriad foreign policies undertaken by the government of America since World War II. This includes Vietnam invasion and also a major part of the documentary is dedicated to the Iraq invasion by America in the year 2003. At the same time, the attacks on the twin towers and that of the Pentagon on 11th September 2001 find detailed discussion in the film. Overview The film captivates valuable testimonies of veteran politician John McCain and also of Charles Cameron who is an ex-CIA analyst and well versed political scientist. The documentary also contains valuable thoughts from the Richard Perle, a politician, and also of the renowned non-conservative commentator, William Kristol. Apart from these, thoughts of Gore Vidal, the popular writer and Joseph Cirincione, the public policy specialist appear in the documentary as well. All the opinions of these people are very important and they try to justify the military movement of America since World War II days. But a detailed examination of the film itself will instigate the viewers to review and throw some light on the foreign policies and military invasions undertaken by America. Especially the foreign policy of America towards Middle East and Islamic countries needs to get a revision in order to judge the original need of the invasion since the gulf-war and interference of the super power in these oil belts of Middle East. The question is that America claims time and again that the invasion is a kind of protection for the United States which saves the nation from various external threats. For example, the attack of the 11th September 2001 is hyped, justified and viewed as the major reason for the consequential Iraq invasion of 2003. Undoubtedly, 11th September is a dark day in the calendar of civilisation and no matter where and how human lives are being taken, it is not appreciated in the eyes of any civilised society. But underneath the much hyped propaganda for the justification of the attack on Afghanistan or on Iraq needs a detailed supervision because many innocent lives were also lost for these military aggression and that can never be justified or sympathised with the presentation of the thought of the Vietnam war veteran, whose son was killed in the 11th September attack and that he urged the military to engrave the name of his dead son on a bomb before dropping it on Iraq. However, in the light of the above discussion, the crucial point cannot be ignored that a complete invasion, captivation and unanimous threat was launched across America against the Islamic people. Even the citizens and the tax-payers of the nation who have only their root, ethnicity and lineages from the Middle –East were not spared. Relationship between Middle-East Islam and American Foreign Policy US policy views Middle-East Islamist movements and some organizations at par with terrorist activist groups. America also perceives that Islamist faction groups of the Middle-East region disturb the peace and development of Middle-East. According to America, these groups also threaten the flow of oil across the globe. The Islamic regimes are viewed by America as the force that paves the establishment of Iranian-style regimes in the area. The political regime run and controlled by Islamic groups are also viewed by the American government as the major threat to the human rights in the region and seen as the protective shield for the rights of the women, children and the non-Muslim population of the area. To counter the terrorist activities of the region, US government is seen taking the help and refuge of the force and the allied local regime as the only weapon to counteract the emerging power and movement in the Middle-East. Revivalism of 20th Century Islamic Movement Revivalism of 20th century Islamic Movement cannot be viewed totally as a consequence to the sluggish policy of America in the Middle – East. But the fact that various aggressive policies of America and especially the pursuit of oil which time and again compelled America to undertake the flow of arms and join the hands of the anti-regime movements locally aggravated these faction groups and turned them more desperate. This is mainly because this Islamic group from the Middle-East views America as the greatest external threat to the sovereignty to their nation and religion. This can be again viewed as the consequence of America’s excessive intervention into various internal problems and policies of these nations. The Reason US is in Middle –East Intervention in the world peace and caress of the human rights across the globe is part of the diplomatic mission and the external policy of America. At the surface it might seem very noble. Indeed it is great venture to an extent when one finds that the superpower is extending their aid and support to the people in distress and developing nations. The hard fact is that every movement or external policies of all nations are guided by some economic interests. An intricate overview to the fact pertaining to the presence of US in Middle East will lead to a different story guided by certain strong economic pursuit of US. Pursuit and extortion of oil is a major factor for the repeated intervention of America in the internal policies of the nations of Middle – East which is often propagated as the attempt to condone the Islamic revival movement and seen as a threat to the world peace. Conclusion America’s excessive interference and intervention in the Middle-East’s internal politics and policies of nation definitely hints at greater economic pursuit and aggression of America which sometimes surface out as military invasion. And in order to counteract the invading policy of America many Islamic fanatic groups have chosen the paradigm of religion as they view it as a threat to their religious sanctity as well. However, in both the ways some innocent lives fall prey to the greater realms of interest and policies, be it military, economic or religious. In order to save mankind and human civilisation, tenacity, patience and tolerance should be taken as universal considerations and only that can benefit the entire human race across the globe. Bibliography Council on Foreign Relations, “Threats of Homegrown Islamist Terrorsim”, September 30, 2011. Publications, October 15, 2011. Foreign Policy in Focus, “Islamists and U.S. Policy”, 2011. Middle East and North Africa, October 15, 2011. IMDb, “Why We Fight”, 2005. Documentary, October 15, 2011. Read More