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If I were president with a pre-emptive strike agenda, Saudi Arabia would be first; and I would show no grief from casualties inside their borders. |
Is Fahrenheit 9/11 one sided? Yes. What would you expect? Director Michael Moore is no fan of George W Bush, neither am I, but even when it comes to putting words in the mouth of Bush -- which may only improve his vocabulary -- I would certainly object. However, Fahrenheit 9/11 allows Bush to repeat his own words.
Bush, Richard Cheney, Colin Powell, John Ashcroft, Condoleezza Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld provided plenty of footage for Moore to use; what struck me most were quotes from Rice and Powell in 2000 and early 2001 that stated, Iraq has no weapons nor does Iraq possess the capability of producing weapons. Somehow those quotes missed the US-press after Colin Powell's speech at the United Nations in February 2003.
I accompanied an 88-year-old friend to see the film, so I was focused upon getting her into the theater and seated more than I was observing the long line or packed auditorium. But this neighborhood, 10021, where she and I watched Fahrenheit 9/11 was home to more casualties on 11 September 2001 than any other neighborhood in New York City. So, anything that reminds of us of that day, makes us stop, think, and cry. Reliving only three minutes of 9/11 again was no exception. There were plenty of tears shed as the screen turned black, much in the way our own lives did that morning.
The majority of reviewers across the nation have given Fahrenheit 9/11 a thumbs-up. What they have not mentioned is Moore's focus on Saudi Arabia and Halliburton Inc. It is an interesting premise to tie-in the 'threat' of terrorism to corporate business interests, which Moore does through editorial film. Time, without terrorist attacks on US-soil, is either proving the Bush administration is doing their job to protect us, or there truly is no threat at this moment in time as Moore suggests. Moore appropriately links the Afghanistan invasion to corporate interests as we had earlier on Think & Ask; although we've actually provided more detail than Fahrenheit 9/11.
After viewing this film, I walked away with a new sense of hatred towards the Saudi Royal Family, as well as the Saudi bin Ladens, and elitist Saudi Arabia businessmen. My rage towards the country of Saudi Arabia grew intense while watching this film. Saudi Arabia as a country is as far from democracy as one can be, and if Fahrenheit 9/11 does nothing more than make us question our country-to-country relationship, then the film itself earns much credit.
I'll editorialize more than Moore, and I'll even say that if any single country was behind the 9/11 tragedy in New York City -- that country is Saudi Arabia. Perhaps Moore is saying that indirectly. What Moore doesn't suggest is that the United States should have invaded Saudi Arabia instead of Iraq. If I were president with a pre-emptive strike agenda, Saudi Arabia would be first; and I would show no grief from casualties inside their borders. Saudi Arabia supported terrorists attacking New York City and gained financially with my neighbors' bloodshed.
Special interest Halliburton Inc., is the most prominent player in this invasion game. Again, Think & Ask originally broke the story of Halliburton's corporate invasion of Afghanistan before any mainstream media in the US. Moore keeps it fresh and as a constant reminder that the Oval Office and Halliburton's former CEO, Richard Cheney, are as close as Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton. A blowjob in 1998, and a snow job in 2001, the blowjob cost us taxpayers nothing. With Enron gone, Halliburton was free to gain government contracts in both Afghanistan and Iraq -- there is no debate.
Had I been the editor of Fahrenheit 9/11, I'd have cut the second "crying" scene of Lila Lipscomb at the steps of the White House. We already sympathized with the loss of her son, and the second reminder failed to impress. And, as some reviewers have mentioned the scene on Christmas Eve of US-military invading an Iraqi home was difficult to see, impossible to hear, and did not explain whatever actions were intended. Moore does characterize well the country of Iraq before the US-invasion. I wished he'd show more of Iraq post-invasion. Iraqis are angry, and rightfully so. They most likely hate us (citizens in the US) as much as I hate Bush or the Saudis.