Rethink Afghanistan: New Documentary Calls For End To War (VIDEO)

As President Obama comes under increasing pressure to exit Afghanistan after eight years of war - or at least to come up with a credible strategy - a new film seeks to push him toward the door. Rethink Afghanistan -- part documentary, part political campaign -- premieres this week.

Directed by Robert Greenwald, the man behind Outfoxed, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price and Iraq For Sale, the film portrays Afghanistan as a nation -- or, more accurately, a collection or tribal affiliations -- that has never been pacified by force in its long history and the present American endeavor as doomed to failure.

The film was funded by small donations rather than by large-scale producers and is being rolled out at several hundred house parties, church basements and events sponsored by activist organizations. Rather than holding all the footage for a final documentary, Greenwald cut small segments -- such as this one -- to distribute to viewers as a way to raise more funds to keep the project going and to keep up the political pressure.

It premieres October 2 in New York City. WATCH the trailer (highly graphic):

Comments

[basta]

http://rethinkafghanistan.com/troop_full.php

[roberto8ag]

President Obama... war is a racket.

What I'm saying... I think you already know that.

[RobtBrock]

The US ran the murderous Taliban and their mass-killer gangster invitees, al Queda, out of the country in 2002. Then they let them slither back into control because BUSH AND CHENEY DECIDED TO CYPHEN OFF EVERYTHING AND GO AFTER THE IRAQIS WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH 9/11. Brilliant...

[Bcasey11]

and the taliban were a reactionary movement to the mujahideen who We put in power of afghanistan post soviet invasion. The mujahideen were drug king pins and war lords, the cia loved Afghanistan then, drug money and american interests (which includes drug running) were at an all time high. The Taliban a super repressive religious group started to fight the america set up mujahideen government, so the powerless afghan people went with the religious nuts over america's destructive puppet because they thought it was the lesser of two evils... you can see how ridiculously hypocritical americas role is in this region.

Problem-mujahideen
Reaction-Taliban
Soultion-Afghan conflict

[InExileInOhio]

Amen, RobtBrock, Amen!

[Bcasey11]

mindless wars, soon iran is next. I mean that has been the neo-cons dream, iran iran it gets the CIA hard. I think the government and media will lie to get us into a war, again. Both democrats and republicans. Remember Iraq, all the democrats fell in line with that war, at least obama didn't vote for it. But now its like it doesn't even matter. Like he has contracted more defense corporations than bush did AND THATS FACT! so don't start being mad at me when I'm not drinking the obama cool-aid 24 7. He let down the pro-peace movement with afghanistan and pakistan

[Bcasey11]

lets not meddle in foreign affairs anymore please thats some change right there, but alas I don't think mr icon obama has the little guy in mind constantly, just saying.

[Bcasey11]

amen amen amen amen amen !!!!!!
oh gosh and while were at it pull out of
Iraq
South Korea
Germany and all the other countries that we occupy for no real reason. Its a waste of money and lives all in the name of greed and corruption. Wake Up, obama shouldn't even try to pander the republican blood lust, he should pull out fast and suddenly as we got in both in iraq and pakistan and afghanistan. Also! ban military contractors because it should be illegal to be in the killing business. That goes for the US military also, they need to be PUT IN CHECK!!!!

[HamletsMill]

Dear President Obama and Vice President Biden and your working staffs,

(1) Google the MSH REACH project and find out who the American personnel were who were ON THE GROUND there for the whole length of the project who were FLUENT FARSI SPEAKERS. Identify the network of Afghan ex-patriots who have lived in the U.S. who are willing to help.

(2) Google Anne B. Brodsky and contact and interview her.

(3) Google Fahima Vorgetts and contact and interview her.

(4) Follow every name you get to assemble every American over the last 40 years who speaks fluent Farsi and/or Dari who ACTUALLY LIVED THERE for EXTENDED PERIODS of time. Do not talk with USAID Phd ivory tower types who never lived there ON THE GROUND.

(5) Especially find the people who worked on BOTH the MSH REACH project AND at the American University of Afghanistan AUAF in Kabul.

Take this network of Farsi and Dari speakers and form a plan to negotiate with every Afghan War Lord in every region by ethnic group to get low cost grass roots social, economic, and educational development projects set up and administered in a partnership with the tribal War Lords. Reduce the U.S. military and mercenary contractor footprint.

The stakes are high. If we keep creating more Islamic fundamentalist enemies as our current inappropriate application of military power will cause, an American city will be vaporized some time over the next 50 years.

[basta]

Don't forget Sarah Chayes who has lived in Afghanistan for many years. Watch this interview with Bill Moyers:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02222008/profile2.html

[pov]

Monetary failures, War failures, Health Care failures, Immigration failures, International relationship failures, Educational failures, Promises and more promises, will all of these promises be enough? Who in the end will pay for this mess other than future generations? Will you?
Where's a manufacturing plan for productivity and employment in the future from the stimulus?
Taking over corporations on the part of the government will not remedy the finances of the nation, are you willing to finance this experiment anymore with more of your wealth spent on propping up failing companies with your grand-children's equity? There are serious questions not being addressed or answered, and no one pressing for those answers to these concerns.

[ltyr2002]

Spot on, pov!

Good questions!

[devildog21]

Nor were they doing any of this during the Bush administration which was little different then what we have now.

Were you also asking these questions then?

[pov]

Asked many more of the Bush administration, and it seems like this current one is as bad.
The current view is that Obama is too naive and too arrogant to know how naive he is, and that's his Achilles heel, which means it's America's.

[LeftOfCenter44]

Where's a manufacturing plan for productivity and employment in the future from the stimulus?

As I recall the "cash for clunkers" stimulus saved 63,000 jobs and created another 13,000. Fixing a system that was systematically mutilated over the past 8 years takes a bit longer then 9 months. I don't think 2 terms will fix this system, but what it will do is set America back on a path of productive relations with the rest of the world, allow ALL Americans to receive health care, assess the situation in Afghanistan and create an objective that our people can support, and education? Well so long as the GOP has ANY power, our PUBLIC school system will remain broken. Just think, Imagine if you will, a country run by Republicans since 1960, and try to picture a United States that doesn't have a minimum wage, or rights for labor, or laws against slavery essentially. Imagine a country where women don't have the right to vote, and Blacks and Mexicans use separate bathrooms. Where only the top 1 percent can see a doctor. 2010 being our 50th year in Vietnam. And you tell me how we'd be better off.

[LeftOfCenter44]

Sign my petition to stop our tax dollars from paying “private Military/security firms” to run rampant in the Middle East.

http://www.change.org/actions/view/demand_congress_stop_funding_private_armies_in_the_middle_east

[devildog21]

How about taking it a step further and start a petition asking congress to pass a law that prohibits these companies or any of the military industrial complex from making a profit during times of war?

If I had to guess, I'd say that would prevent us from ever going to war again.

[LeftOfCenter44]

As an optimist I'd say I'm on it. As a realist, I'd have to say, I'd rather do things that "might" make a difference. I agree with you though 100%.

[lkhstar]

It's a relief to see that Obama is finally taking the time to reconsider our policies in Afghanistan. While this issue has become so politicized, the truth is that whether or not sending more troops will help or hurt us is NOT a partisan issue. We need to stop taking actions that breed more hatred for Americans before it's too late

[Laws456]

We claim to be nation building by sending in drones to bomb civilians, who may or may not harbor enemy combatants. Let's say the Chinese sent their military here to the States, wouldn't they be called enemy combatants? I swear, it's not their fault, but the media could be doing us all so much more justice by just calling a spade a spade. Everyone knows there's no way to achieve victory in Afghan, just Iraq. We only cause more pain. Does anyone with common sense think that we're endearing ourselves to these people? We're only breeding more contempt and hatred. And Obama, needs to seriously Re-Think the entire policy towards Afghanistan and just get the eff outta there. Unless someone out there possesses the power of Professor X and can control their thoughts, no bullets or bombs will change anything over there for the better.

[Buffington]

We cannot save the world. Apparently, we can't even save ourselves.

[joebaggadonuts]

I want to say Yes we can, but the jury is still out on your second statement.

[joebaggadonuts]

I guess I should not have commented, since it's ambiguous what SAVE means in this context. Air, water, temperature, fish, people, health??? Never mind.

[Laws456]

We need to leave there ASAP, if Russia was our equal when they went and couldn't win, what makes us think we can be different? I know we're only there to further the interests of a few shadowy figures we cannot name, but we know they are out there. We won't leave soon enough because just like the surge in Iraq, Afghanistan is becoming a major cash cow. PMC's are making a fortune. The public pressure will force the administration not to send too many troops to Afghanistan, but we won't hear about the "surge" in private contractors, in the MSM anyway. (Scahill does a very good job at keeping us informed though) This works for the Obama admin because they can "say" to the left, look, we haven't sent that many troops, and they can say to the Neocons, we're still paying you to wage your Crusades. It's a damn shame.

[LeftOfCenter44]

Cause we're the good guys, right?

[pcruess44]

Great film and wonderful campaign. The debate on Afghanistan is heating heat up fast. It's about time.

[lornejl]

yes

[BlueSkyPilot]

It's time to do the right thing.
Call a cease fire, come to a truce.
Prosecute Bush and the Rest for crimes against humanity and get this behind us and never go there again.