How accurate is this assessment of the decisions that led to the action to start the Iraq War?

Question

The updated version of this controversial documentary -- which takes you behind the walls of the U.S. government as CIA, Pentagon and Foreign Service experts address the government's reasons for launching the "preemptive" war on Iraq in 2003 -- includes almost 30 minutes of brand new footage. Paired with this title is director David O. Russell's controversial antiwar documentary, Soldiers Pay.
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Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr, The New York Times
"Robert Greenwald's sober, meticulous film patiently chronicles the ever-shifting case for war made by President Bush and his close advisers." ... Read More

Wesley Morris, San Francisco Chronicle
"The movie manages to slap some of the cynicism out of you, even if it feels more like a box of dossiers than a documentary." ... Read More

Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
"Strongly support what critics of the Bush administration's unilateral Iraq policy have claimed all along." ... Read More
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KD 1783269
69%
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This movie should be watched as part of a double feature with F. 9/11. Where Moore's product delivers with flair (at times at the expense of substance), this film offers the subtantive factual support. Overall, this was an excellent product. The commentators used came from an intelligence background, giving weight to their opinions. Further, several commentators were used. The picture painted of Bush's decision to use the congressional authority to go to war is frightening, and sad. A true abuse of power is disclosed.

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Mort in DTW
68%
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What this documentary has over every other on this topic is a dispassionate focus on incontrovertible facts: The Bush Administration wittingly lied about WMDs and their motives for invading Iraq and covered lies with more lies. The sober examination of facts by scores of CIA agents, weapons inspectors, governmental officials and others (including several Republicans) should cause bewilderment at the American publics willingness to either look the other way or, worse, believe neocon disinformation despite the truth. There is no reasonable evidence to support any Bush Administration claim or speculation regarding American policy in Iraq since September 2001, except for the fact that Iraq exists. Where Fahrenheit 9/11 is an entertaining overview intended for a wider audience, this is a must for anyone who is curious about what the experts (all disinterested and thoughtful) have to say. For those who call it one-sided: Truth often is one-sided.

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Thorwald
64%
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I didn't need convincing that Bush and his cronies are liars and Imperialists. What I enjoyed about this movie is that there are more people like me that are willing to speak out, and that doens't make them unpatriotic or that they don't support their troops. It seems the Neo-Conservatives that try to shut down those that disagree are just hiding behind a convenient bumpersticker catch-phrase ("Support Our Troops") that has no merit. Of course we support them. We just question the validity of WHY they are there in the first place. (Which just changes with the seasons!) To me, it IS patriotic to express my freedom of speech, even if it disagrees with yours. Back to the film...Anyone still hanging onto Bush's lies about Iraq will never be convinced otherwise, so this film is not for them. They can live in happy ignorant bliss for all I care. I enjoyed it because it showed that there are many people in all branches of the government that question this administration's policies and are willing to hold them accountable.

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KR 1456112
48%
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A very thorough, well researched and well sourced (to the point of repetitive) documentary about the run up to and the aftermath of the George W. Bush's preemptive invasion of Iraq. I am pretty familiar with most of the lines of the argument...and the truth was clear to me even prior to the invasion. It was hard not to see what was happening while it happened with the blatant (to the point to idiotic) fearmongering being engaged in by the Administration to sell their war. Well, after what happened, by impression about the collective level of the intelligence of the American people dropped a few notches. Like Bush, they were either too stupid to figure out con job, or they were totally in on it themselves. The most infuriating aspect of all of this is how the dire consequences of this ill-fated adventure will affect the US down the line, while Bush and entire Administration (including paeons like Scooter Libby) will walk away totally scot free.

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IO 1699291
33%
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Very well informed and not reactionary or alarmist. Simply a statement of the facts. Excellent.

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DH 1740085
44%
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A stunning cast of characters' opinions regarding the road to Iraq. Spun??? Slanted??? Biased??? I don't know. However, I sure would like to see someone put together the other side of the debate as well as it has been done here.

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Answer 1

What doesn't look as threatening now, in hindsight, sure scared the jock strap off Hillary in 2003.
The funny thing about her and other liberals that voted for the war wasn't that they 100% believed all of the intelligence on WMD's and terrorists. No, they simply believed enough to know that if an attack tied to Iraq occurred, they were going to look stupid being on the wrong side. So, they came out for going to war, not to protect us, but to protect themselves. Pretty good gamble on their part as they can now blame Bush and the so-called "neocons" for the war.
While I can't match you for the cutting and pasting you did, I will finish with a few more thoughts. We were going to remove Saddam at some time anyway. If it wasn't the US with a limited group of support nations, it would have eventually been led by the UN (how long that would have taken is another story). Tthe concern over just some of the intelligence in 2003 being true was what precipitated the war at that time.
Never forget, this has never been truly Bush's war. Saddam had complete control to stop this war before it ever started and had dozens of resolutions and opportunities to avoid the standoff and the eventual invasion, but he chose his own path to "heaven".
Regardless of how history views Bush, if Saddam didn't continue to have WMD's in2003 and had no ties to al-qaida, how stupid will he look for standing in the way of UN mandated inspections to prove that he didn't and to stop this war.

Answer 2

Iraq did the first 9/11, ie, the '93 attack on the World Trade Center, and then the assassination attempt on Pres. Bush Sr. They also funded and supplied terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians for many many years. In late 2002, the U.S. Congress voted overwhelmingly for the regime change of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. After the regime change, the United Nations welcomed the removal of Saddam Hussein, endorsed the new constitutional repbulic of Iraq, and asked the U.S. to provide military security for the Iraqi government until such time that they could do it independently. And it has been verified that there were many communications and agreements between Iraq and Al Qaeda prior to 9/11, just as Bush Jr had been saying at that time. The above is a simplied answer to your simple question. You're welcome.

Answer 3

By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

"...Jerusalem----April 2.....The American Jewish Congress today congratulated Paul Wolfowitz on his election as the president of the World Bank

In Israel, The Jerusalem Post had selected Paul Wolfowitz as its Man of the Year for 2002. The Post stated: "On September 15, 2001, at a meeting in Camp David, Wolfowitz advised President George W. Bush to skip Kabul and train American guns on Baghdad. In March 2003, he got his wish.

The difference with Wolfowitz is that he's been talking about this since at least 1992

"When President Bush says, "America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons" -- that's Wolfowitz talking. When the president calls for "a new Arab charter that champions internal reform, greater political participation, economic openness and free trade" -- that's Wolfowitz's talking, too...."

Answer 4

They were the most accurate we had at the time and everyone agreed upon THAT fact.

I wish people would stop focusing upon the reasons we went there and start focusing upon the advancing we've made there - for ourselves and the Iraqi people.

This is their chance of a lifetime and our chance to improve our own national security tenfold.

Answer 5

Sadam stole Bush's date to the prom and so the war broke out

Answer 6

You cut and pasted a book report as your question.

Try paring it down to what you really want to know and like the rest of the backstory..... then maybe someone will read it.

Answer 7

I think it is nothing more than a good joke! LOL!

Answer 8

Whatever!