Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: PBS FRONTLINE: Gangs of Iraq 17 April 07

  1. #1
    Council Member Tom Odom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    DeRidder LA
    Posts
    3,949

    Default PBS FRONTLINE: Gangs of Iraq 17 April 07

    Frontline is generally quite good. This one promises to be worth the time.

    Best

    Tom

    FRONTLINE
    http://www.pbs.org/frontline/

    - This Week: "Gangs of Iraq" (60 minutes),
    Tuesday, April 10 at 9pm on PBS (check local listings)
    Inside FRONTLINE: Old fashion journalism
    - Live Discussion: Chat with producer Marcela Gaviria Wed., April 18, at 11 am ET

    The Bush Administration's exit strategy in Iraq has long counted on "standing up" Iraqi security forces. To do so, much emphasis has been placed on the training of Iraqis, an effort that has cost $15 billion to date. Yet despite the recruitment of more than 300,000 Iraqi police and soldiers, the violence in Iraq remains horrific.

    In "Gangs of Iraq" this Tuesday, veteran producer Marcela Gaviria and correpondent Martin Smith travel to Iraq to take a hard look at how the training effort is faring. This FRONTLINE is a joint production with "America at a Crossroads," a special series of programs on terrorism being broadcast by PBS over one week beginning this Sunday.

    Smith and Gaviria, who are no strangers to Iraq, provide an amazingly insightful report that can only be described as good old fashion journalism. Smith asks tough questions, and he and Gaviria observe and capture the gap between the reality on the ground and the hopes expressed by politicians in Washington and Baghdad. The team uncovers the inherent complication Americans face in training Iraqi forces - no one seems to know who can be trusted. So you will see cell phones taken away from our Iraqi allies because the U.S. military can't be sure they won't be used to warn the insurgents of a pending raid.

    In another example, the film team's cameras caught an Iraqi unit having a discussion in Arabic after the discovery of a weapons cache. We didn't know what they were saying until we translated the scene after the team returned to the U.S. It was then we discovered that the Iraqis were talking about the location of a much larger cache of weapons that was "with the sheikh" -- information they didn't share at the time with the Americans who were with them.

    I hope you will be able to join us Tuesday night for "Gangs of Iraq," but if you miss the broadcast, it will be online for viewing the next day on our Web site. There you will also find the extended interviews, background pieces by correspondent Smith and producer Gaviria and a chance to join in the discussion.

    Louis Wiley, Jr.
    Executive Editor

  2. #2
    Council Member Rob Thornton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Fort Leavenworth, KS
    Posts
    1,510

    Default

    For those of here at Knox:


    KET
    CHANNEL 46
    Frontline/World: Afghanistan: The Other War
    Monday, April 16, 10:00pm
    Sam Kiley reports on the Afghanistan War.


    Looks well worth the while - I'll provide feedback tomorrow.
    Rob

  3. #3
    Council Member tequila's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    New York, NY
    Posts
    1,665

    Default

    Afghanistan: The Other War is definitely worth your time. Very worthy look at a Canadian PRT in action in Nuristan.

  4. #4
    Banned
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    278

    Default

    Tom,

    that is third part of “America at a Crossroads” series. Started last night and will run every night thru Friday. I think well worth effort. Tonight running:

    WARRIORS, 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.

    OPERATION HOMECOMING: WRITING THE WARTIME EXPERIENCE, 10:00 - 11:00 p.m.

    America at a Crossroads is a major public television event premiering on PBS in April 2007 that explores the challenges confronting the post-9/11 world — including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America’s role overseas.
    Aimed at creating a national dialogue surrounding the crucial issues explored in the series, an extensive media and outreach campaign in more than 25 communities accompanies the series. The campaign features screening events with the filmmakers and their subjects in discussions with United States military personnel, leading policy experts, leaders of the Islamic community, scholars from across the country as well as members of the public. Integrated Web and educational initiatives further extend the campaign.


    This series of 11 independently produced documentaries will premiere on Sunday, April 15 and will run nightly through Friday, April 20, 9:00–11:00pm (ET).

    Each night, series host Robert MacNeil will provide context to the compelling stories and provocative points of view to be shown throughout the week.

    Additional films will air as specials following the premiere.
    http://www.pbs.org/weta/crossroads/
    Last edited by Sarajevo071; 04-16-2007 at 03:48 PM.

  5. #5
    Council Member tequila's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    New York, NY
    Posts
    1,665

    Default

    NYTIMES on this very PBS special.

  6. #6
    Council Member Tom Odom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    DeRidder LA
    Posts
    3,949

    Default NYT Review on Gangs of Iraq

    One review from NYTs

    New York Times
    April 17, 2007

    TV Review: 'Gangs of Iraq'

    The Disquieting Face Of 'Iraqification'


    By Sreenath Sreenivasan
    For a documentary that opens with American troops, on patrol in Baghdad, coming across a corpse killed execution style — with eyes, ears and nose cut off — it’s striking that the most dismaying scene in “Gangs of Iraq” doesn’t come till some 45 minutes later.

    It occurs after American and Iraqi troops on a joint operation find and harmlessly detonate a car bomb. As the Americans, pleased at their success, walk away, the camera mike overhears some of the Iraqi soldiers speaking quietly among themselves as they smoke.

    “I am telling you there’s nothing here — this is just kid stuff,” one says in Arabic. “The big stuff is not here,” he says. “It’s with my mullah.” The conversation ends when the men notice that the video camera trained on them has a microphone.

  7. #7
    Council Member sullygoarmy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Fort Stewart
    Posts
    224

    Default

    Thanks for the info Tom. Looking forward to watching this tonight.
    "But the bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet withstanding, go out to meet it."

    -Thucydides

  8. #8
    Council Member tequila's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    New York, NY
    Posts
    1,665

    Default

    Outstanding program. It is available to watch online in full here.

  9. #9
    Council Member Tom Odom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    DeRidder LA
    Posts
    3,949

    Default

    I found the first hour good--and exasperating, especially the police trainer who described himself as a motivational speaker.

    I simply could not stand to listen to Richard Perle for the 2nd half.

    Tom

  10. #10
    Council Member slapout9's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    4,818

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Odom View Post
    I found the first hour good--and exasperating, especially the police trainer who described himself as a motivational speaker.
    Tom

    Tom you got that right, what in the world did he think he was accomplishing??

  11. #11
    Council Member Tom Odom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    DeRidder LA
    Posts
    3,949

    Default

    Honestly I cannot tell you...His opening was bad and it went downhill from there...he probably made beaucoup bucks "imposing his American will" upon the police cadets by having them shout "Freedom" and pledge allegiance to the flag drawn in the wall...

    It reminded me of the movie "Starship Troopers" --the poorly acted tough sergeant (played by Clancy Brown) as he motivated the recruits by throwing knives into their hands. At least we were spared seeing Rick or his cadets in a shower scene...

    Tom
    Last edited by Tom Odom; 04-19-2007 at 05:49 PM.

  12. #12
    Council Member RTK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Wherever my stuff is
    Posts
    824

    Default Rick the Motivational Speaker

    Something akin to Chris Farley on the old SNL skits:

    "My name is Rick and I am a motivational speaker. And I live in a van down by the Tigris!"
    Example is better than precept.

  13. #13
    Council Member Tom Odom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    DeRidder LA
    Posts
    3,949

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RTK View Post
    Something akin to Chris Farley on the old SNL skits:

    "My name is Rick and I am a motivational speaker. And I live in a van down by the Tigris!"
    And one student looked at the other and whispered, "Anna bihagga seelah"

    (I need a gun!)


    Tom

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •