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
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
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
Afghanistan: The Other War is definitely worth your time. Very worthy look at a Canadian PRT in action in Nuristan.
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.
http://www.pbs.org/weta/crossroads/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.
Last edited by Sarajevo071; 04-16-2007 at 03:48 PM.
NYTIMES on this very PBS special.
One review from NYTs
New York Times
April 17, 2007
TV Review: 'Gangs of Iraq'
The Disquieting Face Of 'Iraqification'
By Sreenath SreenivasanFor 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.
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
Outstanding program. It is available to watch online in full here.
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
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.
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.
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