[WATCHED: June 2009] The Power of Nightmares
This is a film, not a book. But I found it so fascinating that I had to say something about it. I have to say it again, this series was truly amazing, and I encourage everyone to watch it.
The Power of Nightmares is a 3 part documentary, totaling about 3 hours. It was created by the BBC in 2004. The underlying theme of the film is that politicians have begun to resort to fear in order to achieve their desired aims. Where in the distant past, politicians offered hope and future fulfillment, nearly all campaigns now try to scare you into voting for them. (This was before Obama, and may explain the popularity of Obama’s campaign).
The premise of the series is that the rise of the radical Islamist movement (including al Qaeda) and the rise of the American Neo-Conservatives not only parallels each other but actually supports each other.
This documentary is well researched and, obviously, controversial. It has, to the best of my knowledge, never aired in the U.S. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 