Rethink Afghanistan

[Mark Mentzer]

Rethink Afghanistan is a 2009 documentary about the ongoing war in Afghanistan. This full-length documentary campaign features experts from Afghanistan, the U.S., and Russia discussing critical issues like military escalation, how escalation will affect Pakistan and the surrounding region, the cost of war, civilian casualties, and the rights of Afghan women.

Creators Robert Greenwald and Brave New Foundation are releasing this film in real time, enabling them to stay atop an ever-changing news cycle. They have already released the first three segments of this five-part documentary:
Afghanistan + More Troops = Catastrophe, http://rethinkafghanistan.com/troop_full.php

Pakistan: "The Most Dangerous Country" http://rethinkafghanistan.com/part2_full.php

and "Cost of War online" http://rethinkafghanistan.com/part3_full.php

The film interviews experts like Andrew Bacevich, Stephen Kinzer, Anand Gopal, Steve Coll, Ann Jones, Linda Bilmes, Jo Comerford, Dr. Roshanak Warnak, and more.

As part of the filmmaking process, acclaimed Director Robert Greenwald (Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, Outfoxed, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price) traveled to Afghanistan to meet with and interview members of Afghanistan's parliament, bloggers, women's rights organizations, and groups committed to the peace movement.

The ultimate goal of this documentary campaign is to raise the level of public discourse, compel people to ask key questions about the war, and urge Congress to hold oversight hearings. Already, the campaign has successfully helped retired Corporal Rick Reyes and other veterans testify before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and meet with members of Congress.[2] Reyes, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, testified before Sen. John Kerry and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

He told the committee, "Sending more troops will not make the US safer; it will only build more opposition against us. I urge you on behalf of truth and patriotism to consider carefully and Rethink Afghanistan."

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Here's 6 trailers. Rethink Afghanistan trailer (Part 1): More Troops + Afghanistan = Catastrophe (trailer):

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Rethink Afghanistan trailer (Part 2): Pakistan: "The Most Dangerous Country":

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 3): The Cost of War (Trailer):

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 4): Civilian Casualties (Trailer):

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 5): Women of Afghanistan:

Rethink Afghanistan (Part 6): Security:

[Daniel Blattenbauer]

Jacquin, it would have helped to invade the right country to start with, at least. But in my opinion it is time to get out of both countries soon as possible before more cost in blood and money for no good reason. This is VietNam all over again; no real objective and no end game.

[Mark Mentzer]

jacquin, I think you're wrong. Afghanistan is not the place for our troops to be. Pakistan is the problem. Watch the videos. Look at the site. Pakistan is the problem now. AlQueda is alive and well there.

[Mark Mentzer]

Read the article. Look at the videos. Look at the website. Afghanistan is over it's Pakistan that we now must concentrate on.

[Mark Mentzer]

But, Obama added 20,000 when he became pres. That would have been better used in Pakistan. He always talked about Pakistan but this documentary proves that we've got our eyes on the wrong prize. Just like Bush did. No, Afghanistan has got to go ASAP.

[Mark Mentzer]

No, we have to handle Pakistan delicately but I'm saying that if we keep escalating Afghanistan we're making a mistake and not keeping our eyes on the prize which is now Pakistan. I have no idea how to deal with them. That's why I'm an artist and not a strategist but I do know that they have to be dealt with and Afghanistan is a lost cause.

[Just-a-Writer]

I didn't watch the videos yet, I have a splitting headache and don't think I could concentrate that well. I'll try to watch them tomorrow, I'm interested in how this goes.

I can't help but wonder what the people/government of Afghanistan wants us to do? We're not fighting Afghani's we're suppose to be helping them, so what do they think we can do to be more helpful?

[Mark Mentzer]

What we can do to help the Afghani people is concentrate on Pakistan.

[Mark Mentzer]

We wouldn't be in this mess at all if the Bush administration had listened to Richard Clarke.