Errol Morris, Standard Operating Procedure

January 8, 2009 - 12:20 pm No Comments
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Get the true life story on the atrocities that occurred at Abu Gharib in the early years of the war in Iraq. Director Errol Morris tells the BlackTree TV audience what led him to creating the documentary, and what happened to those prisoners. BlackTree TV goes one on one with Director Errol Morris. Is it possible for a photograph to change the world? Photographs taken by soldiers in Abu Ghraib prison changed the war in Iraq and changed America's image of itself. Yet, a central mystery remains. Did the notorious Abu Ghraib photographs constitute evidence of systematic abuse by the American military, or were they documenting the aberrant behavior of a few "bad apples"? We set out to examine the context of these photographs. Why were they taken? What was happening outside the frame? We talked directly to the soldiers who took the photographs and who were in the photographs. Who are these people? What were they thinking? Over two years of investigation, we amassed a million and a half words of interview transcript, thousands of pages of unredacted reports, and hundreds of photographs. The story of Abu Ghraib is still shrouded in moral ambiguity, but it is clear what happened there. The Abu Ghraib photographs serve as both an expose and a coverup. An expose, because the photographs offer us a glimpse of the horror of Abu Ghraib; and a coverup because they convinced journalists and readers they had seen everything, that there was no need to look further. In recent news reports, we have learned about the destruction of the Abu Zubaydah interrogation tapes. A coverup. It has been front page news. But the coverup at Abu Ghraib involved thousands of prisoners and hundreds of soldiers. We are still learning about the extent of it. Many journalists have asked about "the smoking gun" of Abu Ghraib. It is the wrong question. As Philip Gourevitch has commented, Abu Ghraib is the smoking gun. The underlying question that we still have not resolved, four years after the scandal: how could American values become so compromised that Abu Ghraib—and the subsequent coverup—could happen? http://www.blacktree.tv

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Comments to “Errol Morris, Standard Operating Procedure”

  1. Samirah Says:
    My point is that America can't be brought back because America never was what it "was". The dialogue today is driven by lemming liberals who would have you believe that these foreign policies are unique to George W. Bush when in fact the leadership of this country, Republican or Democratic, has a history of exerting it's power abroad in unpopular ways without the support of the entire international community. Don't let the hyperbole of a Maher or a Colbert or a Stewart convince you otherwise.
  2. Joanna Says:
    Thanks for this clip.
  3. Cornelius Says:
    That was a response to the post below.
  4. Germaine Says:
    Yeah look what happened at Wounded Knee.
  5. HARCOURT Says:
    Fuckin Snitch! FUCK THESE ARABS, 9/11 REMEMBER? DETAINEES=AL QUADA ! AL QUADA = HATE "SO WHY NOT HATE THEM BACK?
  6. Breri Says:
    Another Jew trying to justify the crimes
  7. IAMAR Says:
    please dont write us off. the government is one thing; the people are something else. you must believe in america. we will bring it back.
  8. Jenelle Says:
    Yeah unlike the America during the Vietnam-era or the Spanish-American War-era or the Texas Revolution etc... Various nationalities and individuals have always charged that the United States has used its power and influence to spread violence and oppression around the world.
  9. SPALDING Says:
    I don't recognise the face of America any more. Bush has made the USA a mean spirited and hated country.
  10. MASICHUVIO Says:
    I like to feel sexy....knowing someone is watching me ..wanting me...turns me on!BADLY! I like to flirt and pose..and sometimes i like to get WILD! how? ..he he..come in video and youll see:-)) maybe u can teach me something..or maybe i will ! come visit me at MeetYourFling (.COM) my user-id there is karrah-okhn chat soon on cam :-) iynkkmjtdex
  11. DAI Says:
    thank you for your reply...my big question is how we gonna change the misery...i mean look at your country...look at my "country" (europe)...there are so many smart people in our countries...we know about the lies...about the media-war...how far we gonna allow the priviledged to go? should we start a riot...should we accept and watch television.the politicians are just marionettes of the real evil.we should talk to the people who are sponsoring the political parties.who are they?do they care?
  12. BERTHOLD Says:
    Fero1981 - The Gov't does not reflect the will of the people. More than ever it has just reflected the will of the priviledged, while more and more people are suffering everyday. So those are questions we would like to know of our Government also. As we would hope that all govenrments around the world had the will of their people at mind while Governing. But the Evil that men do is real, and it is something that we all have to deal with around the world. Good has to prevail over evil.
  13. SPALDING Says:
    why you have to pay for good education...why you have to pay to get medical care...we destroy tons of aliments and people are starving....ask your government these questions...i would like to know the answers..think about it....
  14. Sorel Says:
    the huge problem is that the "big" guys always get away...they got the money they got the power the lawyers...i mean they made the law to protect themselves....we must not forget that every "move" by the government was always protected by the law (nazis, stalin-regime....)the law is not protecting the people from injustice...we should bring the knowledge and education to the people...knowledge is the key to the power...why is the government cutting the budget of education...
  15. Gerrit Says:
    Just saw this movie and really enjoyed it. Great interview.
  16. Darah Says:
    Saga- Thank u for your post
  17. D'or Says:
    WOW!! NO ONE POSTED ON THIS AFTER A WHOLE YEAR..... "FIRST" and ERROL MORRIS ROCKS... The Fog Of War Changed my opinion of my last 2 generations. My Granparents, WW2 Generation and My Parents, The Coldwar Generation.

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