Iraq for Sale at Brave New Films

Going Out of Business: How Much Longer Will Iraq Be for Sale?

2008-07-26T15:29:17Z

"Interrogation for Profit." That was the title of the lead Op-Ed in last Thursday's New York Times. It's a phrase straight of Brave New Films’ documentary Iraq for Sale, and an issue we’ve been calling attention to for the last few years. But while it’s gratifying to see a growing dialogue about how the Bush administration has shirked all accountability regarding the detainment and interrogation of Iraqi prisoners by hiring mercenary private contractors, this fight is far from over.

It is true, as the Op-Ed pointed out, that Congress is finally pushing to prohibit private contractors and limit the use of security guards in combat areas. According to CQ, the House has already passed such a ban and the Senate is set to consider its own version, which has been tacked onto a $612.5 billion defense authorization bill. Not surprisingly, however, President Bush is already threatening to veto, using the age-old boilerplate that banning private interrogators “would unduly limit the United States’ ability to obtain intelligence needed to protect Americans from attack.”

Protect Americans from attack? Once again, Bush is painting himself as our concerned father, though he’s become an abusive parent. By suggesting that only the father can safeguard his children (us) from the supposedly imminent threat of terrorism, Bush is preying on our collective vulnerabilities in a post-9/11 world. For the last seven years, this has been Bush’s chief line of defense and it’s a diabolically clever one because it has enabled his administration to run this war with zero accountability.

Iraq STILL for Sale

2008-06-18T03:31:43Z

When I first met Ben Carter by telephone in January of 2006, he was somewhat of a lone voice shouting into an empty stadium. He had been working for Kellogg, Brown, and Root (KBR)—a Halliburton subsidiary that had billions of dollars worth of government contracts in Iraq—as a water contamination specialist. I was working with Brave New Films on a documentary (Iraq For Sale) about war profiteering companies who used the war as a way to line their pockets with gads of tax-payer cash for such things a bag of washed laundry at $100 a pop, or $45 for a six pack of Coke.

The war had been outsourced and privatized, and the likes of KBR were not so privately robbing the country blind with cost-plus contracts. Based on this bright idea, the more a company spent, say, on that Hummer for the boss running the ice cream stand for the troops on leave in Kuwait, the more that company made. Or rather, when looked at from the public's side of the ledger, the more the taxpayer paid.

CIA Admits Contractors Involved in Waterboarding

2008-02-29T15:14:46Z

Earlier this month CIA Director Michael Hayden testified before Congress and admitted private contractors were employed to waterboard al Qaeda detainees.

According to a Wall Street Journal article posted on CorpWatch:

"CIA Director Michael V. Hayden was asked whether contractors were involved in waterboarding al Qaeda detainees. He replied: 'I'm not sure of the specifics. I'll give you a tentative answer: I believe so.' An agency spokesman declined to clarify the answer.

According to two current and former intelligence officials, the use of contracting at the CIA's secret sites increased quickly in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, in part because the CIA had little experience in detentions and interrogation. Using nongovernment employees also helped maintain a low profile, they said. The sites were designed to handle only the most sensitive detainees."

So not only is the U.S. goverment outsourcing the war and its disastrous aftermath to private companies, it's even outsourcing the torture of prisoners. Then, the CIA destroys the evidence. Convenient.

Blackwater Gassed U.S. Soldiers

2008-01-12T20:50:46Z

Just yesterday, Think Progress reported-

Controversial private security firm Blackwater Worldwide "has ramped up its lobbying representation on Capitol Hill" by hiring the law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice to "lobby the government on contracting and other issues."

Then this comes out today-

Suddenly, on that May day in 2005, the copter dropped CS gas, a riot-control substance the American military in Iraq can use only under the strictest conditions and with the approval of top military commanders. An armored vehicle on the ground also released the gas, temporarily blinding drivers, passers-by and at least 10 American soldiers operating the checkpoint.
"This was decidedly uncool and very, very dangerous," Capt. Kincy Clark of the Army, the senior officer at the scene, wrote later that day. "It's not a good thing to cause soldiers who are standing guard against car bombs, snipers and suicide bombers to cover their faces, choke, cough and otherwise degrade our awareness."

They're going to need all the good p.r. they can get.

"Iraq For Sale" Today On Encore

2008-03-22T21:54:47Z

Various times, first one starts at 11:40A EST. You can check out the schedule here.

Video is the trailer for "Iraq For Sale".

Iraq: The Costs of Catastrophic Conservatism

2008-07-26T18:19:28Z

It's official. Through the National Intelligence Estimate -- the most authoritative and consensus view of the 16 US intelligence agencies -- America's intelligence community has finally acknowledged the inescapable reality: conservatives' failed occupation in Iraq has stoked the terrorist threat, generating recruits for increased terrorism across the globe.
More at: home.ourfuture.org

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Iraq convoy sent to death by Halliburton-KBR

2008-01-12T20:17:55Z

The devastating details of war profiteering are front and center in a major story in the Los Angeles Times this morning.

With emails, internal communications and details, the story provides heartbreaking insight into the decision by Halliburton-KBR to send truck drivers to their death.

In working on IRAQ FOR SALE, this story of the "Friday massacre" was one of the most devastating sections of the film. All of us who worked on the film continue to be haunted by the interviews we did with the two surviving truck drivers, and the wives and children of the truck drivers who were killed. The section of the film where we expose this profiteering continues to outrage and inflame audiences. Todays article in the Times will intensity the outrage as well it should.

We must continue to insist that investigations continue and legislation be passed to stop the corporations who have made a science of profit over patriotism.

Iraq convoy sent to death by Halliburton-KBR

2008-01-24T09:00:01Z

The devastating details of war profiteering are front and center in a major story in the Los Angeles Times this morning.

With emails, internal communications and details, the story provides heartbreaking insight into the decision by Halliburton-KBR to send truck drivers to their death.

The decision to send these truck drivers into a region they were told was going to cost lives was made for the pure financial gain of Halliburton-KBR. It brings home once again the disaster of building profit into the war effort. And the irony of Halliburton threatening the Times with a possible lawsuit! We must continue to insist that investigations continue and legislation be passed to stop the corporations who have made a science of profit over patriotism.

Cliff Beats On GOP Huckster/Pollster Jon McLaughlin

2008-07-09T17:11:40Z

Cliff Schecter debates Republican divide over use of private contractors in the war on terrorism on MSNBC

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Rove's Real Legacy: Blackwater Privatizes National Security

2008-07-09T18:59:19Z

You would never imagine that California would need or want a Blackwater mercenary training facility. And you'd be right: California and the residents near where Blackwater wants to set up shop really don't want Blackwater. After all, the Marines at Pendleton, a few miles down the road, keep us pretty safe.

Blackwater West, as they call it, will be created and run by the same folks who brought us four dead Americans with corpses strung up from a bridge in Fallujah. But as with so much else Blackwater does, the wishes of the people matter not one whit. It's all about a buck and the ideology of fear.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Brave New Films

2008-01-12T20:12:03Z

I want to congratulate Robert Greenwald and the Brave New Films team on the launch of their progressive video blog. Judging from their tremendous track record in bringing important issues to the attention of the public, through films such as Iraq For Sale, I am confident that this site will play an important role in facilitating the internet's ongoing democratization of America's political discourse.

As I have said before the internet allows regular ordinary folks to have a voice. That's why I go out of my way to communicate any way that I can on the Internet and I think the blogs such as this is a tremendously important way for the American public to find out what's really going on.

250,000 Bullets Fired For Every Insurgent Killed

2008-01-12T20:09:53Z

Yes, you read that correctly. Wanna guess who's getting rich off of the release of the obscene amount of military ordinance in Iraq?

Hint: Go watch Iraq For Sale.

IRAQ FOR SALE and WAL-MART Hit the Small Screen

2008-01-12T20:08:54Z

Don't kill your TV just yet. Starz Cinema is kicking-off a special run of two Greenwald films this weekend- Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers and Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Price.

Iraq for Sale world television premiere schedule

2008-05-31T09:33:19Z

The schedule for Iraq For Sale's world television premiere on the Starz Cinema and Encore Drama network has finally been released. Director Robert Greenwald will introduce the film and return at the end for an exclusive interview for the first two airings. Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price will also been shown several times in July and August.

World television premiere of Iraq for Sale in July

2008-03-22T21:54:29Z

Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers will make it's world television premiere on Starz Cinema Saturday, July 14 at 10pm (et/pt). Director Robert Greenwald will introduce the film and return at the end for an exclusive interview.

"In a day and age filled with fearmongering and cowardice, I am pleased that Starz is standing up and allowing this film to reach a wide audience," says Greenwald. "Watch it, discuss it, debate it, and then most important ... take action to fix the wrongs ... that is Democracy."

Iraq for Sale to be shown at Revelation Film Festival

2008-01-12T19:58:00Z

We're pleased to announce that Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers will have two screenings at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival in Perth, Australia in July. The first screening will occur on Wednesday July 18th at the Luna Cinema SX (13th Essex Street, Fremantle) at 9pm. The second screening will be on Sunday July 22nd at the Luna Cinema Leederville (155 Oxford Street, Leederville) at 7pm. Please go to the Revelation Film Festival web site for more details.

Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers - teaser trailer

2008-07-09T19:26:27Z

Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers - teaser trailer

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Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers - Teaser 2

2008-03-22T21:54:28Z

Preliminary teaser for documentary "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers"

Blackwater, America's Private Army

2008-03-22T21:54:28Z

Inside America's private army with extended bonus scenes from Robert Greenwald's documentary "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers"

Follow the Blackwater Money trail

2008-06-12T15:38:13Z

iraqforsale.org Bonus scene from Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers

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'Iraq for Sale' bonus scene: Soldiers outsourced to KBR

2008-07-09T20:16:50Z

David Mann, a veteran of the Iraq war, talks about training KBR employees making substantially more money to do his job.

From Robert Greenwald's documentary Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers

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Pursuing the War Profiteers for Interviews

2008-07-09T14:45:55Z

The producers of "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers" trying to get interviewes with Blackwater, CACI, Titan and Halliburton's CEOs. All refused.

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Robert Greenwald on CNBC

2008-07-09T16:28:55Z

Director Robert Greenwald talks about Iraq for Sale on CNBC's Power Lunch

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Robert Greenwald on ABC News

2008-07-09T16:28:46Z

Director Robert Greenwald talks about Iraq for Sale on ABC News

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What if Halliburton's CEO came clean?

2008-03-22T21:54:28Z

Halliburton CEO David Lesar has refused to come clean about his war profiteering, so we thought we'd help him out a bit. From the producers of 'Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers'