Iraq For Sale!

Last night, Linn, Vincen, Michele, and I went to see the premier of Iraq For Sale, the newest documentary from Robert Greenwald.

It was a pretty good documentary, but not nearly the best I've seen. Anyone who's seen Why We Fight knows that it was primarily about the profit of war...and it was a LOT better than this similar one. The first half of Iraq For Sale was a little slow, especially in that the content was stuff we're al familiar with (OMG KBR makes a profit!).

The second half realy picked up and we gained a lot of insight into what was really going on. The most surprising was video of the "chow line". A line of soldiers that looked a quarter of a mile long! Soldiers wait OVER AN HOUR on line! The reason? KBR doesn't want to go to a 24/7 food availability system because they don't profit as much from it as a 3-times-a-day system. Ridiculous!

The best part was hearing everyone in the audience, as if rehearsed, *hiss* when Rick Santorum was on the screen. :-D

There was also a lot of in-depth interviews with people who've contracted and soldiers.

The highlights of the evening were that Gary Hart, a former Colorado Senator and Presidential candidate, gave a little speech before the movie and had a lot of interesting things to say. He talked about how he foresaw this result of the war, and was laughed at. Now he laughts at himself, because he UNDERESTIMATED it! He talked about how we never consider casualties, only KIA. And he talked about his new book, "The Courage of Our Convictions".

Robert Greenwald also spoke, accentuating his need for us to buy up the DVD's and screen them at house parties. I didn't get one, though, because I just didn't like the movie so much. (I'd rather have people over to see Why We Fight, honestly.)

Progress Now also showed a 5-minute mini-doc, based on the movie, called "Beauprez For Sale". He's the only congressman to receive money from ALL FIVE of the big government contractors! (Titan, Halliburton, KBR, and the others...)

Hilarious!

Aside from the movie, we had dinner at Goodfriends (nachos, baby!) and also stopped by Bill Ritter campaign headquarters to pick up yard signs and bumper stickers.

My Bill Winter yard sign now has a friend. ;-)