10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The truth about what we choose to ignore, April 10, 2011
This is an excellent introduction to South America for-- well-- just about all citizens of the United States. The vast majority of our population knows so little (if anything) about our neighbors. Yet the fickle majority finds it easy to accept that anyone labelled an evil dictator by the mainstream media must be so. Philger has compiled an impressive and well-balanced array of interviews with South American national leaders, grassroots citizens, and even former CIA agents andaffluent citizens of ech country who oppose some of the popular leaders. Gues what? Hugo Chavaz is a human being. How easy it is to villify anyone who doesn't happen to agree with the American way of life. Watch this and you may be ready to move to Venezuela, or Bolivia. A great companion to Olver Stone's more recent, "South of the Border," whicfh I also recommend.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pilger's keen eye for inconvenient truth, May 13, 2009
This review is from: The War on Democracy [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] (DVD)
I found Pilger's documentary convincing and challenging. It would be a useful documentary for a high school teacher of history or politics to create a lively debate. Has US intervention in South America been altruistic or self serving? If self serving - at what price to the local populations of South America? Did the USA destroy fledging democracies in South America and aid in the installation of criminal dictatorships to serve its own interests and at the cost of thousands of lives? Even if you dont believe everything the film asserts it certainly makes you think beyond superficial propaganda. Full marks to Pilger for this brave attempt to awaken the political conscience of the world.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dead on!, October 6, 2011
Before emigrating to the U.S., I grew up in Latin America under - what else? - a dictatorship.
I found this documentary very well thought-out and researched. It should be required viewing every American school, every year.
Although I must admit that my favorite part was when the head of CIA Latin American Operations, presented with the facts, said that the U.N. and Human Right Watch are nothing but liars and propagandists. This from someone from the CIA. The CIA, whose daily staple currency is lying, deceit, propaganda, extortion, blackmail and murder!
Not to mention his cavalier attitude that the Americans are allowed to do ANYTHING they wish, in the name of National Security, and because they are Americans. For him, "National Security" is America's excuse for any type of action, up to and including murder by proxy.
So long as the American People pay 30 cents less per pound for grapes at the supermarket counter, it doesn't matter if they ruin a nation's economy and condemn an entire people to oppressive dictatorship, torture and death by the thousands...
This is a documentary that every single American should watch. Although for most, it would create no impact or change in world-view at all... What we seem to care about is cheap gas, no matter what the costs to someone else.
I dislike it when an American politician gets on TV and says that the U.S. is the champion of Justice, Democracy, and Freedom.
Once more: Excellent documentary!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
