No End in Sight

Living up to its acclaim as the best documentary yet on the war in Iraq, Charles Ferguson’s film is non-inflammatory but all the more infuriating for its restraint. Though the viewpoint is clear enough, there are no partisan rants, but just the Bush administration condemned (most particularly, Rumsfeld and Bremer) out of the mouths of its own officials, as well as eyewitnesses on the ground, their testimony unclouded by the inky exudations of disinformation expelled by the Bushies. Few of the interviewees were against the war going in, and there may be some blame-evasion in their speaking for the record (vide Jay Garner, supplanted by Bremer and the CPA, and Richard Armitage, whose boss Colin Powell was bested by Rumsfeld in bureaucratic infighting), but enough credible witnesses tell interlocking stories, so a clear picture emerges of how Iraq became MessO’Potamia. In specific, the film argues convincingly that the disbandment of the Iraqi army was the single greatest mistake made. Overall, what comes through is the toxic blend of ignorance and arrogance that is the Bush trademark, and the legacy of the mess he has made. First-time director Ferguson is really the anti-Michael Moore, a scholar rather than a showman, and makes his argument convincingly, without shouting or grandstanding. The dvd includes lots of extended interviews that are just as worth watching as the film itself. (2007, dvd, n.) *8+* (MC-89.)