Thirteen/WNET » Bush’s War: What Do You Think?

Bush’s War: What Do You Think?

August 4th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

Thirteen re-aired Bush’s War Sunday night, Aug. 3; it’s a 4.5-hour epic that’s challenging, controversial, enlightening. It’s the most-watched online program from PBS ever.

You watch it online here, or wait for the rebroadcast on September 6, but we’d like to know:

What did you think about the program Bush’s War?

What is to be gained from staying in Iraq? What would be lost by leaving too soon?

The 2008 election candidates have their positions on the war:

McCain’s Statements on the future of the Iraq War
Obama’s Statements on the future of the Iraq War

When it becomes McCain’s War or Obama’s War, what different problems will they face?

Answer these, pose your own questions, or react to the program, below.

Tags: 2008 election, Barack Obama, Bush's War, Frontline, George W. Bush, Iraq war, John McCain

COMMENTS

52 comments

#52

8/12/08 :: 7:25 pm
paulette rubinstein curtis (seniors 4 sanity) Says:

Anyone responsible for the war in Iraq should be tried and sentenced by the appropriate court. Why should that murdering crowd get away with it when the constitution provides the remedy: impeachment. Nancy Pelosi said ‘Impeachment is off the table”? She should have remained in the kitchen!

#51

8/12/08 :: 4:00 pm
H. W. Ebert Says:

The program was very informative and indicates clearly that Bush should be charged with the same war crimes thst were applied in Nuernberg. That’s conducting agressive warfare and crimes again humanity.

#50

8/11/08 :: 6:15 pm
evann Says:

This Frontline documentary is one of the most thoroughly researched on the Bush Administration’s assault on Iraq that I have seen. Brilliant. Thank you so very much.

#49

8/11/08 :: 3:52 pm
Kathleen Says:

If we let these madmen get away with this atrocity, how can we ever criticize other nations for acts of aggression or crimes against humanity? We must stand up for justice and our Constitution. What will stop future administrations from starting wars to grab even more power for the executive branch (and whatever branch of government Cheney is creating for himself)?

#48

8/11/08 :: 3:06 pm
M Cooper Says:

To undertake to cover so much ground, even in 4.5 hours, deserves a lot of credit in itself. While there were some important people who must have declined the opportunity to appear (e.g. the entire cabinet at the time that war was being discussed and decided upon) it was a riveting and interesting documentary. As to the debate over the handling of the interludes between the sections, they might have been shorter but at least gave everyone a chance to wash the dishes or make a phone call before the next segment began. Thank you for doing this. It was a public service.

#47

8/5/08 :: 11:32 pm
zaki Asaad Says:

Now we know what had happen, Then WHAT We are Going To Do About ( IT )???!!!!

#46

8/5/08 :: 9:27 am
db Says:

I have to echo Melissa Pilchard’s comments regarding impeachment. How can an illegal war be initiated, carried out, perpetuated and funded almost entirely with money borrowed from China, and the president who called the country to arms elude impeachment? We wasted 10s of millions of dollars impeaching Bill Clinton for a marital infidelity yet Bush has cost the country billions, set the deficit at all time high, cost the lives of over 4,000 American military personnel and untold Afghani and Iraqi citizens and no one in the House or Senate raises a finger. It matters not when we walk away from Iraq; the outcome will be the same. An unimaginable blood bath ending in a Shia led government that will support the Iranian and the Saudi regimes and a unification of the Middle East the likes of which we have never seen. The only people making out on this war are Bush’s oil cronies, the military contractors and the banks collecting the interest on the loans. The people who have/will suffer the most are the people of Iraq and the American families who have lost loved ones fighting a war that General Petraeus has stated is “militarily unwinnable”.

#45

8/4/08 :: 11:41 pm
Steve Says:

My only comment on this documentary is how they left out the overwhelming evidence of an inside job to get into this War in the first place. Obviously NORAD was ordered to stand down on 911 and the building were destroyed by controlled demolition. It would be impossible for those building to collapse in freefall speed without the use of explosives. If anyone is skeptical just google Steven Jones BYU professor on the evidence that thermate was used from samples of the steel he analyzed. Do your own research and I think you will find answers.

#44

8/4/08 :: 10:03 pm
Melissa Pilchard Says:

As the program ran through the first hour I kept asking again and again, Why are those neo-cons not on trial for mass murder? In the second hour, Why has Bush not been impeached? My pity and sorrow for Colin Powel is enormous. What a great man and he did try to save us and the rest of the eventually involved world. There were STATESMEN in government in the past but none are present now.How sad it is. Thank you for a concise summary of the greatest political blunder that the US has ever made.

#43

8/4/08 :: 7:18 pm
DANIEL H. DEENY Says:

I think that the documentary is insightful and as balanced as it could be, considering the fact that this debacle that has ensued for too long already with horrific, damning results. Those with a conservative slant will no doubt think that your presentation is biased with a more liberal (and I’m unashamed of that term) viewpoint. But after all of this time after the Iraq War (”occupation”, really) has begun, I found myself sitting and wondering, “Is there really nothing more that American citizens can do other than sit quietly and accept all of this? Is it really too late to effect a positive change with a collective voice?” Silence and helpless, convenient indifference may prove to be the largest tragedy of all because it would indicate the loss of a vital part of our national soul, and together, we shall reap that which we have collectively sown, regardless of our leadership.

#42

8/4/08 :: 6:49 pm
FRYING PAN » Blog Archive » Monday, August 4th, 2008, 2008 Grain for Your Brain Says:

[...] you liked or didn’t like Frontline’s Bush’s War program, join us in conversation over at http://www.thirteen.org/newsandpublicaffairs/bushs-war-what-do-you-think? Because it’s getting a little heated and you should add your two, three or four cents worth in. [...]

#41

8/4/08 :: 6:24 pm
Gloria Klein Says:

It is sad to hear the criticisms of “Bush’s War” It comes from those who have eyes, but will not see, ears, but do not hear, brains, but do not use them. They cannot be helped because they are closed to to their and other’s humanity.

#40

8/4/08 :: 5:31 pm
Patricia Floria Says:

The program turned out to be exactly what I expected,biased anti-Bush and just a continuation of your usual left-wing opinions. I was hoping for a more balanced report but ZI guess that was too much to hope for.I have been debating stopping my support because I like your theatrical and musical presentations but this put me over the edge. I intend to withdraw ny support. I agree with herman unanski’s last comment (8/1/08:7;41pm

#39

8/4/08 :: 4:22 pm
Julia Gorman Says:

Bush’s War was an excellent presentation. But reading some of the comments presented here is most discouraging. How sny intelligent American can defend this president and his cohorts is beyond me. It will take this country 50 years to recover from the blunders he has made.I’m 76 years old and I am very pessimistic about the future of the United States and its people. Terrible leadership has destroyed our standing in the world and led to a myriad of problems here at home.

#38

8/4/08 :: 4:14 pm
Jill Says:

I was so astonished by the intrusion of a fund-raising break, I immediately turned the program off. What are the words they use? Without commercial interruption?

#37

8/4/08 :: 4:11 pm
Andrea Says:

We two grandparents of eight have never been disappointed in Thirteen’s on-the-money coverage of current and past events and history in the making or made. Our financial contributions will continue and we hope your Channel’s brave, lone, voice in the media wilderness of spin, hype, idiot brevity sound bites, and loudmouthed commentators will continue forever. Thank you and G-d Bless. You are among the patriots that the Founders of our Republic envisioned over 200 years ago to preserve Amercans’ Freedom of Speech and thought. Could Jefferson, Adams, Washington, etc. ever imagined that a person who can’t even speak as articulately as our 6 year old granddaughter would be President of our wonderful nation for 2 terms?!

#36

8/4/08 :: 4:07 pm
Eastport Development Co. Says:

Read Stephen P Coyle (1st & 2nd)on 8.04, Sy Schleimer on 8.01….
Between the two commentaries, they say enough. I support the Frontline P.O.V., as well as the reporting and as such, sent my contribution to 13 to underline same.

#35

8/4/08 :: 3:33 pm
Regina Says:

God Bless America - isn’t that what we heard daily - hourly - after 9/11? How quickly we forget. Thank you President Bush for having the ba**s to stand up like a man and protect us. If only you had Rudy Giuliani as a VP - there would have been coordination as well. Are you listening McCain?

#34

8/4/08 :: 3:08 pm
Jasmine Says:

I missed the encore. When is it coming on again???

#33

8/4/08 :: 3:01 pm
SM Allen Says:

I only caught part of the program but enough to create that combination of profound disappointment and anger I usually feel when confronted with any Bush activity. I am always amazed that we have such incompetents running the country and that we got outselves into this mess. I can only pray we all have the sense to get rid of them this November. Obama, I hope, is that light at the end of the tunnel. Thank God for a free press and Chanel 13.

#32

8/4/08 :: 2:58 pm
barbara Says:

If it wasn’t Bush’s War, then it could only be Bush and Cheney’s War (and their sycophants). Every other country as well as the UN OPPOSED this war or had its arm twisted to become one of the so-called “willing.”

WW1 and 2 were WORLD wars, remember? And the U.S. was very late in getting involved.

#31

8/4/08 :: 2:30 pm
Keith Says:

I believe we should re-name WW2 to ‘Franklin’s war’. How about WW1 to ‘Woodrow’s war’?

Do we ever spend time thinking about the reasons for WW1? That killed a lot more GIs than Iraq. I’m really sick of people who’s foreign policy expertise consists of eating Chinese food commenting on the Iraq war.

Typical.

#30

8/4/08 :: 1:59 pm
Jack M Pollock Says:

Even a documentary as long as this one, much has had to be left out. But there is enough to condemn the Bush administration and the group of so-called neocons for criminally misleading this nation. The blood and treasure that have been lost can never be recovered. How can the evil that was done be atoned for? My hat is off to PBS for this documentary, and I am sending another donation.

#29

8/4/08 :: 1:52 pm
carmen Says:

It is truly sad that the Constitution and rule of law in the country is being subverted and the majority of Ameicans are either unaware or neither care. A very sad commentary to the lack of integrity in our highest elected officials.

The program was amazing and very disturbing. Please keep telling the truth. Keep telling us how it us no matter who is upset with it. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking of how American & Iraqi lives are considered so disposable by leaders making decisions based on their own egos and agendas. None of the experts-either intelligence, military, logistics and others with insight had their ideas discussed and considered.

#28

8/4/08 :: 12:33 pm
Gerald P Balcar Says:

One of the best with supurb insight; a reason I am a 13 member. You missed , however, some of the military issues re: Afghanistan. My understanding is there was a war plan calling for many more troops and blocking the the Hindu Kush that Rumsfeld tec. overturned. Flutter boxes did not appear in the weeks between 9/11 and their use. You did not mention them and there is good news footage on the people scrambling for them. Allying with the war lords was a huge mistake. And, regarding Iraq Tommy Franks had better ideas such as Somalia and and The Sudan. However, there was one other factor in the intelligence vacance. Those of us who recall know that the US always underestimated when a foreign nation would develope a nuclear weapon. Also in the time between talking about attacking Iraq and doing it any technology could have been removed. There are rumors that the nuclear technology was renegade from Russia and ahd to be taken away. Makes some sense.

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