It is not US Marines who should be on trial
The acclaimed film-maker Nick Broomfield reflects on the making of his film on the bloody battle for Haditha, and the reconciliation he witnessed between US soldiers and Iraqis
After 9/11, the United States had the sympathy of the world on its side. Yet as we approach the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, this sympathy and trust has been entirely eroded, and during the making of my film, Battle for Haditha, I saw exactly how and why this change of heart and mind has taken place.
Many of the ex-Marines that took part in the film enlisted aged 17, believing they were fighting in a just cause to protect democracy and the integrity of the United States. Five years later, they feel very differently. And the Iraqis I spoke to have suffered the same disillusionment. Initially, they were pleased to be rid of Saddam and welcomed the Americans as liberators. But when they saw their communities being destroyed, their shops and museums and factories looted while the American troops stood by, cynicism set in.
During the reconstruction phase, Iraqis couldn’t understand why American contractors working for US corporations were being used. Why, they wondered, didn’t the Americans use Iraqi contractors and help normal Iraqis make a living? The Marines involved in reconstruction were frustrated too. They wanted to employ local Iraqi contractors but they were instructed to employ Americans, at a far greater cost. This meant, they said, they were unable to build any kind of relationships with the local community and so became increasingly unhappy with their role in Iraq.
Frustrations like these overflowed in Haditha on 19 November 2005. An IED (improvised explosive device) attack killed one Marine and injured two others, and in retaliation 24 innocent Iraqi men, women and children were massacred. On the face of it, this is an unacceptable outrage.
However, in reality there were countless Hadithas in this war, because this kind of event will inevitably happen in any war. It is an inherent part of the language of war. Tony Blair and George Bush knew when they declared war that countless numbers of innocent people would inevitably be killed.
More articles from: Nick Broomfield | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
A portrait of the artist as a tennis champion
Melissa KiteMelissa Kite meets Martina Navratilova, nine times Wimbledon singles champion and now pioneer of ‘tennising’ — an artistic technique that creates Jackson Pollock-style patterns
Et tu, Scott? Bush’s press aide turns on his boss
James ForsythJames Forsyth talks to Scott McClellan, former press secretary to the President, about his new book attacking the Bush administration, its methods and its deceits
The Law Lords are right to resist the government
Lord Lloyd of BerwickLord Lloyd of Berwick says that the government’s emergency legislation to overturn their lordships’ ruling on witness anonymity is part of a ‘gradual usurpation’ of our liberties
I was starstuck by David Cameron
Steven BerkoffIn the week of the Spectator Summer Party, Steven Berkoff recalls another of our celebrations at which he sought out the Tory leader and forgave his confusion of Brando and Dean
How to get stabbed: you, too, can be knifed in a public place
Rod LiddleRod Liddle says that it helps to be aged between 14 and 30, white and male. Being drunk and argumentative speeds things along. And no public policy seems to dissuade those who do the stabbing
Very discreetly, Cameron is writing his first Queen’s Speech
Fraser NelsonIn spite of their commanding poll lead, the Tories are terrified of seeming complacent. But, as Fraser Nelson discloses, work is well advanced on a first-term plan for government in which education reform and a welfare revolution will be the centrepieces
We have a duty to protect Zimbabwe
Peter OborneRobert Mugabe is murdering, starving and brutalising his people in the run-up to the presidential elections next week, says Peter Oborne. We should act now to prevent civil war and ethnic cleansing
An official no-go area for Christians? Excuse me: I need a drink
Rod LiddleRod Liddle is outraged by the community support officer in Birmingham who threatened two Christian evangelical ministers with arrest for handing out Gospel literature in a Muslim neighbourhood
Milburn: What’s it all about, Gordon?
Fraser NelsonAlan Milburn gives his first interview since Brown became PM, and tells Fraser Nelson that Gordon has converted to Blairism too late. Something new is needed now
The biggest tent of the lot: to stop Blair becoming EU President
Rod LiddleRod Liddle says that the former Prime Minister has pulled off an astonishing feat: uniting Left and Right, Europhiles and Eurosceptics, people of all nations and creeds, online and
in print, in their glorious campaign to prevent him becoming President of Europe
Latest blog posts
sponsored links
Book Accommodation at Sheraton Hotel Pulitzer
Superb photos, independent review, and exclusive online specials.
Book Accommodation at Sheraton Hotel Pulitzer
Superb photos, independent review, and exclusive online specials.
ROME CENTRE
PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique
City Breaks. ROME and PARIS
ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.romanreference.com and www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.
Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).
Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs! You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2008 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
Marc Silver
March 7th, 2008 3:15pmNO, IT IS NOT THE MARINES OR THE BUSHES OR THE BLAIRS THAT SHOULD BE ON TRIAL, BUT THE SHORT-SIGHTED, NARROW-MINDED CRITICS LIKE NICK BROOMFIELD WHO CANNOT SEE THE COSMIC REVOLUTION OCCURING IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE MOMENTOUS BATTLE BETWEEN 7TH CENTURY AND 21ST CENTURY PERSPECTIVES, PROVOKED BY TOO MUCH TECHNOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY (E.G. 9-11). ITS DOWNRIGHT SHAMEFUL HOW RIGHTEOUS SUCH SPIRITUALLY BLIND PHILOSOPHERS MAKE THEMSELVES OUT TO BE, ALWAYS DRAWING THE LINE ON ISSUES TO SERVE THEIR NEGATIVISM. BUT HISTORY WILL DRIVE THEM INTO OBLIVION WHEN THE BIRTHPANGS OF UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD ARE OVER.
Al Frick
March 7th, 2008 4:34pmBroomfield makes ridiculous general assumptions about the psychological impact on Marines. "The majority of them have mental problems? " Did you poll the majority? Other "less biased" studies show that the majority of them are fine when they come back stateside - Of course a man's life is changed when he shoots a terrorist but what do you expect? Broomfield went out looking for a negative story to tell and that's what he found. Heck, I can go to Disneyworld and find a negative story if you want - about the poor 25 year old who gave up his dreams of being a doctor to wearing a mouse suit in 100 degree heat. Where are the impartial filmmakers?
Robert Wahl
March 7th, 2008 6:14pmArticle ignores the mistakes made just after Sadam's army was defeated. First was the assignment of civilian Bremer instead of allowing the military leadership to stay in command. Next was the decision to disband the Iraq army instead of using them with the expenditure of a few bucks. Next was de-Bathification instead of an intellegent seperation of sheep from wolves and using the capable sheep. At least the article mentions the failure to us any Iraq contractors.
cuffleyburgers
June 5th, 2008 4:42pmThe incompetence of the post Saddam administration of Iraq is beyond belief and beyond exaggeration.
Blair and Bush are certainly culpable for the lies surrounding the invasion in the first place but this would matter less had matters been handled properly afterwards.
Instead the appointment of Bremer as proconsul led to a succession of grotesquely bad decisions and it is these which have led to the current situation.
If:
* The borders had been sealed
* Law and order maintained
* Army not disbanded
* Debaathification managed so that there wasn't a wholesale breakdown in the administration
* nationalized indsutries not closed
* local contractors used to supply food and construction services
Then I very much doubt the situation would be anything like as serious as it is.
Your correspondent himself said that at first there was relief Saddam was gone.
So the Bremer should be in the dock and Bush for appointing him and not sacking him sooner and Blair for not giving Bush a hard time about the cockups