"The Long Road To War" Tonight on PBS

PBS/FRONTLINE ^ | 03/17/03 | PBS/FRONTLINE

[FilmCutter]

THE LONG ROAD TO WAR:

America appears to be within days of attacking Iraq. Many observers believe President Bush may soon signal to weapons inspectors, diplomats, and members of the press that Iraq will come under fire and that they should leave the country. Once again, the U.S finds itself about to battle Iraq, although this time it will likely not be part of a grand coalition. How did the nation come to the brink of another war with Saddam Hussein?

In a two-hour special, "The Long Road to War," FRONTLINE draws on its extensive archives of more than 12 years of reporting on Iraq to tell the history of the U.S. confrontation with Saddam. The special will examine how the West armed Iraq, the mind and methods of Saddam Hussein, the origins of the first Gulf War and its ragged end, the frustrating effort to disarm Iraq through U.N. inspections, how Saddam survived efforts to undermine his power, and the long-standing effort by Washington hawks to remove him.

The companion web site for this special report will offer photos, video, analyses and an overall chronology of America's long confrontation with Iraq, including: Saddam Hussein's mind and methods

The first Gulf War's battles, Saddam's miscalculations during it, and in-depth interviews with key decision-makers.

The UN's failed attempt to disarm Iraq during the 1990s

The inside story of Washington hawks' longstanding effort to remove Saddam Hussein

And the full archive of transcripts and web sites for each of the eight FRONTLINE reports on Iraq and Hussein

[FilmCutter]

The latest efforts from the team at FROTNLINE that brought you "The war Behind Closed Doors" and "The Man Who Knew."

I was the Editor on this program. "The long Road to War" is really quite an amazing documentary. It documents our history with Saddam from the Iran/Iraq war to the events leading up to today.

I hope you call all watch it after the President tonight on PBS.

[Coop]

But I thought it was a rush to war? [scratching head]

[GirlShortstop]

The latest efforts from the team at FROTNLINE that brought you "The war Behind Closed Doors" and "The Man Who Knew."

Two good pieces of work FC... thanks for the notice (and fine efforts at work)!   I hope you fellow FReepers don't mind the ping, I saw your comments in the previous  FRONTLINE THREAD.

[steplock]

Hey! PBS has been advertising that they would be the "CHILD SAFE" war-free tv channel.

That was this morning - It doesn't take Left-Wing Radical Extremist long to change their minds and start LYING AGAIN!

[hometoroost]

"That was this morning - It doesn't take Left-Wing Radical Extremist long to change their minds and start LYING AGAIN!"

What can one expect? PBS stands for Professional Barbra Streisanders.

[steplock]

Just got off the phone with the AETN (arkansas pbs) programming director. I asked her flat out what the advertisements about "Child Safe" "War-Free" meant if they were going to be airing a left-leaning anti-war show tonight?
At first, she denied all knowled of any ChildSafe/war free advertisement campaign until I told her that the first person that answered the phone there knew exactly what I meant.
Her next excuse was there would be no war news during daylight hours - that being normal children's programming time. She didn't mention not knowing what I was talking about in the first place??
I asked about tonight's show, and it was the same procedure:
1. deny knowledge
2. oh yeah, but we are going to have the President speech first the Moyers, then the show.
3 when asked about maybe being a little slanted - "well they're human and all the news is 'interpreted' by the reporters" Tonight's show isn't news, it's commentary. etc etc etc.
seems to e they always come out with the same canned responses.

[steplock]

Ill watch it, but the article wasn't clear about how much of the actual history would be aired.

Very little of the root causes of this current episode have anything to do with the past 12 years (Root Causes).

Will your show begin at the onset of Saddam being installed by JFK ?? The origins of the weapons? (us)

IMHO Bush-I's war was the USA's first attempt at rectifying past mistakes, but it failed.

Does your film mention all the haggling between BUSH & Congress and the final AGREEMENT insited on BY the democrat congress to NOT topple saddam? (most politicians hope no one remembers that little fact)

Just like NO-ONE remembers WHY Bush-I passed that tax increase ... the dems (kennedy, moynihan sp?, etc) SWORE that they would cut costs and pass the balanced budget if only he would give them that small increase...so like a fool he did, and they made him the liar. What ever happened to that story?

Do you think PBS would show that one?

What about Carter ordering the US intel agencies to help Castro against the American Cubans??? Do I hear something? Nah - same as Kennedy murdering all those other Cubans at the Bay of Pigs because of his cowardice.

I can go on and on and on with all the history being changed by the left...and right.

Damn! I need a break from all this crappola.

If I am wrong about this show, I APOLOGIZE in advance. I will watch it.

[RJCogburn]

I'll be looking for it.

I saw "The Man Who Knew" and it was a terrific, remarkable job. All who were associated with that deserve the highest praise. If this is near that in quality it will be a treat.

[RJCogburn]

Thanks so much for the ping. I'll be watching.

[RJCogburn]

See my #8.

[CrimeOf73]

I saw "The War Behind Closed Doors" and it was fantastic.

Perhaps there could have been more of the Scowcroft interview. Not supporting the rebellion was such a critical point in the whole Iraq story, so I think it would have been worthwhile to give Scowcroft enough time to describe his reasoning.

Keep up the good work.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

THANKS

[RJCogburn]

Saw it!

Good job....and a good reminder how good the Frontline series has been with all the excerpts from previous programs.

Thanks.

[afz400]

History is a lie agreed upon. -- Napoleon Bonaparte

[Charlie OK]

I watched and thought it was great! I had forgotten about this. Entertaining as hell to watch Albright look like she just filled up her depends when all the people started badgering her!

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Believe WETA in DC showed it last night after the President's address. Found it very interesting.

Stand by for some gruesome video. Dead bodies of gassed Kurds; summary execution of Kuwaiti resistors.

[Shermy]

Any way it might be accessible on line?

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

Remember when Ted Koppel reiterated the importance of NETWORK news while everyone else was deeming NETWORK news as a dead animal that hasn't realised it's dead yet? Anyone catch Koppel watching the president's speech last night, from Kuwait? Guess what channel he watched the speech on? FOX News! So much for Koppel's argument.