In Shifting Sands Directed by Scott Ritter (Five Rivers, opens December 27, at the Quad) The UN's former chief weapons inspector in Iraq, Scott Ritter has caught grief for veering wildly between wanting to kick Saddam's ass and blasting the U.S. for warmongering. Hawks loved the voluble ex-marine when he was painting a grim scenario of Iraq's weaponry. These days they hate him because he's now telling anyone who will listen that U.S. officials-whether under Clinton or Dubya-never wanted Iraq to disarm peacefully. Ritter's point is that the U.S. has tried to set up confrontations between the inspectors and Iraq to give the U.S. an excuse to bomb Baghdad and oust Saddam. Why should anyone be surprised by Ritter's disillusionment and schizo behavior? He was a pawn in a deadly chess match, and pawns get sacrificed. Ritter himself aside, his 90-minute documentary is an interesting cross between a Frontline exposé and World's Scariest Weapons Inspections Videos. And basic truths seep out sideways: Yes, it's all about oil. And, yes, Saddam is a demon who's perfect for further demonization. -- Ward Harkavy
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Cf. <http://www.sfbg.com/37/02/art_film_sands.html>, <http://thewitness.org/agw/campbell121202.html>, & <http://www.mfilms.com/Monarch_newprogramming.html> -- Yoshie
* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osudivest.org/>