Deadly Mistakes

More resources:

Deadly Mistakes

Most students finish high school, and even college, without critically analyzing recent US history. With public discussion of past misadventures also lacking, how can citizens form educated opinions about today's crises?

In a series of short films, DEADLY MISTAKES? looks at US interventions abroad during the second half of the 20th century: the overthrow of the government of Iran, intervention and genocide in Guatemala, the Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam War, Somoza and the Contra War in Nicaragua, and the Cold War.

It also looks at our present situation: nuclear weapons on a hair trigger, preventive war and the invasion of Iraq, and the war in Colombia.

These films ask whether any or all of these events and policies are mistakes? Are they justifiable or are they crimes? What should we learn from the mistakes of the past, and how can we apply these lessons to help shape America's future? What can we do to prevent future "deadly mistakes"?

The final three films look at where we go from here. They are entitled: "Mistakes or Crimes?", "Why do states pursue homicidal policies?", and "It's Your Future."

Amongst those contributing to these films are Father Daniel Berrigan, peace activist; Dr. Bruce Blair, former U.S. Air Force Launch Officer; General Lee Butler, USAF (ret.), former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Strategic Command; Noam Chomsky, philsopher and linguist; Lawrence Eagleburger, former Secretary of State; Dr. Jane Goodall D.B.E., primatologist; Rear Admiral Gene LaRocque, USN (Ret.); James Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me; Ray McGovern, retired senior CIA analyst; Robert McNamara, former Secretary of Defense; General Merrill McPeak, USAF (Ret.), former U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff; Joshua Muravchik, author and foreign policy specialist; Ralph Nader; Grace Paley, author and peace activist; Marcus Raskin, co-founder, Institute of Policy Studies; Admiral Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret.), former director, CIA; Peter Weiss, President, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy; RobertWhite, former Ambassador to El Salvador; and General Charles Wilhelm USMC (Ret.).

The second disc contains six extended interviews. They are:

James Loewen, author "Lies My Teacher Told Me": LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME

Lawrence Eagleburger, former Secretary of State: FOREIGN POLICY AND SAUSAGE

Rear Admiral Gene LaRocque, USN (Ret): CREATING TERRORISTS

Ray McGovern, retired senior CIA analyst: WE CALLED THEM "THE CRAZIES"

Robert White, former Ambassador to El Salvador: IT'S NOT MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT

Marcus Raskin, co-founder, Institute of Policy Studies: INSTITUTIONAL INSANITY IS APPROXIMATELY WHAT WE HAVE