I think this blog's subtitle could be "a clementine a day" because I've been eating them non-stop.
Today I watched another doc on the current war in Afghanistan. Though it's only the second one I've watched this year on the subject, it's already starting to get repetitive. I was hoping for a new perspective or some shocking new information, but did not receive it.
What I learned: A lot about Pakistan. Though the focus was on the Afghan war, a good amount was spent on the relationship Afghan's neighbors play in the War on Terror. Pakistan is a terribly divided country that is, discreetly and overtly, supporting the terrorists and small warring tribes. They do this to keep their competitors, namely America and India, from taking over the Middle East region too quickly. Pakistan believes that if they fund the tribes they can work together to keep the outsiders at bay. I had no idea.
What I liked: Good interviews with experts and authors. I found a couple of interesting books that were referenced that seem like good reads. One of them is "The Forever War" by Dexter Filkins, about the length of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
What I didn't like: Even PBS is afraid to question the military during war-time. All of the interviews with military generals or official government employees felt less like investigative journalism and more like a recruitment ad. I feel like we universally consider the wars over-drawn and no longer serving their original goals, but to hear the generals speak they don't sense trouble in the slightest. They admit to 'hiccups' and 'speedbumps' but seem confident the tide will turn any day now. It's disappointing that we can't openly and directly discuss how the wars are falling apart.
Overall, a short and to the point doc about the war. Hope to see more in-depth ones in the future.
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