For over ten years the war in Afghanistan has plagued our television screens, broadcasting terror across the globe. But how much do we really know? In this thrilling documentary American writer and journalist for The Nation Magazine, Jeremy Scahill, leads us into the world of classified covert operation, guiding us to the truth about the operatives that finally eliminated Osama bin Laden. DIRTY WARS is as much a film as it is an education and insight into the true happenings in the Middle East over the past decade, and the knock on effects 9/11 has inflicted on an innocent people.
From the inception of the film, the dangers that Scahill has exposed himself to are more than apparent. Thrusting himself into the wilderness of Afghanistan, Scahill takes us to Gadaz to interview a family that have fallen victim to a US Military nighttime raid, which sets the explicit tone for the rest of the film. As the family take us through their horrific ordeal, it is quickly apparent that the actions of the US military are unjust and somewhat barbaric, slaying seven innocent people in one nighttime raid, including three women. The motives of the US military task force that carried out the raid are suspicious in that only “suspected” Taliban were inhabiting the house, seeming that thorough intelligence had not been used. Quickly opinions start to fray and change.
Scahill intelligently pieces together a tale of deception and harrowing times.
Scahill’s soft, somber voice reflects the sadness of the stories told and images seen. The mood of the film shifts constantly as events unfold and Scahill travels further in Afghanistan and Yemen. Feelings of sadness are overcome by disgust and loathing, as the audience is taken through an emotional yet surprisingly cinematic documentary. The film retains the interest of the audience with the use of archive footage and footage taken from the mobile phones of the victims. This further adds personality and realism to the documentary which is greatly refreshing.
DIRTY WARS’ main focus is that of the actions of the now highly regarded Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), the unit that conducted Operation Neptune Spear and killed Osama Bin Laden. However, prior to Operation Neptune Spear, with the backing of the White House, JSOC carried out multiple drone strikes and nighttime raids terrorising the people of Afghanistan and Yemen, uncovered by Scahill. Having conducted secret interviews with members of JSOC and the local people that JSOC have inflicted pain and distress to, Scahill intelligently pieces together a tale of deception and harrowing times.
Shot much like an action blockbuster, DIRTY WARS is an intense watch, and interview scenes with talking heads are not overused; a downfall of many modern day documentaries. The score, performed by The Kronos Quartet, is also nothing short of emotive and moving, further relaying sorrow and fear. The combined effect of the films smallest details and the well constructed narrative mean DIRTY WARS has plenty to offer for documentary film lovers and the politically minded alike; not to mention the extreme courage shown by Scahill to truly uncover the events of the past ten years.
httpvh://youtu.be/5KpzBAKJmig