Iraq: On the Brink (Enhanced DVD)

It is always easier to destroy than to create, and nothing illustrates this point better than the destruction of Saddam Hussein's totalitarian regime in Iraq, followed by the attempt to create a new, peaceful, free, democratic state afterward. Only one year removed from the battle for liberation, the country faced challenges that were quite unexpected to most, as the death toll continued to rise, the infrastructure crumbled and American troops suddenly found the need to stay out of large areas of the country for their own safety. The Americans who had been greeted by crowds of grateful Iraqis during the liberation found themselves being harassed an targeted by more and more people, and not just the militant fringes they had expected trouble with.

This film begins just after the end of Saddam Hussein's reign and it focuses on the relationship between Iraqis and Americans--specifically how the Iraqis react to the appearance of Americans--Americans who could be seen as liberators or invaders depending on the Iraqi's point of view. The documentary captures the subtle change from the relief at the replacement of Saddam, the feeling that anything would be an improvement, to the outrage over civilian casualties and the inevitable creeping distrust of anything Western. The complex history and culture of the region makes the conflict between Iraqi citizens and American soldiers and advisors almost inevitable.

Iraq: On the Brink

• Enhanced DVD
• ISBN: 978-1-61753-125-5
• Run Time: 55 Minutes
• Copyright Date: 2004