A big hearty cheer to all of you who made war profiteering a potent and important issue on the national stage. As a result, I was called to testify (along with Jeremy Scahill, author of the brilliant BLACKWATER book) to the House Appropriations Committee and explain the breadth and extent of the profiteering. And they listened, they asked questions, and they discussed how to fix this national tragedy. Imagine, the film all of you helped make and you distributed, was now the subject of serious legislative focus on how to fix the problem at hand.
However, despite the hundreds of thousands who have seen the film around the country, despite the letters, phone calls and pleas from Americans and soldiers of every political persuasion, somehow despite all this, Rep. Kingston was asleep at the wheel. And so he unleashed an old-fashioned, inept, partisan attack.
His intended knock out blow? That the film was an exercise in profiteering!! Ha. He was literally speechless when I explained that 3,000 of you contributed your hard-earned dollars to make the film. That 3,000 of you were figuratively with me in testifying. That 3,000 of you were the true patriots.
But we won't be silenced. Not for a minute.
We at Brave New Films want to continue to make short films, like FOX ATTACKS like Real McCain, like our drive to impeach a certain attorney general (which we will announce next week). And we need your help. We need you to become a subscriber and pledge $10/month until November 2008 so together we can keep telling the truth, spreading the word, and hitting hard.
Iraq for Sale proved that with a relatively small amount of money, we could bring a critical issue to the forefront of national attention. Now imagine the new videos and campaigns we could do. You have told us the issues you care about, and we want to hit hard, using short, timely campaigns to force these issues out. In a few short months the Brave New Films/Foundation short films have been seen 2 million times. Imagine how many more we can reach.
Subscribers will get special access to early cuts of the videos and behind the scenes information (sort of like DVD extras, but updated frequently).
We are reaching new audiences, we are organizing activists, and we are doing it with campaigns built around these easily accessible short films. Let's work together to keep making them, distributing them, and spreading them around. Help us continue to do this.
MY GOD! I seen a lot of idiot politicians, but this guy is a total moron! makes me wonder what he is hiding WOW! I'm speechless! talk about shit for brains
Robert, how did you not burst out laughing? I guess it was the horror of it all... LOL!!! You can't write this stuff...
LOL!!!! This is hilarious! This guy is a joke!
He's unable to stay on topic!!! Dude doesn't speak for me!
What an idiot...
Mr jo stalin doesn't seem to understand the difference between Communism, socialism and Egalitarianism. pray to the divine being created your small world in 6 days and maybe it will give you the answer you already believe you know.
I note the handle "Joe Stalin" begins with J and ends with S. Based on your tirade, I believe the letters to be inserted should be : ACKAS.
"Abolishing the fairness doctrine allowed channels like Fox News and Rush Limbaugh to come to existence. Ninety two percent (92%) of radio talk show hosts now are right wingers. Public airwaves belong to the public and the fairness doctrine must be restored."
ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, HBO, MTV, E, VH1, NY Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, most major publishing companies, Newsweek, Time US, on and on
what do they all have in common?
They are ADMITTEDLY leftist and liberal
Yet the whiny Communists just can't STAND that there is ONE...only ONE, conservative channel FOX News....FOX news and AM radio and this idiot is crying about the fairness doctrine
So what is it exactly you want? NO conservative channels?
NO right wing AM radio shows?
I remember when Rush Limbaugh started...the liberals in the "mainstream media" mocked him and scoffed...baahahahaha AM radio?? mwaahahahaha how pathetic...what's this right winger going to do with AM radio
cut to now...and morons like "eyeopener007" is crying like a spoiled BRAT!!!
The fairness doctrine is ANYTHING but fair...WHY do we need government telling radio station owners what kind of political content should be broadcast???!!!
That was rhetorical because WE DON'T!!!
The fact is, if you want to get REALLY specific
ONE ethno-religious group now owns and/or controls ALL the major Hollywood studios ALL of the major media conglomerates like VIACOM, Disney, etc... which in turn own over 90% of TV, radio, Hollywood film studios, major publishing/ magazine co's...and in case you're too ignorant to Google and read...they're ALL Jewish owned, controlled and even staffed.
Not a SINGLE major media outlet is owned by Christians...in a nation with 280 MILLION Christians...
You Communists HATE any opposing views!! This is historical fact!!
You ALWAYS have to rig the game because you KNOW Americans will dump you if you tell them you are leftist aka liberal aka COMMUNIST ...
Before you spew the typical Communist name calling drivel i.e. "anti-Semite"
please tell the public of a SINGLE major media conglomerate that is NOT owned or run by a Jewish male???
If conservative radio is doing well and if FOX is doing well...then obviously conservatives are listening and watching...so what do YOU want to do, shut them down? FORCE them to broadcast YOUR leftist point of view??
Yeah...we'll take a Fairness Doctrine...how about mandating that all those leftist media outlets be FORCED to give a Conservative viewpoint and hire CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS to run them???
That sounds fair...why should a 2% minority that has been SHOWN to be hostile towards the majority Christian population, own and/or control ALL of the major media? The media has transmogrified and utterly indoctrinated the masses over the past 40 years...they tell America what to think, what is right or wrong! The liberal/Jewish sewer pipe pumps 24/7/365 filth into our homes and the minds of our children. Turn it off? That's like saying turn off everything...because we can no longer control what influences our children by simply "turning the channel"...it is pervasive
How can so many people be so ignorant that they don't have the slightest CLUE as to the horrors of Communism???
America was the hardest nut for the Communists to crack...but now they are on the threshold of doing just that. Americans would not knowingly accept Communism ...but Communists know this...so they simply changed the words to "liberal" then "progressive"...every time the Communists have to change what they call themselves...
The leftists who DO know what Communism is...and STILL want to turn America into a Communist nation...NEVER choose to move to a Communist nation ...no no...they want to turn America into a Communist state!!
YEt...the EX-Communist nations DETEST Communism and Communists...because they LIVED under Communism!!!
Notice how most ALL of the Communist leaders came from wealthy backgrounds...and notice just WHO is pushing Communism in the West!! SPolied brats from wealthy families and backgrounds!!!
Spoiled brat rich kids!!!
They use poor kids as their "useful idiots"
So take your Communist ass to hell out of America...AMERICANS DO NOT WANT YOUR COMMUNIST BULLSHIT!!!
Besides...isn't over 100 MILLION murders enough?
How many more tens of MILLIONS do you want to murder just so you can have your Communist paradise??
You can always tell someone is a Communist when they start talking about "fairness" in the media...it just means there is ONE voice speaking out against them that they want to SILENCE!!!
Fortunately, Lt. Col. Bill Gillespie (Ret.) is running against Jack, and got more votes in the Democratic primary than Jack did in his. Oust Jack; support Bill Gillespie.
God Damn politicians!
Total Dumb A$s Jack Kinston.
During the whole video he just brought up other ideas and avoided the subject at hand.
Maybe he can be the next Bush.
We live in a state of corporate fascism, treating this planet as business in liquidation, exhausting its resources and destroying its environment. Man is but one species amongst billions of other species on this planet. No one gave man dominion on this planet except man himself. How egotistic has he become?! Nature’s god is angry at us. Shame ---Shame…
It all boils down to what Reagan did in 1988, bowing to pressure from the right, by abolishing the “Fairness Doctrine". The fairness doctrine was the law of the land since 1932. Abolishing the fairness doctrine allowed channels like Fox News and Rush Limbaugh to come to existence. Ninety two percent (92%) of radio talk show hosts now are right wingers. Public airwaves belong to the public and the fairness doctrine must be restored. Insist that the presidential candidates promise to restore the fairness doctrine and to bust the 5 media monopolies which control our thought process. Demand public finance of election.
It all boils down to what Reagan did in 1988 bowing to pressure from the right: "Abolishing the Fairness Doctrine" which allowed channels like Fox News and Rush Limbaugh to exist. 92% of radio talk show hosts are right wing persuasion. Public airwaves belong to the public and the fairness doctrine must be restored. Insist that the presidential candidates promise to restore the fairness doctrine and bust the 5 media monopolies which control our thought process.
neo con NAZI bastard repukesw will pay
when bush is gone
the war crime jails will be waiting for the
repuke CEO's and a the end of a rope by buba in jail
Mr. Greenwald, you might have forgotten to answer in the back and forth that was going on with the representative, but... What would you charge to haul a gallon of gasoline to a facility needing it in Iraq?
Demonizing your opponents will get you nowhere. A classic example of that will be when you do a "hit piece" on Fox News. Perhaps you could link me to the hit piece you've done or plan to do on CNN? MSNBC? CBS? ABC? NBC?
I'll hold my breath....
I sent this to Jack Kingston after viewing his "exchange" with Mr. Greenwald:
I just finished watching a video of the exchange between you and Robert Greenwald during a hearing on May 10. I can't quite tell which hurts worse, my stomach or my heart. You armchair soldiers are always so willing to whip out the flag to defend the right of anyone to make money doing anything. That same flag then gets drapped over another coffin in another Amerian town, while the people you defend laugh aloud while making out their deposit slips. I remember when I was in Vietnam, we'd see profiteers pranching around Saigon with their suits and briefcases, and the joke was, "War is their business, and business is good." Some things never change.
As long as men like you continue to drink the cash cool aid, this country will continue to circle the drain. What is most amazing about the kind of performace that I observed in your exchange with Mr. Greenwald is how you conduct yourself without a gram of shame.
What goes around still comes around, congressman, and "leaders" like you are going to be directly responsible when this nation inevitably -- as it already has begun to do -- reaps what it has sown.
Shame upon you, sir. Shame upon you.
David Michael Smith
Mr. Greenwald: I am stunned. I don't know whether to be more dissappointed in the Americans who voted for Rep Kingston or those that elected the Bush Administration TWICE. Americans VOTED for these representatives! And those Americans are as stubborn as Kingston and Bush - they SEE who and what these people are, yet they stubbornly pretend the truth is a lie. It is right before their eyes. THAT is what gives us that sinking feeling that there is no hope. But your presentation gave me new hope - I am so proud of you. And I did notice the semitic references - by the third one I accepted this man is FAR from a defender of freedom of speech and human respect. He has no clue. But you - YOU ROCK!
After he mentioned that our troops would have been insulted if he were to inform them that they were underpaid, in an attempt to use them as a shield while he attacked you, you should have stopped him in the middle of his questions about who you were "making profit for" and asked him sternly: "Are you denigrating my patriotism sir?" Then, you should have repeated the question every time he attempted to re-phrase and repeat his ad hominem rhetoric. He was trying to sidle up to you and smile while he stabbed you in the back, insulting you without insulting you. I bet he would have shrunk away if you called on him to come right out and say it; hard to go any further once someone calls you on your cowardice.
Good work, thanks for your film.
mr.Greenwald I wish politicians have the same kind of integrity that you show us in your short and powerfull visit to congress it should ring a bell IF there is bells that can still be heard by the ones who dont get it.Thank you Again Mr. Greenwald.
My mother used to say, when I was a child in the '50s, "class will tell...", meaning that a person's behavior in the crunch will show their true mettle. In the face of Kingston's smarmy obfuscation (born of contempt, folks, NOT stupidity), Mr. Greenwald DEFINED class. He, along with Brian Lamb, should have been the Medal of Freedom recipients -- in lieu of George Tenet/Paul Bremer (Jesus!)
On another matter: a dear friend's beloved home was about to become the backyard to a WalMart supercenter, in an area already oversaturated w/such development. Took her to see the WalMart movie at a local UCC church. It motivated her to join the fight against the site and, mirabile dictu, we learned this week that the citizens of Spring Township (suburban Reading, PA) have prevailed!!!!! WM caved under their relentless opposition, making them one of the (few) success stories in fending off the behemoth.
Thus it is that I shall be going to the webpage for tithing, and happily contribute to Mr. Greenwald's remarkable work. Immeasurable thanks for your energy and commitment, one and all:)
Wow, Kingston went to the Limbaugh/Hannity school of spin control. Way to deflect the topic jerkoff.
Keep up the great work Robert..
Man, great job Robert. I'm not sure if I'm out of line on this though, but if there's ever another chance to visit Congress and speak, do you think you can get a few more words past these HACKS?
That dude was making all sorts of false statements about you, and tried over and over to change the subject at firing away PERSONALLY at you.
It just seems like you could just keep talking about YOUR points, to shut him up, and THEN let him blabber on with his senselessness.
I'm just SO DAMN FRUSTRATED about all this crap.
Both sides of the isle are to blame too. Everyone's selling out.
I donated to have thie film made, I had a MoveOn house party to screen it, and STILL with all this info, and the MAJORITY voting against this wretched disgusting "war" (aka PROFITEERING), we're still at square one.
Someone needs to do something, in a BIG way.
This sucks.
THANK YOU THOUGH, FOR ALL YOU DO.
You're a brave, true patriot.
Peace-
Ron
Unfortunately there are too many congress people like this guy, most of them are Republicans, I hope. He is unbelievable. He is one of many reasons why America will never be a great country any more; after the neo-cons get done with it.
Please don't let Rep. Kingston's attempt to confuse the issue affect you. He is trying desperately to steer the debate away from profiteering to profiting.
Profiteering is defined as "taking UNFAIR advantage of a shortage of supply, such as is produced by WAR, to make EXCESSIVE profits by charging UNREASONABLY high prices" which is exactly what Mr. Greenwald has shown in the film.
Profiting is defined as "to benefit; to reap an advantage, financial or otherwise; to be of advantage or benefit; TO BRING GOOD" (Webster's New Universal Dictionary, emphases mine). There's a big difference between profiteering and profiting. The latter is reasonable, the former is greed.
When Kingston asked Mr. Greenwald if he is against profit, he was raising lots of smoke and mirrors. Profit is not the issue, When he tried to show that Mr. Greenwald may be profiting from making the film, he was further making smoke,trying to get the profiteers featured in the film off the hook. Even if Mr. Greenwald HAD made a profit, it still would not be profiteering.
Well this is exactly why we are involved in the mess we are in on so many levels, I will support you and your colleagues, we need to challenge the status quo of this type of business and government!!
Barb
i think more should have been said. i think there has always been profit in war. are there itemized invoices that show much much a gallon of water, or gas costs? to say no profit should be made is ridiculous, lets be realistic. you cant expect gm to give away humvees, its just not going to happen
Bravo, Robert!
I finally got the chance to watch this video and it was worth the wait.
It's an honor to have worked on Iraq for Sale but it's a dream come true to have watched your testimony.
I'm sure I was not the only one saddened and troubled by the portion of the film in which Congress repeatedly refused to exercise any oversight over the PMC's. But now they are interested enough to have you testify and the Republicans must be worried enough to try to smear you. Real change can't be far behind.
LOVED IT
The politician suggests that the soldiers act not out of a desire for money, but out of Patriotism. He puts the profit motive and Patriotism at opposite ends of a spectrum of his own devising and in so doing he questions the Patriotism of the contractors.
That guy Kingston was a real ass. I think you did a fine job of getting your point made.
The people that elected that empty suit must feel ashamed of themselves. He was obviously trying to rile you, but in the end your simple message of truth won out over the prodding of that idiot.
Mike Robateau
You did a fine job of keeping your cool and staying on-target in your debate with this sickeningly sleazy politician.
He demonstrated the true spirit of this whole conflict: murder for dollars, blood for oil, lies for power.
You demonstrated the true spirit of dissent.
Solidarity!
There is SO much bullshit spewing out of Kingston, I don't have time to write it all out.
I can only summarize:
Fuck Kingston!
I DON'T THINK HE EVEN KNOWS WHAT PATRIOTISM MEANS!!!!
Mr. Kingston is not a Conservative nor are his cohorts in the Bush/Cheney/Rove Axis. Ever since Ronald Reagan I have referred to these people as Nazis. I am glad that others are finally recognizing them for what they are. Robert Greenwald is a very brave man.
It appears as though Mr. Kingston believes that his tact of appearing even-tempered and unaffected is a believable smokescreen. It is not. Nor is his attempt at comparing Mr. Greenwald's income to the subject at hand, profiting on the war, relevant. The many attempts made by Mr. Kingston to avoid the issue were unending. This is the same sidestepping that has kept us in Iraq this long. People are dying so that nobody has to take responsibility for what is really happening. If we continue to allow people to change the subject, or 'bait & switch" then we are but sheep that welcome our nation, and the nations of others, to slaughter. I applaud Mr. Greenwald's determination for not buying the goods that so many politicians are selling.
Robert,
Who is that idiot you were talking to? He calls himself a conservative? If he were, he should be furious as to what's going on. So, instead of addressing issues, he continues to change the subject.
Perhaps you need to investigate HIS income from the war profiteers. Then WE need to get that sort of inept liar out of office.
I admire you for keeping your cool while he acted like a spoiled child, one, indeed, who purports to be a conservative but who is representative of the biggest spenders in history.
If Iraqis had running water, electricity, a job and hope for the future there would not be a conflict in Iraq. Before the war Sunnis and Shiite were living side by side. They want all foreigners out of their country. We had an opportunity to do something good and greed took that away.
Well Mr. Kingston compares about as well as O'Reilly when it comes to operating in a no spin zone. At least the guy was relatively civil in this exchange. Its a shame that so many of these folks in congress obviously have blinders on.
Rep. Kingston represents the people? The only people he seemed to represent were the same war
profiteers that Mr. Greenwald was talking about. This
guy, Kingston, doesn't have a clue to what he was talking about. Or he was just playing dumb, which I doubt. It's a shame when things like this are done in
the name of "war", which isn't that, it's really mass murder disguised as patriotism. Keep up the great
work Mr. Greenwald. The truth is the enemy of these
criminals, and when the truth is revealed, those guilty
will be exposed.
Thank You for everything that all of you are doing. I am a student at Rutgers University and I showed the Iraq for sale video in my government and politics in the Middle East class. People were blown away by this video as was I. I have made it priority to show this video to everyone that I know, including teachers, family and friends. Please continue what you are doing. You and your staff are true Patriots. Please let me know anything that I can do. Thank you Thank you Thank you
Way to go, Robert! You rock! You so had him on the run he was trying to filibuster, run out the clock, and change the subject.
Especially change the subject. He never ever attempted to address the problem of profiting from war, and the obvious moral dilemma: that being so invested makes companies hope (and work to see that) the war goes on indefinitely.
Kingston is a total moron. "They do it for patriotism." Yeah right. Maybe that's a factor, but I always get irritated when those who are comfortable say low pay is acceptable because they don't do it for the money.
Rep Kingston's comments were so comical that my husband who was listening to the clip from another room thought it was a standup comic's routine! Of course his questioning was not comical, it was pathetic!! We have some stupid US Reps.
All of you, for the most part, have made valid & succinct points. The video speaks for itself as does the film - which is undeniably to the point and well done.
Y'all accurately see the terrible condition politic in our country, along with the barely disguised ugliness of many of our public servants (!) casually abusing the power we allow them....so, how many of you folks are going to run for office on a platform based on fixing this insanity?
What a perfect opportunity to put our mouths where our money is, for a change - - and a poetic way to get rid of the likes of this idjit, so long lulled by the dulcet tones of their own sweet voices that they've come UNDONE ~ completely disconnected from anything & anyone not mimicing their absurdities.
High time to change this madness, make OUR system work for US....it's the system we have - - - and if OUR system can work for the likes of such limited goofballs, there are no limits to what WE can accomplish!
Don't just get out the vote.... GET the vote(s)!
Every one of you that's contributed to the above dialogue is in a position to use the strength of your convictions to make a huge difference & drum those pretenders outta town!
Won't THAT be refreshing? :D
Susy
Jack Kingston-- what a GOOFBALL wing nut! And a whiner! He sure put on a different face when he was on Bill Maher's REAL TIME. He's a Two faced SOB.
Robert Greenwald is the true diplomat.
Thank you, Sir.
Seems we have enough problems due to an administration that stiffles debate and intelligent analysis of important issues without amatures like Kingston trying this. Cheney, for example, is much more effective at misdirecting the discussion and lying about the facts, however. Kingston comes off looking incredibly foolish.
Thanks to Kingston for contributing to the problem. Real American hero.
If I could pick whomever I wanted to guard the heart and soul of America, I would definitely include Robert Greenwald, Amy Goodman and Rep. Henry Waxman. Thank "God" for sending us people who love truth more than corporate sponsors.
If I had to choose who to kick off the liferaft in order to save the rest of humanity...
I hope I get to select more than a few.
Seriously? Our troups are over there for patriotic reasons? Only because they've been lied to and the other reason is to be able to have a chance in life and get an education, which I am sure they wouldn't be able to otherwise. Don't you love they way he compares making money in Hollywood to war profiteering.
Congratulations, Mr. Greeenwald! I have the utmost admiration for you and how you handled that idiot in Congress. It is terrifying to realize that there are such imbeciles in our Government. One can only ask how many more of them there are sitting around trying to sound intelligent. You certainly showed him to be the biggest idiot in the world.
Keep up the good work. You give us hope.
I'm signing up in a few days.
Gerardine
Conbratulations, Mr. Greeenwald! I have the utmost admiration for you and how you handled that idiot in Congress. It is terrifying to realize that there are such imbeciles in our Government. One can only ask how many more of them there are sitting around trying to sound intelligent. You certainly showed him to be the biggest idiot in the world.
Keep up the good work. You give us hope.
I'm signing up in a few days.
Gerardine
Rep. Kingston is an idiot. Did he even watch the video? What a waste of time. And the arguments that Robert is either "against profit of any kind" or a total profiteering hypocrite are simply ridiculous. Ridiculous.
I think the whole "Senate hearings" circus is meant to provide a screen of pretend justice; I mean does anyone think that the CEO's of Halliburton or Blackwater or CACI will actually see the inside of a courtroom? This is just meant to ridicule Greenwald and discredit questioning of the system. Americans need to arise and massively plow into that Congress and White House and torch those leeches; then they'll get the message.
I saw that little pansy Kingston on Real Time Before. HOW ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH COULD SOMEONE LOOK AT THAT DOCUMENTARY AND STILL DEFEND WHAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE? What you have to understand about the politicians in Washington is they are almost all deferment whores from Vietnam. There are less than a handful who are actual combat veterans, let alone ever even in the ROTC. And what these whores did with their deferments? Almost all went to law school. So, while they were picking ivy off of the school Daddy got them into on a D average, the rest of the country was picking seeds from their weed in Vietnam. Then these same chicken shits deserters used their drug use against the Vets in later campaigns. That’s why both Democrats and Republicans seem more concerned with winning their cases in Iraq than on those whose lives they hold in their hands. Bad lawyer jokes are coming to mind. So, when they keep saying the troops are so in love with Bush, that’s because they don’t know the code of honor in the military. For one, you have to have honor and pride to identify it, but they don’t know that when in uniform, you are to answer to your commander and chief. That is why it is up to us to call every Democrat and Republican in Washington! Tell them to all quit being a bunch of pussies and CUT THE FUNDS NOW! FIRST! FIRST! Get a copy of Greg Palast’s book Armed Madhouse RIGHT NOW AND READ IT NOW. SIGN UP TO GIVE $10 TO GREENWALD EVERY MONTH. Wait until you read Palast’s book to see how Reagan, Reagan Bush, Clinton, Bush Bush have all appeased the terrorists and it’s about time all of us DEMOCRATS REPUBLICANS – ALL OF US. Agree to disagree for now, like real Patriots!
AS FOR CALLING GREENWALD A PROFITEER! DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH! I cannot wait until all these republican haircuts get in line at the pearly gates! God will make them stand in line behind millions of the most flamboyant homosexuals for days. Women, Mexicans and “black” people too. Then when they are finally at the gates, and they watch all the people in front of them enter in Jesus will say, “Oh, I just wanted you to get all the way here to see that I am the Messiah not Reagan. Well, that’s all I wanted, now you can go to hell with YOUR Messiah. See when people used to say they hoped Dick Cheney burned in hell? Yeah, he didn’t care – he hoped he would too. SEE YA!”