Obviously, David Douglas's Academy Award-nominated "Fires of Kuwait" looks at the international effort to extinguish Kuwait's burning oilfields after the Gulf War.
But there are a few things worth mentioning. Even if you ignore the US's arming of Saddam Hussein in the '80s (including Reagan's willingness to forgive the accidental Iraqi attack on a US warship in 1987, considering Saddam too important a bulwark against Iran to criticize), and even if you ignore the US's devastation of Iraq in 1991 and further in 2003, it's worth noting Kuwaiti attitudes towards the US.
In the aftermath of the first Gulf War - which never really ended, as the US prevented Iraq from rebuilding - Kuwaitis adored the US and even named a street after George Bush. But a "60 Minutes" report on Kuwait a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks revealed that the US was no longer that popular there. The Kuwaitis saw the US backing Israel, and were also displeased with the US occupation of Afghanistan. In fact, 34% of Kuwaitis considered Osama bin Laden a terrorist, while 42% considered him a freedom fighter. At a summit of the Arab League in April 2002, Kuwait's representative told Iraq's representative that the Kuwaitis were willing to forgive and forget.
Well, look where Iraq is now. Thanks for nothing, Mark Sykes and François Picot!
Anyway, a fairly interesting documentary. I wonder if anyone realizes that no wars have gotten started over renewable energy.
But there are a few things worth mentioning. Even if you ignore the US's arming of Saddam Hussein in the '80s (including Reagan's willingness to forgive the accidental Iraqi attack on a US warship in 1987, considering Saddam too important a bulwark against Iran to criticize), and even if you ignore the US's devastation of Iraq in 1991 and further in 2003, it's worth noting Kuwaiti attitudes towards the US.
In the aftermath of the first Gulf War - which never really ended, as the US prevented Iraq from rebuilding - Kuwaitis adored the US and even named a street after George Bush. But a "60 Minutes" report on Kuwait a few weeks after the 9/11 attacks revealed that the US was no longer that popular there. The Kuwaitis saw the US backing Israel, and were also displeased with the US occupation of Afghanistan. In fact, 34% of Kuwaitis considered Osama bin Laden a terrorist, while 42% considered him a freedom fighter. At a summit of the Arab League in April 2002, Kuwait's representative told Iraq's representative that the Kuwaitis were willing to forgive and forget.
Well, look where Iraq is now. Thanks for nothing, Mark Sykes and François Picot!
Anyway, a fairly interesting documentary. I wonder if anyone realizes that no wars have gotten started over renewable energy.