Why We Fight

When we look back on the political strife of the early 21st century, a few cultural signposts will point to the shift from anti-terrorist paranoia back to a clearer-headed vision of international politics — and Eugene Jarecki’s sober examination of the military-industrial complex, Why We Fight, will be one of them. This self-described "tough love” look at American foreign policy and the unprecedented military build-up of the last 65 years is a shocking and insightful look at the military’s political, social and, especially, economic impact on the United States. The DVD strengthens Jarecki’s argument with more deleted scenes (examining President Eisenhower’s last minute decision to remove "congressional” from military-industrial-congressional complex; the myth of precision-guided weapons) and an insightful commentary, on which Jarecki is joined by retired Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson. Jarecki’s cogent analysis spreads to The Daily Show and Charlie Rose, and he expands the back stories of some of his subjects, but the feature remains a splash of cold water in the face of political somnambulists. More sobering than Michael Moore and more precise than the liberalism of George Clooney, Why We Fight is a crucial must-see documentary that helps clarify the modern mess in which we find ourselves. Plus: audience Q&A, more. (Sony)