I interviewed Robert Greenwald of Brave New Films, which produces video documentaries on progressive subjects with the goal of distributing them on a grassroots basis, earlier this evening, before the president spoke. (It is for next week’s Dispatches.)
His film, “Rethink Afghanistan,” pretty much makes the case that our presence in Afghanistan is only inflaming the situation in Afghanistan.
Greenwald told me that the president is working on the “misguided notion that this was making us more secure.”
Obama, he said, “should look at the fundamental issues.” He echoed something I said in this week’s column (out tomorrow): That the internal debate essentially “was a travesty of a debate.”
“It was whether to have 10,000, 20,000 or 30 ,000 more troops,” he said. “It should have been asking why are we there what are our security interests. If al Qaida is enemy, then what is the most effective way to get the less than 100 members who are in Afghanistan.”
Just as importantly, he added this: “How do you justify the billions of billions of dollars (on the war) when there is not enough money for healthcare, for jobs, for housing.”
I wish the president could have talked with Greenwald before his speech tonight.
Hank Kalet 