Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai Politics Talk Philosophy and Religion Forums

Everyone should watch these episodes, it'll make you think.

I prefer to know more info, can't be bothered to click and download the videos to find out.

ditto

The power of nightmares is a very good documentary series shown on the BBC last year.

It looks back at the way fear has been misused by governments to control their people and get laws enacted. It focuses on the US on the one hand, looking at the tactics used during the cold war and refers heavily to de-classified documents.

It also traces the roots of Al Qaeda and gives insights into its formation.

The bombshell is that basically Al Qaeda has been built up by the US into being something that is more that it is in actuality - and concludes that Al Qaeda (as we understsand it - a distinct organisation - does not actually exist at all. Bin-Laden etc do head up "Al Qaeda", but their capabilities etc are as real as the Soviet anti-missile or stealth submarine technology that the US used to justify billions of dollars in arms expenditure. The bizare parallel with Al Qaeda was the double-logic used - "there is no evidence of the Russian subs/missiles/wmd etc - therefore they must have more sophisicated technology than we assumed to keep them so well hidden!" This same logic was applied prior to Iraq war where data from intelligence community showing no threats were re-interpreted by a White House appointed committee.. and the same is being applied to Al Qaeda ..."we can't find the organisation in our countries...therefore they are very well hidden!")

I found the series of programmes very enlightening and factual - a recommended watch. I didn't know it was on YouTube - I hope the whole series is on there as it needs to be watched from the beginning to see how everything is interwined.

Cheers,
Shafique

I could have saved myself some typing..

The series is by the BBC and they have a write up on their site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/3755686.stm

In the past our politicians offered us dreams of a better world. Now they promise to protect us from nightmares.

The most frightening of these is the threat of an international terror network. But just as the dreams were not true, neither are these nightmares.

In a new series, the Power of Nightmares explores how the idea that we are threatened by a hidden and organised terrorist network is an illusion.

It is a myth that has spread unquestioned through politics, the security services and the international media.


Both were idealists who were born out of the failure of the liberal dream to build a better world.

These two groups have changed the world but not in the way either intended.

Those with the darkest fears became the most powerful

At the heart of the story are two groups: the American neo-conservatives and the radical Islamists.

Together they created today's nightmare vision of an organised terror network.

....

THE POWER OF NIGHTMARES
Three part series
Tuesday, 18 January, 2005
2320 GMT on BBC Two

I: Baby It's Cold Outside
II: The Phantom Victory
III: The Shadows In The Cave

Ah, very interesting, thanks Shaf! Valkyrie, we need that kind of description rather than just links to youtube.

I'll have to take a look at those.

thanks for posting the links!
i watched all the videos and it was more than interesting...i was captivated by the presentation and i must say that i found out may things i did not know!