Movie Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore is a mocking portrayal of Bush Administration’s reckless attitude towards its obligations to the citizens of the United States. By deliberately emphasizing indubitable facts Moore discloses striking relationship between Bush’s family and Saudi government, surprising response of Bush Administration to the attacks on September 11, humiliating reasons for invading Iraq, and scandalous Patriot Act. Absurd as Moore’s opinion seems to be, never the less, he succeeds in presenting unshakable evidence of ties between Bush’s family and ruling Saudi families. By tracing military acquaintances of George W.Bush, Moore shows the connection of George W.
Bush to James R. Bath, who was hired by bin Laden family to invest into Bush’s unsuccessful oil business. After Bush went bankrupt, bin Laden family along with other ruling Saudi families didn’t stop pouring their money in every business related to Bush. Next investment was Harken in the beginning of 1990’s, still another one was the Carlyle Group, conglomerate company mainly with the investments in the United Defense industries. Ruling Saudi families that had its investments in that company highly benefited through it when the defense expenditures after September 11 were raised.
It may be concluded that Bush’s family enjoyed long lasting business relationships with Saudi government and probably with Osama who was wanted terrorist even before September 11, 2001. In this light mild reaction of Bush Administration on the attacks on September 11 is not surprising at all. Fearing disclosure of the business ties to Saudi government, Bush made sure that 24 members of bin Laden family along with other Saudi made it “safe” out of America before they would be questioned by investigation.In fact, instead of fostering investigation at first Bush tried to prevent Congress from conducting it, and when he failed to do it he censured 28 pages from the report presumably related to Saudi.
Bush Administration also tried to prevent by all means forming of Independent Commission that would conduct independent investigation. Saudi government also blocked investigators from talking to the relatives of 15 pilots who were responsible for September 11 attacks. No surprise that Bush tried to prevent investigation by all means, because the damage to Bush’s reputation would be equivalent to the exposure of nuclear bomb.Bush’s response campaign in Afghanistan with eleven thousand soldiers directed at fighting Al Qaeda, was ridiculous.
The whole campaign seemed to be directed at overthrowing Talib government and replacing with former Unocal advisors. On the other hand, Bush organized grandeur campaign for invading Iraq. The reasons presented by Bush for this invasion were the weapons of mass destruction. However, in early 2001 one may see that these reasons are contradicted by the statements from Powell and Rice that Iraq not only had no weapons of mass destruction, and no systems to develop any, but, in fact, not even could be called military.
So, Bush successfully fouled American citizens along with the rest of the world, and started military campaign in Iraq directed at overtaking numerous oil well. Fahrenheit 9/11 depicts a nation which is kept in constant fear by FBI alert, which allows the President to push through Congress restrictive laws, known as the Patriot Act, that threaten basic civil rights. In fact, it is not only fear that led to the acceptance of such document it is also careless attitude of Congress members who didn’t even read the complete Patriot Act before passing it.Considering the terrorist attacks where nearly 3000 people died, passing a document that would give FBI and CIA power to interrogate with citizen’s some personal liberties can be justified. However, Congress careless attitude towards such document and failure to work it out properly is unbearable recklessness. Personally I was shocked by ridiculous statements in the media about the ways terrorists may conduct further attacks, and the effects such statements had on ordinary people.
In my opinion, state of fear is a powerful drive to make people take decisions they would never make under normal conditions. Throughout the movie, Moore never openly says that President Bush is not credible. Moore merely presents facts from credible sources, such as quotes from the Washington Post and Bush’s uncensored service record and leaves conclusions to us. Such absence of forceful propaganda can do nothing but to make me sympathize with Michael Moore. In my opinion Fahrenheit 9/11 will not leave even the most skeptic minds untouched.
