Filmmaker Walter Miale introduces and discusses videos from his DVD, DEADLY MISTAKES? in a live program, and he films contributions to the dialogues by members of the audience, highlights of which will be incorporated in future programs.
DEADLY MISTAKES? provides historical context necessary for understanding today’s international crises. This context is lacking not only in public discussion, but in the American history curriculum.
DEADLY MISTAKES? looks at episodes from:
• the past: the Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam War, and U.S. interventions in the Third World; and
• the 21st century: nuclear weapons on a hair trigger, and the invasion of Iraq.
Are any or all of these events and policies mistakes, or are they justifiable? Or are they crimes? What should we learn from the mistakes of the past, and how can we apply these lessons to help shape America’s future? What can WE do to prevent future “deadly mistakes”?
The audience is invited to join the distinguished cast in considering these questions, and to discuss them on camera.
The cast of
DEADLY MISTAKES?
REVEREND
DANIEL BERRIGAN
peace activist
DR.
BRUCE BLAIR
former U.S. Air Force Launch Officer
GENERAL
LEE BUTLER, USAF (Ret.)
former Commander-in-Chief,
U.S. Strategic Command
LAWRENCE
EAGLEBURGER
former Secretary of State
JULIA
BUTTERFLY
environmental activist
MICHAEL
GAGNE
peace and social justice activist
ANTHONY
LAKE
former National Security Advisor
GEORGE
LAKEY
author of Strategy for a Living Revolution
JAMES
LOEWEN
Author of Lies My Teacher Told Me
REAR ADMIRAL GENE LA ROCQUE, USN. (Ret.)
founder, Center for Defense Information
RAY
McGOVERN
Retired senior CIA analyst
ROBERT
McNAMARA
former Secretary of Defense,
and architect of the Vietnam War
GENERAL
MERRILL McPEAK, USAF, (Ret.)
former U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, and fighter pilot in Vietnam
Seymour
Melman,
author of Pentagon Capitalism
Joshua
Muravcik,
Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
MAJOR
GENERAL WILLIAM NASH, United States Army, (Ret.)
former commander of US forces in Bosnia
GRACE
PALEY
author and peace activist
MARCUS
RASKIN
author, and founder, Institute of Policy Studies
GENE
SHARP
author of The Politics of Nonviolent Action
DAVID
SUZUKI
leading Canadian environmental scientist
SANHO
TREE
fellow, Institute for Policy Studies
ADMIRAL STANSFIELD TURNER, (Ret.)
former Director, CIA
ROBERT WHITE
former Ambassador to El Salvador
GENERAL
CHARLES WILHELM, United States Marine Corps, (Ret.)
former Commander-in-Chief, United States Southern Command
"A
brilliant and extraordinary work on public policy. DEADLY MISTAKES
tells about current history which most people have forgotten, or never
knew. This is an essential work for young people."
mm Marcus Raskin, co-founder, Institute for Policy Studies
"The
DVD's and the Viewer Guide should be in every school in the country."
mm Peter Davis, the director of the Academy Award winning Hearts and Minds
"The
Viewer Guide is an excellent resource, which should be of great value
to those who hope to explore beyond the surface and to find out more about
critical issues in the real world, as they are perceived and interpreted
from varied perspectives. A very impressive contribution."
mm Noam Chomsky
"Lucid
and powerful, DEADLY MISTAKES? draws on an extraordinary variety of sources.
It is certainly one of the most concise and lively treatments of American
foreign policy I have seen."
mm Howard Zinn
"A
very important, very valuable work. The films and book tell Americans
things we all need to know, but few do. These dialogues with people who
shaped policy or made history help lay the groundwork for the education
of the next generation of Americans. They will be extremely useful for
teachers in both high school and college who want to offer material to
their students that is relevant to today's world. DEADLY MISTAKES?
will be eye-opening for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of current
events."
mm Grace Paley
“The
words and portraits of American senior policy makers and generals are
alternately shocking, outrageous, heartbreaking, and enlightening. This
unique video invites and challenges viewers to step into the action, to
have their say, and to take part in determining America's future. If enough
Americans see it and take part in these Democracy Dialogues, it will move
the country toward sanity and peace.”
mm Mark Achbar, the director of The Corporation
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