INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD (DOCUMENTARY FILM)
Summary
This Academy Award-nominated documentary explores a controversial series of airstrikes in 2007 by the American military during the Iraq War and one soldier's experience and memories from the incident. The program begins as Ethan McCord, formerly of the U.S. Army, speaks about suffering from PTSD and self-medicating with alcohol after returning from the war, which had a harmful effect on his family. He states that he now feels he was "being used" by the military, and that there was "nothing patriotic" in his actions. Footage is shown from 12 July 2007 in Baghdad, when American helicopters fired upon a group of men and a van, mistaking their video equipment for weapons and killing several. Three years later, the tape was spread to the global news by WikiLeaks, and McCord describes seeing himself in the footage on TV and vividly recalling the experience. Experts argued that the "rules of engagement" were not followed and the deadly force was unmerited, though the military responds that necessary precautions were taken. In Wichita, KS, McCord talks about his other family members in the armed forces and his sense of the "glorified" experience which led him to sign up. Initially believing that the Americans were there to help the Iraqi people, he soon encountered combat and lost a close friend, whose dog tags he had tattooed on his arm as a memorial. While conducting a "knock-and-search" of private homes and looking for weapons, he and his team heard the helicopters, or Apaches, firing on the group of men, and he described the unreal experiences of seeing their dead, mangled bodies. When he examined the van, he found a dead man and his two injured young children, and explains that he was reminded strongly of his own son and daughter as he grabbed the boy and girl and attempted to get them to safety. Though at first "in denial" that it was the Americans who had fired on the van, McCord soon became disillusioned and no longer felt they were "doing good" in the Middle East. He sought mental health care, but was told to "suck it up" and threatened with disciplinary action for "malingering." Once home, he eventually began to deal with his feelings about the incident and wrote a letter to the Iraqi people along with the Iraq Veterans Against the War advocacy group, which he found "very healing." He states that all Americans are part of the "war machine" and encourages taxpayers to demand answers and speak out about unjust government actions. The epilogue notes that the two children survived their injuries, but there has been no further official inquiry into the incident of that day.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 2010
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 107307
- GENRE: Documentary
- SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; Iraq War
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Carol Anne Grayson … Executive Producer
- James Spione … Producer, Director
- Mike Altman … Co-Producer
- Shirley Edwards … Co-Producer
- Mary Trivett … Associate Producer
- Mark Trivett … Associate Producer
- Emile Menasché … Music by
- Rebecca Menasché … Music by
- Ethan McCord