The Power of Nightmares

The Rise of the Politics of Fear and Phantom Enemies <p> Is the ideology of selfish, materialistic individualism (Leo Strauss) to blame for the breakdown of a sense of community? The history of the Neocon's misguided philosophy and their tactics of fear is documented. Their tool - spreading their myth by propaganda through manipulation of the media and the corruption of the 'intelligence' by distorting, exagerating and even imagining evidence (e.g. Al Qaeda Network and internationally based 'sleeper cells', links to Iraq). <p> Interestingly, that same fear of liberalism also led to the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in the East, as a resistance to the 'infection of selfish individualism' or 'the corruption from the West' - and how that eventually led to the ideology of Al Qaeda under Zawahiri. The creation of the Islamic Republic is also referred to as another backlash against this same western ideological influence. <p> Has the politics of fear, therefore, been planned as a 'necessity' in a liberal society to control the selfish individualism it has created? The war on terror - a 'dark illusion' and the creation of a phantom enemy - another necessary fabrication by the neocons? Did the neocons manage to use the desperation of the islamists to gain moral authority to carry out their agenda? Does Al Qaeda really exist as an organisation or has it been simply a creation of the West's for their own devious reasons? To create an evil enemy through which their own populations can be manipulated... <p> Who benefits? And How? "Those with the darkest fears become the most powerful." <p> Who loses out and how? "In a society that believes in nothing fear becomes the only agenda." <p> Worth watching if you can find the time. Hope you find it of interest.

Originally aired on the BBC in 2004, in 3 fascinating parts (by Adam Curtis):

Part one: “Baby it's Cold Outside“ (59 minutes) <p> //video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2798679275960015727&ei=Z6gySYvTEoWGiQLNkay7BA&q=BBC+-+The+Power+Of_Nightmares&hl=en <p> Part two: "The Phantom Victory" (59 minutes) <p> //video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4602171665328041876&hl=en <p> Part three: "The Shadows in the Cave" (60 minutes) <p> //video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2081592330319789254&hl=en