Watch Bill Moyers: Buying the War

The movie Bill Moyers: Buying the War is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that focuses on the journalists who failed to question the Bush administration's justifications for the Iraq War, and the consequences of their actions for the media, the public, and the nation as a whole. Narrated and presented by veteran journalist Bill Moyers, the film begins by tracing the buildup to the war, highlighting the key players and events that shaped the Bush administration's case for military action against Saddam Hussein's regime. Through detailed interviews with top officials such as Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice, as well as with prominent journalists such as Bob Woodward and Judith Miller, Moyers shows how the White House orchestrated a campaign of fear and disinformation to sell the war to Congress, the media, and the public.

The heart of the film, however, lies in its exploration of how the mainstream media bought into these lies and distortions, and failed to ask the tough questions that might have prevented the war. Focusing on the most influential outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NBC News, Moyers exposes the cozy relationships between journalists and their sources, the pressure to conform to the prevailing narrative, and the lack of skepticism and critical thinking that characterized much of the reporting on Iraq.

Drawing on archival footage, interviews with both critics and defenders of the mainstream media, and his own experience as a journalist, Moyers makes a convincing case that the media's complicity in the rush to war played a key role in the disastrous outcome of the conflict. By uncritically repeating the administration's claims about WMDs, Iraqi ties to Al Qaeda, and the need for preemptive war, the media helped to create a climate of fear and paranoia that foreclosed any real debate or dissent.

Yet the film also offers some hope for the future, by pointing to the emergence of new voices and outlets that challenge the dominant narrative and seek to hold those in power accountable. By interviewing bloggers, independent journalists, and media critics, Moyers suggests that the internet and other new technologies may provide a way for citizens to bypass the gatekeepers of the mainstream media and to demand a more honest, accurate, and diverse news landscape.

Overall, Bill Moyers: Buying the War is a timely and important film that raises important questions about the role of the media in a democracy, and the responsibility of journalists to serve the public interest rather than the interests of the powerful. By shining a light on the failures of the media in the run-up to the Iraq War, the film challenges us to think critically about the sources of our information, and to demand greater transparency, accountability, and integrity from those who claim to speak for us.