Nothing to be ashamed of. There's full transparency.
There's nothing about the Patriot Act I am ashamed of...
...in any way, shape or form.
I have a 1-800 number. Call me.
I'm the guy you call if there's a violation or an abuse.
If you've got a poster child on this, I wanna see it.
I'm hired by the people to provide oversight. I provide oversight.
Trent Lott said, the day the bill was introduced:
"Maybe now we can do things we've wanted to do the last 10 years."
No, a dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, no question about it.
I mean, they had all this on the shelf somewhere.
Ideas of things they would like to do. And they got 9/11...
...and they said, "It's our chance. Go for it."
There was an assumption of the administration...
...that there had to be a surrender of certain of our rights.
There's troubling definitions in the bill.
The definition of terrorist, it's so expansive...
...that it could include people who... - Like me.
No one read it. That's the whole point.
They wait till the middle of the night, drop it in the night, print it in the night.
And the next morning when we come in, it passes.
How could Congress pass this Patriot Act without even reading it?
Sit down, my son.
We don't read most of the bills.
Do you really know what that would entail...
...if we were to read every bill that we passed?
Well, the good thing, it would slow down the legislative process.
I couldn't believe that virtually no member of Congress...
...had read the Patriot Act before voting on it.
So I decided the only patriotic thing to do...
...was for me to read it to them.
Members of Congress, this is Michael Moore...
...I would like to read you the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
"Section 1:
Section 210 of this code reads as follows..."
"Section 2703C..."
My job is to secure the homeland. That's exactly what we're gonna do.
But I'm here to take somebody's order.
That's you, stretch. What would you like?
- Right behind you. - I'm gonna order some ribs.
We all know you can't secure the homeland...
...on an empty stomach. And in order to remain secure...
...everyone needs to sacrifice.
Especially little Patrick Hamilton.
I'm sure each of us has our own airport-security horror story.
But here's my favorite.
The terrorist threat that was posed by his mommy's breast milk.
I thought if I put a little bit on my lips, that would be sufficient...
...because I'm tasting it. She looked at me, and I felt like...
...she was telling me, "Chug that." She goes, "You need to drink more."
And of a 4-ounce bottle, I wound up drinking...
...2 more ounces of breast milk...
...that then, because it's touched my lips, has to be tossed.
While homeland security was making sure breast milk...
...was kept off our planes...
...they were also doing everything possible to ensure no one...
...could light a firebomb onboard.
- I can bring that on the plane? - Actually, yes, you're fine.
One too many books of matches.
You can have four books and two lighters.
When we already have the shoe-bomber...
...who would have blown up an airplane...
...if he had a butane lighter, according to the FBI...
...why would Transportation Security say it's okay...
...to take four books of matches and two lighters...
...as you board a plane? I'm guessing somebody put pressure on...
...to say, "When an airplane lands, people wanna light up...
...so don't take their lighters away."
Let me see if I got this straight.
Old guys in the gym, bad. Peace groups in Fresno, bad.
Breast milk, really bad.
Matches and lighters on the plane? Hey, no problem.
Was this really about our safety? Or was something else going on?
This is where the Pacific Ocean meets the shores of Oregon.
Over 100 miles of beautiful, open coastline on our border.
And, thanks to the budget cutbacks...
...the total number of state police protecting it:
One.
Part-time.
Meet Trooper Brooks.
I maybe get a chance to hit this stretch of highway...
...once, maybe twice a week during my shifts.
You know, just to even drive up here and look.
You know, I mean, as far as I know, there's lots of things they could do.
I don't even wanna suspect, because it just makes me ill inside.
Back at the state trooper patrol office, thanks to the budget cuts...
...Trooper Kenyon had to come in on his day off...
...to catch up on some paperwork.
For the most part, especially during summer, when people show up...
...this is what they get. They close the door.
They can read the sign about the office closure.
It just basically explains that due to our cutbacks...
...our office is not open for administrative business.
There's a sign that explains when the office is closed...
...they can use the phone booth to get in touch with our dispatch.
Ironically enough, that phone is a piece of junk.
It doesn't work very well, so half the time...
...they pick up the phone and dispatch gets static.
They don't hear anything.
For Tuesday, there'll be no troop on patrol.
Wednesday, there'll be no troop on patrol.
Thursday, there'll be no troop on patrol.
You get calls all the time.
People will call in a suspicious vehicle...
...or somebody looking suspicious.
And I don't hardly ever respond to that anymore.
I just don't have the time to do it.
I asked, "How many people do we have in Oregon...
...on duty tonight?"
And we had eight troopers...
...on for the entire state of Oregon, working.
I think Oregon is a prime example that homeland security...
...is not as secure as what people would like to believe.
Nobody's sent me a manual that says, "Here's how you catch a terrorist."
If I had that manual, I'd read it. But I don't. So...
Yeah.
The Bush administration didn't hand out a manual...
...on how to deal with the terrorist threat...
...because the terrorist threat wasn't what this was all about.
They just wanted us to be fearful enough...
...so that we'd get behind what their real plan was.
Four minutes.
- Right from the top. - All right.
- How much time? - Three minutes.
- Okay, folks. - Thirty seconds.
- Stand by. - Fifteen seconds.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five...
...four, three, two, one.
My fellow citizens...
At this hour, American and coalition forces...
...are in the early stages of military operations...
...to disarm Iraq...
...to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.
On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking...
...selected targets of military importance...
...to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war.
On March 19th, 2003...
...George W. Bush and the United States military...
...invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq.
A nation that had never attacked the United States.
A nation that had never threatened to attack the United States.
A nation that had never murdered a single American citizen.
We're going to find this... I think this piece of my neighbor.
Young girl, age 20.
I think it's the other part of her body. That's all.
There is a lot of innocent civilians that were killed.
And I think that is because the U.S. Army...
...we came in, and we knew it wasn't gonna be easy.
And pretty much at first shot anything that moved.
When war happens and fighting starts...
...it's like we're pumped up, motivated, ready to go.
It's the ultimate rush.
Because you know you're going into the fight...
...then you got a good song playing in the background.
And that gets you real fired up. Ready to do the job.
You can hook your CD player up...
...to the tank's internal communications system.
When you put your helmet on you can hear it through the helmet.
This one we listen to the most.
This is the one... When we travel, we kill the enemy...
Drowning Pool. "Let the bodies hit the floor"...
...is fitting for the job.
We picked "the roof is on fire"...
...because it symbolized Baghdad being on fire.
At the time we wanted it to burn to get Saddam and his regime out.
The roof, the roof The roof is on fire
We don't need no water Let the motherfucker burn
Burn, motherfucker, burn
This is a totally different picture here being pushed into the city.
Urban warfare in a tank.
Civilians.
The civilians...
You don't know who's friendly, who's the enemy.
This is a lot more real and true than just a video game.
People thought it was gonna be, "Look through the sight and shoot." No.
A lot of this is face to face.
Especially riding by after some of the bombs went off...
...and seeing all the people on the side of the road bloated up.
And all the smells around you from the people lying dead, rotted.
It's a lot more gruesome than you think.
We called in with some artillery and some napalm and things.
Some innocent women and children got hit.
We met them on the road, and they had...
...little girls with noses blown off. And...
And...
...husbands carrying their dead wives and things like that.
That was extremely difficult to deal with. You're like:
"Shoot. What the hell do we do now?"
The targeting capabilities and the care that goes into targeting...
...is as impressive as anything anyone could see.
- Got him. - Good. Second one.
Get the other one.
The care that goes into it, the humanity that goes into it.
Honestly, I think we should just trust our president...
...in every decision he makes, and we should support that.
You know? And be faithful in what happens.
- Do you trust this president? - Yes, I do.
Britney Spears was not alone.
The majority of the American people...
...trusted the president. And why shouldn't they?
He'd spent the better part of the last year...
...giving them every reason why we should invade Iraq.
Saddam Hussein has gone to elaborate lengths...
...spent enormous sums...
...taken great risks to build and keep weapons of mass destruction.
Saddam Hussein is determined to get his hands on a nuclear bomb.
Nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapon.
Active chemical munitions bunkers. Mobile production facilities.
We know he's got chemical weapons.
He's got them. He's got them. He's got them.
Huh, that's weird.
Because that's not what Bush's people said when he first took office.
He hasn't developed capability...
...with respect to weapons of mass destruction.
He's unable to project conventional power against his neighbors.
We're able to keep arms from him. Military forces haven't been rebuilt.
Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists...
...including members of al Qaeda.
There was a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda.
Saddam. Al Qaeda. Saddam. Al Qaeda.
Saddam. The al Qaeda. Saddam. Saddam. Saddam. Al Qaeda.
It's only a matter of time before terrorist states...
...armed with weapons of mass destruction...
...develop the capability to deliver those weapons to U.S. Cities.
We're giving you facts and conclusions...
...based on solid intelligence.
He's a man who hates America.
This is a man who cannot stand what we stand for.
There's willingness to terrorize himself.
He hates the fact, like al Qaeda does, that we love freedom.
After all, this is a guy that tried to kill my dad at one time.
They got people to believe there was a threat when in fact there wasn't one.
You get told things every day that don't happen.
It doesn't seem to bother people.
The Democrats were there to put a stop to all these falsehoods.
I'll vote to give the president authority he needs.
United States is prepared to lead the coalition of the willing that will do it.
When I say we will lead a coalition of the willing...
...to disarm him if he chooses not to disarm, I mean it.
- Who's in that coalition of the willing? - You will find out who's in it.
The coalition of the willing.
Roll call.
The Republic of Palau.
The Republic of Costa Rica.
The Republic of Iceland.
None of these countries has an army, or for that matter, weapons.
So it looked like we'd be doing most of the invading stuff ourselves.
- Then there was also: - Romania.
The Kingdom of Morocco.
Morocco wasn't officially a member of the coalition...
...but according to one report, they did offer to send 2000 monkeys...
...to help detonate land mines.
These are men of vision.
The Netherlands.
And I'm proud to call them allies.
Afghanistan.
Afghanistan?
Oh, yeah. They had an army.
Our army. I guess that's one way to build a coalition.
Just keep invading countries.
Yes, with our mighty coalition intact, we were ready.
One could almost say it's the mother of all coalitions.
Fortunately, we have an independent media in this country...
...who would tell us the truth.
The rallying around the president, the flag and the troops has begun.
And we're gonna win!
You have to be with troops to understand the adrenaline.
I want you to know, I think Navy SEALs rock.
The pictures you're seeing are absolutely phenomenal.
When my country's at war, I want my country to win.
Iraqi opposition has faded in the face of American power.
What you're watching here is truly historic television and journalism.
It was absolutely electrifying.
They had to strap me in with my camera at the back of the plane.
An awesome, synchronized killing machine.
There is an inherent bias...
...in the coverage of the American press in general.
Am I slanted and biased? You damn well bet I am.
But one story the media wasn't covering...
...was the personal story...
...of each and every soldier who was killed in the war.
The government would not allow any cameras...
...to show the coffins coming home.
That kind of story is a downer...
...especially when you're getting ready for a party on a boat.
My fellow Americans...
...major combat operations in Iraq have ended.
In the battle of Iraq...
...the United States and our allies have prevailed.
Get out of the way!
Move! Move! Move! Move!
162, the number of troops killed by hostile fire.
- 244 U.S. Troops... - 384 U.S. Troops lost their lives...
- Total killed, 484. - Died in the line of duty, 500...
631 American troops...
More than 825 troops have been killed in Iraq.
The largest number of American military deaths since Vietnam.
There are some who feel like that if they attack us...
...that we may decide to leave prematurely.
They don't understand, if that's the case.
Let me finish.
There are some who feel like the conditions are such...
...that they can attack us there.
My answer is, bring them on.
The United States was planning on walking through here...
...like it was gonna be easy and all.
But it's not that easy to conquer a country, is it?
The renewed battle for control of Iraq raged for a fourth day today...
...with street clashes in nearly every corner of the country.
Iraq could become "another Vietnam."
Officials say they see evidence that Sunni and Shiite extremists...
...might be joining forces.
They're not happy they're occupied.
I wouldn't be happy if I were occupied either.
Two Japanese aid workers and a journalist...
...kidnapped by men calling themselves...
...the Mujahideen Squadrons.
They threatened to burn the hostages alive...
...if Japan does not withdraw its troops from Iraq within three days.
What's happened?
They attacked our convoy.
You wanna give us your name?
Hamill, Thomas.
The Pentagon might keep up to 24,000 troops in combat...
...beyond their tour.
I know our numbers in the military have gone down.
They talk about retention.
I never expected to be deployed this long.
I don't think anybody did.
I don't have any clue as to why we're still in Iraq.
If Donald Rumsfeld was here, I'd ask him for his resignation.
With the war not going as planned...
...and the military in need of many more troops...
...where would they find the new recruits?
Military experts say three times...
...the 120,000 U.S. Troops now deployed...
...would be needed to pacify and rebuild the country.
They would find them all across America...
...in the places that had been destroyed by the economy.
Places where one of the only jobs available...
...was to join the Army.
Places like my hometown of Flint, Michigan.
I was watching TV one day...
...and they showed some of the areas that had been hit by bombs.
And while watching, I got to thinking...
...there's parts of Flint that look like that.
And we ain't been in a war.
Look at the neighborhood I live in.
Most of them are abandoned. You know, I mean...
...that's not right. You wanna talk about terrorism?
Come right here. President Bush, right here. Come right here.
He knows about this corner. I e-mailed him.
At the end of January of '04...
...the unemployment rate in Flint was 17 percent.
But you have to take into consideration as well...
...that when your unemployment runs out you're no longer counted.
I would say that we're close to at least 50 percent...
...not working or underemployed.
Because being underemployed is just as dangerous.
My family has gone through the welfare system...
...when it was Job Central.
In the mid-'80s I came through the job training partnership program.
I went to a secretary school.
Years later, I'm executive assistant to the president of the agency.
Interesting.
My mother used to tell me all the time:
"Why do you always go for the underdog?"
It was because the underdog is who needed me.
People that don't have anything, that's who I have to fight for.
And that's who I have fought for my entire life.
I started taking my children and telling my children:
"The military is a good option.
I can't afford to have you go to college. I can't pay your way.
Financial aid will not help you."
So I, as a mother, started teaching my children...
...about the options that the military could do.
They would take them around the world.
They'd see all the things that I, as a mother, couldn't let them see.
It'd pay for their education that I, as their mother and father, couldn't pay.
The military is a good option for kids in Flint.
The military is an excellent option for the people of Flint.
How many of you have a friend or a family member in the service?
Anybody currently serving overseas?
- A brother of mine. - My cousin.
Yeah, cousin.
- Where's your brother? - Iraq.
Germany.
My cousin got shipped off to Iraq, like, three days ago.
Dang.
There's, like, an Army or Navy recruiter...
...or Marines recruiter up there almost every week...
...in the lunchroom recruiting students at the lunchroom.
There are people with a calling.
Most serve one weekend a month and two weeks a year.
Earning money for college.
Protecting their community.
In the Army National Guard...
...you can.
I'm going into the Air Force.
I'm gonna take a year off after high school.
And then make a career. I wanna be an aircraft maintenance technician.
I ran into a recruiter, and there was something I noticed about it.
And this is kind of on another... I noticed it was odd.
More like he was hiring me than recruiting me for the Army.
It was the way he approached me. I was in Borders Books and Music.
He came up like he was handing us a business card.
He had business cards made for the Army.
Meet Marine Staff Sergeant Dale Kortman...
...and Sergeant Raymond Plouhar.
They are two of the many recruiters assigned to Flint, Michigan.
They're very busy these days.
Look, he's running away already.
- He's seen us coming. - Yeah.
What have we got here?
- Need a little gangster. - Yeah.
We're heading over to the Courtland Mall right now.
They decided not to go to the wealthier...
...Genesee Valley Mall in the suburbs.
They have a hard time recruiting young people there.
Instead, they went to the other mall.
- Let's go in through Mervyn's. - In through Mervyn's.
And then we'll walk straight down and straight back and then go down...
Gents, you know we're looking at you, right?
You guys ever think about joining up?
I thought about going to college and playing basketball.
- You any good? - Yeah. Especially basketball.
Good. You can play ball for the Marine Corps.
Travel around the world for the Corps basketball team.
- David Robinson was in the military. - Oh, was he?
Yeah, you can definitely hook it up.
Right now somebody out there wants to be a Marine but has no idea how to.
- Where you work at? - I work at KFC.
- Sweet. Hook us up with deals. - Yes.
They're waiting to get recruited.
I was gonna try a career in music or something.
Career in music? Maybe we can get you a career in music.
Let the Marines go for it. I'm sure you know who Shaggy is.
- You know anything about him? - Yeah, he's the Jamaican singer.
How about a former Marine?
- Oh. - Did you know it?
You need to know discipline if you're gonna get into music.
Especially discipline with the money.
If you make a million, you need to manage that money.
Come to the office, we can talk...
...show you everything about the Marines.
- A plan? - What you got going this afternoon?
How about tomorrow? 10:00 Monday morning?
- That sounds pretty good. - You want me to pick you up?
It's better to get them when they're in ones and twos...
...and work on them that way.
Ladies, ready to join up?
Green hat right behind us.
- Looks young. He's young. - Yeah.
We got two over here...
...right over by the red van.
You go that way, I go this way, we corner them.
- You're in the ninth grade? - Yes, sir.
Man, you look older than ninth grade.
All right, here's my card.
You ever thought about being a Marine, man?
I've thought about it. I've got a wife and kid now.
Even more reason to join up.
What I want to do, man...
...is get information from you so I can scratch you off my list...
...saying I've talked to you, and you're not interested. Is that cool?
What's your name? Phone number? What's your address?
Add another one to the list.
However, one would love to have that chance to experience college life.
You know, stuff young people can do without having the risk...
...of dying in the process, I guess I can say candidly.
The holidays add a bit more friction, as opposed to just another night...
...in the fact we wanna give our guys a little time off, time to relax.
However, we are in a combat zone, and my soldiers do recognize that fact.
Everybody's a little bit nervous about it, I guess.
We're professionals. We're gonna take care of you.
I promise.
Every house here has the right to have weapons.
Maximum, one AK-47.
We always expect the targets to be armed.
Rock 'n' roll.
These are fucking bolt cutters.
This goddamn thing to pry doors open.
Pop this in there...
Hey, Adele, just hold up.
No, no, no, no.
Where's she going?
- I'll go with her. - Where's she going?
She's gonna call him.
She's gonna call him? No, no, no. Where is he at right now?
Not on the phone. Not on the phone.
Is he in the house? Is he in the house?
- Passerelli! Passerelli! - Is he in the house?
He is? He is in the house? Where?
- This is him? - Get up there, second floor!
Watch out. Go, go, go! Watch out, Adele, watch out.
I have one coming up.
That's Suheib Al Douri?
- What's your name? - Suheib.
- This is Suheib. Yeah. - This is Suheib.
- This is Suheib? - Yeah.
Stand him up. Get up.
Tell them to calm down, please. We will not be long.
We appreciate your cooperation. This is the target.
Suheib Al Douri. Bring him out.
We have to, as you go back to the old saying...
...win the hearts and minds of the people. That's our job.
We have to... We have to bring the...
The ideal of democracy and freedom to the country...
...and show them that the American people are not here to rule Iraq.
I start doing evidence turn-in. That process takes about three hours.
So that's gonna be it for the night.
That concludes Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas, PRT. Merry Christmas.
Santa came to Iraq just for you guys.
Trying to keep skies clear for you, Santa.
Do you consider yourself a proud American?
Absolutely.
I'm an extremely proud American. I'm probably more proud...
...than the average Joe.
When I put my flag out, I can't allow it to touch the ground.
Because I know the lives that were lost and the blood that was shed...
...so that I could be here and have a flag.
- How often do you put the flag out? - Every single day. Every day.
I started when my daughter was in Desert Storm.
I had the same flag...
...flying on my front porch and the same yellow ribbons.
Praying and hoping every day that my child would come home safe.
And everybody's child would come home safe.
- And she did. - And she did.
Have other family members been in the military?
Absolutely. Uncles, aunts...
...cousins, brothers, father.
- Very strong military family. - Very strong.
My family was... My family is what I consider...
...part of the backbone of America.
It's families like mine. And it's not just my family.
There's hundreds of families, millions of families...
...that this country was founded on their backs.
I have been known to be a conservative Democrat. Yeah.
That's what you consider yourself? Yeah.
- Yeah, it's a great country. - It's a great country. A great country.
The cross that I choose to wear is a multicultural, multicolor cross.
That's because I believe that all God's people come in many colors.
And my family itself is multicultural.
You have a daughter who went into the military.
Then your first-born son, in the military.
That's quite a gift to the country from your family.
So having a son in the Army, pretty proud thing.
Oh, you know what? He made it.
What was your reaction to protestors during the Gulf War or Vietnam?
I always hated the protestors.
It was just a slap in my face.
It was just like they were dishonoring my son.
And I burned in my soul to tell them, "You don't understand.
They're not there because they wanna be there."
But then I came to understand they weren't protesting the men...
...and women there. They were protesting the concept of the war.
I know I'm a soldier, and I'm here to do a job.
I've been a soldier for a while.
Once you have to go and do your job...
...and you see the things that you see...
...I was saying, there's some disillusionment in that.
Battalion commander fully expects us to be...
...attacked in some type of way...
...before we get to FARP Shell.
I know that so far it's been pretty calm.
Not much has happened.
But be aware that it can, and it probably will.
They're beginning to organize themselves, just in neighborhoods.
The kids get together a lot. Well, I can't say kids...
...but guys about 17, 18...
...starting to come together.
They hate us. Why, I'm not really sure.
Immoral behavior breeds immoral behavior.
When a president commits the immoral act...
...of sending otherwise good kids to war based on a lie...
...this is what you get.
Hey, is he ticklish?
Don't tell me you don't know.
To have these people shoot at us, kill us, blow us up...
...whatever, means they can.
And I don't understand it.
We're trying to help these people, and it seems...
...they don't want our help. "Get out of here!"
The minute something goes wrong, "Why weren't you here?
Why didn't you do this?" You know, it's...
I hate this country.
You know, you... I feel that a part of your soul...
...is destroyed in taking another life.
Yeah, that statement is very true.
You cannot kill someone without killing a part of yourself.
If you get called up...
...will you go back to Iraq? - No.
What repercussions do you face if you don't?
Possible jail time.
That's one possible thing.
- Are you willing to risk that? - Yes.
Yes, l...
I will not let my person...
I will not let anyone...
...send me back over there to kill other poor people.
Especially when they pose no threat to me and my country.
I won't do it.
This is an impressive crowd. The haves...
...and the have-mores.
Some people call you the elite.
I call you my base.
While Bush was busy taking care of his base...
...and professing his love for our troops...
...he proposed cutting combat soldiers' pay by 33 percent...
...and assistance to their families by 60 percent.
He opposed giving veterans...
...a billion dollars more in health-care benefits...
...and he supported closing veteran hospitals.
He tried to double the prescription drug costs for veterans...
...and opposed full benefits for part-time reservists.
When Staff Sergeant Brett Petriken from Flint...
...was killed in Iraq on May 26th...
...the Army sent his last paycheck to his family...
...but they docked him for the last five days of the month he didn't work...
...because he was dead.
They say they're not gonna leave any veteran behind...
...but they're leaving all kinds of veterans behind.
To say we're forgotten, I know we're not. But missed? Yes.
Yes. There's a lot of soldiers that have been missed...
...that have been skipped over.
Didn't get the proper coverage they deserved.
There's a death toll, but not showing the injured or amputated.
- I still feel like I have hands. - Yeah.
And the pain is like my hands are being crushed in a vise.
But they do a lot to help it...
...and they take a lot of the edge off it.
It makes it a lot more tolerable.
I was injured in late April on patrol in Baghdad.
A couple of guys come out and ambushed us.
I got nerve damage and stuff like that.
I've got a lot of pain. I'm constantly in pain.
I take a lot of morphine...
...to help with that and stuff.
I'm doing...
Doing... You know, just readjusting.
Getting life back on track.
You know what I'm saying?
I'm not gonna do what it is that I did before.
I was a Republican for quite a few years.
And...
...for some reason, they...
They conduct business in a very dishonest way.
I'm gonna be incredibly active in the Democratic Party...
...down where I live once I get out.
I'm gonna definitely do my best...
...to ensure that the Democrats win control.
Iraq, Baghdad, I didn't know anything of those things.
And we were in the hallway in the upstairs of our house...
...and he was crying and said that he was really scared.
And he didn't want to have to go to Iraq.
So we had a conversation about, sometimes some fear is healthy...
...because it keeps our senses about us.
That's when he told me he hadn't told anybody else.
But he knew he was going to Baghdad.
We were... As everybody, we were glued to the TV.
Just glued, completely glued to the television...
...in hopes of seeing a glimpse of him.
"Can't you please go to where the helicopters are?
Can't you please let us see him?"
Then that night, it was about 10 something...
...I went upstairs to the bedroom.
I was in bed, flipping the channels with the remote.
All I heard was, "Black Hawk down, South Central Iraq."
What I can tell you at this hour is that last night...
...the Army did, indeed, lose a Black Hawk helicopter.
We are being told by officers on the ground...
...that there were six occupants inside the Black Hawk.
The next morning I got up, and I said:
"You push those sad thoughts out of your mind.
Okay, Jesus, I need you to come in.
I need you, Jesus. You gotta help me through this."
The Army called me, and I remember getting on the phone and him saying...
Asking me was I Lila Lipscomb, and I said, "Yes."
And he said, "Mother of Sergeant Michael Pedersen?"
And I remember dropping the telephone.
And all I can honestly say that I remember...
...is, "Ma'am, the United States Army...
...the secretary of defense regretfully informs you..."
That's all I know.
The grief grabbed me so hard...
...that I literally fell on the floor.
And I was alone. I didn't have anybody to pick me up.
So I literally crawled over to my desk...
...and was hanging on.
And I remember screaming:
"Why does it have to be Michael?
Why did you have to take my son? Why is it my son you had to take?
He didn't do anything.
He wasn't a bad guy. He was a good guy.
Why did you have to take my son?"
L... l... l... I'm...
I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a son or a daughter...
...or a husband and... Or a wife, for that matter.
And l... It pains me.
Do you have his last letter?
It was mailed March 16th...
...but I didn't get it until probably a week before he was killed.
"Hello. Hey, Mama.
Well, sorry I haven't been able to call.
They took the phone seven days ago.
I got the letter and box.
That is so cool. Your first grandson came...
...the same day your oldest son did.
How is everyone? I'm doing fine.
We are just out here in the sand and windstorms waiting.
What in the world is wrong with George?
Trying to be like his dad, Bush.
He got us out here for nothing whatsoever.
I am so furious right now, Mama.
I really hope they do not re-elect that fool, honestly.
I am in good spirits, and I am doing okay.
I really miss you guys.
Thanks for the Bible...
...and books and candy.
I really look forward to letters from you guys.
Well, tell all the family hello and that I am doing fine.
We don't expect anything to happen any time soon.
I cannot wait to get home and get back to my life.
Tell Sputnik congrats...
...and I'll see my first nephew soon...
...as soon as I get back to the States.
Hope you guys are doing okay...
...and keep sending the mail.
It makes getting through the days easier.
Well, I am on my way to bed...
...so I will write you guys soon.
I love and miss...
...all of you guys."
I want him to be alive...
...and I can't make him alive.
But your flesh just aches.
You want your child. It's out of sync.
A parent is not supposed to bury their child.
I feel... I feel sad for my family...
...because we lost our son.
But...
...I really feel sorry for the other families...
...that is losing their kids as we speak.
And for what?
L... I don't...
That's the... I guess the sickening part.
For what?
You've heard a lot about Halliburton lately.
Criticism is okay. We can take it. Criticism is not failure.
Our employees are doing a great job.
We're feeding the soldiers. We're rebuilding Iraq.
Will things go wrong? Sure they will. It's a war zone.
We're serving the troops because of what we know...
...not who we know.
Let me tell you about Halliburton, the company I ran.
I'm proud of what I did at Halliburton.
The people are proud of what they've accomplished. I, frankly...
...don't feel any need to apologize...
...for the way I've spent my time over the last five years...
...as the CEO and chairman of a major American corporation.
This is also an attempt to divert attention...
...from the fact they have no energy policy.
And as the secretary of energy said, "We were caught unawares."
In the middle of the war, Microsoft, DHL and other corporations...
...invited Halliburton to a conference...
...to figure out how much money could be made in Iraq.
Having worked this...
...effort, even since before the... The invasion...
...the liberation of Iraq started.
You, industry, are definitely a vital part of that effort.
We appreciate your interest in this. We need you.
Lots of you are small businesses and struggling:
"How do we get a piece of this? You big guys are gonna get it.
The rest of us will have subcontracting capability or none at all."
USTDA is for you.
Once that oil starts flowing...
...and money coming, gonna be lots of money.
It's the second-largest reserve of oil in the world.
No question of how much money's there.
I've been getting complaints from Iraqi firms and American firms.
The lack of transparency, the corruption.
I think the profits American companies are making, the main companies...
...are so overwhelming.
I mean, when you have a line item for a million dollars...
...and you subcontract it out for 50 or 60 or $70,000...
...that's a huge profit.
It's the American taxpayer that's gonna pay for that.
And it's gonna get better. Start building relationships.
Because it's gonna get much better...
...as the oil flows and their budgets increase.
Good news is, whatever it costs, the government will pay you.
War is always good for certain companies...
...that are in the war... The business of war.
We're very proud.
Supporting U.S. Government and military.
The real heroes of the campaign and the reconstruction...
...are the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.
We're proud of being any part we can in supporting them.
Halliburton delivers hot meals, supplies, clean clothing...
...and communications to our soldiers...
...so they can be a little closer to home.
It's a girl!
Halliburton. Proud to serve our troops.
I just read in the paper Halliburton got another contract.
- Halliburton got another contract. - That's right.
Which is not being...
...contested at all.
Because nobody knows.
Well, it's in the paper, so somebody knows.
But that's after it happens, after the fact. It's too late.
The United States is now a major player in the Iraqi oil business.
American troops guard the oil fields...
...as Texas oil workers assess their potential.
It's a safe environment to work in. We don't feel any risk.
We feel we're being well protected here, or we wouldn't be here.
It's no secret. I mean...
...I make anywhere between 2 and 3000 a month.
A Halliburton employee out here driving a bus...
...can make between 8 and 10,000 a month. Explain that one to me.
For 40 hours a week.
Driving the same two-and-half-mile route.
Go figure.
Where's the justification in that?
There's no other single area of the world today...
...with the opportunity for business, new business...
...similar to the opportunity that's available today in Iraq.
The president went in, did what he did.
We're supporting him and our troops.
We wanna make sure that the efforts and the lost lives...
...wasn't for no reason.
If it wasn't for the oil, nobody would be there.
Nobody would worry about it.
Unfortunately, at least for the near term...
...we think it's gonna be a good situation, a dangerous situation.
Good for business, bad for the people.
Today on the news, Rumsfeld was saying...
And Wolfowitz was saying:
"The Iraqi people are much, much better off.
Isn't it better that we got rid of Saddam...
...and now the Iraqi people can do what they wanna do...
...and really be free?"
Will they ever be free? No, they'll not be free.
And where are the weapons of mass destruction?
It was a... We were duped. We were really duped.
And these poor people...
...the young men and women who are being killed there.
- It's unnecessary. - That's a disgrace.
- That's it. No more. - That's a disgrace.
They died in a just cause, for defending freedom...
...and they will not have died in vain.
Lila had called to tell me she was coming down from Flint...
...to Washington, D. C. To attend a jobs conference.
On her break, she said she was going to go...
...and pay a visit to the White House.
Bush killed children. Iraqi children.
- My son, killed. - Killed my people in Spain, yesterday.
- Lies kill people. Your children too. - Yes, my son.
They have no business to do in Iraq now. They're killing...
...all these young Americans. - Yes.
For what? For oil. Bush is a terrorist.
- No, he isn't. This is all staged. - Yes, he is.
- This is all staged. - My son.
- Where was he killed? - You tell me my son is not a stage.
- Where was he killed? - He was killed in Karbala.
April 2nd. It's not a stage. My son is dead.
There are a lot of other people too.
Blame al Qaeda.
What did that woman yell at you?
That I'm supposed to blame the al Qaeda.
The al Qaeda didn't make a decision to send my son to Iraq.
Ignorance that we deal with, with everyday people.
Because they don't know. People think they know...
...but you don't know. I thought I knew, but I didn't know.
I need my son.
God, it's tougher than I thought it was gonna be...
...to be here.
But it's freeing also...
...because I finally have a place...
...to put all my pain and all my anger...
...and to release it.
I guess I was tired of seeing people like Lila Lipscomb suffer.
Especially when, out of the 535 members of Congress...
...only one had an enlisted son in Iraq.
I asked Corporal Henderson of the United States Marine Corps...
...to join me on Capitol Hill...
...to see how many members of Congress we could convince...
...to enlist their children to go to Iraq.
Congressman, I'm Michael Moore.
- Hey, Michael. How are you doing? - Good.
- John Tanner, from Tennessee. - Very nice to meet you.
- What y'all doing? - I'm here with Corporal Henderson.
- United States Marine Corps. - Corporal, I was in the Navy.
- 1968 to '72. - Okay.
We had Marines guarding the base.
- You have kids? - Yeah.
Is there any way we can get them to enlist...
...and go over there and help out with the effort?
- I've got all the brochures. - One of them has got two children.
See, there's not many congressmen that have kids over there.
In fact, only one. You know.
So we just thought maybe they...
- You guys should send your kids first. - That's right.
- What do you think about that? - I don't disagree.
You don't? Oh, good. Well, take some brochures.
- At least take a Marine brochure. - Thank you.
- Pass it around. - Yeah, well...
Encourage the fellow members if they're for the war to get behind it.
- Send their own. - Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.
Congressman? Michael Moore.
- How you doing today? - Good.
I'm trying to get members of Congress to get their kids to enlist in the Army...
...and go over to Iraq.
Congressman.
Congressman Castle? Congressman Castle?
Congressman. Congressman.
Congressman Doolittle, Michael Moore.
I was wondering if...
Is there any way to?
Of course, not a single member of Congress...
...wanted to sacrifice their child for the war in Iraq.
And who could blame them?
Who would wanna give up their child?
Would you?
Would he?
I've always been amazed that the very people...
...forced to live in the worst parts of town...
...go to the worst schools and who have it the hardest...
...are always the first to step up to defend that very system.
They serve so that we don't have to.
They offer to give up their lives so that we can be free.
It is remarkable, their gift to us.
And all they ask for in return...
...is that we never send them into harm's way...
...unless it's absolutely necessary.
Will they ever trust us again?
He had used weapons.
We know where they are.
Around Tikrit, Baghdad and east, west, south and north.
There is a tie between Iraq and what happened on 9/11.
The struggle can only end...
...with their complete and permanent destruction.
We wage a war to save civilization itself.
We did not seek it.
But we will fight it, and we will prevail.
George Orwell once wrote...
...that, "It's not a matter of whether the war is not real or if it is.
Victory is not possible.
The war is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous.
A hierarchical society is only possible...
...on the basis of poverty and ignorance.
This new version is the past...
...and no different past can ever have existed.
In principle, the war effort is always planned...
...to keep society on the brink of starvation.
The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects.
And its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or East Asia...
...but to keep the very structure of society intact."
There's an old saying in T ennessee.
I know it's in T exas, probably in Tennessee.
Fool me once...
...shame on...
Shame on you.
You fool me, we can't get fooled again.
For once, we agreed.