Feb 27 2008

KPFK Fund Drive – Day 16

From the VaultSupport KPFK – Make a pledge at 818-985-5735, or online at www.kpfk.org.

John Pilger’s War on Democracy

After almost half a century in power, Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro stepped down recently, handing the reins to his brother Raul Castro. The US mainstream media coverage of the leadership change has been interesting. On the one hand, Raul Castro is being characterized as a simple continuation of his brother’s regime, “[having] surrounded himself with hardline communists and made it clear he will consult his brother on virtually every important decision.” Other media are cautious about a change they hope is positive for US corporate interests and the Cuban American community. But what nearly all the media are ignoring, is the US’s role pre-Castro Cuba, and its incessant attempts over the years at assassinating Fidel Castro.

The real US role in Cuba is analyzed in a new film by award winning film maker John Pilger called “War on Democracy.” The film covers many Latin American countries like Venezuela, Guatemala, Cuba, Chile, and Bolivia, and how the US has for decades undermined Latin American democracies through coups, installing dictators, and training death squads in torture and interrogation techniques.

John Pilger, an Australian journalist and documentary film maker, now based in England, has made over 50 documentaries for British television – none of which have ever aired in the United States, although many deal with US policy. Pilger is a seasoned journalist who has worked as a war correspondent in Vietnam, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Bangladesh and Biafra. Harold Pinter has said of his work, “John Pilger is fearless. He unearths, with steely attention to facts, the filthy truth, and tells it as it is . . . I salute him.”

Pilger’s first major film for the theaters, The War on Democracy, was released last year. It is now out on DVD and available to our listeners for a pledge of $100. The War on Democracy contains exclusive interviews with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and Dwayne Claridge, former head of the CIA in South America.

One response so far

One Response to “KPFK Fund Drive – Day 16”

  1. Lisaon 02 May 2008 at 3:15 pm

    I would like to see a likeness of Georg W. Bush torn down(Sadam style) the day he leaves office. This event should be broadcast world-wide with the theme “You are either with us or against us”.

    Please let me know how we can plan for this event.

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