Review of The Unknown Known (2013) by John M — 14 Aug 2014

It's kind of interesting to hear from the horse's mouth what goes through the head of one of the men responsible for more strife, unrest and death than anyone else on the planet.

The most interesting question of all was the last one: 'Why are you doing this film?' Did he not anticipate that the producer could go back to the archives and edit them into the narrative to demonstrate clearly how reality diverges from Rumsfeld's account, how he himself was the source of misinformation that he now claims no one in the administration was responsible for?

It was a good opportunity for Rumsfeld to put the record straight on what on earth he was talking about with his 'known unknown, unknown known' rhetoric, one that he blew by getting it mixed up in the film and still not appearing to understand his own bs. What the heck did it ever mean, and what kind of arrogance does it take for a man to come to a press conference where journalists want to know facts about why people are dying and present obscure philosophising as justification?

Pearl Harbour seems to have weighed heavy on Rumsfeld's mind, and the determination that America was never to be caught out like it again, certainly not on his watch.

He comes across genuine and sincere and you have to ask yourself, if you were elevated to a position of such responsibility, charged with the task of defending millions of people, would you not also see monsters around every corner and be prone to over-reacting to them? Would you not resent the expressions of dismay and ingratitude coming from those you are working your butt off to protect from the monsters?

Most interesting it is that this film be released now, as the Iraq that Rumsfeld and Co so carefully fashioned into the one they wanted, that they felt was no threat to America, be disintegrating into the bloody mess of people who have their own ideas about how their world should be, with no regard for America, and have had enough of being dictated to by the likes of Rumsfeld and Bush.

Maybe he, all along, acted with the best intentions. Maybe it was never about personal ambitions and jealousies. Maybe he sincerely believed he was speaking for the American people, but it shows how out of touch he was when America is forced to adopt different policies when it's citizens acquire the voice through technology to be able to speak for themselves.

Long may this new America last, that doesn't go weighing into other people's fights and make them their own; that doesn't 'defend' itself by attacking first, and proceeding to crush into the ground anyone that disagrees with it; that doesn't find itself embroiled in other peoples' wars with no idea what it's doing there; that doesn't go meddling with other peoples' countries and cultures to try to impose on them something that, in their opinion, is best for America. Long may the voice of the people of America continue to be heard over the voice of big business and the cronies of the likes of Donald Rumsfeld, because when normal people speak up in empathy and understanding for other normal people, that is what will bring about a peaceful and secure America, along with the rest of the World.