Thursday, March 20, 2008

A DVD Film with Niall Ferguson: The World without US

As if it were a landmark of the presidential election in the United States and 5 year commemoration of the Iraq War, a controversial DVD documentary film was launched in September 2007. This is entitled “The World without US”, directed by Mitch Anderson and Jason Tomaric. This movie questions isolationist opinions among liberals, and depicts catastrophic consequences of American withdrawal from overseas. It seems that this DVD film caricatures Iraq policy by Democrat candidates, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Actually the Center for a New American Security, a think tank working closely with Hillary Clinton, calls for early withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, and restructure the forces as they come home to make the US military better and stronger.

Niall Ferguson is often referred to in Global American Discourse, because he is a leading advocate of the Anglo-American “benevolent” imperialism. A British historian, he has a distinguished reputation both in Britain and America. Currently he is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, and a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University where he earned his bachelor’s to doctor’s degree. He was selected one of 100 eminent persons in the world by Time Magazine in 2005.

Some politicians, corporations, NGOs, and individual activists make films to promote their ideals. Occasionally, such movies devote themselves to their agendas so much that they miss objectivity. There is nothing to worry about such mishandling of information, as far as comments by Niall Ferguson are concerned. The quality of discussion in this DVD is guaranteed.

The film is composed of dramas, documentaries, and interviews. The drama is stared by Roy Werner, acting a presidential candidate named Turner who insists on withdrawal of all the US forces abroad. The consequences of this turn out to be catastrophic to world peace, as you easily understand. Also, three Japanese actors ―― Tomo Kawaguchi, Mark Ofuji, and Mari Ueda ―― perform main characters in this film.

Along with documentaries, experts from Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific are interviewed. In addition to Niall Ferguson and James Lilley, former US ambassador to China, South Korea, and Taiwan, some experts represent the voice of nations in desperate need of US intervention. Kang Cheol-Hwan, a former North Korean refugee, is one of such experts. Also, Hsiao Bi-Khim, a legislator of Taiwan, raises concern if the United States withdraws prematurely from overseas. The Taiwan Strait is one of the critical frontlines of possible Sino-American clash, and what she comments in this film is plausible.

Professor Niall Ferguson makes the following comments vital to understand global security. In Trailer 1, Ferguson reminds the global public, “The world is not naturally a peaceful, organized place.” Yes, it is Hobbesian, not Kantian. At the end of Trailer 2, Ferguson tells irresponsible anti-American opinion leaders, “Be careful what you wish for.”

This impressive movie is a product of collaboration by three leading industrialized democracies, i.e., the United States, Britain, and Japan. My fellow citizens across the globe, listen carefully to the message by Niall Ferguson!

No comments: