Audio By Carbonatix
Taking its cue from Christopher Hitchens’ excoriating, similarly titled book (minus the “s” in “Trials”), this terse and compelling documentary presents the case that former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger deserves to be tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity, under the standards applied to Slobodan Mlosevic, Augusto Pinochet and even the Nazi defendants at Nuremberg–his 1973 Nobel Peace Prize notwithstanding. With newsreel footage and very few re-creations, filmmakers Alex Gibney and Eugene Jarecki manage to condense complex, often forgotten issues from the ’70s–does anyone actually remember East Timor?–into clear indictments of Kissinger’s brutal role in world affairs. They also give time to some of Kissinger’s defenders, most notably General Alexander Haig, who comes across like a stock Evil Military Commander from central casting. Two minor drawbacks: Onscreen IDs of speakers are sometimes omitted. And Kissinger’s crimes seem almost paltry in comparison to current American policies.
When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
