Created on Thursday, 25 July 2013 10:28

Marty Callaghan's (filmmaker) Synopsis: Except for the Dardanelles/Gallipoli campaigns, the extensive combat operations in the Middle East during World War I have been largely overlooked in documentary programs. Given the historical significance of the Ottoman Empire's demise in 1918, and the ongoing importance of Middle Eastern oil reserves to Western economies, a close study of this conflict provides two important lessons:

1. The Treaty of Versailles, agreed to by the Western Powers in 1919, paved the way for military and political chaos in the Middle East which continues to this very day.

2. Oil reserves in the Middle East became an important strategic concern for Western Powers, helping to justify their economic, diplomatic and military interference in the region.

After the end of World War I, most of the Ottoman Empire was carved up into "spheres of influence", controlled mostly by the British and French. The remaining territories became the modern state of Turkey in 1923, after a five year struggle by Turkish nationalists against Western domination.

With little regard for cultural, historical, religious and demographic considerations, the West sponsored the creation of several new nations: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Thus, a "tinderbox" was built from Western greed, igniting a multitude of wars, revolts, coups and military occupations that have made the defeat of the Ottoman Empire little more than a hollow victory.

Created on Thursday, 25 July 2013 10:13

Occupation 101 is a thought-provoking and powerful documentary film about the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike any other film ever produced about the conflict, Occupation 101 presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the never-ending controversy and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions.

The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and the major obstacles that stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace. The roots of the conflict are explained through first-hand on-the-ground experiences from leading Middle East scholars, peace activists, journalists, religious leaders, and humanitarian workers whose voices have too often been suppressed in American and other media outlets.

The film covers a wide range of topics which include the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe in the 1880s, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, the Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, the separation barrier and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as many heart-wrenching testimonials from victims of this tragedy.

Created on Thursday, 25 July 2013 11:08

Islam: What The West Needs To Know discusses the definition and use of violence in the Koran. One of the fundamentals within Islam is called; Nasikh or al-Nasikh wal-Mansoukh. "al-Nasikh wal-Mansoukh" (the Abrogator and the Abrogated) means that in situations where verses contradict one another, the early verses are overridden by the later verses. The chronological timing in which a verse was written determines its authority to establish policies within Islam.

It is purported that the Quranic verses that promote equality, peace and justice are more often than not overridden/nullified by later verses that validate such things as murder, terrorism and legalistic restrictions on routine human and women's rights.

This movie explains much of the existing doctrines.