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Apr 18 2008
Optimists, Pessimists & Solutionists
Written by JD Johannes   
Friday, 18 April 2008

Any smart man can catalogue the errors of others.  A wise man can learn from those errors.

It takes a truly brilliant man to overcome those errors.

Dr. Joseph Collins, a retired Army Colonel, former Deputy Ass. Sec. Def. and now professor at the National Defense University has published a paper that many smart men already have published. 

He even looks at ways to possibly learn from those errors.

And for that he will earn much ink and air-time

But I am not a pessimist looking backward.  Or an optimist looking forward.

Read more...
 
Apr 17 2008
Good Kharmah
Written by JD Johannes   
Friday, 18 April 2008

Michael Totten files this excellent report about a town in Iraq that has a special place in my heart--Kharmah.  

I was the first civillian to witness the budding Awakening in Kharmah as the tribes joined with the coalition and made a documentary about it.  I was the first to follow it down the Euphrates river valley through places like Khalidiyah. 

The Awakening has started to develop roots and it is amazing to see how the Awakening of the tribes has grown since last Summer.
 
Apr 17 2008
Bill Ardolino Headed to Sadr City
Written by JD Johannes   
Thursday, 17 April 2008

Long War Journal writer Bill Ardolino is headed to Sadr City .

 

 
Apr 13 2008
GI Film Festival 2008
Written by JD Johannes   
Monday, 14 April 2008
'Danger Close' has been selected by the GI Film Festival and will be shown at the Carnegie Institution on May 16th.

'Danger Close' is the first part a documentary trilogy I filmed in Iraq in 2007.
Read more...
 
Apr 10 2008
The Slandering of a Hero
Written by JD Johannes   
Friday, 11 April 2008

"When have we ever taken a hero on the battlefield and put them up on a pedastal that we would put an athlete?" David Bellavia asked.

For expressing that sentiment, Bellavia has bourne the scorn of lesser and 'accurs'd' men. 

I interviewed Bellavia during the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour stop in Kansas City at the World War I Museum. 

A Silver Star recipient, Bellavia has been nominated for the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Fallujah in 2004.  Bellavia went into a house full of terrorists.  Bellavia came out alive--the terrorists didn't.

In the stone and glass interior of the WWI museum, it struck me that Bellavia has much in common with WWI's most famous hero--Sgt. Alvin York . 

Both exhibited gallantry on the battlefield, both are religious men, both are involved in the issues of the day.
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Apr 08 2008
Iraq Style Guide (A Guide to Evolving Democrat Talking Points)
Written by JD Johannes   
Tuesday, 08 April 2008

Then--Sunni vs. Shia civil war that cannot be stopped.

Now--Intra Sectarian Shia on Shia civil war that cannot be stopped.

Then--Shared Sacrifice must be asked of all Americans.

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Apr 08 2008
Petraeus Testimony: My Video Supplement
Written by JD Johannes   
Tuesday, 08 April 2008

General David Petraeus will be testifying before Congress today about the effects of the troop surge. 

To give the public and interested parties a more tangible view of the effects of the troop surge, I have condensed one of my documentaries, 'Anbar Awakens ' and placed it on YouTube.  You can watch it below in two parts. 

The first steps of the Anbar Awakening preceded the troop surge by several months, but without the surge it is unlikely it would have held firm and expanded. 

More importantly, the success of the Awakening combined with the troop surge to spread concerned citizens groups and neighborhood watch groups through large swaths of Iraq. 

The condensed version of my documentary will hopefully give a deeper understanding to some parts of General Petraeus' testimony.
Read more...
 
Apr 04 2008
Going All-In
Written by JD Johannes   
Friday, 04 April 2008
People who watch my documentaries invariable ask a permutation this question:  "Are you !@#$ nuts?"

They are referring to my actions from the 'Danger Close ' episode.

I like to think I am mentally stable, but will admit to having an 'all-in ' approach to life.

This project--making documentaries about the war in Iraq--requires an all-in approach.

I've bet the farm financially and nearly bought the farm a few times. 

Read more...
 
Apr 03 2008
Zawahiri Massages the Ummah
Written by JD Johannes   
Thursday, 03 April 2008
Via Hotair Headlines the NEFA foundation has released the transcript of Zawahiri's Q&A with the Muslim community .

I have only made my way through the first 18 pages, but if this transcript is accurate--it is obvious that Al Qaida, as a political entity, is having problems with the base.

In a previous life, I managed a lot of political campaigns, and a communcation like this is addressed to the base to bring them back into the fold.

The key concern of the base:  why is al Qaida killing more Muslims than crusaders?  Is it true that al Qaida is cooperating with Iran?  Why do you bash Hamas?
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Apr 02 2008
Pro-Victory Documentary: Bombs or Succeeds?
Written by JD Johannes   
Wednesday, 02 April 2008

Take look to the right... 

That is where we are in the chase to beat the anti-war movie 'Redacted' in six weeks.  We started out last week at around 9%. 

We are 32% 35% of the way to beating 'Home of the Brave'.

And today I saw that Phil Donahue has produced a documentary--the documentary version of 'Home of the Brave.' 

'Home of the Brave' being the threatrical version of the documentary 'Ground Truth'.

Are you noticing a pattern here?  A pattern that says a Soldier or Marine is only worth filming after their deployment. 

The director of 'Ground Truth' had this to say about her movie:

Read more...
 
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