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'Why We Fight' makes a case against war

Less reliant on emotional manipulation and "gotcha" tactics than many recent political docs, "Why We Fight" cares more about getting to the heart of its title question than demonizing individual politicians. Some of its material is old news and its techniques familiar. But its arguments do prove that one complaint viewers might make — that it's awfully late to the party in terms of Iraq — is irrelevant: The film is simply early for the next war, which, "Fight" argues, our political and economic system makes inevitable.

Sony Pictures Classics 'Why We Fight' 3 out of 5 stars Director: Eugene Jarecki Cast: John S.D. Eisenhower, Chalmers Johnson, William Kristol, John McCain Run time: 98 minutes Release date: Jan. 20, 2006 Rating: PG-13 for disturbing war images and brief language. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Why We Fight'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Director Eugene Jarecki gets plenty of mileage out of the fact that one of the left's biggest targets — the "military-industrial complex" — was identified by a president who was both a Republican and a lifelong warrior. If Eisenhower was worried about it, he suggests, surely we all should be. The film adds to Eisenhower's formulation, demonstrating that industry and the military are now symbiotic with lawmakers and private think tanks.

Jarecki shows how military spending becomes impossible to trim from peacetime budgets: If a B-2 bomber built in one state uses at least one part made in each of the other 49, not many lawmakers will stand up to call it unnecessary.

He also suggests that the selling points for all our hardware, such as claims about super-precise bombing, are lies. His interviewees assert that out of 50 early strikes in Iraq, not one hit its target; he gets a peek at an Iraqi hospital log in which 90 percent of casualties were civilians.

Maybe Americans are so polarized now that a film like this has no fence-sitting audience to persuade, and the only ticket-buyers will be those who are already convinced. That would be a shame, because "Why We Fight" should give pause even to those who support the rationale behind one specific war.