Body of War: Paralyzed in Iraq and the Long Road Back

On the American home front, the Iraq war has entered its apathetic phase. The war continues to grind on, but the mission gets far less news ink than before, and the debate over the war’s merits and tactics rarely gets hashed back through. That’s perhaps because many have decided to mentally park the issue until a new administration takes over next year. Or because declining home prices and rising food and gas costs have elbowed the Iraq issue aside. Undeterred, Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro have co-directed a new documentary called Body of War. Being released in US theaters this month, the documentary (featuring music arranged by Eddie Vedder) tracks the daily life of Tomas Young, a soldier shot and paralyzed during his first week of fighting in Iraq, and it gives you a rare glimpse into the difficult road that Young and others have had to travel. All of this makes tangible something that the corporatized media hasn’t covered much — the real human costs of this war. To date, 4,361 American soldiers have died in Iraq; over 30,000 have been injured in hostile action; and suicides of returning vets have reportedly risen to alarming rates. Below, we have posted the trailer for the film. In addition, I’d point you to this recent podcast by Bill Moyers (iTunes – Feed – Web Site), which introduces you to Tomas Young, Phil Donohue, Ellen Spiro and the film they made.

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1. The Real Cost of the Iraq War
2. A Photographer’s Chronicle of the War in Iraq
3. Where the American Press Went Wrong on the Iraq War: Bill Moyers Returns to TV Next Week