America at a Crossroads
Encyclopedia
America at a Crossroads is a documentary miniseries concerning the issues facing the United States of America
as related to the War on Terrorism
. It aired originally on PBS
television.
The miniseries initially consisted of 11 independently produced aired episodes, and premiered April 15–20, 2007 on PBS. Its executive producers are Jeff Bieber and Dalton Delan; series producer is Leo Eaton and it is presented by Robert MacNeil
. Its music score is composed by Canadian musician Mark Korven
.
Aimed at creating a national dialogue surrounding the crucial issues explored in the series, an extensive media and outreach campaign in more than 25 communities accompanies the series. The campaign features screening events with the filmmakers and their subjects in discussions with United States military personnel, leading policy experts, leaders of the Islamic community, scholars from across the country as well as members of the public.
presented his view of the challenges facing the U.S. generated considerable controversy. Some critics complained that the film failed to adequately challenge Perle's views. The New York Times
called the film "a fascinating study in rationalization, a lighter, less repentant version of The Fog of War
, Errol Morris
’s documentary about Robert S. McNamara". One critic complained that PBS's endorsement of the neoconservative viewpoint in this film was so misguided, that PBS viewers should express their disgust by "either cutting off donations or at least demanding back a percentage of what they’ve already given". Conversely, the producers of an unaired segment, Islam vs. Islamists, claimed they had been victims of liberal bias and subsequently aired their documentary on the Fox News Channel
under the provocative title Banned by PBS: Muslims Against Jihad
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as related to the War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
. It aired originally on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
television.
The miniseries initially consisted of 11 independently produced aired episodes, and premiered April 15–20, 2007 on PBS. Its executive producers are Jeff Bieber and Dalton Delan; series producer is Leo Eaton and it is presented by Robert MacNeil
Robert MacNeil
Robert Breckenridge Ware MacNeil, OC, known sometimes as Robin MacNeil, , is currently a novelist and formerly was a television news anchor and journalist who had paired with Jim Lehrer to create The MacNeil/Lehrer Report in 1975.-Early life:MacNeil was born in Montreal, the son of Margaret...
. Its music score is composed by Canadian musician Mark Korven
Mark Korven
-External links:*...
.
Subject matter
America at a Crossroads explores the challenges confronting the post-9/11 world — including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America’s role overseas.Aimed at creating a national dialogue surrounding the crucial issues explored in the series, an extensive media and outreach campaign in more than 25 communities accompanies the series. The campaign features screening events with the filmmakers and their subjects in discussions with United States military personnel, leading policy experts, leaders of the Islamic community, scholars from across the country as well as members of the public.
Episode list
- Spring 2007 (Premier Series):
- Jihad: The Men and Ideas Behind Al-Qaeda
- Warriors
- Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
- Gangs of Iraq
- The Case for War: In Defense of Freedom
- Europe's 9/11
- The Muslim Americans
- Faith Without Fear
- Struggle for the Soul of Islam: Inside Indonesia
- Security Versus Liberty: The Other War
- The Brotherhood
Removed from Premier Series
- Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center
- Was aired on the Fox News ChannelFox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
as Banned by PBS: Muslims Against JihadBanned by PBS: Muslims Against JihadIslam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center was a documentary produced for PBS's series America at a Crossroads. It came to prominence when producer Martyn Burke, dissatisfied with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's refusal to air the documentary unless he made certain changes,...
- Was aired on the Fox News Channel
List of Additional Episodes
- Summer 2007:
- Kansas to Kandahar: Citizen Soldiers at War
- The Anti-Americans (a hate/love relationship)
- Inside America's Empire
- Fall 2007:
- Homegrown: Islam in Prison
- Campus Battleground
Criticism
One film, The Case for War: In Defense of Freedom, in which Richard PerleRichard Perle
Richard Norman Perle is an American political advisor, consultant, and lobbyist who began his career in government, a senior staff member to Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson on the Senate Armed Services Committee in the 1970’s...
presented his view of the challenges facing the U.S. generated considerable controversy. Some critics complained that the film failed to adequately challenge Perle's views. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the film "a fascinating study in rationalization, a lighter, less repentant version of The Fog of War
The Fog of War
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara is a 2003 American documentary film about the life and times of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara as well as illustrating his observations of the nature of modern warfare...
, Errol Morris
Errol Morris
Errol Mark Morris is an American director. In 2003, The Guardian put him seventh in its list of the world's 40 best directors. Also in 2003, his film The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.-Early life and...
’s documentary about Robert S. McNamara". One critic complained that PBS's endorsement of the neoconservative viewpoint in this film was so misguided, that PBS viewers should express their disgust by "either cutting off donations or at least demanding back a percentage of what they’ve already given". Conversely, the producers of an unaired segment, Islam vs. Islamists, claimed they had been victims of liberal bias and subsequently aired their documentary on the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
under the provocative title Banned by PBS: Muslims Against Jihad
Banned by PBS: Muslims Against Jihad
Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center was a documentary produced for PBS's series America at a Crossroads. It came to prominence when producer Martyn Burke, dissatisfied with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's refusal to air the documentary unless he made certain changes,...
.