Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West (2005) User Reviews

Right-wing propaganda

[lastliberal · 5/10 · 19 September 2008]

In a recent British poll, George Bush was second to Osama bin Laden and ahead of Kim Jong-Il and Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the person most threatening to world peace. So, since we are about to be ride of the second most dangerous person in the World, maybe we ought to know something about the man the British considers the first. Especially when taxpayers are paying to have the DVD distributed through their local newspapers.

Of course, we have to take this film with a grain of salt - maybe a bucket of salt, as it is only promoted by Fox News, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh and the the right wing Olin Foundation.

Despite the fact that one website called the Writer/Director Wayne Kopping "an award-winning filmmaker," I can find no evidence of this and he has only made anti-Muslim films to the best of my knowledge. It has to be noted that his background makes making these films a logical step. Do not expect an unbiased approach.

There is a distinct pro-Israel bias in the presentation of information in this so-called anti-extremist Muslim film. The overwhelming data presented is pertaining to those who hate Israel, and by extension we are supposed to believe they hate Westerners. They hate Westerners and the US to the extent that they support Israel. No nation that is not overtly pro-Israel is mentioned, nor are any examples given of terrorist attacks.

The question of why they attacked a the US on 9/11 is quickly dismissed as irrelevant and the terrorism is directly attached to religious belief. It is well documented that Osama bin Laden attacked the US because of our military forces in the Islamic Holy Land.

Those who watch this expecting an unbiased approach are advised that they are getting the same propaganda that the film criticizes.

Just get a few guns.

[coldwaterpdh · 6/10 · 10 October 2009]

This flick is really a slice of propaganda, chock full of typical scare tactics directed at every day Americans. I certainly didn't learn anything new from this 'documentary.' If you think radical Muslims like western civilization just fine, then yea, you should park your liberal butt in front of the TV for an hour and watch this. But to those of us who have known this for the last fifteen years or so, this is nothing new.

A few items I have to dispute: this film professes that almost 15% of Muslims agree with the radical views put forth by guys like Hamas, Hezbullah and Osama Bin Laden. I seriously doubt that. Where are they getting those facts from? It is never backed up with a source. Also, why do they continually dance around the root issue that we deal with regarding these radicals? That is this: they hate Jews and they hate Israel. We support Israel and we are Israel's biggest ally. That is never really concluded in this film. It is just a blind, generalized attempt to scare the viewers. Obvious political motivation here. And I'm no lib, trust me...

Reminded me a lot of "Farenheit 911" in that it presents a ton of 'what ifs' and not a lot of facts. There are some scenes of guys in the streets burning the American flag, some scenes of radicals chanting 'die America' into megaphones...

While we could never ever trivialize the actions of these nut jobs, for them to take over this country would be something to see. To see the kids dressed up like suicide bombers and reciting words about jihad, now that is disgraceful. But what can you expect from a bunch of people who live like trained monkeys under a dictatorial government? They have not even experienced the basic freedoms that we take for granted: ownership of property, freedom of choice, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, etc etc...They are jealous and they are ignorant. But are they really that SCARY???

The sad thing is that so many Americans actually still CARE about these radical idiots. They are common murderers and criminals who abuse the religion that they profess to follow, and use it to hide behind in order to carry out wicked deeds.

One things for sure: I got my guns and the first one I see running across my lawn is getting mowed down, no second thoughts about it. But I didn't need to see this to figure that one out.

Invasion? I think not.

6 out of 10, kids.

Good points spoiled by propaganda

[rgcustomer · 7/10 · 16 October 2008]

Although this film contains documentary elements, it is best classified as propaganda. But then, things that arrive in your newspaper in the middle of an election generally are. No surprise there.

Watching the film, it is odd how frequently the speakers will criticize the use of a particular media technique against them, and then the film will use that same technique against someone they disagree with, even when it is completely unnecessary to make their point. I almost thought that this was a joke being played on me, to see if I would notice.

Also, while I was already aware of the Nazi link, the fact is that any time you resort to using Nazi history to make your point, you reveal the underlying weakness of your message, which is that you lack current facts and an ability to convey them to the audience in a meaningful way. I was disappointed to see the film take this direction, and I think a lot of potential viewers will not see this film, on this basis alone.

For a movie about Islam's War Against the West, I found it to be remarkably US-centric. It seemed to me like most of the non-US footage was included just so they could have the title "... the West", instead of "... the US". On the flip side, some NON-Western countries like Russia were briefly included. I wish a more global view had been taken, giving equal time to all affected countries, and the movie retitled as "... the World".

I much prefer Geert Wilder's short film Fitna (2008), which does away with the talking heads and the Nazi storyline, and simply lets the radical Islamists speak for themselves. In far less time, that documentary is more effective than this one.

I still give this film a 7 despite its faults listed above, because it does include a lot of important footage not widely seen in the English-speaking world before, from radical Islamists themselves. And it includes some inspiring footage from Islamic moderates who are trying to take a courageous public stand against the radicals.

Eye opening

[qualitytv6 · 10/10 · 6 August 2006]

The worst abuse that one can inflict on a child is to teach hate.

This simple statement from the film stood out above all others. After you watch this documentary your eyes will be opened to the ugly truth regarding how religious and political propaganda can warp an entire generation. This must-see documentary exposes westerners, most of whom have never experienced true propaganda and hatred, to the truth by revealing one of radical Islam's most powerful tools. See first hand, uncensored clips from radical Islamic television, movies and music videos designed to teach one thing: hate. The film draws compelling parallels between Nazi Germany's propaganda, the Hitler Youth and radical Islam's methods use of filmed media to spread propaganda to their young that goes far beyond anti-Semitism. This is not just a stark reminder about the power of hate, but also the power of the television and movie medium.

More people need to see this

[saigodaisuki · 10/10 · 14 August 2006]

Following an astoundingly liberal college education, I traveled halfway around the world for a job and spent the next 5+ years getting caught up on the real world. Along the way, I learned a foreign language, let go of a little cynicism, and also realized that liberals don't know everything. The attacks on September 11th, followed by attacks on Bali, Madrid, and London, really brought that home to me. I found this film after doing a lot of independent research on my own, and wish it had been available earlier. Radical Islam and the ideology that goes with it is a frightening thing, no longer isolated to one country, one region, or one group of people- and that is clearly shown in this movie. It is thorough, interesting, and informative. I highly recommend this film to anyone curious about world politics, religion, or a subject often labeled too risqué for discussion in the mainstream media.

If you want to change something, start with the kids

[imdb-8212 · 10/10 · 15 September 2006]

Filled with facts and interviews along with clips from Islamic TV, Obsession looks to provide the real reason for incidents like 9/11.

This movie went above and beyond to say "Hey, wake up America! . It's not anything you do or did, it's that you're not a radical islamist too!" The most disturbing sections IMHO were the "man on the street" style videos that show the effect of radical muslims training children as young as 4 years old to "stab and burn" anyone not aligned with their beliefs. Seeing children with that much hate instilled in them will give most viewers pause. Many we were watching with were crying.

Though it could have been more detailed, what it does provide is an insightful and eye-opening look into radical Islam. If you're looking for a fact based film to combat the clutter you hear, this is it.

A word of caution though, this movie is NOT suitable for children.

OT: Also, someone should make Rosie O'Donnell watch this after her rant against Christians on ABC.

Some Great Footage in Otherwise Disappointing Propaganda

[strumdatjag · 4/10 · 24 September 2006]

First: I have a political bias. I am a conservative Republican who SUPPORTS "W", his war on terror and the war in Iraq. Therefore, I agree with the central premise of this film - That Militant Islamism is today's greatest threat to world stability and peace and that this is a time for us to be like Churchill rather than Ghandi. I also agree that politically correct peaceniks don't get it and undermine the war on terror so they can gain political advantage in order to enact things like socialized health-care. So I was disappointed with this blatant piece of propaganda. Please note that it is possible to make a good film which is blatant propaganda, even if it differs from one's political opinion. Unfortunately, Obsession is not one of these good pieces of propaganda. There are three problems with this film: too preachy, too sloppy and too obviously and unpersuasively propagandistic. The most impressive parts of this film are the clips of news footage from middle eastern television of hate-filled religious and political rallies and interviews with children who have been indoctrinated with islamist hate. Unfortunately, the clips are repeatedly interrupted with mostly unnecessary, preachy, "expert" commentary. This leaves a probably mistaken impression that the clips were being edited and taken out of context in order to promote the politics of the filmmaker. Except for the part of the film describing the "Matzo-Movie", the sources of the footage were not adequately described. The film was sloppy, i.e. poorly organized. Much like the NFL color commentator who won't shut up about the obvious ("You see here, how the quarterback hands off and the running back runs with the football"), the repetitious, preachy commentary destroys the impact of the great, scary footage which has been assembled. Why not describe how the footage was obtained and tell us how pervasive it is (Is it the #1 show or is it the equivalent of our Public Access TV)? Then show it and let the viewer come to the inescapable conclusion. The unnecessary, spooky music and intentional graining of the film was straight out of "Political Attack Ad 101". The disturbing footage does not need to be doctored and enhanced, since it loses its impact because it obviously looks doctored and enhanced. The most obvious propaganda is the long, botched attempt to equate Islamist Fascists with Nazism. Showing Nazis goose-stepping and comparing it to today's goose-stepping middle eastern armies proves nothing. It is a historically common way of marching and saluting in many countries, some very friendly to the west. It is not necessarily in a nostalgic homage to Uncle Adolf. This movie is a 4/10, one and a half star movie because the documentary certainly has some moments, which are unfortunately poorly presented by the filmmaker.

Spread the Word about this exceptionally Important Film

[royscribe-1 · 10/10 · 16 September 2006]

This is indeed a wake-up call for the civilized world, and for peaceful Moslems included. This is about the hijacking of an entire religion by nihilistic extremists who now threaten us on a global level. This deserves to be shown in every language, in every country. Do not miss this, and please pass the word on to everyone you know! Extremely well-made, with compelling material, great direction, and some amazing and very disturbing footage. Note that the producers and several of the interviewees make it very clear, time and again, that they are NOT lumping together all Moslems, so ignore what the apologists for terrorism might claim about this film, and see it for yourself.

Hmmm... Big Time Israeli Propaganda

[Shakazoff · 1/10 · 12 October 2008]

Brought to you by the following among others:

1- Yigal Carmon (Hebrew יגאל כרמון) is the president and founder of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)

Yigal's Career:

Colonel, Israeli Army Intelligence from 1968-88 Acting head and adviser on Arab affairs, Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, 1977-1982

2- Raphael Shore is an Israeli-Canadian film writer, producer, and Rabbi employed full time by Aish HaTorah. He is the founder of The Clarion Fund, a non-profit organization that seeks to advance the idea that the United States faces a threat of radical Islam. Shore is also a regular critic of the media coverage on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, coverage which he alleges is regularly anti-Israel. (LMAO)

3- Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Funny how ADL supports this hateful propaganda. You can never tell by reading their "Anti-Defamation" name title.

Use your mind and see how objective these people are. They have their own agenda!

I think, therefore I am.

At last, some truth and rationality

[bradjohnson612 · 9/10 · 15 September 2006]

I agree with most of the comments here, except for certain ones by Aan, below. How perverse even to suggest there could be "another side to the story" that would possibly justify the *absolute* moral outrages documented in this film. If we can't even all agree that teaching and preaching hatred is inexcusable -- especially the vicious, institutionalized brand of it shown here -- then there is no hope for the planet.

The film makes many interesting observations that are compelling in their truthfulness. One is that our dumb obsession with political correctness -- look at our media's reluctance even to give the enemy a name -- is the very thing the radicals exploit. We are shown incredible footage of them openly plotting our doom right in our midst, exploiting not only American hospitality, but civil liberties such as freedom of speech, which would be the first thing they'd take away from us if they could. Don't think for a second they aren't laughing at the irony -- or at us!

This is an issue that, like global warming, should transcend US politics and any bickering between the Western Left and Right. People who offer excuses for what these psychopaths are doing and intend to keep on doing are, in the words of Lenin, "useful idiots" who help further their evil agenda.

For the record, I'm a Democrat.

Imformative but Jaded movie

[soulcoughus · 2/10 · 21 April 2008]

I found this movie immensely interesting yet a little jaded, it talks of violence and what there doing, I still don't see the point in becoming terrorists in order to stop the terrorists. We have similar people in the United States and other countries justifying the use of violence and war tactics because they think they are right. Think of the Puritans,and the Christian crusades against the Islamic people during the Medieval times. Lots of blood and death far exceeding the violence of today, the western world has had a negative impact on the religion. I do not justify their actions but western culture in the past has had a very negative effect on some. But still do remember the majority of the Islamic people are PEACEFUL! People of any nation feel some sort of patriotism but to start a war on the fact that I'm right and your wrong needs to be rethought. Again I repeat you cannot stop terrorists by becoming like them.

Excellent: Stresses the crucial moment we are in!

[off2hell · 9/10 · 14 August 2006]

You must understand. Iran, together with the funding of many Arab Muslim countries, is responsible for most of the terror actions against the west in it's war and struggle to Islamize the world (by putting fear and ignorance into the brain of thinking Humans all over the world). Right now, for all as we know, they haven't acquired yet nuclear weapons, like North Korea. If they won't be stopped, it will be used, first to put fear and pressure upon who they perceive as their enemies, and since they only really care about the "next world", they won't be afraid to use their nuclear weapons, unlike the Russians and the Chinese.

There's much more I can say but there's a word limit, and the issues are a little more complex to fit into one sentence the way ignorant people like it, so do yourself a favor and go read some honest decent history books, and try to really understand in what world you are living in (and in what kind of world do you want to live!). And do that quickly, before the elections, so you won't make a fatal mistake! P.S Ain't that funny, the Muslims complaining all the time that the west wants to take over their world, that America is an imperialistic power and they don't like empires but it's OK for them to be an empire and conquer the world because they are committed to that by Allah and the Islam. What can they do? A god tells them to conquer the world, spread the Islam, they have no choice

amazing, if you love freedom

[pclist · 10/10 · 9 September 2006]

If you enjoy freedom, watch this movie, you will understand. anyone who has wondered why radical Islam hate the west should watch this movie, anyone who doesn't understand the wars underway now should watch this movie, I found it balanced, it should the difference between the radical Islam and the true Islam. it showed the brainwashing of Islam children around the world and the goals of this indoctrination. Some of the video is obscure and of poor quality. you will be amazed at some of the hateful things coming from radical Islam leaders, this is not a one sided view, it seems very fair to all sides, I'm glad to have found this movie, it will help you understand much of what is going on in the world today

Critically important and terrifying

[Cronenfly · 10/10 · 15 November 2006]

Obsession is a chilling call to action for everyone who cares about the survival of western democratic principles. We are very near the brink of an all-out world war for the soul of civilization and many of us are too distracted, cowardly or p.c. to see it. Don't trust anyone who says this film isn't true or tries to downplay its vitality.

This is one of the most persuasive documentaries I've ever seen. It's perfectly paced, rigorously backs up its claims and is breathlessly dramatic.

We know what Islamo-fascists want because they keep telling us, but we fail to hear: death to Israel, death to America, and worldwide Islam. Islamic violence and atrocities are very well documented -- we have cameras all over the world, and still we fail to see. Well this film will open your eyes.

Things are going to get much, much worse between Islam and the west, and very soon. This film is a commanding testament to that fact. See it. Make everyone you know see it.

Complete Garbage

[cjm-14 · 1/10 · 17 September 2008]

It's complete nonsense. I've studied Nazism and read many manuscripts from the day - the "parallels" use most of the classic debased apocryphal myths of Nazism and then compare it with complete specious generalizations about what constitute 1/3 of the planet. It's crafted for an audience of Polly-Anna complacency who diet heavily on spoon-fed gibberish, horribly thought out arguments, irrational conclusions, fallacious ideas, and nonsensical logic.

Who made this hit peace? Easy.

When all is said and done; Que Bono? That is, who benefits, in the long run?

You don't. You sacrifice money and rights. Muslims don't, they get our bombs. Try again. Answer this, and you've unlocked a major door.

It's not a "parallel" with Nazism...

[g_alan_e · 9/10 · 28 April 2007]

...it's a direct link to radical Islam. Adolph Hitler met several times with Haj Amin al-Hussieni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. Hitler put him in charge of recruiting three divisions of Muslim SS troops. Haj Amin al-Hussieni was Yasser Arafat's uncle. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Muslim SS troops took their Nazi indoctrination and anti-semitism home with them and indoctrinated their children in the Nazi beliefs.

One thing this documentary missed is that Arabic translations of Hitler's "Mein Kampf" are among the best selling books in the middle east.

The Allied countries focused mainly on the Germans and Italians after the war, letting go the SS and others from other countries who served Hitler and the Nazis.

Now, in the 21st century the civilized world is reaping what Chamberlain and all the other appeasers of tyrants, dictators and terrorists have sown.

Propaganda modeled after North Korea

[lisalaurine · 31 August 2006]

Most of the clips, sound bytes and interviewees here have pretty much restated what is already talked about in the media. This film works well in not only showing an eye opening for those less news savvy but it also serves to scare the daylights of those who are not usually given a much more complex view of why hatred is rampant in many Islamic communities around the world. This film paints a picture for those who would not care less to think deeply that all Muslims are terrorists or violent and irrational. The left is also painted as a supporter of terrorism and is pointed at as the cause of radical Islam in the West. This film would do well at Fox News and other mainstream media who only see one side of the story. Shame, shame for lumping 1.1 billion people into a single pot of hatred and for pointing fingers at the left only.

Ban it

[rrosss999 · 1/10 · 28 July 2013]

This documentary should be banned. It gives us the right to kill Muslims as they want to kill us and wipe us out! With Re-population at a rate of 8.1 compared to our 1.8, they will take over within 15 years!!! think about it! Where is the censorship in this country? Apparently this was brought to us by Anonymous. If so, they sure hit the mark on this one. Naturally one would wait until the age of 18 to join military forces. The Muslims pass their newborn a riffle and whisper sweet terror on the west in their ears. This is not acceptable. Ban this quick, or a revolutionary war against the Muslims will sure arise! Perhaps it is propaganda by the U.S. government. Even so, it cannot hide the fact that we are targets. Those Canadians who think the war against U.S. doesn't affect us, get real, it's 600 km away. A nuke will surely get us!!

Only contains what we should already know..

[pettyfog · 9/10 · 5 November 2006]

.... but many don't.

When a religion is hijacked by the most extreme and radical elements within it, elements which use the writings of the religion's Holy Book to justify their actions, what do we call it? When those extreme elements call for the conversion and subjugation of unbelievers by force or threats of force and death... what do we call it? When they impose religious law on believer and unbeliever alike, what do we call it? If this was medieval Europe, we might call it an "Inquisition", if this was the Western Hemisphere in the 15 and 1600's we might call it 'Conquista'.

All those were bloody repressive movements, carried out by a "True Religion" with the goal of 'Bringing Light and Justice to the World'.

This documentary may be overly preachy and ingrained with propagandistic effects but, if the core of it is true... that a very small number of the members threaten the same civilization that overcame those earlier atrocities... and that those OTHERS within it, dare not protest on fear of meeting the same fate as unbelievers, then I cannot see how there CAN be another side of the issue.

memri.org has been documenting the tide of radical Islam in the middle east for years, carrying preachers' public pronouncements advocating death to unbelievers and the subjugation of western world, then WHAT IS the moderate voice of Islam? And where are those Muslims who stand against radicalism? There are a few out there and they are very brave because, sooner or later, they have a contract put on their heads. No... it doesn't matter WHAT the artistic value of the production is, it's the truth that counts and the truth is in the fatwa's put out by those who are defended by the left and by Islam's self proclaimed spokesmen.

And THAT is what the film is about... not its production values.. or some metric of 'Fairness'. The fatwa's and preachers' sermons mean what they say or they don't.

May not have seemed as severely propagandistic at the time...

[BunnyNC · 2/10 · 3 October 2021]

This film may not have seemed as blatantly propagandistic at the time as it does now. I recently came upon it at my dad's. Some church sent it to him many years ago and he'd never watched it.

I popped it in the player and was appalled at the content. Yes, there are Islamic extremists in the world, but this film was intended, in my opinion, to gin up bigotry and hate against all Muslims, including those who live peacefully among us as our neighbors, friends and coworkers.

We can all agree terrorists are horrible, whether Islamic, self-professed Christian domestic, or any other stripe. But I think we can all also agree that we can't paint every member of every religion with the same brush. It's unfair and dangerous to do so.

My suggestion would be to watch a documentary or read books/articles from a more neutral source if you're interested in the subject of religious terrorism. You won't get the fuller picture with this film.

A link to see the whole 1 hour 18 minute movie

[waragainstterror · 10/10 · 15 September 2006]

I thought I was knowledgeable about the Middle-East situation. I was shocked to see how much more there is to understanding this global problem. People need to see this movie. It is natural to want to avoid conflict / war. But, this is a matter of our "Nation's and Our Way of Life's Survival". These "RADICALS" want to murder us all. Only when we understand our enemy will we be able to defeat them. Our best teachers are those that endured WW II. Now I fully understand why the "Holocaust" should never be forgotten. It is essential that not only you see this movie but that you send it to as many people as possible. In this way we can put enough pressure on our Politicians to better protect us. If you want to see this movie in its entirety, please send an email to: [e-mail]

Very fair--despite some reviews to the contrary

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 26 January 2009]

This is an extremely fair documentary about radical Islam, though some reviews are quite negative--almost like they didn't even watch the film and are just politicizing OBSESSION. While the film COULD have taken "an all Muslims are bad" attitude, the film makers were very, very careful NOT to paint the followers of the religion with a broad brush. They pointed out several times that the problem is a small percentage within the faith of radical murderers. Also, despite a few ridiculous reviews, this film was not some "Zionist" conspiracy. To believe this, you either couldn't have seen the film or you have a brain injury, as many (probably half or more) of the people in the film who speak out against this terror in the film are Muslims--and some of which are former terrorists or had family members who were suicide bombers. In light of this, you can't logically conclude the film is garbage or pure propaganda or some plot by Fox News. Any review that DOES make these allegations is not to be trusted--after all, some of the comments look more like attacks than an actual analysis of the documentary. One person even suggested that when the film was advertised as "award winning" that this was a lie--give it a rest and stop with the personal attacks!! While it was not Cannes or Sundance, the film did win awards at the Liberty Film Festival and Houston Worldfest International Film Festival. Now this doesn't mean you need to agree with everything in the film--but you also can't just ignore the issue of radicalism or write off the film because it makes you feel uncomfortable or think.

The film itself is logically presented, reasonably balanced and informative. Its purpose is to cause an emotional reaction within the viewers and it definitely will do that. It also calls for non-radicals within the faith to stand up against senseless terror and hatred--and what's not to like about that?!

Wonderful Documentary! It Really Unveils the Facts!

[Denny-45 · 9/10 · 12 April 2007]

Some people said that this movie is propaganda. Maybe it has a little bit aspect of that, but overall, I can say definitely that this is a well done documentary movie. It has a very high objectivity and clarity value. It depict clearly from many video sources what the radical—actually, it's the real—Islam have done that really against humanity in all over the world.

Through this movie, you can see how these Muslims did a desecration and destruction to Churches, Temples, and other non-Muslim holy shrines. You also can witness how the Muslim Leaders obligate Muslim to do Jihad all over the world, specially to conquer America and U.K. There is a cut from Muslim propaganda in this movie that depicts America as a hunter in this world, therefore proper to be shattered. There is also a funny cut from the internet that shows rap song video clip that sung by Muslim that exhibit the robust of Islam (Bin Laden, Hamas and Hezbullah).

This movie is filled by opinions and arguments from persons who know deeply about Islam. There is an ex-Jihadist, Islam Studies Expert, Islam critics, a daughter of a martyr, et cetera. One good and correct analogy that has been made in this movie is parallelism between Islam and Nazism. You can witness the strict doctrine from both, specially implicated to the way they annihilate their enemy (The Kuffar and the Jews). You also can see the exact similarity of iconic pose from Nazism and Radical Islam (when their followers do a Hail Hitler pose/raised their right hand).

You can see distinctly that those Muslims greatest desire—following their religion command—is to death for the sake of Allah, because it can really send them directly to the heaven that filled with 72 virgins, fruits, and rivers of wine. Through this movie, maybe you will have a better understanding about how dangerous Islam is.

A somewhat relevant film

[user-409-574255 · 4/10 · 28 June 2012]

(Spoiler Alert)

This film is a 2005 documentary about the threat of radical Islam in our world today. It does this primarily by using extensive Arab television footage as a means to give us an "insider view" of the radical views Islam extremists have and preach/incite in their campaign of holy war or "jihad". Many parallels are also made between radical Islam and the Nazi campaign in World War II to exterminate the Jews.

One of the most profound messages in the documentary is stated in the beginning as, "This is a film about radical Islamic terror. A dangerous ideology, fueled by religious hatred. It's important to remember most Muslims are peaceful and do not support terror. This is not a film about them. This is a film about a radical worldview, and the threat it poses to us all, Muslim and non-Muslim alike." It is fundamentally important that Americans and the rest of the world make the distinction between ordinary Muslims and Islam extremists. Most Muslims are not responsible for the Islamic acts of terrorist that have taken place in our world today. These attacks happen only because Muslim fundamentalists interpret the Qu'ran in their own convoluted way and henceforth use their religion to justify extreme acts of violence and hatred. What is also fundamentally important to be known is that Islam is a religion of love and peace, not the culture of hostility and brutality that is so over portrayed in the Western media.

However, this documentary also conveys a cautionary tone. It warns that within the Muslim faith (with a population of 1 billion people), about 10% to 15% of followers believe in or are willing to engage in and conduct acts of extremism and fundamentalism. More than that, these individuals are spread evenly all over the world as opposed to being concentrated in one geographic location, making it more difficult to combat any potential acts of extremism or terrorism should they arise. The film warns that the Anti-American followers consist of an even greater portion of the Muslim faith population. There is a conviction amongst Muslim fundamentalists that the West (United States, Great Britain, etc) is engaged in a conspiracy to subjugate Islam. Henceforth, by their logic, every honorable Muslim and non-Muslim must stand against the West and Israel.

Muslim extremists believe that their Jihad is to conquer the world for Allah. Unlike Buddhist followers, who tolerates all manners of faith and religions, Muslim extremists see Islam as against all religions because it is the one and only worthy worship. In a coordinated effort of intolerance, Muslim extremism has permeated the media and used various forms of propaganda to demonize Westerners and Jews. But why else is extremism and fundamentalism so prevalent in Muslim societies? One theory explored in this documentary is that Arab dictators are inciting Muslims to direct their anger and hatred toward Western societies. Using Western societies as a scapegoat, Arab dictators hope that the general Muslim population would think that the societal problems and abuses are perpetuated by the West and not by the dictators themselves. Uniting the Muslim population against a common foreign enemy allows them to stay in power. These dictators claim that the real enemy is modernism because it contradicts Sharia law. Also, by upholding Sharia law, dictators effectively prevent any chances of upward societal mobility and progression where equal rights and opportunities may be open for all.

Because this documentary was filmed in 2005 (7 years ago), the legitimacy and relevance of the content in this film should be questioned accordingly. The timestamps of most Arab television footage is pre-2004. However, though the dangers of Islamic terrorism may be not as prevalent or relevant as they were prior to 9/11 or during the peak of the Post Iraq War invasion, the United States nonetheless has a continuing obligation to look after it's civilians and protect them from enemies both domestic and abroad. The Christmas Day bombing of 2009 shows that despite technological advances, Muslim extremists will continue to seek ways to destabilize the American way of life and endanger if not exterminate the lives of Americans whenever the opportunity arises.

The fundamental differences between Muslim and extremists…One instance is the differing interpretations of the Muslim word "Jihad". To Muslim radicals, this term implies a sacred and holy war fought against infidels, primarily the United States and Israel, in the name of Allah. For most Muslims however, the term implies an inner struggle to look within you and make yourself a better person (in Arabic). This interpretation is one among many of how Muslim radicals perceive religious texts and themes differently from traditional Muslims.

Personally, I believe that this documentary is rather biased or Islamophobic and is more politically oriented as opposed to educating the general population about the presence and causes of radical Islam today. The release of the documentary suggests a post Iraq war agenda for the United States, suggested subtly by the widespread distribution of this film in swing states of the United States prior to the 2008 presidential elections. Also, this film could elaborate more on how radical Islam differs from traditional Islam on a fundamental level and differences in practices, everyday life, or more between the two. Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone curious enough to check it out but not deem it absolutely necessary to watch.

Enlightening

[towerwalker · 10/10 · 10 January 2007]

An excellent film in the documentary genre which should open the eyes of many Americans that may believe as I did, that many of the Islamic radicals are simply a misunderstood and disenfranchised group of people. I get it now!

I consider myself a well read person, and yet until now, I never made the parallel between the present day Islamic radicals and Nazism in the 30's. I must say that the parallel is valid and certainly true considering the rhetoric expounded by the clerics in the film regarding the state of Israel. I for one will never again lament the cause and or foundation for their hatred of our society as a whole and that of the Jewish people.