Hijacking Catastrophe
| Company type | Documentary film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 2004 |
Key people | Jeremy Earp (director), Sut Jhally (director), Julian Bond (narrator) |
| Products | Documentary film |
Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear & the Selling of American Empire is a documentary released in 2004, narrated by Julian Bond and directed by Jeremy Earp alongside Sut Jhally. The film investigates claims that neoconservatives used the aftermath of the September 11 attacks to promote a new policy centered on expanding U.S. influence through military intervention under the umbrella of the "war on terror". This approach reflects the objectives outlined in the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), developed prior to 9/11 by prominent figures such as Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Donald Rumsfeld, Jeb Bush, and Dan Quayle.
Summary
The documentary suggests that the widespread fear of terrorism was manipulated to support goals aligned with PNAC, especially the removal of Saddam Hussein. This effort sought to secure control over key regional assets like natural gas and oil, while also reinforcing U.S. global supremacy as a means to deter competing powers. The film includes interviews with critics including Noam Chomsky and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams, as well as insights from policy experts, military personnel, journalists, and insiders such as Chief UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter and Pentagon whistleblower Lt. Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski.
It provides an analysis of the "Bush Doctrine" within the framework of Wolfowitz’s PNAC agenda, exploring how promoting an American empire could influence the nation's economic, social, cultural, and political spheres during President Bush's second administration and beyond.
Cast
- Tariq Ali
- Benjamin Barber
- Medea Benjamin
- Noam Chomsky
- Kevin Danaher
- Mark Danner
- Shadia Drury
- Michael Dyson
- Daniel Ellsberg
- Michael Franti
- Stan Goff
- William Hartung
- Robert Jensen
- Chalmers Johnson
- Jackson Katz
- Michael T. Klare
- Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski (Ret.)
- Norman Mailer
- Zia Mian
- Mark Crispin Miller
- Scott Ritter
- Vandana Shiva
- Norman Solomon
- Greg Speeter
- Fernando Suarez del Solar
- Immanuel Wallerstein
- Jody Williams
- Max Wolff
See also
- Why We Fight (2005 film)