I love Michael Palins travel documentaries, but two episodes in, and I'm disappointed by the lack of research? Into Iraks recent history, and the easy conclusions that are presented on several topics.
So in my mind, when the series and Palin does not also present/discuss the enormous guildt/dept the western nations should have, and his own UK should have, for all the atrocities that have befallen Irak since the 1930s, then it would have been better to just do a travel documentary, without mentioning any of the things that have happened in the past.
- Yes, Saddam was a bad guy, but the war on Irak, committed by US and UK was illegal in accordance with international law. This is never mentioned.
- There are estimates ranging from 155 000 to 1 million Irak deaths due to this illigal war, and US and UK's actions. This is not mentioned.
- One could also say that the problems Irak have faced in recent history, where caused by UK colonial policies and western oil companies "greed" that started in the 1930s, but this is not mentioned, other than that it was UK companies that started the oil production.
- The Iran-Irak war, that are mentioned trough the showing of the "victory arch", again does not mentioned that it was a horrific war from 1980 to 1988, with an estimate of 1 to 2 million people that died. An again Saddam was whole heartedly supported by US, UK, France, The Saudies, Kuwait, and even the Sovjets.
So in my mind, when the series and Palin does not also present/discuss the enormous guildt/dept the western nations should have, and his own UK should have, for all the atrocities that have befallen Irak since the 1930s, then it would have been better to just do a travel documentary, without mentioning any of the things that have happened in the past.