You’ve been watching the news lately, and let’s face it who hasn’t. So you for sure have been hearing a lot about Afghanistan and the war against the Taliban. It didn’t just start recently however. It has been ongoing for 20 years. During that time there have been plenty of stories and events that have made us open our eyes in shock, anger, sadness and a whole range of other emotions. Detainee 001 focuses on one of those stories.
Detainee 001 is a new documentary by Greg Barker and focuses on John Walker Lindh, otherwise known as The American Taliban. The Afghan Northern Alliance forces captured Walker Lindh after his unit surrendered at Kunduz. The Alliance handed him over to the American government less than three months after the events of 9/11. And he spent nearly 20 years in prison for betraying his country and deciding to fight for the Taliban.
Of the 8 charges that the US brought against him, they dropped all but two due to a lack of evidence. And even for that he gave up his youth in an Indiana prison. He became the face of America’s efforts against terrorism. And that’s even though he really didn’t do anything that would be considered terrorism. The documentary features interviews with Walker Lindh shortly after his capture, and includes never before scene clips of his interrogation. It ends with his trial and subsequent plea bargain.
Really what the documentary explores is how a country and its media can build a narrative around someone who doesn’t have the same beliefs as them. How the fog of war can cloud our judgement and make an innocent man look guilty. While fake news has been a huge topic of conversation lately, it’s been around for a long time, especially when those spreading it can use it as a distraction. In this case it distracted people from the fact that the US hasn’t caught Osama Bin Laden yet. It gave the country a scapegoat to blame for the devastation caused during 9/11. It was a time when people wanted answers and to see someone pay for what happened.
War is a difficult time, and not everything that is done during it can be excused. Not even governments considered to be on the right side are above making mistakes. Detainee 001 is a fascinating look into one of these mistakes and it should open your eyes at least a little bit and have you questioning the news you see and what your governments tell you.
