Dateline Afghanistan: Reporting the Forgotten War

This fall will mark the sixth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion and subsequent occupation of Afghanistan, but unlike the war in Iraq, the news from Afghanistan has become increasingly marginalized within the American news stream. Bill Gentile's interesting documentary Dateline Afghanistan profiles American and British journalists from the New York Times, Washington Post, Time, and the BBC, who often face barriers trying to report the latest news from Afghanistan, not the least of which is an American military presence that only seems interested in accommodating positive coverage (journalists encounter an abrupt lack of military cooperation if they cast the occupation in less-than-flattering terms). Even more frustrating is the continuing state of misogyny within Afghan society—for Western women assigned to Afghanistan as journalists, being treated as equals by Afghan men remains a challenge (indeed, it appears that today's Afghanistan is content to maintain the woman-hating policies brutally enforced by the Taliban). Combining on-location footage with first-hand accounts, this compelling and timely documentary also features DVD extras including bonus footage, a photo gallery, and a downloadable lesson plan/guidebook. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)