I read the article, and it attacks the parts of the movie I’ve already dismissed in the original post (the bit in the first paragraph). Calling Hitchens’ article the “real” truth though, is a bit of a stretch. Hitchens has an agenda just like Moore does. He’s said some incredibly stupid and false things over the years. Maybe not as many as Moore, but he’s got his share.
To address Steve’s point, I don’t think anyone here, or in the movie ever defended Saddam (although Moore’s lead-in to that section could be interpreted that way if you crossed your eyes while watching it. his lead-in also contained one of the more blatant half-truths of the movie). Most people will tell you that Saddam is a bad guy, and it’s good he’s out of power. It’s the way we went about it, the lack of planning, the impatience, the lies… the lies.
And Steve, asking Michael Moore to put on a helmet and go fight a war is a little silly, don’t you think? He’s fat (like me!), in his forties, and out of shape. We should all be asking ourselves if the war was worth fighting. We all have a stake in this. I could ask you the same thing: If you believe in it so much, why don’t you go fight it? But, of course, I won’t, because that would be silly.