Soldiers of Conscience

Filmmakers Gary Weimberg and Catherine Ryan take an extensive look at the conscientious-objector experience as related to the war in Iraq in this documentary that gives American soldiers from all walks of life the opportunity to speak openly and honestly about their moral concerns regarding their military duties. In the United States, every citizen has the right to abstain from armed combat on the grounds by citing religious or ethical conflict. But these aren't the only people who wrestle with their conscience over killing, because as Weimberg and Ryan reveal, even the soldiers sent to fight on the battlefield often fail to follow through on their orders when the time comes to pull the trigger. By examining extensive footage of military boot-camp training techniques and listening to conversations with military personnel, the viewer becomes aware of the methods implemented by the armed forces to strip soldiers of their confidence in favor of building a more effective military. West Point graduates, experienced drill sergeants, Abu Ghraib interrogators, and low-ranking reservists alike all weight in with their deepest moral concerns regarding the duties that the military expects them to perform when deployed to the front lines.