Big Noise Dispatches 04

As Barack Obama assumes the role of Commander in Chief and people around the globe ponder the future of Iraq, this collection of documentary shorts takes viewers around the world to offer a firsthand look at the crises we face while highlighting our universal struggle for survival and dignity in a time of unprecedented strife. The first investigation, entitled "Beyond the Wall," takes viewers into Sadr City to reveal the fate of the Mehdi Army and the future of a war torn Iraq. "Re-Awakening Saddam's Tribal Strategy" follows the efforts of the U.S. government to reconstitute the tribal elite that Saddam Hussein used to run Iraq, and their continued efforts to maintain the fragile balance between the Shiite government and the Sunni "Awakening" militias. "The Detention Imperative" explores the terrible impact of the U.S. detention system on everyday Iraqis, and "Breaking with Convention" presents rapid-fire clips of Democracy Now!'s coverage of the 2008 Republican and Democratic Conventions. The final dispatch, entitled "Election Suppression 2008," finds journalist Greg Palast joining forces with Big Noise for a BBC investigation into voter suppression in the 2008 presidential elections in the United States.