In the film: “Fair Game” former US Diplomat Joseph C. Wilson (played by Sean Penn) asks a classroom: “Who knows the 16 words which led us to war?” The room is full of blank faces. He then asks: “How many of you knows my wife’s name?” A flurry of hands raise quickly. (Wilson’s wife Valerie Plame (played by Naomi Watts) had her cover exposed by a malicious leak intended to damage Wilson’s reputation)
Wilson then goes on to explain that the lack of questioning of our government is leading to the downfall of democracy.
Here is the scene:
And here are those very 16 words which led the US to war:
(If it isn’t abundantly obvious, those 16 words, through various reputable sources were shown to be lies after the war. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3056626.stm )
Here is the New York Times article written by Wilson which led to the conflagration between the White House and the Wilson’s:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/opinion/what-i-didn-t-find-in-africa.html
Scooter Libby, the White House Chief of Staff, who leaked Plame’s identity went on to be the highest ranking US official to ever be indicted (specifically for leaking Plame’s identity):
