Truth, War and Consequences

Truth, War and Consequences looks at the lead up to the 2003 Iraq invasion and the chaotic months after major combat ended. The film reconstructs how decisions in Washington, intelligence assessments, and policy choices converged to push the United States toward military action, then shows how planning for the occupation failed to match the expectations set before the war. Using interviews with officials, policy advisers, journalists, soldiers, and Iraqi civilians, alongside archival footage and on the ground reporting, it pieces together where assumptions broke down and how those breakdowns affected Iraqi civilians and service members. The documentary asks who was responsible for the gaps in preparation and how those early mistakes shaped the long term human and serious political costs.

Premiering in 2003, Truth, War and Consequences was directed by Martin Smith for FRONTLINE, with Will Lyman narrating. Produced for PBS, the film used investigative reporting and interviews to examine the policy and planning around the Iraq invasion as well.

As a PBS FRONTLINE broadcast it wasn't issued theatrically, so there is no box office total. The documentary reached viewers through television airings, educational screenings, and subsequent availability on home and online platforms, and reached international audiences through public broadcasters.

The documentary fed public conversation about the U.S. decision to invade and the failures that followed, and it was cited in debates over occupation policy and accountability. Educators and policy analysts have used the film as a resource when discussing intelligence, reconstruction, and civilian consequences, and influenced occupation policy reporting.

Truth, War and Consequences focuses on leadership choices, flawed intelligence, logistical shortcomings, and the human toll of war. It lays out those elements to prompt questions about responsibility, institutional accountability, and long term consequences for Iraq and the United States. Viewers are encouraged to consider policy, ethics, and oversight issues.