In 2011, Cultures of Resistance Films released “Militarism, Mutilation, and Minerals: Understanding the Occupation of Afghanistan.” In this documentary short, director iara lee argues that the US occupation was motivated by Afghanistan’s untapped mineral resources and that it was doomed to fail from the start. The film allows women in Afghanistan to give voice to their reasons for opposing an ongoing occupation. In light of the tragedy that has unfolded with the Taliban sweeping through the country following the US withdrawal in August 2021, this film has taken on new relevance in suggesting how the occupation was deeply flawed from its inception.

The film is also available on Vimeo.