Relying on false evidence, lies, and sophistry US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld convinced the American public that going to war against Iraq was a justified action. His press conferences were perfect lessons in propaganda, partly due to Rumsfeld's icy charm. Erroll Morris (THE THIN BLUE LINE) is one of today's the most important documentary filmmakers. He once had another US Secretary of Defense in front of his camera: In THE FOG OF WAR (2006) Robert McNamara, who served under Kennedy and Johnson and was jointly responsible for the Vietnam War, was shown to be troubled by his past decisions and referred to himself as a war criminal. Rumsfeld, who is responsible for reintroducing torture in the US, is a tougher nut to crack. In front of Morris' camera Rumsfeld delightfully and free of any self-doubt reads aloud and comments on his "snowflakes," memos he dictated to himself. THE UNKNOWN KNOWN doesn't reveal any political facts and Rumsfeld doesn't show any sign of repentance. What is revealed instead are the rhetorical skills used to avoid answering questions and Rumsfeld personal ambitions that are tied to his role as the architect of the Iraq War. The more sensitive the questions, whether about Guantanamo or weapons of mass destruction, the more Rumsfeld descends into his web of precise definitions that in the end leave the viewer even more confused. He gladly hides behind buraucratic processes to deny any responsibility, and when that doesn't help, he forgets and smiles. His smile is a weapon.

Tom Dorow