FRONTLINE: Firestone and the Warlord
The secret relationship between the iconic tire company & the infamous Liberian warlord Charles Taylor.
Firestone and the Warlord reveals how the American tire company Firestone conducted business during the brutal Liberian civil war, piecing together how the stories of Charles Taylor (the American-educated war criminal notorious for his use of child soldiers) and Firestone (Liberia's largest single employer) intersected in fateful ways between 1989 and 1992. The investigation uncovers the details of the deal Firestone struck with the warlord - how it channeled millions of dollars to Taylor in exchange for being able to operate - money that, in his own words, provided the ""financial assistance that we needed for the revolution,"" and how Taylor turned the plantation into a rebel base that he used to wage war.
With all eyes on Liberia as the country battles the worst Ebola outbreak in recorded history, FRONTLINE and ProPublica shine new light on the country's history and its civil war - a conflict that left lasting scars on the country's infrastructure and psyche - and raises provocative questions about corporate responsibility, accountability, and the ethical ramifications of doing business in conflict zones.
Producer: Marcela Gaviria, Maeve O’Boyle, Will Cohen
Executive Producer: David Fanning
Production Year: 2014
Copyright Year: 2014
Director: Marcela Gaviria
Host: Jonathan Jones, T. Christian Miller
Narrator: Will Lyman
Writers: Marcela Gaviria
Discs: 1
Subtitles: Y
Subtitle Language: English (SDH)
Audio Format: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen