Waco: The Rules of Engagement

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SF Weekly
February 26-March 4, 1997

Waco: The Rules of Engagement

This documentary comes to us just as the images of buildings burning out of control on the Central Texas plain have begun to fade. No one who watched those images could forget that small children were dying or had already died as a result of a brutal and idiotic attack on the Branch Davidians' community in Waco by the assembled federal agencies.

Waco, produced by newsman Dan Gifford and directed by William Gazeki, uses amazing footage that not only highlights the grotesque irresponsibility of the feds but also the cover-up that followed. The filmmakers have included accounts from survivors, film that was shot within the compound by the Branch Davidians, tapes of the actual negotiations, disturbing heat-sensitive footage shot by helicopters as the buildings went up in flames, and C-SPAN coverage of the post-disaster hearings. The film contends that flammable tear gas was pumped into the building for hours, that the gas could easily have been ignited by gunshots from the feds, and that possible escape routes during the blaze were cut off by continuous fire from agents. It's all difficult to watch, but even harder to stop watching. The one point that stands out clearly is that the feds' actions were as much the product of their own strange and warped understanding of reality as those of the Branch Davidians inside the building.

(K.M.)

©1997 SF Weekly