Deterrence (R, 2000)

Made in 2000, DETERRENCE is set in 2008. Iraq has invaded Kuwait and President Emerson (Kevin Pollack) has to respond quickly. Like his predecessors, President Emerson must decide how to respond to aggression that affects the U.S. indirectly -- for the moment. But unlike his predecessors, he does not have the luxury of time. In the past, it took days to move troops around, and diplomats used that time to negotiate. But there is no time for diplomacy when both sides have nuclear bombs and one refuses to back down. Emerson has a couple of additional complications. Like Gerald Ford, he was appointed vice president and then became president unexpectedly. He has never been elected to national office, and is concerned that he does not have the broad support of the voters. The threat from Iraq comes in the middle of his first campaign for the presidency. And he is Jewish. The Iraqi diplomat refuses to negotiate with him because of his religion. And he worries that aggressive action will be seen by Americans as unnecessary, risky, and more based on concerns about Israel than about the U.S. and world peace.

Teens may think that it does not really matter who gets elected president. Or, they may think that the important issues in this year's election are the domestic controversies that attract most of the coverage, like abortion and gun control. This movie gives teens a chance to think about the importance of a candidate's character and judgment, and to imagine how they might respond if presented with the direst circumstances.

One of the movie's strengths is its grounding in recent history, including the bombing of Hiroshima, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Operation Desert Storm. The movie begins with news footage of presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Bill Clinton explaining, as they send troops into battle, that what they are doing will save lives and promote peace.