Posted on 01/19/2014 9:17:04 AM PST by Hacksaw
As the war in Afghanistan winds down, and as the American public is increasingly “war weary” (a phrase I find fascinating since at any given time only 0.6 percent of Americans are in uniform, and the vast majority of Americans have endured not one single second of sacrifice for the war effort since 9/11), anti-military and anti-American sentiment may be rediscovering its Vietnam-era voice. The vehicle for the latest two minutes’ hate is a bit curious, however. Lone Survivor tells the story of a SEAL mission gone wrong and the resulting firefight where a small band of SEALs displayed remarkable courage under fire. But they showed more than courage. An act of humanity sealed their fate — the decision to free Afghan civilians that stumbled into their path. With their own lives on the line, they obeyed American rules of engagement, obeyed the laws of war, and conducted themselves with honor (with one SEAL posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor).
So how do some in the left-wing press write about this movie? Here’s L.A. Weekly:
"These four men were heroes. But these heroes were also men. As the film portrays them, their attitudes to the incredibly complex War on Terror, fought hillside by bloody hillside in the Afghan frontier with both U.S. and Taliban forces contributing to an unconscionably high civilian body count, were simple: Brown people bad, American people good."
(Excerpt) Read more at patheos.com ...
The ROE are set way above the commander level — politicians and top brass. The guys were pinned down by the ROE from the outset and worried about spending their lives behind bars if they looked out for the success of their mission and their own survival first.
No, they did not know they were signing a death sentence. They expected to get extracted, as their commanders and the helicopter guys are just as good at their jobs as the SEALs are at theirs.
the helicopter guys went in there without security, the apaches, as time was critical. The apaches were sent on another mission, poor planning and logistics. The helicopter guys died trying to rescue the SEALs, just as dead as the SEALs, just as willing to face death as anyone else in the military.
But rules and moral code do not get put aside just to stay alive. Acceptance of death is part of it.
Murphy goes to make the radio call giving Marcus his ammunition. Marcus is arguing because he wants to be the one to go, but he knows Murphy has to be the one to go.
In hindsight the situation looks different. They didn’t expect the mountain on the other side, poor planning? But the non combatants do not get murdered for that mistake.
They weren’t worried about spending their lives behind bars. They were worried about spending their lives behind bars in the wrong.
I guarantee, any one of them would rather be dead with a posthumous Medal of Honor, which Mike Murphy has, and photos of his proud but sad mother holding it in the White House, than spend his life in prison for murder, facing God’s judgment for murder.
They weren’t contemplating the situation for safety and self preservation, they were contemplating whether it was murder. It’s easy for them to shoot a guy who’s aiming a weapon at them, but a moral dilemma to shoot an unarmed farmer, however evil his future actions may be.
They had to make this decision themselves, as they had no communication with the commander, who would have told them to do what they did do, and there would have been a helicopter waiting for them at the top, before the Taliban got to them.
They’re dealing with Taliban, they expect to get killed.
They were contemplating changing the mission, which they did just before letting the guys go, and changed it to extraction. The unforeseen enemy, was the second, higher mountain, prohibiting communication
The other enemy was that the Chinook had to go in without backup, and they did, likely knowing they could get shot down.
Actually this incident occurred in 2005....GW Bush was POTUS.....but......at least Bush really loved the troops....Obama hates them, and could care less. He is more in love with “Pajama Boy”, “Richard Simmons”, Reggie Love, GLAAD, etc. And....you can blame the Democrat Party for forcing very restrictive rules of engagement on GW Bush!!! The “Benghazi” murders caused by Obama/Clinton tell you where the Obamabot, Democrat low life are coming from!!!
The good news is that this magnifcent movie continues to rock with another almost $30,000,000 “four day weekend purse”!!! Next week it will pass the $100,00,000 mark....amazing!!! Americans....get your butts out to the movie house and honor our military as they deserve to be honored and respected!!!
At least the senior Bush went to war to win!!! GW Bush defeated al Qaeda in Iraq. Obama & his Democrat dregs have handed our enemies, al Qaeda the entire Middle East and have never fought to win. My prayers and love go out to all military and public servants who lost their lives, were wounded, or mentally shocked in the “Obama War Farces”...and to all their families that have to suffer the ongoing pain while the Obama’s live it up in Hawaii on our tax money!!! But....that’s the America, Americans want today. Rome became that way, too!!! Rome...by the way...no longer exists!!!
Folks, do it...see that great flick...”Lone Survivor”!!!
They changed the mission, so, no, they were not worried about the success of it. They canceled it.
They never disregard ROE for self preservation.
If lower level guys went about setting ROE on the spot, no one of any moral character, who wants to be right with God, would join the military.
Survival is not more important than eternal destination.
Not for moral people.
The mentality that a Navy Lt. has better moral decision making than the top Brass is bigoted. It’s not true.
I’m ready to see a movie where a white guy walks into a library and sees a black guy and says, “You’re black! You’re black! You don’t study!
LOL!
This reinforces my opinion that this country will never complete its journey back to decency until a few of the more notorious members of the enemedia ruling class suffer the same fate as Julius Streicher.
Just saw it last night...awesome!
And the review from LA Weekly is totally wrong because I had no idea of the whole story so the first half, I was hoping every rag head in the country would get it...
the second half made me stop the reaction and re-think my whole attitude...
once again, the lib press underestimates the people.
Exactly right...
this wasn’t a routine patrol. It was a special op for a couple of high value targets (hope I’m not spoiling) which should have entailed 24/7 surveillance for instant extraction if any trouble.
No excuse for the lack of comms or helos for rescue...NO EXCUSE!
That’s right...
it’s like, the movie makes the Talis out to be “bad guys” just for propaganda purposes.
Tell it to the Pearl family and the families of 3000 US citizens...among many Aphganies...
“Brown people bad....”
The problem with the constant drumbeat of racism is that it has worked and continues to work in the electorate.
IMHO
These are reviews to tell the Marxists to boycott this movie and they will to keep their brainwashing clean.
Pray America is Waking
Good on ya. Agree with all.
Why thank you
Thank you for your stout defense of the moral absolutes, in all of your comments on this Post! Semper Fi!
Well, my dad was a marine. So I’ll accept that Semper Fidelis but with all humility
Saw it last weekend. Stone up, dude, or be prepared to embarrass yourself.
I don’t know what “stone up” means. Don’t cry? I’m a woman, so do I still have to “stone up”????
Dad did a good job. Much respect.
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