You think they were up there stopping Taliban from moving through the valley? They were just up there getting shot it. The locals didn't trust them or want them around. That documentary more than anything showed me how pointless and counterproductive our presence in that country really is. Nothing worth Restrepo's life was accomplished by that deployment.
You make your "think" from watching the movie. Good. You have some valid points.
However, they went down into the valley nearly every day, on patrols, where they encountered their fiercest fighting.
Their objective was to keep the Taliban engaged so as to keep them from moving further down toward Kabal.
the CICINO pulled our troops out of the Kunar over a year ago - (I won't go into details because it would make a true Americans blood boil, what he did/is doing to our troops) - but suffice it to say, if you've been watching the news, there has since been a great uptick in the attacks on Kabal, with great loss of life.
As to more of what "I think" about that deployment? My grandson, who grew up in my home, was Juan Restrepo's roommate back at base and they deployed together. I spent those 15 months of their deployment in touch with them - and doing a lot of praying, burning candles and running a "Adopt a Platoon" drive that enabled a friend and me to pack and ship over 100 boxes of food and supplies to them.
I have a fair to middling understanding of what they went through and what they accomplished.
Now if you want to get into what has happened to our troops and their ability to fight since this current CICINO put in his ROE that tie our soldiers behind their backs, often deny them air cover when pinned down and getting killed - ie, giving the advantage to the enemy and resulting in 63% of our troops killed in the war JUST UNDER HIS REGIME - well, that's another whole can o'worms.