OP RESTREPO

[JoelBlack]

Restrepo is out in theaters, but unfortunately it may not be near you. Select theaters only. Seems like great Documentary footage.

(from website: restrepothemovie.com)
RESTREPO is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost, "Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 90-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZmJ9...layer_embedded

[JJ_BPK]

It will be interesting to see if the left anti-war crowd makes this their rally point.

This newsweek article, presumingly by the same that created the video, has a decidedly left lean...

http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/0...al-valley.html

It's been tried before..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTp810Ycqj8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Y0ekr-3So

What goes around, comes around,,, Again..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svfr7KiBL3o

[steel_eel]

I saw it last night.
All/most interactions with the locals (caught on film) were on some kind of bad terms. Other than that, it was pretty neutral.
I thought it was well done, but not so good that I would go see it again.

[Fonzy]

Don't know how I've missed this, but here's a link to the official page.

http://restrepothemoviea.com/

[Kyobanim]

LMAO at this one. The guy is so serious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj9jh...eature=related

[Saturation]

If anyone has not seen the documentary, Restrepo, it will now be available through National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m. EST on Monday November 29, 2010.

[perdurabo]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

It will be interesting to see if the left anti-war crowd makes this their rally point.

This newsweek article, presumingly by the same that created the video, has a decidedly left lean...

http://www.newsweek.com/photo/2010/0...al-valley.html

I saw it last night and thought it was pretty neutral.

War is ugly, the viewer is going to paint their own picture based on their preconceived notions and values, regardless. Due to mine, I sympathized with the soldiers more. They represented the Army well, imho. CPT K lost his cool a lot with the elders, but I can't imagine the quarrels and BS he had to deal with. As a newish dad, the bloodied up kids really got to me in a way they wouldn't have before.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

I watched it last night on NG. I did enjoy the interaction in the Platoon and young soldiers being soldiers. I thought it did capture that angle pretty good.

Yes, the interaction with the locals wasn't too good. I wonder why they wouldn't pay for the Cow that got in the wire. To me $50.00 bucks for the cow, would be worth it if it made for better relations with the populace.

Of course, the accidental casualties among the populace by air strikes didn't help with the relations with the populace either.

I feel sorry for the people there, if they fail to cooperate with the Taliban, they face grim consequences and if they do the same from NATO forces. (Typical for this type of warfare.)

I also ordered the DVD of Restrepo from NG. (Long before last night's showing.)

[ABN_FO]

Originally Posted by Trip_Wire

I watched it last night on NG. I did enjoy the interaction in the Platoon and young soldiers being soldiers. I thought it did capture that angle pretty good.

Yes, the interaction with the locals wasn't too good. I wonder why they wouldn't pay for the Cow that got in the wire. To me $50.00 bucks for the cow, would be worth it if it made for better relations with the populace.

Of course, the accidental casualties among the populace by air strikes didn't help with the relations with the populace either.

I feel sorry for the people there, if they fail to cooperate with the Taliban, they face grim consequences and if they do the same from NATO forces. (Typical for this type of warfare.)

I also ordered the DVD of Restrepo from NG. (Long before last night's showing.)

IIRC the Locals wanted 500.00 USD for the cow and still it would have been worth it. They did kill it, even though it was caught in the wire and the killing was done to spare the animal anymore suffering. 500 USD isn't a drop in the bucket to what is being spent in Iraq or Afghanistan for things that make less sense. Paying for the livestock could have possibly made accepting the civilian casualties easier (even though family/friends can never be replaced), since the locals would know that they would be compensated fairly for their losses. It is a difficult terrain to navigate, of which we do not know the background of what may have leveraged the decision.

[Guy]

Originally Posted by ABN_FO

IIRC the Locals wanted 500.00 USD for the cow and still it would have been worth it.

You would then set a "precedent" for future things that would arise.

The average income of Afghan workers has jumped to $426 a year from $70 since 2004, says Aziz Shams, spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance. In the past two years, poverty has declined from 42% to 36%, according to Fardin Sediqi, chief of the Methodology and Supervision Department of the Ministry of Economy.

I'd start running cows into the wire every other week!

Stay safe.

[Deadhead 63A1]

Originally Posted by Trip_Wire

I wonder why they wouldn't pay for the Cow that got in the wire. To me $50.00 bucks for the cow, would be worth it if it made for better relations with the populace.

The only reason that I could think of is that because the populace in the valley was so heavily influenced by the Taliban that any monetary payments would likely have gone right into their op fund. The offer of payment via sugar, rice, etc. that was made was probably the comprimise from a command that didn't want to fund the bad guys any more than they already were... That was the explanation that came to my mind, anyway.

[ABN_FO]

Originally Posted by Deadhead 63A1

The only reason that I could think of is that because the populace in the valley was so heavily influenced by the Taliban that any monetary payments would likely have gone right into their op fund. The offer of payment via sugar, rice, etc. that was made was probably the comprimise from a command that didn't want to fund the bad guys any more than they already were... That was the explanation that came to my mind, anyway.

That makes sense as well....

[incarcerated]

http://www.amazon.com/Restrepo-Artis...1876482&sr=1-1

[perdurabo]

It's available on Netflix streaming in standard def or high def. If you don't have a Netflix membership, you might find a 1 month subscription worth it to watch. They're under $9.

[Fonzy]

edit:

perdurabo beat me to it