OP RESTREPO - Page 2

perdurabo · 11-30-2010, 12:11

Quote:

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) · 11-30-2010, 14:14

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.)

Gypsy · 11-30-2010, 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProdigalSon

Chicago doesn't get the NG channel, go Here. Look on the left column for "Educational" and find the NG channel.

The 'burbs do.

Comcast has it "on demand".

ABN_FO · 12-01-2010, 09:13

Quote:

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.

Deadhead 63A1 · 12-01-2010, 13:59

Quote:

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 · 12-01-2010, 14:43

Quote:

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....

Guy · 12-01-2010, 22:23

Quote:

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.

Quote:

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.

ABN_FO · 12-03-2010, 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guy

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

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

Stay safe.

Guy,
Very true indeed. Again, I don't know the exact circumstances around the incident. Alot of things would weigh my decision if it were I who was in those fella's shoes. As was said before, if the populace is in cahoots with the enemy (willingly or unwillingly) that also plays big into that. There are many variables to consider in this situation. As a CA NCO, I have seen the purposeful destruction/looting of projects from locals IOT receive more money/equipment to black market. One good example of that was a sheikh in Iraq, who had a health clinic built by a CA/ODA a few years ago (and was fully stocked with medical supplies), ask my Team to refurbish and restock the clinic. It didn't take a whack on the head to realize that they more than likely had no doctors to run the clinic and therefore sold the equipment. Did they get money from me? Nope... I did however, put him in contact with the Provincial Minister of Health.
I also had a mayor, who had the balls to ask my Team to refurbish a soccer field that the PRT had done a very short time ago to the tune of the, well let's say it was done in the seven figure range. I tactfully told him he was nuts.
The bottom line is that we have been in the AO for years and word has certainly gotten around that if USF/Coalition Forces had even the slightest hand in any event that causes damage, then you will be compensated.

Guy · 12-03-2010, 09:13

^^^^Good copy!^^^^

Stay safe.

Masochist · 12-08-2010, 14:14

National Geographic will be showing Restrepo again, this time on January 2 @ 8-10pm EST. Unedited and with limited commercial interruptions.

turducken · 12-08-2010, 16:37

Just a reminder that its now available to watch instantly on the Netflix streaming service. Caught it last night, very interesting documentary.

BigJimCalhoun · 12-08-2010, 20:51

I DVRed it but have not watched it completely.

I have not served in the military and I find the documentary pretty interesting. My brother in law is going over to Afganistan next year. When he (name available by request to QPs) was in Iraq his job was to interface with the civilians similar to some in this documentary.

Fonzy · 12-08-2010, 20:55

Really hoping this come available online soon. No Nat Geo channel for me :/

Geenie · 12-08-2010, 21:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fonzy

Really hoping this come available online soon. No Nat Geo channel for me :/

It can be found online if you look hard enough.

incarcerated · 12-09-2010, 00:35

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