did anyone see "frontline" on PBS lastnight??

[egoprofit]

it was quite chilling. they followed a certain group of army guys around in Iraq showing their daily lives... showing everyting from them laughing and joking to them grieving over killed soldiers...

for some reason it really affected me. i think seeing how young those guys are and what they deal with everyday is revolting. every time they drive their hummer near a parked car they have to fear getting blown up by a suicide bomber... things like that scare me so much.

i realize, being 22, if they do draft i'm likely in the top spots to get picked. i don't know what i'd do. it's sad. our soldiers aren't fighting for our country at all, they are occupying like sitting ducks waiting to be attacked.

i guess if the war was actually meaningful i wouldn't feel this way but it makes me sick to my stomach to imagine what those guys, who are my age, are living in that hell. its sad. i wish someone would oust bush for us.

[maxsolomon]

1. meaningful in what way?

like vietnam?

or like ww2?

america won't realize the folly of this war until
1. the draft returns
2. the day after bush leaves office & dean takes over.

[jonnyblitz]

2. I will have to check for this on the PBS website later for viewing.

they usually allow you to view past frontline shows from their site later on. I will have to check this one out when it is available. thanks for mentioning it.

[MADem]

3. A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS

It was one of the BEST Frontlines I have ever seen.

The program captured the stone-cold reality of their situation. It's all about your buddies, the rest of the world just recedes. There's no politics, no nothing, you just try to stay alive from day to day.

Living in a commie liberal state, I got to see the unexpurgated version, with the appropriate "fucks" and "shits" when the company came under fire.

They should show that program at every Young Republican meeting, and then invite the recruiter in to sign the little bastards up.

I urge everyone to try and catch it--it is NOT easy to watch, but people need to see it.

[egoprofit]

12. link

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/company/

[ClintonTyree]

4. I did, and it made we sick................

that these young men and women are there on false pretenses, offering their lives........for what? The stupid little man that ordered you there had no legal right to do so. They're fighting for oil and and old men's bank accounts.

When I saw how indoctrinated they were (Sgt. Garcia for example, railing against peace protesters) I lost it. I started screaming at the TV and had to leave the room. We're protesting for YOUR LIVES son. YOU'RE the one that "doesn't get it". These dead end kids, most of them minorities, are taught to kill and follow orders, no matter how ridiculous, to receive a paycheck and medical benefits because there are no jobs at home for them. . They're waitresses, taking orders from their customers, the old men who let young men die for their own greed.

Yeah, I watched it. I had the same sensation I did during the Viet Nam war. We protesters saved a lot of soldier's bacon in that one by raising the issue of how stupid and senseless the war was. And we'll do it again. Sgt Garcia's wishes or not.

[GCP]

5. I agree - he really pissed me off

It's a pity the camera crew didn't enlighten him. That being said, I still hope they get home alive.

[MADem]

13. You hear one of his buddies saying something on the lines of

"To each his own, dude...to each his own."

The ones who know the score just are NOT going to say anything. First thing you learn in boot camp is your chain of command. And you do not dis the chain outside the chain. Just the way it is.

In a perverse way, the best thing that could happen in terms of the debate, from a SOLDIER's perspective, mind you, is a draft.

Draftees do not feel the same as those who have volunteered, because they are, in essence, slaves, doing something they do not want to do. Volunteers are actually poster children for "personal responsibility" in that they made the decision, they signed on the dotted line, and they accept the consequences of their actions. But I am quite sure there are very few volunteers who ever thought it would be this fucked up....

As for the camera crew, it wasn't their job to do anything other than record the reality. If they start preaching, they become propagandists for the other side, and the program loses its value. The best camera team melts into the background, and becomes as intrusive as a box of ammo, or a pack of smokes.

It really is a stunning program, and again, I urge everyone to go out of their way to try to see it.

[democracyindanger]

14. I remember that at the end of Garcia's complaining

he says, "...(the protestors) should come here and help us out." One of the other soldiers says, a bit grimly, "'Cause we surely do need help."

Those kids know what's up, complaints about protestors or not.

[Lin]

8. old mens banks accts indeed. God, how sick

it made me, the prducers REALLY showed how the mongers COUNT on, (bank on) the buddy factor and MOST insideouly on the REVENGE factor, Jesus!

forgive raised "voice" please.

[Modem Butterfly]

10. Protestors

My partner was in during the last Gulf War. We watched Frontline and noticed that no one actually agreed with the Sgt. Everyone just kind of looked down, and finally, one guy said, "To each his own,".

My partner looked at me and said, "No one there agrees with him on this but no one wants to argue with him either,". When you're in the military, you're trained not to argue with anyone who outranks you and to not make an ass out of yourself on camera.

[Zenlitened]

16. I would love to hear Sgt. Garcia's thoughts...

.. on all the young, healthy college conservative-types who are so loudly in favor of this war.

Does he feel any resentment toward them?

[lpbk2713]

18. And when his Commander-in-Chief had the opportunity

to fight for his country he hauled ass like a scared rabbit and no one had any idea where he was. Just like on 09/11 when he ran for cover on Air Force One and disappeared for a day.

[Lin]

6. Yes, I saw it, I'll never STOP seeing it, sitting ducks did occur to me

wonder if those screaming chickenhawks saw it, I mean REALLY saw it? blood-thirsty, money-hungry cowardly, _thoughtless_ bastards....Richard Pearle for instance, you listening? thought not.

sickened

[DrWeird]

7. Yes, I saw them shoot an innocent civilian.

Then take off saying, "sure is an exciting night" or some shit.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

9. Yeah that bit with Sgt. Garcia really pissed me off too.

Maybe his Bushbot wife should realize that the citizens of the US protesting this war are trying to get her husband home safe and sound instead of coming home in a box.

[Historic NY]

11. They called themselves the "misfits".........

good program, unfortunately were occupiers in a foreign land.

[meganmonkey]

15. I thought it was excellent

I agree with the poster who said there was no politics in it for them - they were just doing their jobs. I had the same impression. There were a couple moments where I cringed, but for the most part, I tried to just watch and not think too much about the bigger picture.

What really struck me was trying to imagine what they were thinking, patrolling the same dangerous area night after night, what the point was other than putting their own lives at risk. It boggled my mind.

But it was also very touching - not just the parts about their fallen comrades, but just imagining what it would be like to be on edge ALL THE TIME, to never relax - even on the base they are getting bombed and shot at. I pretty much cried through the whole thing...
One thing I don't understand around here is how much people will criticize the soldiers(not the people on this thread in particular, but in general), yet the following sinks like a stone :
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1260531

[Lin]

17. see what you're saying, things do move pretty

quick around here, time of day also can be a factor, I note that around 3-4 yesterday things "Gannon" were popping at Nashua Advocate, I admit I was on that trail almost exclusively.
FWIW I hear ya tho :)