SA@TAC - Why 'The Hurt Locker' Hurts

[xtremejohnny69]

I'm a soldier. Idc if you support the mission in Iraq or Afghanistan. (I want bases out of alot of places) but don't ever critisize the troops. We follow lawful orders, but anyone who obeys his CO when he's told to kill civilians, is not a true American warrior.

[pleadian]

@xtremejohnny69 how about invading a foriegn country on false pretenses so corrupt liars can steal it's oil killing more than a million of it's innocent civillians generating masive hatred and suffering. This violates the oath of enlistment in so many ways my sense of honour wrenches and convulses in disgust. A true American Warrior would never do this. I say this from my heart the gods honest truth. True soldiers defend the constitution and it's citizens not slaughter for oil profits

[summergiles]

I like the commentary, but let us start calling our country by its correct name The U.S. or USA or The States. America is not geographically specific enough and we sound egocentric when we say it. Also we sound stupid.

[sleedolfine15]

I support our troop. I don't want anyone to shoot them. Let's show our support by bringing them home.

[Libertyisagoodidea]

I can understand why the Hollywood insiders might WANT The Hurt Locker to be a great movie, but I have no idea why anyone else would think that. Lord of the Rings was much more realistic.The soldiers as depicted acted like draftees for the most part, and NOBODY just picks up someone else's rifle and makes a half-mile shot. If I had been in a walk-in theater, I'd have demanded a refund.

It was crap.

[TheOldJericho]

I'm already againts the next war

[dswynne]

It's more to do with not treating today's vets the same way America treated the vets of Vietnam. How would you feel, if you signed up, as a volunteer, risk your life and limb, and then come home and was told that the reasons for signing up in the first place was "a lie". So, better to give the illusion of a worthwhile cause than risk a cataclysmic disaster in American society. Better to learn today, so that we won't make the same mistake in the future.

[HungryDingo]

I agree with the assessment of the movie, but I couldn't enjoy it when I watched it. Based on what I've read about Iraq and from friends who have been there it isn't much like the movie depicts it. A 3 man bomb disposal squad setting off on it's own, running through the streets of Iraq, and walking in with the suit every time instead of using the robot... all very unrealistic.

[BernieEOD]

Is it? Having been in EOD I can tell you that the EOD community is not very "By the Book"

Also, the robots prove to be neat toys to show off to the taxpayer but the EOD tech and his Leatherman are turning out to be the most effective tool there is. Going downrange in defiance of the DBOS is a bit over the line though. If this is actually happening, it shows that discipline is really breaking down.

[HungryDingo]

Interesting I've heard the exact opposite, not just from a friend but from people in the military reacting to the movie after they saw it who are also in disposal units. Meh... *shrug* I'm not one to discount either opinion, I don't really know never having been in the military or even really wanting to be in the U.S. military.

[yostjj]

I didn't know Mark Levin had a Youtube account.

[DoomHippie]

@TerrorWarrior5000 Just outta curiosity, why the hell do you pro-war people stubbornly reject President Obama? He's continuing your warmongering foreign policy! Shouldn't you be supporting his war efforts?

[TerrorWarrior5000]

He has shown more mettle than I thought he had on national security, but he still isn't as good as true terror warriors like Dick Cheney, Lindsey Graham, and Rudy Giuliani.

[DoomHippie]

@TerrorWarrior5000

Hahaha! Warmongering neo-cons! As someone with Paranoid Personality Disorder, all I can say is that you guys have way too many invisible enemies! Way too many! More then my paranoid delusions even have! Haha!

[strapt313]

you're not very smart are you? stop drinking the cnn/msnbc/fauxnews coolaid and you'll start sounding like an informed citizen. oh, and while you're at it, go look up the definition of "conservative" and then look in the mirror and slap yourself for sounding like a big government liberal which is what you are.

[BernieEOD]

More like Terrorchickenhawk. Ever notice how all the pro war people are not in the military and only cheer from the sidelines?

[TheZav88]

Your message is on the mark as usual (most soldiers I know are like that - They don't have a political slant, they just want to help their buddies and get out alive), but I've heard pretty frequent criticisms from soldiers that the movie, regardless of political biases, is pretty unrealistic.

[BernieEOD]

The ones I talked to said it was just like that over in Iraq.

[AProbableAnomaly]

Growing movement disagrees with the foreign entanglements and counterproductive foreign policy that continues despite all the broken promises Obama made. He talks and complains a lot but hasn't done much to actually change foreign policy.

[AnotherUserNamedPaul]

SA nailed a point in this video that I never see elsewhere: the job of the soldier is to follow orders. When I was in the Navy I understood this completely, and so did those around me. We didn't judge why we were launching missiles at someone and we didn't judge whether we should launch more or less. We just did our jobs. Although I was never in a war, so there is some perspective there, but I think the soldiers are still the same. The WWII memoirs I've read say basically the same thing.

[BernieEOD]

As a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, or Coastie, we do not have a right to question or orders short of something like :Round up all the Jews and shoot them". We can voice our opinion but as I used to say as an RCC "You don't have to like it! You just have to do it!"

However, as a veteran and citizen, we not only have a right, but a duty to question policies.

[badonkadonk34]

Dude - fantastic vid again. great stuff

[xchanxzenx]

5 stars.

[cfountain72]

Right on Avenger. The paradox between the way some view these wars, and how those same folks view issues like health care legislation is unbelievable. Plans to take over our health care system are met with (deserved) derision and skepticism, yet those same people fail to express similar skepticism towards the equally extreme notion of invading and occupying sovereign nations.

Peace be with you.

[RCinPAWA]

Iraq = Vietnam

[majikalacity]

@RCinPAWA

I don't think the parallels are quite there.

[aptex]

great video and commentary.

[BOMangles]

We are ruled by the super rich so if you want to find a motive always follow the money. What precipitated the Iraq invasion was Iraq's November 6, 2000 switch to the euro as the currency for its oil transactions. Before Iraqs decision to make that switch all oil purchased from OPEC from any country in the world had to be paid for in U.S. dollars. If other OPEC nations followed Iraqs lead our currency would drop like a rock, our money would be worthless. You can make your own conclusions.

[DHY2KA]

Lets see, we can help our troops by spewing the same propaganda in the dtreets that our enmies espouse- Americans are EVIL ...

Yeah, thats the ticket.. (sarcasm)

[BernieEOD]

One does not support the troops by creating more wars for them to die in.

[thisisbunk]

@DHY2KA when a gov't creates enemies out of it's own population because of illegitimate or criminal policies, who's fault is that?

[MrHappy702]

My first obvious question was when are we going to stop fighting wars for Israel. We grow more and more aware every day.

[ubetcha13]

it is time to bring the troops home.

It is time to start spending money here instead of bribing leaders of foreign lands to allow us to set up bases over there.

It is time to stop letting our youth die for principles based on bad intelligence.

It is time to vote out all the career politicians that sell our future for their own benefit.

It is time for a REAL voter revolution where the dumb masses become informed about what they are really voting for.

[chuckbear]

I never saw it as Anti war but Truthful of War.

shows the hardship and what the soldiers go though.. Never see it as Pro or anti just truth

[Nawledge1]

Nail, meet head.

Great job on this one SA. Completely true.

[subjer0]

These wars are just practice, for tyranny on our own soil.

It's already happening. Sound cannons that were used on Iraqi "insurgents" were used on helpless college students in the G20. Indefinite detention, reserved for insurgents in the middle east, are now going to be put in effect for Americans.

What's being practiced out of country, will be coming in country really soon.

And all your brainwashed statists will be in for a rude awakening.

[erato99]

We go to war because the central banking interests tell us to through our corrupt politicians. Why did all of the supposed, peace loving, Democrats vote for it in Congress? Because they were told to by the real rulers of this country. Dig up Andrew Jackson and ask him about it; he had first hand knowledge.

America is full of weak minded followers who rarely question the government, given that their favorite political party is "in control" at the time.

[wolgreth]

should have went to Avatar...Just kidding.

[midwestcharm]

If the war is going "good", then we have to stay and keep it that way. If the war goes "bad", we have to stay and make it better. INSANE!

[curiouschem]

I like the critique, Jack

[ryanthomastew]

brilliant analysis as always. Keep these great video commentary's coming!

[bambizzoozled]

I know that PBM is not AFRAID to say the word "nigger." When you say the word "nigger" you give the woogies ammunition in their "dats rayciss" argument. Just call those blue-gummers something else.

[jsh78mang]

Great review and it makes me want to see this movie even more.

[VonHelton]

Um, we FOUND WMD in Iraq.

Sarin

Tavin

Tabun

Mustard

....and also fertilizer, which can be perverted into a WMD.

9 years later, and people still don't know this?

(Or want to admit it?)

[n66178]

@VonHelton

When you have someone like Mcnamara come out and say the gulf of tonkin incident, the whole reason for the us going into vietnam was a lie...I wouldn't doubt that Saddam, being trained by the CIA, had all those chemicals, but all we have to go on as a people not directly involved in the things about which we speculate is what we read or hear of them, and so to question everything that we see and hear is important.

[VonHelton]

How is stopping the spread of communism a lie?

Are you aware how many Christians & Buddhists were slaughtered by the Viet Cong after we left?

Are you aware that General Giap, leader of the Viet Cong *publicly* thanked the media & the anti-war movement in the USA for letting him win the war?

WE HAD THE VIET CONG BEATEN!

......But because of a Liberal Media, and Liberal anti-war fucktards, we gave up.

An anti-war agenda we now know was funded by the American Communist Party, I might add!

[49Falcon]

@VonHelton

You are right about the communist during the Vietnam War. Propaganda and the use of the media are always part of the tools of war -- just as it was when it was used to convince the American people to enter the war. You need to understand, that we would still be there fighting a no win war if we had stayed. You cannot occupy and fight an indigenous population on their own turf and expect to win.

[VonHelton]

According to General Giap, if we had held on just 7 more days, he'd have surrendered.

WE HAD THEM BEATEN!

[49Falcon]

A victory in a battle does not necessarily result in winning a war

[VonHelton]

I'm not talking about 1 battle......General Giap was over *ALL* of the Viet Cong.

[49Falcon]

I am not talking about one battle -- you can win every battle and still lose a war, as has been proved throughout history. War has many facets and combat is only one of them. It is asymmetric in nature and must be fought that way to win. Our leadership was a bunch of clowns that obviously did not understand the art of war.

[49Falcon]

The whole affair was doomed since the surrender of the Japanese and the return of the French, which led to our involvement. If General Giap would have surrendered do you really think that would have been the end of the conflict? He would have been followed by another and a new army formed. What purpose did sacrifiing 58,000 American lives serve? Nothing but, a lot of people got rich on the war.

[n66178]

Were you in Vietnam?

We didn't have to fight communism. It was a flawed economic system that was doomed to fail.

I think you give the fucktards too much credit. I hardly think people need a fucktard to convince them that dying in a distant country for dubious reasons is a poor proposition.

Interesting how countries who fight seem to find financing. Maybe those providing that financing are the real winners, and those that believe a proven liar like the government are the losers.

[49Falcon]

@VonHelton

Really? I believe that is no secret. Sadam had those weapons for years and used them on Iran and his own people. The Bush accusations stated radiological weapons and delivery systems. These wars have nothing to do with Terrorism or so called bad guys. They are about controlling resources Oil and Natural Gas.

[49Falcon]

@VonHelton

Study the current and planned routes for oil and natural gas pipelines throughout that region. Afghanistan is the key to moving those resources out of the Caspian Sea area.

[dreamwhileyousleep]

Only because we sold it/ gave it to Saddam. Wake up!

[VonHelton]

So because we gave Saddam weapons years ago, we should let him commit genocide?

Wow........!

[dreamwhileyousleep]

Our history (not the one taught in public schools) is riddled with instances of supplying both sides of a dispute in the hopes of "Them" killing each other and US sweeping in to control the resources. Don't forget that our gov committed genocide against the Native Americans to steal the land and control the resources. We intervene when it is profitable for US (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan) and ignore when it isn't (Rwanda, Sudan, Burma).

[mlawson84]

@VonHelton and 1 million + iraqi's and 5000+ american soldiers dead was worth it to get rid of Sadaam? please...

[VonHelton]

We put him in there, therefore it was our fuck-up, and our responsibility to remove him, like it or not.

[babaprad]

@VonHelton - thats exactly we are saying - STOP THIS MAD CYCLE OF VIOLENCE! It's the same people that profit (rich vested in military industry) and it's the same people that lose (poor peoples son's and daughters) - every time.

[VonHelton]

Funny, it sounds to me like y'all are supporting Communism & Fascism.

[49Falcon]

No -- it is you that is supporting Communism and Fascism. A true patriot would not allow his government all this adventurism at the cost of the lives of the people it is suppose to serve. Can you not see the mutation to Fascism and Corporate Cronyism?

[VonHelton]

I see.......So you have no problem with Communism taking over the whole world, not to mention the millions, if not BILLIONS of people they would slaughter, just to prove a point?

Holy shit, yer screwed in the head!!

[blank557]

@VonHelton

Vietnam was NEVER about a Communist Domino plan to take over the Southeast sphere--And we all knew that in the 1960's. The VC only interested in independence--Not any different that us in 1776, except they were communist. And the VC had no love for the Soviets or China to be their puppets.

The Pentagon Papers revealed our govt KNEW we could not win the war, but the govt would not stop to save political face--at the expense of further US troops lost.

Read Bernard Fall's books.

[BernieEOD]

We lost Viet Nam the moment we allowed the French to reclaim their colony. From that moment on, any government we set up would have more people willing to die against it than for it.

[majikalacity]

@blank557

The VC had no love for the chinese, however they were more than willing to be a soviet puppet.

[BernieEOD]

Assuming that the Commies were actually able to do that. Even so, the right wing dictators we propped up as a hedge against Communists were no better. We have a nasty habit of propping up governments more people are willing to die against than for.

[MOONDOGGIESWTF]

@VonHelton "We" as in a couple high level ass clown politicians put him there therefor we have to send 18 year old boys and girls who had absolutely nothing to do with it over there to die? Yah that makes sense.

If you think it's your responsibility get the fuck off youtube, grab a rifle and get on the next plane to Iraq. Don't be so quick to pass responsibility onto people innocent of the problem you fucking asshole.

[VonHelton]

Excuse yourself........I served my country.

Did you?

[MOONDOGGIESWTF]

@VonHelton You served a bunch of corrupt political entrepreneurs who don't give 2 shits about you, thats not patriotism thats idiocy.

Your argument about responsibility for installing and arming Saddam falling from politicians to citizens is still completely asinine.

[49Falcon]

Over 20 years --- serving in both the US Army and Air Force. Forward Observation Recon for Artillery in the Army 1970 -72. Weapons development and Intelligence in the Air Force. You need to start serving as a Patriot and stop being such a tool.

[49Falcon]

I feel no compusion or requirement to sacrifice my sons or daughters to remove him. Besides our government had no problem with his use of the weapons in the past -- you need to open your eyes to the big picture and quit being manipulated through NEOCON propaganda

[curiouschem]

I agree...

9/11 yes a sad event. 3,000 + dead

the reaction

5,000+ dead Americans

1 million + others

what the fuck?

[curiouschem]

um, we did let him commit genocide.

it's when he shifted off using dollars for oil and went to the euro that we stepped in.

it's got nothing to do with how many peons die. the elite don't care about the pawns, they care about bank accounts.

[49Falcon]

@curiouschem One concern I have is the term "we let him" -- like it is our role to be the police of the world. I do not believe we delegated that responsibility to our government. The governments’ sole purpose is to protect our rights -- not expend our lives policing the world. --- You are right the elite do not care and are perfectly willing to expend the lives of our sons and daughters to extend their power and wealth.

[ThePintsizeslasher]

He gassed the Kurds in the 80s(and nothing was done about it), during the Iran-Iraq war which the US gov't supported him in, since both feared the spread of the Islamic Revolution which was caused by oppressive rule of the CIA installed Shah. Oh and the Reagan administration knew about it, but were ok with it:

ht tp ://ww w [dot]cnn [dot] com/2008/WORLD/meast/11/20/sbm [dot] documents/index [dot] ht ml

[ThePintsizeslasher]

And as to Gen Giap being ready to surrender:

ht tp ://ww w[dot] snopes[dot] com/quotes/giap[dot] asp

ht tp ://urbanlegends[dot] about[dot] com/library/bl_general_giap[do­t] ht m

What would have been accomplished had the US forces "won?" Millions of lives for what? One Asian country wouldn't be communist? The Communists would still have killed people if the US had never intervened, no doubt, but would it have been more? Is the American military supposed to be Superman, righting wrongs everywhere?

[TheCommentifyer]

@ThePintsizeslasher are you talking about the iran-contra crisis?

[ThePintsizeslasher]

No.

[ne0nsurf]

I thought the movie was completely unrealistic. I mean they had some afro-bozo srgnt/ complete hollywood fluff.

btw cat bigelow fucked up on l.a. punks in repo man as well.

she sucks and has no clue

[b07rivera]

The biggest problem we are currently facing nowadays, is not only the Liberals. but these die hard Republican supporters. These religious rights folks that absolutely support Bush. i mean Just take a look at the channels of StevenCrowder and MachoSauceProductions. Even if I say one thing that disagree with the Neocon agenda or mention ron paul. They will literally drown your comments by thumbing them down. Bunch of cowards!!!

[cowboy1165]

Damn, that was a good commentary Jack. Keep up the good work. Hard to imaging all these "so called" supporters of the troops, sending them off to their possible death. Then claim that protesting wars is a terrorist action....Bizzaro

[jmelkis]

@cowboy1165 It's easy to say that war opponents are terrorists when you don't have to face war yourself.

[cowboy1165]

So true. I think anyone condoning and pushing for these illegal wars to continue while making a spectacle of themselves to support the troops should act as human shields to protect them. I support the military as well, and that's why I write, call, and fax not only my congressman but others as well to stop this endless entanglement in other nations affairs, and focus on our own dilemmas. I would be the first to

(continue below)

[cowboy1165]

break open the gun safe and fight an invading army....Hell I''m ready now, only it's against an oppressive warmongering government.

[smallmaniac]

Support our troops! Let them win by ending the war and allowing them to return home alive and in one piece!

True patriots question their government at every turn, never trusting in it completely. Where did we adopt the ''just go with it'' mentality toward our government? This is true insanity that needs to be changed.

[prayfortruejustice]

send this to you "representative" who just voted to stay in Afghanistan

[3RiversRogue]

5 stars. thank you.

[shiggadiggit]

Great video!

[Blackhalo325]

Great video as always. You hit the nail on the head about our mindset while deployed. We just want to survive and see our friends survive and count the days until we come home.

Unfortunately, I can't agree that Hurt Locker was a good movie. It was a horrible abortion of a film in my opinion. I served 3 tours. 2 in Iraq, 1 in Afghanistan. Airborne infantry. The movie was terribly unrealistic.

[barccy]

Most movies are.

[BernieEOD]

It was? I just heard an Iraq vet tell me it was just like that where he was. I guess you can tell stories of how you would go into town and every Iraqi would praise you and buy you a drink?

[Blackhalo325]

lol, yes. That's exactly how my time was. e_e

[pfarabee]

Hurt Locker... easily one of my favorite films. War is vile, gritty, dirty, violent, heartbreaking, grotesque, and should never be gleefully cheered on like some goddamned sporting event.

Those naively waving flags while our soldiers slaughter and are slaughtered in the sand should be ashamed. They aren't cheering on their favorite football team, but spurring men to bloodlust and death.

[Elasaltaculos]

well put

[SpideyNinety08]

A volunteer army is the right way to go no matter what and the funding of war (and the military) through taxes is the only way that it should be done, then the only wars we would have would actually be to secure freedom. There is no way any war outside of WWII would have happened if the only funding was via taxes.

[barccy]

While I agree, I must ask ; what about Switzerland's system? There everyone serves, so everyone risks death if there is a war, no chicken-hawks who've never served hanging back calling the shots while others suffer doing the dirty work. They've been independent for 800 years and at peace for 150.

Aren't all wars paid by taxes? (Maybe you're referring to loans and inflation??)

[SpideyNinety08]

I'm against the draft on principle, a government doesn't own my body to go fight for a cause I may or may not agree with, I'm not a pacifist, but a draft means we are slaves.

And wars are never paid for with taxes. Even the revolution inflated currency away (giving rise to the phrase "not worth a continental"). The civil wart, WWI, WWII, etc., they all are paid for by the printing press, taxes may make up the difference later, but in our current Keynesian system its unlikely they'll stop

[shamusername]

@SpideyNinety08 uh, no: WWII was financed by the sale of War Bonds (mostly sold to private individuals) and tax increases, not "the printing press" as with today's direct purchases of T-Bonds by the Fed.

[SpideyNinety08]

@shamusername Financed in part by war bonds, not in totality, and certainly not completely by taxes.

[LibertaerUeberAlles]

Actually, WW2 could have been avoided, too.

True patriots Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and Joe Kennedy favored staying neutral on behalf of Germany, instead of fighting on behalf of Marxism like FDR did. I think most Americans supported non-intervention.

Interestingly, Adolf wrote that allying with the Marxists would result in being ruled by them. Sure enough, that's what happened to America -- Democrats on one side, and the Trotskyite-NeoCons on the other. It couldn't be any clearer.

[SpideyNinety08]

I don't know, I wasn't there, but it seems like Americans, after Pearl harbor, were pretty much for going to war (with Japan at least), but maybe they weren't. The best way we could've avoided WWII was to not go into WWI and to not have created the Fed in 1913.

[curiouschem]

went to war based on the horror of Pearl HBR.

[LibertaerUeberAlles]

I agree with you about Pearl Harbor (and of course about WW1 and the Fed). If I'm not mistaken, the Roosevelt administration goaded Japan into attacking. This had been wished, since at least the late 20s, by the man who later became FDR's Secretary of Defense.

[SpideyNinety08]

I don't know the specifics, I'm pretty sure we sanctioned Japan (at least regarding oil) and that pissed them off and FDR was all about war before we actually went into it

[SpideyNinety08]

I recently explained my disdain for the draft on the grounds that it is essentially slavery and my dad, like out of reflex, said, "How can you say that? Freedom isn't free, it is bought with blood." This is true, but him saying this in regards to the draft means that he is basically defending every war the US government has ever gotten us into.

[49Falcon]

Agree -- Vietnam would never have lasted as long as it did without the draft. They are already having trouble finding enough people willing to fight in our current wars -- some state guard units have been deployed several times and if they keep this pace up for a couple more years -- there will be a mass exodus of people in the Guard units.

If the war is just and right -- they will get plenty of volunteers. If not, volunteers will disappear along with popular support.

[SpideyNinety08]

The idea of government to country separation is all too prevalent for the right when it comes to the welfare state or any other economic activity, but in regards to war, the right sees no separation between the state and the country as a whole. You can hate your government and love your country...they are not synonymous.

[DrRonPaul2012]

Great video...this backs up the old saying that "the truth hurts" and "the truth will set you free"

[steve0281]

Spot on Jack! I cannot level one legitimate criticism.

[Voy2378]

Great points. I hate when people glorify war...

[megagagnon1]

what a waste of trillions.