Marlboro Man / Self Authored BBC World News America

[188metalhead881]

"To look back at it now and just think about holding a rifle, and firing on another human being, is gut-wrenching, as well as brain-wrecking, how do you justify, regardless of what your causes are or what their causes are?"

–James Miller

[KatetOf19and99]

He in NOT a soldier. He is a MARINE by God!

[Hawkeye0045]

My sister went to school with that guy.

[scantrontheimmortal]

stay strong brother!!!!......3/5 OOORAH!!!

[240kankan]

you now know why you americans lost the war to vietnam,china and north korea.there was nothing appealing to them at that time.there's a chinese old saying,WHEN YOU HAVE NO DESIRE AND NO EXPECTATION,YOU BECOME STRONG AND TOUGH.

[Beorning1972]

Final thought: The meaning of life cannot lie in what has happened to a person, or in actions taken with no understanding of one's own inner strengths. Life on it's own has no meaning. We GIVE life meaning by choosing how to use our strengths--innate strengths, and those earned or realized through suffering.

[Beorning1972]

[2 of 2] What I see & hear in him that is so striking is the soft-spoken, gentle, thoughtful manner right alongside intelligence, resolve, sense of self; and both suffering and a measure of joy found in simplicity that are both so clear and so present in his gaze. I see why he wants and needs to be in the country; it's in his eyes.

[Beorning1972]

[1 of 2] I've never met him & don't pretend to know him, but what I find compelling about Blake (I hope that's okay--I intend nothing but respect) as a man isn't contained in that famous photo, as good a photo as it is.

[iocaste90]

This "war" is useless.

[Par1ahProductions]

"..Totally looked like something out of Star Wars...."

This is the tard you guys are looking up to. XDDD

[jakeb]

someone call the whaaaambulance

[matthewk7777]

@jakeb your clever. you think of that all by yourself? or you just used to everyone sayin that to you when you complain about petty shit? your pretty cool with your yo yo tricks... XD

[Dogmeat1950]

@lonepantherkmt that's your best come back? making fun of a screen name lol? least you proved my point

[Dogmeat1950]

@lonepantherkmt hey dumb shit, 95% of the fighters were not even Iraqi!!!

[sdnh36]

hahahahaaa he bought that sign! and blake has a perfectly good home at my dads. he knows hes welcome there whenever. blake is doing just fine and has everything he needs. he likes living where he is. and he likes being a country boy. hes told me countless times he wishes no one knew who he was because he likes the peace and quiet. some people dont like the city and blake is one of those people!!

[sdnh36]

anyone on here who has said something bad about Blake is retarded! you dont even know him and i promise you wouldn't say that to his face. Blake is an amazing person. hes one of my brothers (: hes been through a lot in his life and he didn't ask for most of it. but the bottom line is Blake is awesome and the people who talk shit aren't! so fuck yall! (: i love you Blake and me, lita, dad and the rest of our family knows what a great guy you really are! (:

<3Siera!

[fackafacka]

@sdnh36 dont you think it would have been easier for him to comeback if he did not live in such shitty and depressing place ? he needs to move ASAP away from that place ... btw did anyone noticed the "Bullshit blvd" , cant believe they name it that !

[91TRUESOLDIER]

He served the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and you call him scum and white trash, makes no sense :S i wish someone could send you(mu86neer and lonepantherkmt) in a war so you know how it feels! but in case if you dont know how it feels why cant you just shut the fuck up?

[mu86neer]

FUCKING SCUM

[gvt2u]

Unchain the dog, give him a warm bath and some good food, and take him inside.

[ManoftheBeret]

Dan Rather, you tool.

[OnkelMickwald]

Isn't this the kind of dude that people would call "Damn redneck" or "Damn hillbilly"? And suddenly, after having been down in Iraq and more or less lost his soul, people can respect him and call him a hero?

I hate such hypocricy.

[MrFLICKYOLI]

Yeah, a "true soldier." He lives in a trailer, divorced and is basically a fuckup.

With a Bud Lite nontheless.

He'd be better off dead.

[cutmullets]

This man is a fuckin hero, more men like him need to be placed in this world.

[ALEXANDERCRETA]

Bullshit!!! Marlboro man my ass!!!

The Great America with the war in foreign countries bravo well done!!!

[Jethro100]

@ALEXANDERCRETA Don't disrespect this man, he was a great soldier and honest citizen.

I see that you speak in a different language, dont disrespect America or its ppl just because you dont live here or understand us.

[ALEXANDERCRETA]

Μπραβο ρε μαλακες!!! ο νεος μαλπορο μαν και γαμω.

[OnkelMickwald]

"This is a warrior with his eyes on the far horizon, scanning for danger..."

And then when you hear Miller's voice... The contrast between cheesiness and honesty is so striking!

[Aviator411]

No one disputes that this man went through some deep shit and he was only 20. There are far more gruesome stories about the suffering of Iraqi children and civilians, those who never had a choice about the war. This soldier made a decision to join an unjust war, so he's reaping what he sowed. Others weren't as fortunate.

[cminksful]

those arent soldiers raising the flag those are marines and one navy corpsman stupid reporter

[erskacz]

is this a cigarette ad?

[GreatUmbrage]

So sexy. Love watching him smoke.

[nousername21]

@GreatUmbrage You love watching him smoke? Do you even know why he is smoking and that's probably killing him? Damn, I hate ignorance.

[rudkappa]

this on one of the men that pay for our freedom, or whatever you want to say... I real Marines. Semper Fi! Regardless of his opinions he fought over there thinking the same thoughts as he does now. He did his duty.

[ShadowCrashed81]

Name one thing that Iraq did to try and take away our freedom.

[rudkappa]

dont know, I did my duty friend

[ShadowCrashed81]

Exactly.

[YouDickwod]

brave man.

[Mudvayne531]

man this guy is a fuckin true soldier

[luckyfarms03]

@Mudvayne531 He's no soldier man. He's a Marine

[YellowPankake]

@Mudvayne531 my dad took that photo

[foucle]

If the youth of the nation see only the military as the only way to a better life, this means that the government is a failure, that the gov't is useless in giving its people non-destructive tools for a better life.

Governments which destroy life cannot help but reap what they sow. It is now time for benevolent, helpful government that engages in promoting life rather than death and destruction.

[tretoud]

We have crossed the line between helping and controlling. It's so sad to see so many good people serving our country who only wanted to help, however those who run the show behind the curtain have never meant well in the first place. Why do you think so many good American soldiers are committing suicide? They feel guilty about what they did over there, they feel that they deserve worse punishment than life, they are punishing themselves for what the few elite should be accountable for.

[VilliViking]

I'm thinking about signing up, call me stupid... oorah!

[englishredraider]

ordinary guy thrown into the shit by other people for something he aint got no idea about, thats the definition of a soldier.

[Chapels]

An active, loyal, or militant follower of an organization.

if england were invaded, wouldnt you be a soldier? now thats a proper definition.

dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

[englishredraider]

yeah but england or america has nt been invaded that's the point we dont really know why we are fighting, and guys like this are caught up in it all, and it isnt sweet or fitting to die for anything except for you family, just my opinion.

[VarrioBPM]

first of all Sadom was bluffing about WMD and bush took bait and we killd him and then there became insurgents which started to rebel and loot and kill our people so u tell me if ur mother or father or brother sister or relative was killed would u just back off and let them control u hmm bush wasnt intimidated by a bunch of thugs so he stayd and showd them how strong our US military is and thats what happened in iraq in my point of view and knowledge about it lets just say my opinion =]

[cocodapitbull]

looks like a lost tired cracker in the middle eastern heat to me, dont know what the big fucking deal about this cocksucker is!

[IraqiVet38]

Drive on Brother!

[crazyfingers777]

hero...?????

[DigitalMarine]

I wish him all the best in life. He seems like a really good guy.

[RebelGibson]

Blake is my Cousin...he told me he has not been the same since his commander told him to shoot a little girl...

They make fun of him here, they call him the mountain man...he wont eat anything if it's not in a can...

who would of thought my cousin an American Icon......

[ShadowCrashed81]

Good lie man.

[ShadowCrashed81]

Can you prove it isn't?

[ShadowCrashed81]

I asked you second.

[ShadowCrashed81]

I can say the same thing about you. You're posting vague shit about my flaws on each video I post at.

[ShadowCrashed81]

I post on a lot of videos, but I don't follow anyone in particular.

[foldedintobeauty2]

he seems clearly disturbed, still, by his experiences in iraq - something which i'm sure will haunt him for the rest of his life. great job bush! *applause*

[Trussgrl]

That was a dumb remark about Bush. My Uncle was killed in the war under a Dem. Prez. I have a family member now ,crippled from Nam, shall we blame Fonda? Remember this is a volunteer Service. Our Country was attacked but that's o.k. right?

[Keikofromelbow]

iraq didn't attack your country you fucking retard

[smallmaw]

Just wanted to comment on the story. I know Blake personally because he is the son I never had. I know what kind of man that he is and I know the sleepless nights that he has due to his term in the middle of HELL. Everyday he deals with the shit that he had to go through over there. I know that by the help of GOD, support and love from friends and family...Blake will be okay.

I love you son! Lita (Maw)

[sckryde]

i want to cry. :(

[Keikofromelbow]

I want to murder you with a douche

[sckryde]

ofcours you do..

you're an idiot.

[foldedintobeauty2]

he's gorgeous, btw. you can tell him i said that. he should model.

[italianman004]

God Help Mr. James Miller to recover, I know he may never and so does he, Question , Does the US Military care, Answer hell NO. Very Sad but true. Here is a carrot, join and travel, please Join and be killed or kill and for what ??? to envade take over, Bush needs to be inprisoned for all the war crmies he has committed, God Bless James Miller and his Wife , Does God Bless America still ??????? you decide. I just Wonder.

[BallyKfan]

a moving story... thanks for posting and well done!

[bobbibrian]

This guy is really a true hero. I mean this guy is my cousin and yes he has had a hard life. I mean i really support him and yes i really think he is true icon in this war. That picture captured it all. He is my hero and always will be. So all these people who is taking life for granted needs to wake up and realize if it wasnt for those boys overseas or Blake we would not be were we are today. A free country. So support our soldiers and our vets.

[russhurley]

This is exactly what Philip Morris wanted.

And note the BUD advert.

[fatsnake7560]

This man is a stand up guy, back from the war, with scars inside that run deep, he is also one of my brother's. Here is one man that wont run, will stand by you in good times and bad, Del-Ray HFFH

[romehartman]

This is one of a number of "self-authored" pieces that we have produced for BBC World News America. We call these pieces self-authored because they feature the voices of the story subjects themselves, without a correspondent. In this case, it is James Blake Miller, the man shown in the iconic still photo.

We're proud of these pieces, and plan to air many more on BBC World News America, which airs at 7pm and 10pm US Eastern Mon-Fri on BBC-America and BBC World.