See "Stop-Loss" And End This Damn War
I saw the film STOP-LOSS last night. I don't go to the movies much, usually waiting for a film to turn up on DVD.
But I went to see this one because, like all anti-war films, no one is seeing it despite an all star cast topped by Ryan Phillipe (who deserves an Oscar for this performance).
Some of the critics say it's not anti-war just pro GI. To me there is no difference. By graphically showing what the war does to these American kids (and what the war makes them do), it cannot help but lead the viewer to conclude that all these kids need to come home now.
STOP-LOSS is the procedure by which Bush can keep extending a soldier's tour of duty in Iraq after the fighter's commitment has ended. The kid can be back home in Indiana or Brooklyn tending to the kids and the job when he or she can be summoned back. He either goes back or goes to jail.
As STOP-LOSS shows, alot of these kids are barely holding it together. The war messed them up bad. Another tour could either kill them or leave them mentally ill for life.
But no matter. Bush can't sustain his commitment to 140,000 troops in Iraq without using and reusing the same soldiers.
It is sickening. We are all used to the government lying. But with stop-loss, the government breaks its commitment to the soldier in a way that can and often does lead to his death.
But, as I said, no one is seeing this film, just like they didn't go to the theaters to watch RENDITION. We don't want to know.
One group of war enablers should have to see STOP-LOSS. That would be every Democrat in the House and Senate who voted for the war knowing it was wrong but because it was politically expedient. They should see what they did. All the rest of us should see it because, if these kids are living this hell, at least we should know what it looks and feels like.
It's a great film.
Comments (9)
thanks for the post, somehow I hadn't heard much about this film.
April 12, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
When I enlisted in the Army it was for the duration of the war plus six months. I served one month short of 4 years and got out on Demobilization. What is happening to the GIs fighting Bush's War is tragic.
The "War" at the time wasn't hard to describe; military action to drive the Germans and Japs back to their countries and get them to surrender. The enemy themselves also weren't hard to describe, they were German and Japanese troops who wore uniforms. War was simple then.
Bush's War is a war against a tactic, something the military will never defeat. Just as the Germans and Japs that invaded and occupied various countries never pacified those countries, just as we invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, and will never pacify those people, we can never "win", all we can do is stay there and die so we don't have to admit we lost.
Did the Japs win the war in the Philippines? No, as long as they were there they were being attacked by guerrillas.
Did the Germans win the war in France? No, during their occupation they were consistantly attacked by the Resistance.
The slothful and shallow news media will make sure that any President after Bush who gets us out of Iraq will be known as the one who lost Iraq. This will make for good babble material. That we aren't dying, being maimed for life or throwing $12 Billion a month down the toilet anymore won't matter.
Many people in Muslim countries are born with an AK47 in the cradle, and when they grow up they are only too happy to go off on jihad against those that aren't like them in whatever way they see the difference.
We kicked the Taliban out of Afghanistan and 4 years later they're back. These people have all the patience in the world when it comes to fighting jihad.
We can't "win" in Iraq or Afghanistan unless we assign to the word "win" a warped definition.
April 12, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
STOP LOSS is the best reviewed of the Iraq War movies, but I'm not going to blame people for not watching it.
Most of the Iraq War/War on Terror movies are pretty obvious about their intentions. A movie starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep about soldiers injured in Afghanistan? Gee, where could that movie come down on the War on Terror? How about that movie about an American wrongfully rendered and tortured? Could it have anything interesting to say? And what about Brian De Palma's unwatchable crapfest about Haditha? Anyone want to sit through two hours of that?
In the end, these movies don't really have anything interesting to say. We all know what they think even before the opening credits roll. In short, there is no reason to go see them. I can understand why people make these movies: the filmmaker is probably assuming that the audience has adopted most of the pro-war stances of the administration. They think that by making an anti-war movie, they are violating social taboos. In reality, they're not saying anything special.
This is the prime argument for science fiction, in my opinion. The best commentary on the Iraq war and the war on terror has been one of these obvious propaganda films. It's Battlestar Galactica. It started as an allegory for 9/11, dealing with enormous loss, apocalyptic fears, internal division, distrust and doubt. Over it's now four seasons, it has spoken intelligently about torture, occupation, suicide bombers, and detainees. And it has done it all in a profoundly human voice, effecting deep and true drama. The fact that the characters are being chased through outer space by robots is what allows it the necessary breathing room to accomplish all this.
If you're looking for a smart work, watch BSG.
April 12, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Should read, "The best commentary on the Iraq war and the war on terror has NOT been one of these obvious propaganda films."
April 12, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Stop Watch" has got to be terrible, MJ (I don't mean the movie.) It is the real-life manefestation of the anxiety dreams I had after Vietnam. The dreams were either my go home orders were lost, and I hung around Vietnam for another year or so, or I was called back after going home. The whopper was one dream where I had returned from Vietnam with orders to report to a dream assignment in the Carribean. When I was about to depart for Aruba or someplace, the orders were changed, and I was sent back to VN.
These poor GIs now are living that dream. What a revolting development.
April 12, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I meant "Stop Loss", of course. My bad.
April 12, 2008 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
MJ,
I certainly agree with your point of view about this movie, but how do you square your energetic position for ending the war with Obama's cautious statements about withdrawal and his leaving of US troops in Iraq after most troops have gone? I'm not trying to snark or be cute, I'm curious about what your thinking is on this particular point.
Thanks!
April 12, 2008 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am bothered by both Obama and Clinton for not unequivocally stating that they will withdraw US personnel from Iraq ASAP. But, I also understand that they can't promise that. No one knows what horrible things Bush will do over the next 8 months, so no one can begin to know what they would do on January 30, 2009.
Also, unless Obama or Clinton get elected to the presidency, we will continue to occupy Iraq for at least another 4 years. And, neither will be elected if they get too far out in front of public opinion about Iraq. I think we can trust either of them to do much, much better than Bush on all issues, and especially on the issue of US imperialism. That may be the best we can get for now.
It is going to take some good thinking, good planning and good explaining before a viable plan for Iraq for the next 4 years is settled on. Let's just make sure that thinking, etc. is being done by Clinton or Obama, and not by McCain.
April 12, 2008 10:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
hoppy,
it wouldn't surprise me if sometime in the late Summer or early Fall the Bush gang did something in Iraq so as to make it all but impossible for the next President to bring troops home.
April 14, 2008 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink