Ball of Confusion

March 23, 2009 by Matt

“It looks like I will be joining this battle half way through. I think that my title is pretty appropriate in the sense that im not sure how I feel about the video.

In many ways I agree with Heather, in some Dave. The bottom line is the video did its job, it showed the American public a very carefully chosen perspective of the war. As I said in class, it was a semi-left perspective.

I think there are several things to look at in this film. First and perhaps on of the most important to me is what Dave and Heather are talking about in other posts. Although I agree with Dave that we have a need to question things and not follow orders blindly, I feel that is more in line with unlawful orders, such as killing innocent civilians. Past that, if you wanted to have a voice, I don’t think the military was the right choice. I think that once you put on the uniform, get in country and have a job to do, you need to shut up and do it. I would like to note that it does not surprise me at all how these “soldiers” acted. One only has to watch the part with the Capt. bitching in front of his men. It is obvious that they have NO military discipline, bearing, and little in the way of any clue how to run a unit. Where I come from in grunt land, that officer would have been at the least reprimanded, and that E-4 *I will not disgrace other NCOs by calling him one* would have been‚ well handled.

Moving on, Heather‚ RIGHT ON! The video only shows one aspect in regards to KBR, even I had to remind myself about the facts of the situation. Also, ya military bases suck, they always have and probably always will. They had to deal with it for a few weeks, then when to one of the nicest base in country. I lived in a shipping crate with 11 other guys for 8 months, getting one shower a month, hot chow that was worse than MREs maybe every week 2-3 weeks when it was shipped out to us from the main base with mail soaked in diesel fuel and half the amount of water we needed. I also pissed in a tube and went number 2 in a 55 gallon drum which I had to burn *being the new guy sucks!* so forgive me when I don’t feel your pain. Its part of the job bud!

At this point I think it’s not a big secret how I feel on most subjects. Those who know me outside of class know there is more to me then cuss words and rude comments‚ not much more but a little. Jeremy came out with us Friday night for beer and bowling and I had a chance to talk shop with him. I think this gave me a lot better perspective of his film, but more importantly I think that HE got a better idea as to how his film translated to people how know what’s what.

Some good parts of the film would include the overall jaw-jacking that goes on. We all knew someone in our unit that was best friends with someone the hated more than life itself. I also liked the moments when politics were put aside, and we got to see the normal b.s that takes place overseas.

Overall I’m not sure if I like the film on a personal level. I think that it was a passion on his and expressed how he feels/felt about the war and I have to give him credit for making the film, and putting his feelings out there.