Up until a few days ago, I honestly thought Michael Bay’s 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi movie was a work of half-fiction. I didn’t realize that this was based on the real story of a group of soldiers already within Libya, sent to Benghazi to try to rescue the American ambassador and his team. Anyway, I don’t know if the subject was too tricky for American audiences or whether no one was in the mood for Michael Bay’s take on a tricky subject, but the box office for the film has not been great. It hasn’t been totally horrible, but it hasn’t been great either. It also doesn’t help that GOP presidential candidates keep name-checking the film as they slam Hillary Clinton. So when John Krasinski – arguably the star of 13 Hours – was in Sundance this weekend to promote another film, he fielded questions about the politics of 13 Hours and more. You can read the full Daily Beast piece here. Some highlights:
He was never a playboy: “I’ll be really honest with you, I was never the coolest kid on the block, so I never had the ‘good ol’ days’ of a playboy type of lifestyle. My good ol’ days were entirely different. So for me, the best days of my life started when I met my wife—that’s the truth, it’s not just me saying it because it sounds nice on a card. She’s one of the coolest people, she’s so talented, she’s beautiful, and she’s certainly out of my league. And so all of a sudden all of the things I loved, I got to find someone who loved that about me. There was a lot of my life that she hadn’t experienced and a lot of her life that I hadn’t experienced, so all of a sudden we got to start doing things that we liked. When you’re lucky enough to meet your one person then life takes a turn for the best. It can’t get better than that.”
The politics around ’13 Hours’: “I think it’s a shame that a movie like this would be used so much as a political football. Now, I’d be naïve to say that people weren’t going to take this politically. If that was your agenda, and you wanted to see this movie politically through your own lens, you were going to do that whether we want you to or not. And that’s your right. What I don’t think is fair, and what I think is a shame—and actually I’ll go so far as to say a total dishonor—is to not at least acknowledge what this story is: acknowledging these six guys. These six guys need that acknowledgement, and they represent the men and women who serve all around the world. So by just taking this as a political football of ‘this movie is a total propaganda piece,’ you are robbing people of the ability to see what these men and women are actually going through.”
Applauding our military: “I am actually slightly disgusted at the idea that applauding our military has become a political thing rather than universal. It’s universal. That should be an immediate acknowledgment, and then all the political opinions, conversations, and punditry is part of the process. I would never say we shouldn’t talk politically about stuff—as long as step one is acknowledging these guys and what they went through that night…. The truth is, we should all be proud of these guys, and the moment you politicize it, the more you’re moving us toward a world that I don’t want to be living in; a world where people want to score political points at all costs. On either side, this is what I hope people learn: In moments like this, when we’re talking about the military, don’t score points. We should all be on the same page.”
There’s a lot of nuance to what he says, and he expounds on it even further in the full interview. He’s able to maintain a remarkably apolitical stance and focus on how these soldiers should be honored. And frankly, I kind of wonder if “the Benghazi issue” is going to be the political scandal the GOP hopes it will be. But before all of that, Hillary has to get the nomination… and it’s looking like another uphill battle for her. Even Bubba is panicking, reportedly.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
He can do no wrong…sigh
ITA
Totally agree. He answered the questions perfectly.
He did wrong in picking a movie with this subject matter directed by a nincompoop like Michael Bay. He did very wrong, imo.
YUP.
I still like John K. but Michael Bay should stick to giant robots and talking turtles. Any matter that’s even mildly cerebral should be off-limits for him.
yes, like the Intercept put it:
“Would you give the story of Benghazi to the producer of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?”
Yeah, I would want no parts of working for Bay.
I’m guessing though that since John’s film career really hasn’t gone anywhere fast, he doesn’t have a ton of offers piling up, and maybe thought this would be a different approach. It worked for Chris Pratt.
Yep, yep.
Except when he speaks.
Hoping and praying this Bernie Sanders BS is put to bed in Iowa. People need to wake up or we will have President Trump. Then it won’t be so funny for people anymore…
Where are you getting this propaganda? Every poll has Bernie beating every repub. by a wider margin than Hilary!
He can’t and won’t win — he’s a 74 yr old socialist. We need to get with the program.
How do you know Bernie won’t win against Trump or Cruz? Can you see the future? You know who decides presidential elections? Independents. Like a small percentage of total voters, the ones in the middle who go either way and something tells me those independents would chose Bernie any day. And independepents certainly don’t want “to get with the program” as you call it, they most likely want something different. And age has nothing to do with it. Reagan was 70. If McCain had won 8 years ago (who is still alive by the way) he would’ve been the oldest president at 72.
Bernie is NOT Regan, which is why I like him, and which is why he won’t get elected.
I’d love to be wrong on that BTW, but I don’t think I am.
Kitten, I wasn’t saying Bernie WAS Reagan, I was just comparing their ages. People had no problem electing someone “old” like Reagan, so then why is it such a big deal if Bernie is “old” too?
Sanders is not a socialist – he’s a democratic socialist, and there are significant differences. Also socialist does not equal communist. Sanders’ political beliefs would be mainstream in much of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, the Scandinavian countries, even Canada (which is a little closer to the US model) etc. IE higher taxes on the wealthy, nationalized health care, stronger support for public education, much better access to post-secondary (higher) education, control of prescription drug costs, and so on.
Can he win, either the primary or the general election? I don’t know. But he’s not a big-S Socialist. He is however 74. Clinton and Trump are 69. This is what we got this year, the younger side of old, or as they would call it, “The experienced.”
@ pf- I understood why you were making the comparison. I was merely making the point that Reagan was elected DESPITE his age, not because of his age. Recall that Reagan won by a relatively wide margin, receiving 60% of the popular vote. I don’t think Bernie is capable of winning by that much, sadly.
I like Bernie, but I just don’t think he has a position that will appeal to enough voters in the general election. Additionally, I think the majority of his policy ideas would go nowhere in Congress. I love his heart and his passion, but I just don’t think he is being realistic sometimes.
Um he is actually the only beating trump by a sizable margin. We run into more risk of trump with Hilary then Bernie based on polls.
Also I know he says he’s socialist but I work with Italy (real socialist) and trust me he isn’t a socialist, he is just extremely liberal but not that far from Obama. But I can guarantee you he isn’t a true socialist he is one by US standards but then so was FDR.
I would also like to point out everyone said President Obama couldn’t win either and lookie there he won twice by a large margin.
He’s a democratic socialist. Bernie would be the absolute best thing to happen!
This is absolutely spot on. All of the polls show that Bernie is the one who can beat any of the Republicans he is up against. He has the enthusiasm in his campaign, he doesn’t have so many dodgy credibility issues (I’m talking Democrats and Independents who don’t trust Hillary in this regard), and he is not in bed with Wall Street.
OMG…these comments. I’m even more scared now.
Talie–I support Hillary, but disagree with you. Bernie is an old white man who is not Hillary and doesn’t have her political baggage. Unfortunately, there is a large segment of the voting population he will appeal to on those characteristics alone.
I think people underestimate just how much a large portion of the population HATE Hilary. They write off Bernie as a socialist, but they abhor Hilary with a passion. I’d rather Bernie, but I’m fine with Hilary. I just don’t know that she’s electable. I’m afraid that people would come out of the woodwork to vote against her.
Talie: You just spewed a hot steaming pile o’ bullshit right there.
I would rather have Trump as POTUS then Hilary and her lying family back in the White House. I really want Bernie to win the Dem vote.
Trump would sell the US to China in exchange for the ability to build a large casino and golf course there. He is absolutely not a better alternative to Hillary.
Speaking of Trump (and Cruz) I noticed our conservative prime minister didn’t catch up with either one of them when he was in America recently. Even he knows they’re batshit crazy.
I don’t get this. The Republican candidates are all far right to varying degree’s. Jeb Bush and the other more ‘moderate’ candidates only look moderate because they’re standing next to complete lunatics. But they’re all extreme right wingers.
Bernie isn’t nearly as extreme as any of them, in any other country he’d just be your standard middle of the road left-winger, not quite centrist but not anywhere near the fringes of the party.
If there are more Americans who’ll vote for people who anywhere else could only be a part of White Power/fascist political parties, over a left of centre politician who has one of the best records of bi-partisanship, well that’s terrifying.
American soldiers are only seen as heroes in the USA. The rest of the world is aware of their very-less-than-heroic actions.
I’ve always find the glorification of military services (most usually in the context of war) a very, very dangerous thing. Wanna serve your country? Be a teacher. Be a doctor. Be something productive instead of a pawn instructed how to destroy.
PS: “Michael Bay” and “politics” should never be used in a sentence together.
I’ll let my husband know -who’s been serving this country every damn day for the past 18 years mind you – that he should have just been a teacher instead of choosing to do the important work he does because that means he’s just a pawn. Clearly that would have been a better use of his time. Because wanting war to just go away means it magically will right? Good to know the draft doesn’t exist especially if everyone decided to be doctors and teachers , since that’s a more stand up profession. Thank you for clarifying.
While I understand people don’t like the politics behind war, neither do I. You do realize that there is so much more to the military than invading countries- most of which the every day public has no idea about. Yet you benefit from it! Yet people talk right out of their mouth. Also any of the negative someone may see is actually just a small section of the service. But it’s that way with any job. Not every service member does something horrible. So don’t mind me but I just get sick of seeing people put down military members when you have no idea what they are even doing, all because you don’t like the politics behind it. I would love world peace, I would love a compete government overhaul but supporting our troops is way different than supporting war or destruction. Yet people can’t seem to separate the two.
**And let me also clarify, I’m not saying because someone is in the military they are above everyone else or they are automatically a stand up citizen and as I stated above all careers have their deviants. Look at any career field. People who commit crimes should be punished and not be held above anyone else. My issue is when people put down the military, disrespect them and treat them less than because of their policital views. It doesn’t matter how you feel about war or the govt. there is still someone out there risking their life to keep you safe to some degree and yes that is worth something.
That’s why I put “context of war” in parenthesis, indicating I’m aware of the other activities the military does.
This is why teacher are important. Even adults nowadays have poor reading comprehension.
You are very appreciated! I agree with everything you said. And despite that one comment-I truly believe more people now do support service members regardless of politics. (Compared to like Vietnam Era.)
Josefina – cute. Don’t insult me because we disagree. I’m college educated and can comprehend what you wrote. You are being condescending. Yet I’m not surprised one bit by your response. Not to mention my whole comment wasn’t aimed at you. I was responding to one portion of your comment.
@Tifygoddess-Really appreciated your comment and I thought you articulated it perfectly.
Right on. This +++1.
Incidentally if less people signed up for the army and chose different occupations the US would’ve been less capable to perpetuate ill advised wars and interventions in the ME, North Africa and around the world in general.
The problem is that anyone who signs up for the military gives up their right to make own decisions about right and wrong, they have to follow orders. And I don’t have confidence to say that American politicians make the right decisions, morally and ethically.
It is not about the soldiers but about the US military machine which is completely unaccountable. The US doesn’t answer to any one – not to the UN, not to the host countries and not the International courts.
I’ll join you on that Tifygoddess24. My hubby has served 25 years in the AF and has never killed anyone. He has been awarded for Valor twice for saving lives and the humanitarian service medal twice for actions involving natural disasters.
And he plans on becoming a teacher–as a LOT of ex-military do–when he retires. It’s called the Troops to Teachers program.
And as for reading comprehension, Josefina, we understand just fine. You said “I’ve always find the glorification of military services (most usually in the context of war) a very, very dangerous thing. Wanna serve your country? Be a teacher. Be a doctor. Be something productive instead of a pawn instructed how to destroy.” That is MOST USUALLY in the context of war implying that outside of the context of war there are still ‘very, very dangerous’ things about the glorification of military service. If you’re going to slam the military, own it completely.
And Fahri–they absolutely do not have to follow all orders. They NEVER have to follow what they consider an illegal order–ie to open fire on unarmed civilians, etc…In fact, they have an obligation to REFUSE to do so and failing that (though I’m not naive and coverups happen) they are subject to court martial.
Note that I said ‘morally and ethically’ right, not ‘legal’. Some things done by the US military and other power structures were ‘legal’ because some hack or a group of hacks were coerced to write an opinion that something was legal. Examples – waterboarding, kidnapping of foreign nationals and secret CIA prisons.
As for refusing to do something illegal – are you so sure a soldier has all the necessary knowledge to judge what is technically ‘legal’ and what is not. And even when it is someone in a position to prove it is illegal it is often ignored. And should one speak up it is prosecuted. See the Edwards Snowden’s case. He was chased by CIA across 3 continents. They even forced a landing of a Bolivian’ president plane to search for him in direct violation of international laws. Had he been caught he’d ended up in a secret CIA prison with none of us any wiser.
I could go on and on, the information is out there but it is pointless when people simply don’t want to know.
If you decide to sign up be fully prepared to be used as a pawn in geopolitical games.
Reading comprehension IS important, Josefina. Maybe you should try it sometime.
Could we please stop personal attacks on people when you are disagreeing with them? This is an entertainment site not MSNBC or something very political, there are people with different views and perspectives here.
Especially accusing people of lacking reading comprehension. Someone said that to me as well yesterday.
Someone who managed to learn a foreign language to the point where they can write and speak fluently (like Josephina) most assuredly doesn’t lack mental capacity to understand written text.
Well said Tifygoddess 24 !! My husband served and was deployed 3 times to the middle east. People just do not get what is involved and the sacrifices made. I am baffled that people do not respect our male and female soldiers going into countries where women and children are brutalized on a daily basis and have no rights to education, much less basic rights. We have become so used to our way of life here, including free speech, that people forget those who fought and still fight to keep those rights. It is ironic that the same people who have the nerve to politicize our military and criticize them enjoy all the rights provided to them without having to lift a damn finger. Before you spout your immature, pseudo intellectual rhetoric, get your facts straight. You have absolutely no idea what life is like for our military and their family members. When your biggest concern in life is why your wifi connection is down or your chai latte is cold, you have NO concept of what it is like to to spend sleepless nights wondering if your loved one will return home alive.
It’s a difficult topic. Because when you think about what makes a good soldier to one person, to the person on the other end of things, they’re a monster. We’re Canadian – my grandfather was a WW2 wireless air gunner. I know he got in trouble in his career a good few times because he stuck up for the little guy. Specifically refusing to hit a ship that he truly believed to be a civilian fishing vessel. He claimed he was having problems with the guns. He could be considered an unknown hero to the people on that ship and their families if they were just fisherman trying to make a living – but when it comes down to it, he loop-holed his way out of an order, which doesn’t make him the BEST soldier when it comes down to it in the eyes of his superior at the time. Luckily, he moved up in the ranks relatively high in his career, and spent the rest of his life continuing to fight for the little guy in social services work and local politics.
But when I think about it – to someone out there – my grandfather was the man taking away someones father, brother, son. He was responsible for the death of many, I’m sure. I have to remind myself hat at the time – he was doing everything he could to survive, and fighting for what he had to fight for.
Now – I have issue with people expecting you to automatically hold someone above others because of their military career. Being in the military does not make you exempt from being an asshole. I hold a high level of respect for anyone who’s willing to risk their lives for the betterment of others – but because of that, I also hold members of police forces, or military, or whatever to a higher standard. I expect that when you have that kind of power to be aware of it, and use it wisely. I expect you to treat people like humans, and to do your job as honorably as possible. Unfortunately, not everyone has that kind of honor.
Thank you!
I whole heartedly disagree with this. It’s unnecessarily insulting. Those who serve in the military are not perfect angels, of course. And as with any subset of the population there will be some bad apples. However, I will always respect and honor the service and sacrifice of military members and their families. I don’t think that’s undo glorification in any sense.
The rest of the world? I bet the people on that French train were pretty appreciative of the American service members (or pawns of destruction as you say) who risked their life, unarmed, to stop a mass shooter. Their actions were nothing less than heroic.
I’m not talking about American soldiers in particular but the actions of the US military throught history as a whole. That French train hardly makes up for all the undercover shit they did in Latin America during the Cold War (and that’s only the example closest to me).
I don’t wanna go into details but I’ll just tell you as a South American I have very, VERY valid reasons to hate the US military. Do some google work and you might find out why.
I respect your opinion and your right to hate the United States Military. I don’t doubt there’s truth to why you do.
But it’s only fair to point out that the US Military may have been responsible for some positive outcomes in the last century as well.
Anybody listening to Serial? I’m of two minds on this issue…
What some of these guys deal with on a daily basis while being stationed in Afghanistan sounds like pure hell. I mean, truly.
I’m not a “ra-ra military” type of a person but I can’t help but have respect for the really difficult job that a lot of these men and women do.
I also appreciate Josefina’s point about the American military as an institution though. One cannot ignore some of the atrocious acts that have been committed in the name of war.
The problem isn’t necessarily the soldiers, the problem is usually what the civilian politicians tell the soldiers to do.
@ Josefina: well said! I was rolling my eyes at John K. statements. He sounds totally clueless and naive.
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Josefina: I agree with you whole heartedly. We don’t glorify those who deserve it enough; our everyday heroes don’t get much notice.
@TifyGoddess24; I’ve been the girlfriend of two different men who have served in the US military. One was abusive and the other a sociopathic coward. It makes me sick to think how many well meaning citizens bought us breakfast or other perks while we were out and he was in uniform, thinking they were doing such a good deed. These men made a choice to serve and putting on a fancy suit did not instantly make them into great people worthy of such praise. Donning some camo pants does not a hero make. I’m hoping you’ve been much luckier than me, but I’m also betting there have been moments you’ve had to be unbelievably strong because of the residue that war leaves in the ones we love. In that respect, you’re the hero for your family.
And to add: Those heartwarming public reunions at football games etc? Paid for by the US military to keep those of us at home thinking happy thoughts about those who are serving. Kind of takes some of the beauty away when you know it’s just a giant advertisement with human subjects
And you don’t think doctors or teachers can be $hitty people? I’ve been to a lot of doctors, and worked for and with a lot of doctors, and let me just tell you that a lot of them have a narcissist God complex. Being in a certain profession does not make you a saint, just as it doesn’t make you an a hole, either.
Preach, Sloane.
Yes, they can be. I’m specifically talking my experiences with service members here in response to the original post. I’ve met a lot of asshole firefighters… my kindergarten teacher was a heinous B, but we weren’t talking about them. HeySandy’s point below about romanticizing certain professions is spot on. It’s the person that matters, not the coat they put on to go to work in.
I’ve been married to a U.S. Marine for 13 years. He is kind, intelligent, gentle, and practical. He is the finest human being I have ever known. I’ve been around hundreds, if not thousands, of Marines and military members in that time. American, Canadian, Irish, British, and Australian. Male and female, all races, all ranks. We spent 7 years of our 13 as a married couple overseas in four different continents. I’ve seen what we do and where he’s been. I’ve heard the stories, seen the tears, held the hands, and seen the jokes, the joy, the camaraderie, the loyalty, the patriotism, the sense of duty.
I am also a student of history…not as a hobby; an actual history major. Our country has made many mistakes, and the most egregious were committed in the Philippines and Latin America. But if you look at the history as a whole, we’re in the plus column as a nation and as a military. We have done horrendous things through the 19th and 20th centuries, but we have done tremendous good.
The military is a microcosm of the population at large. There are devils and angels and everything in between, just like every large group of people. If you chose two men in a row who were cruel to you, I am truly sorry for it. That said, their profession was not your problem and it was not the cause of their cruelty.
I know men and women who hand-fed hungry people in the nations we have invaded and/or been sent to police. They’ve built schools and hospitals, guarded women as they voted so they wouldn’t be shot, repaired infrastructure, guarded some of the most evil, hateful, and dangerous people on the planet, protected diplomats and national secrets, rescued people from nations all over the world…and the list goes on and on and on.
Your prejudice and sore lack of education about who makes up our military is showing. There are rich and poor, races of every part of the skin-color rainbow, all ages, all education levels…every subculture or group you can think of lives here in our armed forces. Do not project your personal experience onto a population of people over a million strong with diverse ages and backgrounds.
There are people all over the world – literally in every part of it – doing things that are necessary to keep all of us safe. That is absolutely true and I have witnessed it.
@Josefina: I agree with you. Many people from the US can’t seem to grasp this point of view as they’ve been lucky enough to never (in the last 150 years at least) experience ongoing war on their soil and have foreign army roaming around their country. So they share this romanticized view of our boys bringing the world peace and staunchly defend it, when they hardly know what it actually looks like. May we all be so lucky.
@RA-while I haven’t experienced war on my own soil and I pray to God I never will, I don’t have a romanticized view of the military. I don’t think those in the military are better than anyone else. But I certainly don’t think of them as LESS than a teacher or doctor either.
I am defending against @Josefina’s condenscending generalization of women and men in the military as “glorified pawns instructed to destroy.” I found it personally insulting to service members.
As a former service member, I don’t disagree that military members can be romanticized and their true behavior doesn’t always reflect that view.
On the other hand, I don’t necessarily agree that some occupations are more worthy then others. There have been plenty of doctors, nurses, teachers, and clergy members who have abused their positions. The person makes their profession honorable, not the other way around.
Josefina, heinous comments. My parents, brother, and husband are ALL DISABLED VETERANS. Your comment sucks!!!! Serve their country, be a teacher? No that is public service. There is a difference. People in the armed services are willing to sacrifice their LIVES for their country. Show them the respect they deserve!
Your point? American soldiers are only perceived well in the US? Well they are our soldiers after all! You are a jackass.
Yeah, I was about to comment with similar sentiments – and I say that as somebody with a lot of military in my family. Some of them are good, honorable people, sure. But the military is the same place where you find the people capable of sexual assault, torture, and murder. I believe in taking care and respecting veterans, but I don’t buy into the blind patriotism behind the war machine that is the United States. It’s the individual who is honorable, not necessarily the position of soldier.
Josefina, wow you are clueless! Freedom isn’t free. You need to thank the US military. If you live in the US, please leave. Take your “thoughts” to Iran, they treat women with such “respect”.
Trump 2016
I like him, but where has he been? Of course this was politicized – it has been since it happened. I’m not blaming anyone in particular, even though I don’t like Hillary, because I don’t think we will ever know exactly why it happened, but this was a monumental failure on our part. We send these people to dangerous places overseas, and in my opinion, we have an obligation to protect them as best we can. In this case, they pleaded for more security and were ignored or refused. When the attack happened, no one went to help them except these men, who were disobeying direct orders when they did so. It’s heartbreaking, tragic and disgraceful. Then there were all the lies when the story broke. Of course fingers are being pointed. I just wish the truth would come out in a way that would prevent something like this from ever happening again.
I agree GNAT. It might be naive of him to hope that people would take the movie for what it was: a story of what 6 men went through trying to save lives in a horrible situation…but I think he is right in his criticism. Unfortunately what happened in Benghazi was politicized and will continue to be. I am not optimistic we will ever find out the truth so something like that will never happen again.
All that being said, 13 Hours is a good movie. I thought Michael Bay was very restrained in his directing-he tells a straightforward story and the acting is very good all around. Shame it is not doing well in the box office, but not surprising that it isn’t as it’s not a feel good movie and the politicizing of the event did not help either.
I’m curious to see it, but I thought I might wait a bit. It still seems so recent to me, and I found the whole thing just so horrifying and sad. (I’m sure everyone did) But maybe I’ll go ahead since you liked it.
That’s what I was wondering. He sounds like a decent guy, but what planet has he been living on to believe that a movie about Benghazi wouldn’t be politicized? I’d like to live on that planet too.
I wonder why no one gives two figs about all the embassy attacks that occurred under Bush II.
They asked for increased security before the attacks began, weeks ahead. Up until that day. The ambassador was denied help. There was a group of Marines ready to deploy to help once the attacks began….why weren’t they sent in to help? Why the lies about the reason behind the attack ( an angry mob about a film)????
So many unanswered questions, so many lies. And now this woman wants to be the leader of our country, she couldn’t even protect an embassy? And FYI, an attack on a US embassy is basically a declaration of war.
What makes you think no one gives a fig about the Bush-era embassy attacks? Nice attempt at deflection.
Why on earth would you think no one cared? Everyone who knew about them did.
I love how much he loves his wife. His comments about his wife and life with her came off very sincere and heartfelt.
those were not soliders, they were contractors.. John is either absolutely clueless about the world or he hoped people wouldnt care.
its mindboggling that this whole mecenary thing has become so normal.
Most of them were former soldiers. In the movie, it’s mentioned that Krasinski’s character and James Badge Dale’s characters were former Navy Seals.
well of course a professional step dancer wont become a contractor in a war zone. they were not there as soldiers though.
read this:
https://theintercept.com/2016/01/14/13-hours-splashes-blood-across-the-screen-and-misses-real-story-of-benghazi/
“One of the contractors killed in Libya, Glen Doherty, was working for the CIA on a short-term contract as a “direct independent contractor.” He had formed his own company for this purpose, called Icarus, Inc., and had been required by the CIA to buy an insurance policy. But according to a lawsuit filed by his mother and other relatives (settled last year in a confidential agreement), the policy, bought from an insurer recommended by the CIA, was nearly worthless and the insurer refused to pay death benefits because Doherty had no children or spouse. Even the contractors are cheated in the new American way of war.”
I am aware they were not there as soldiers. It is well stated in the movie that they are contractors. I did not leave this movie with the same impression that the author of the article did, but different strokes for different folks. Glen Doherty was played by Toby Stephens in a supporting role and yes, his group of contractors arrived when the main group needed bailing out and were sent home. The author makes a good point about problems with contracting in war zones but this movie was about those 6 guys and how they tried to help, not about the overall problems with contractors in war zones(which would make a good documentary). There is even a scene in early on in the movie where they are told by the CIA head to basically be quiet and stay out of the way, which I guess was to depict the sentiment towards contractors. That does not mean their efforts, which cost two men their lives, should not be as Krasinski says : acknowledged. I think what they went through is a story that should be told. It is a shame that Doherty’s family were cheated from the policy since he had no children or spouse. Thank you for the article link, it was a good read.
Contractors have it much easier than soldiers.
@Esther Omg thank you for pointing this out!
They were contractors for security because the DoD doesn’t serve as protection for DoS. The DoS has a group called Diplomatic Security (DS), but when they need more people, they hire former military because they have the requisite training. They can’t use Marines. Marine Security Guards do not guard the personnel or the embassy/consulate they serve. They protect the classified information. Embassies have their own guard staff, and they are part of DS. Obviously, Marines DO step in and assist once they’ve completed their mission and assist personnel and defend the embassies when necessary, but that is not why they are there. So…State Department employees, such as ambassadors, use former Marines and SEALs and Army soldiers (usually former Rangers), especially in areas as volatile as Libya. So, yes, they were contractors, but calling them “mercenaries,” while perhaps technically correct, has a connotation they don’t deserve.
Thoughtful. I’m reminded, though, of Robert McNamara commenting on the firebombing of Tokyo: “LeMay said if we lost the war that we would have all been prosecuted as war criminals. And I think he’s right. He… and I’d say I… were behaving as war criminals.”
There’s no moral highground in war because it is always moral compromise. We should recognize the sacrifices that individual men and woman make to serve, but we should also be wary of applauding tragedy.
My grandfather fought in WWII, and was sickened by the way soldiers were glorified as heroes, as were all his friends who also served.
He hated himself for the things he’d done, considered himself a war criminal. His whole life was about trying to atone for the things he’d done in war time.He hated many of his fellow soldiers, who he’d witnessed rape and murder civilians for kicks. He hated war, and he could never understand why anyone would actually choose to join the army after conscription ended. For years he went to memorial events and so on, because they were about recognizing the great loss suffered and the damage done, to remember the horror of it all. As he got older though, he was disgusted by how these kind of things changed and turned into almost a tool for recruiting.
I’ve never really understood how so many American soldiers are willing to go start a war on the other side of the world. It’s one thing to start fighting when your country is actually under attack and the enemy’s military is in the streets, but to voluntarily go somewhere like Afghanistan, where most of the population isn’t even aware of America, is baffling to me.
Thank you , Pepper.
This is how I and my family feel on this topic as well. It is not as simple as good guys vs. bad guys in a war.
I grew up in the USSR. Everyone had to take part in WW2 there was no other choice.
The world hasn’t decided yet whether Soviets were good guys or bad guys in that war. But for my family it was simply about surviving.
It’s not even that it’s an uphill battle for Hillary…I have never seen someone so successful who closes so badly. She is the human example of, you can’t let the underdog hang around because they (and the people watching) start to believe the underdog can win.
When I was younger I bought into some of the Hillary as puppetmaster of the Clinton conspiracies (Vince Foster, Juanita Broderick, etc) but after seeing her function as an independent politician, that is either not true or she is only capable of being a ruthless sociopath on behalf of Bill (which doesn’t make sense). If she were really all that, she should have destroyed the junior senator from the state of Illinois in 2008. She should have crushed the email server and the Benghazi questions and she should have dispatched Bernie early and now be basically taking a victory lap and building her general strategy while the rest of the GOP Clown Car occupants fight it out.
All that says to me is that either a) she really wasn’t all that, b) she was but only for Bill, or c) she was but her game has declined. None of those are good for a Presidential campaign. You can’t even appeal to the at least she’ll get shit done, just don’t look too closely at how she does it crowd.
I think she is going to come from ahead and choke again.
Something nice: John Krasinski + a little muscle….yowza.
I just hope people who think of enrolling understand the realities of war. And sometimes even our narrative of US armed forces we do not get that. It’s just about how amazing it is to serve your country and you are an American hero. Well that’s not what being an actual soldier in war is about. We need to talk more about the negatives and the risks these men and women are putting themselves in because of frankly out of touch politicians.
This is true. I always appreciate when President Obama reiterates how seriously he takes any decision to put our troops in harm’s way.
Which is why I find Commander-in-Chief’s without military service to be out of touch. Democrat or Republican.
I understand that countries outside the US view the US differently than its citizens do. Some of us try to be world citizens and get slapped back as being an ignorant American. It is a no win situation when the only emotion is rage.
as hard as the Repubs have held to any thread of anything with Bengazhi i’m sorry but he is ridiculously naive if he didn’t think a movie done less than two years after is not going to be a talking point/point of pride/something they would gravitate towards spinning IN AN ELECTION YEAR no less
I love him I think he is so cute and talented. I just love him.
it’s an “agenda” to consider the benghazi incident political? did i miss the part where it could be anything but political? sit down now john. or maybe go see if they’re casting a movie about the arab spring so you can act surprised that it’s about politics too.
@tifygodess24, please tell your husband for me: thank you, for your honorable service.
There were airmen there. I know because I watched the plane leave with them. Combat Rescue was sent whether it was utilized once there well hoorah government.
There is no group out there more that gets brutalized, scandalized and beat up by the public over a few morons. There are those who shed blood, sweat and God only knows how many tears and we get judged by the ones who make headlines for stupidity.
I will not apologize for my service. I will not apologize for the sacrifices my family has made and will continue to make. I have lost too many friends and family for this country and I will be damned before I will apologize or feel guilty because I served proudly.
I will tell a lot of you something that apparently will surprise you after reading some of these comments. Most military members hate war. They hate being being deployed and hate the idea of fighting. Shocking, huh?
I’m sorry. These comments have just struck me crazy. I don’t expect people to like the military. You don’t have to respect the military but don’t run down these kids as murderers either. They/We are just as tired of this mess as you are, if not more so. Think about it… We are the ones away from our families.
Well said.
Well said, and thanks to you and your family. I will just respectfully disagree on one part…I think we DO have to respect the military. Not everyone in it is a noble person, or even a good person, but everyone in our military has volunteered to potentially put their lives at risk for the sake of our country and those of us who have not served, and that alone deserves respect.
Robin, I am not saying everyone has to respect the military. Shoot I worked with with people I didn’t respect but I had to “respect their rank.”
I was more annoyed at the generalized hate toward the military. .
To be honest I had a horrible, horrible day yesterday. I probably shouldn’t have wrote anything in the mood I was in to begin with. I apologize if I offended anyone. I don’t take back what I said but I am usually a lot more tactful in how I portray myself.
The military is like any other group we have our rotten apples. Unfortunately those are the ones that stink so they are the ones that folks notice first.
I’ll vote for Sanders or Clinton, whoever gets the Dem nom, but god, again?, an older white gentleman? Again? Plus the number of bros out for Bernie? It’s repellant. I like Hillary. She seems no worse than 98% of politicians.
My politics are way closer to Sanders, but I just don’t see a majority of Americans voting for him, especially with the Republican-corporate media whispering in their ears. Plus, what he could get accomplished sitting on top of a heap of gerrymandered Republucan representatives is nil. I’d prefer my fellow Progressives vote more than every four years.
So you vote for someone simply because of the letter after their name. Wow.
He didn’t think a movie about Benghazi would be politicized? Umm…
You didn’t realize that this movie was based on the horrific true event in Benghazi, and then you speculate it was “too tricky” for American audiences? Seriously? Sounds more like it was too tricky for YOU.