Iraq War films

Post by **Leisher** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:21 am

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:42 am

Critic Michael Medved said 'it could be the worst movie I've ever seen', but Bill O'Reilly, the Fox News pundit, went much further by urging filmgoers to boycott it. He called it 'vile' and warned that it could get American troops killed.

Yeah, Bill's mind has taken a walk off the map.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:54 am

And Tokyo Rose actually helped morale of American Marines in the Pacific.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:01 am

GORDON wrote:And Tokyo Rose actually helped morale of American Marines in the Pacific.

Firstly, the disposition of a soldier is up to the soldier. Secondly, killing morale is quite different than killing a person.
Thirdly, Tokyo Rose's radio broadcasts targeted American servicemen. Hollywood targets anyone willing to pay $10 for a shitty film. Hollywood just out to make the cash.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:38 pm

Your firstly and secondly are pretty much completely wromg.

Post by **Leisher** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:59 pm

Your firstly and secondly are pretty much completely wrong.

Agreed.

Ever been put into a bad mood or a good mood based on someone else's actions? Of course you have and that makes your "Firstly" wrong.

If you kill morale, you kill people. It really is as simple as that.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:04 pm

Many a time have people tried to provoke me into doing something. Don't mean I did it.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:17 pm

Malcolm wrote:Many a time have people tried to provoke me into doing something. Don't mean I did it.

Well that's great for you, but the USO has been around for a long time trying to keep the morale of servicemen high. There's a reason for that.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:29 pm

Morale is important. Very. But I say it's still down to the individual believing what they want. Just cos I make someone feel bad don't mean I killed them.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:32 pm

In a normal environment, I'd agree. In a wartime environment, thigns are different, and it probably isn't a good idea to make the stressed out guy with the gun feel bad. Except for the enemy. It's a good idea for him.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:39 pm

If these flicks or some broad talking in between pop songs on a radio is enough to rattle someone, then I'm somewhat worried about what they'll be like when bullets are flying o'er their heads.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:42 pm

I think you're being deliberately obtuse.

And by that I mean greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:50 pm

The military physically prepares people by putting them thru basic training runs, exercises, drills.

They prepare them mentally by teaching them tactics, rules, strategies.

Not my fault that the realm in which propaganda lies is a place we don't know well enough s.t. we can teach people to disregard info a source is trying to feed them, regardless of how attractive or compelling it may be. Religions, on the other hand, are fucking experts on such things.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:53 pm

If you were in charge you could save the military a shitload of money by removing their Morale, Recreation, and Welfare funds, since you've just made the huge intellectual breakthrough of figuring out that propaganda doesn't work.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:27 pm

Course it works to an extent. Soldiers ain't perfect. But Bill saying these films could kill American troops is untrue. One must buy into bullshit before one believes it. Bad decisions based on bullshit as fact get people killed.

& I believe the best way to steel oneself against bullshit is not to bury it, but to expose it. I got about four or five Noam Chomsky flicks in my 'Flix queue. I ain't taking 'em seriously or nothing, though. Just tuning my bullshit-o-metre.

& if Iraq war films kill soldiers, then metal music kills depressed kids.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:42 pm

I think Bill's point is that the one flick portrays the troops as evil, and could convince people over there.....

whatever.

I give up, but I still think you're very wrong.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:55 pm

I'm just sayin', you start holding one media responsible for the people that don't take it the right way, you gotta hold 'em all.

Post by **TPRJones** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:10 pm

For those people "over there" that haven't already been convinced that America is the Great Satan, I don't think some stupid movie is going to make that much difference. I don't see these movies as being any sort of danger to the troops. I doubt they have any effect at all overseas, really.

That having been said, I do think they are dangerous for morale here. They encourage the stupid to keep speaking up.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:14 pm

TPRJones wrote:They encourage the stupid to keep speaking up.

They've got a billion other things to encourage them. Trying to stop them all individually seems a futile effort at best.