American Sniper - courage or cowardice?

by Simon 48 Replies latest social entertainment

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  Simon

  The movie American Sniper is breaking box office records and of course there is some irony that a movie about a sniper is released on Martin Luther King day (who was shot by one).

  But of course there is a world of difference between an assassin and a military sniper ... or is there?

  Some are making a big stink about it and claiming that "snipers are cowards". It seems unfair to me. Whatever your view of the Iraq war were the service of individual soldiers while performing their duty is still service and should be respected. Snipers are a legitimate unit on the battlefield and don't deserve to be labelled cowards anymore than a soldier with an M16 or someone who fires a missile or flies a plane. Is anything less than direct hand-to-hand combat looked down upon?

  It seems unfair and petty. Liberalism for liberalisms sake rather than valid criticism.

  There were lots of things done wrong in the Iraq conflict including human rights abuses and killing of innocents, some of which were prosecuted though sadly not enough up the chain of command IMO. I think it's unfair to treat every soldier as part of that problem though - they do what they are commanded to do and as long as those commands are legal and followed properly then if there is a problem it's with the people who do the planning and decision making.

  I haven't seem the movie yet but it looks good from the trailers.
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  Chaserious

  I saw someone being interviewed on TV and complaining about the movie because his grandfather was killed in war by a sniper, or something like that.  While it's sad that his grandfather died, I think the distinction is dumb; war is war.  Would it make a difference if he was killed by a land mine or a grenade?  Are bomber pilots cowards because they drop bombs on unsuspecting people?  

  Taking the criticism to its logical conclusion, any person shooting a gun at someone in war would be a coward, since the target is unable to directly repel the attack, and only those who fight with swords and bayonets are true war heroes. 

  I suppose the distinction people would draw is that they kill without being in the line of fire themselves, but war is dangerous.  I'm sure there is a real risk of their positions being compromised and being killed on any given mission. 

  
  
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  cappytan

  I haven't seen it yet myself, but find it ironic that it seems many of the vocal critics of this film haven't actually seen it yet!
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  Jonathan Drake

  I was actually just reading about this subject and how one documentary film maker called snipers cowards. Wasn't thrilled, it seems pretty easy to call people cowards over the Internet and I'd like to see him say this to their face. 

  Further, while I admittedly know next to nothing about how snipers fulfill their role, I am under the impression that they go into enemy territory largely alone or only with a spotter. This doesn't sound like cowardice to me, if my understanding is right I would argue that to fill this role takes a special kind of bravery. Were I to be in the armed forces I feel I'd much rather be in a unit than going it alone. 

  I find the comments very poor in nature. 
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  freemindfade

  I want to see it. I feel anyone who serves is courageous. The end
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  smiddy

  I have seen the movie Simon , and as the saying goes " all`s fair in love & war" .I don`t  see a problem .A soldier carries a gun/rifle to kill the enemy  both sides of a conflict do this  .Whether you are ten feet away from him/her or nearly 2 miles away , the object is to kill your enemy to protect your comrades and yourself of course.

  The enemy have snipers picking off your comrades from huge distances away , so you retaliate with kind.

  I think its a stupid comment to make that snipers are cowards ,are soldiers in tanks that fire on buildings cowards ? are gunners on ships that fire on landmarks cowards ? are bombardiers dropping bombs on targets cowards ?

  War is a fact of life in this world ,

  The bible, OT, is full of a bloodthirsty GOD condoning putting man woman and child to death with a sword for petty reasons.

  Chris Kyle can be looked up on google , its about his life .

  If I was in the army I would want him on my side

  smiddy

         

  
  
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  barry

  Michael Moore is an idiot and over the years he hasn't improved.
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  James Brown

  I read Chris Kyles book a year ago.

  And then he died.

  The book was alright.

   

  I trained a sniper to be a jailer.

  He couldn't do the job, or so he said.

  He was nuts.

  He said he had post traumatic stress. 

   

  He said he felt safer in Afghanistan than in the jail.

   

  Having read Chris Kyle's book. 

  I have to say He liked to kill people.

  Some people are like that.

   

  Then they come back to the states and become cops,

  And they like to kill people and especially they like to kill dogs. 

   

   
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  Isle of Lewis

  
  

  

  
  
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  Chaserious

  Well, silly me. The person I referred to in my earlier post must have been Michael Moore. I overheard it on the TV in the background and must not have realized it was him. What an idiot.