American Sniper

[Ace_on_the_Turn]

Horrible movie.

May have had the shortest script since silent films.

 

[CHenry]

May have had the shortest script since silent films.

Indeed. Reminded me of that Tom Hanks movie. At least he talked to his soccer ball some. lol

 

[3inSlugger]

All these Hollywood clowns calling it a propaganda film and calling Chris Kyle a coward should move to Iraq.

Always a valid argument. I don't like your opinion, so GTFO!

I don't like your opinion, so YOU get out!

Now that got us somewhere, didn't it?

 

[SoonerP226]

If you wish to remain willfully ignorant of "stupid story about a bar fight" that's your right. Just a quick note: The bar fight never happened and he claimed that a fellow veteran said that the SEAL's deserved to "lose a few". The fellow veteran never said such a thing. But, you know, whatever.

So, you were in the bar when said interaction took place?

There were witnesses who supported Kyle's version of the story and there were witnesses who supported Ventura's version. The jury (or, more accurately, the majority of the split jury) believed Ventura's version; that doesn't mean that it didn't happen, just that they didn't believe that it happened. Only the people who were there know, and even they don't agree on it.

 

[3inSlugger]

So, you were in the bar when said interaction took place?

There were witnesses who supported Kyle's version of the story and there were witnesses who supported Ventura's version. The jury (or, more accurately, the majority of the split jury) believed Ventura's version; that doesn't mean that it didn't happen, just that they didn't believe that it happened. Only the people who were there know, and even they don't agree on it.

There's also an account of a carjacking and the shooting of people during Katrina that have never been validated and are from his book.

 

[3inSlugger]

So are we talking about the movie, or are we talking about Kyle as a person?

Every hero has flaws - every PERSON has flaws. I'm not going to let a kill-count, or some stupid story about a bar fight taint my image of this man. 4 tours in the sandbox, SEAL, sniper with a bunch of kills, Veteran and supporter of Veterans.

Here's a person that had flaws. A sniper that had 257 kills against his enemy.He was awarded one of his nation's highest awards and served valiantly on one of the most vicious fronts in history. Dude was a badass, and a hero to his people.

Problem is he was German and his targets were Red Army soldiers. He was Wehrmacht, not SS, too.

Your definition of a hero applies to this man too. Don't let the fact he fought for the Germans in WW2 taint your opinion.

 

[SoonerP226]

There's also an account of a carjacking and the shooting of people during Katrina that have never been validated and are from his book.

Maybe, maybe not, but not the point I was addressing.

 

[undeg01]

There's also an account of a carjacking and the shooting of people during Katrina that have never been validated and are from his book.

I guess I need to read the book again because I don't recall him claiming to have shot people from the super dome. Nor do I remember him claiming that he shot two carjackers at a gas station. I heard the story, but not from Kyle himself.

Was there ever an interview where he made these claims himself, or were these stories generated by others?

 

[dennishoddy]

So, going to try and and get back on track...I thought the movie was good but not great. My wife and myself are former Marines who served 4 honorable years active duty in the 90s. We were a little annoyed by some of the directing Clint Eastwood did, such as making the boots on the ground look like idiots that couldn't wipe their own ass when Kyle supposedly comes off his perch "to show them a thing or 2" about going house to house. I also felt the close-ups of Cooper shooting the rifle was super cheesy. The recoil in the movie was too exaggerated. I've never seen anyone shooting a rifle and have it jump quite like that.

I don't have an argument with your post at all.

What I will say that front line Army and Marine soldiers in my conflict came totally unprepared for the conflict they were assigned to. Basic and Advanced Infantry training were relics of WWII and the Korean war.

In-country assignments resulted in dropping a new replacement into a platoon after a brief training session that was going to see action that day or the next to replace a casuality. Seasoned soldiers were the training aid.

New soldiers will always be newbs. Its expected.

 

[TedKennedy]

Here's a person that had flaws. A sniper that had 257 kills against his enemy.He was awarded one of his nation's highest awards and served valiantly on one of the most vicious fronts in history. Dude was a badass, and a hero to his people.

Problem is he was German and his targets were Red Army soldiers. He was Wehrmacht, not SS, too.

Your definition of a hero applies to this man too. Don't let the fact he fought for the Germans in WW2 taint your opinion.

The fact that he was shooting commies on his own continent shouldn't be discounted, either. Too little, too late.
I'm thinking that the atrocoties committed against soldiers and civilians alike by the advancing Red Army must've been a great motivator. Knowing that the Reds would rape and kill your wife/sister/children upon conquering a German town must've weighed heavy on the guys defending that front. Something Americans haven't experienced since 1865.