Is anyone else watching the "Off to War" marathon on Discovery/Times?

[Patsy Stone]

So, so upsetting. It really illustrates the fact that our soldiers have no idea why they're there or even who they're supposed to be fighting. Just a terrible, awful look at the situation in which the BFEE/PNAC loonies put us.

[Patsy Stone]

1. No one?

No one else is watching?

[Neil Lisst]

2. I've watched some it, but ...

... but I'm a vet, and frankly, a lot of it is too painful to think about. I have to take my painful memories in acceptable doses. When I read and hear today's soldiers who serve in Iraq talking so glowingly of what they are doing, I wonder if it occurs to them that millions just like them thought the same thing in Vietnam. There was a time in the 60s when I thought we were doing great there, but there was also 1972, when I thought we would stop the war by electing McGovern.

Just because one fervently believes the war is going great, or the war will end soon, doesn't make it so. I see these soldiers today, so full of the same homilies that have seduced soldiers for ages. I know they're proud. I was proud until the reality of what the war was hit me, until I fully comprehended the wrongness of what we had done.

The lesson of Vietnam was not learned, and why would it be? Bush wasn't there. Cheney wasn't. Rummy wasn't. Rush, Newt, O'Reilly - not there. Chickenhawks to a man.

[Patsy Stone]

4. Actually, I was struck by the opposite.

I'm amazed at how many don't know know why they're there at all. Some have certainly bought the party line, but the others are frustrated and want to leave. Thanks for what you sacrificed, thanks for what you did. I respect the courage of each person who answers the call to fight -- regardless of the criminal intent of the leaders who sent them there.

[Neil Lisst]

8. I dug out and watched THE FOG OF WAR for Veterans Day

It is good to see a guy like Robert McNamara talk about the folly of those days in the 1960s when we had another Texan in the White House fighting a stupid war.

[Neil Lisst]

3. Here's one way I deal with it ...

[JohnnyRingo]

5. I've been watching them (out of order) for a couple weeks now.

Great documentary.
Well filmed and candid with real insight on the soldiers frustration and their families combination of grief and pride. Like a combination of "Cops" and an MTV reality show.

I like the aspect of non-bias, showing not only the soldiers critical of Buxh and the "mission", but also the one who spout party quotes like "We're making a difference here". I notice the latter are often of higher ranking service.

I was wondering how the pentagon could allow a documentary that showed soldiers expressing such sincere criticism of the war, when last night one of the men said that there was a meeting and they were told not to say they hate it there. That figures. Apparently the higher-ups didn't know what kind of film was being made at first.

The series causes me to run the emotional gamut from sad to frustrated anger. I saw the previews and ignored it for a while because I assumed it was just a DoD propaganda piece. I was wrong.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. It's interesting to me

how the documentaries on war almost ALL end up arousing antiwar feelings. My husband likes to watch the military channel (for some reason), but some of the pieces I've seen on there about Vietnam (for example) have been brutally honest and almost bring a sensitive person to tears. There's nothing glorious about it.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. That is a very illuminating series...

We watched parts of it a couple weeks ago.

[mrbassman03]

9. I would, but no time...

Being a college student really limits what I get a chance to watch. If Comcast could get its act together and update OnDemand stuff, I might get a chance to see them. Its good to hear that it is a quality show, if a bit painful to watch.