5 for inspiration, 3 for lack of detail, 4 overall,
March 22, 2006
Thomas Madell
I was feeling depressed about the future of the USA and took the afternoon off, using this movie as a break. It really inspired me. See my review of the book for all the detail that this movie fails to provide. Bottom line is that the movie does NOT do justice to McCain's captivity and honor in captivity, but for a DVD it is absolutely great and there is nothing about it that I really want to criticize. They probably could not get Henry Kissinger to dye his hair or wear a wig, the most significant thing left out of this film is that Kissinger was offered a chance to take McCain back with him, and turned it down, as he should have. Duty, Honor, Country is not just for Army officers, but for all of us. However, at this terrible time in our country's history, the movie also reminded me of the dishonor to their oaths to the Constitution that our senior generals displayed in failing to resign and protest publicly when their sound advice was ignored in the run up to the war on a web of lies from the White House, and a compliant Congress. The dishonor of the Pentagon and the White House put people like John McCain into captivity, and today the same dishonor is killing thousands of Iraqis as well as US troops who strive to “do their duty.”
The bottom line is clear: if the public does not do ITS duty in protesting illegal wars and lies in place of intelligence, then we dishonor the Constitution and we dishonor the brave men and women who risk everything for their country. Shame on us, and God Bless the individuals in the Armed Forces.
On McCain, only he can come to terms with what I believe was his knowing abandonement of 1500 POWs known to be in Viet-Nam and being held for ransom. See the following three books for documented background:
