The Sunday Times of London follows up on Bruce Willis' plans to make a film about the heroes of Deuce Four, based on the reporting of embedded journalist/blogger extraordinaire Michael Yon:
ANGERED by negative portrayals of the conflict in Iraq, Bruce Willis, the Hollywood star, is to make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy. It will be based on the exploits of the heavily decorated members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, which has spent the past year battling insurgents in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul.
On the day before my departure, The Washington Times carried a front-page photo of an unidentified American soldier cradling a young Iraqi child in his arms. The child was severely wounded by terrorists in Mosul, who used a car bomb to plow through a group of neighborhood children to attack an American patrol. The blast killed two children and injured 15 other Iraqis. Some might say the photo is an example of the horrors of war. It would more accurately be described as portraying the horrors of terrorism. There is something else striking about this photo. The soldier portrayed, though donned with the accoutrements of battle, is cradling the child in his arms with love and care, affection and tenderness. He has wrapped the young Iraqi child in a blanket to keep her warm; to give her comfort; to protect her dignity. The soldier is holding the child close to him, with his head nestled in close to her small body. It looks as though the soldier is either weeping or praying over her. In fact, it's likely he's doing both. You get the sense from the emotion displayed in the photo that, when not just a soldier, this man is a father, the kind of dad that probably takes the whole Little League team out for ice cream after a game.
The love and respect this stranger in an American uniform shows for the wounded Iraqi child is evident. It is yet another example of the many profound acts of kindness, charity and bravery that have been displayed throughout the war by young Americans in uniform. We've heard the stories or seen the photos of a Marine sharing his last drop of water with a thirsty Iraqi child.
The Internet -- unlike many of our major newspapers -- is abuzz with pictures of American warriors sharing laughs with Iraqi youth and weeping over the shattered victims of terrorists. I've had the great fortune to witness many of these acts of kindness firsthand.
After the first Gulf war, there was a proposed movie about the battle of El Khafji. Clint Eastwood was to produce, Tom Clancy to write it, John Milius to direct.
Never got made.
If Willis's movie gets made, it will be a sign that something has changed in Hollywood. I'm not paying for a ticket yet.
I remember that, Bob. Glad to know it didn't come out and flop so badly that no one noticed. Milius would be the director, alright. I don't know if anyone remembers "Red Dawn", by Milius, but it was sort of a ground-breaker for the time. It's STILL good.
The battle itself was the first--or one of the very first--set-piece of Gulf War 1. A Saddam unit--don't recall but it was battalion sized, I think, and armored, tried a spoiling attack on a mixed allied force in their forward staging area, and got ripped up really badly. I think this may be where they learned to think "J-Stars".
Rick, I get the impression that brother Roy has become pretty influential over there. May get Americana going again yet. Keep your fingers crossed. Narnia is set to become their Lucas-style franchise, what, seven of 'em--and the characters age, in the books--could be dynamite.
BTW there's a great essay on CS Lewis over on the Arts & Letters Daily site. Seems he had an especially tough childhood.
Micahel Yon is a wonderful writer and a very nice young man. I did not have any boys, but I would have been very proud if I could have had one like young Mr. Yon.
19 comments:
Terrye,
He and Michael Yon are both heroes, in their own way, in my book.
I have contributed some cash to Michael's efforts, and I feel it was well spent!
Did you see his photo essay on the Deuce Four Homecoming bash?
it's about bloody time, too.
A MOVIE TO MAKE AMERICA PROUD
By Michelle Malkin · November 27, 2005 10:12 AM
The Sunday Times of London follows up on Bruce Willis' plans to make a film about the heroes of Deuce Four, based on the reporting of embedded journalist/blogger extraordinaire Michael Yon:
ANGERED by negative portrayals of the conflict in Iraq, Bruce Willis, the Hollywood star, is to make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy.
It will be based on the exploits of the heavily decorated members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, which has spent the past year battling insurgents in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul.
Jamie was going to comment on the military wives at the bash, but couldn't spell "doughty."
(Easy for doug to say)
Doug,
What are you saying?
I most certainly can spell nubile!
;-)
Jamie
Good ole Brew Swillis.
A film focused on the nobility of our soldiers that includes a bit on the nubility of their wives would seem to have great potential.
That was the Hollywood standard back a-ways, before the long swoon into Moore-ish blather.
Unit history. 24th Infantry Division (Mech)
you don't have to go that far back buddy: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/
Oliver North: A picture is worth a thousand words
.Beiger and Farah.
On the day before my departure, The Washington Times carried a front-page photo of an unidentified American soldier cradling a young Iraqi child in his arms.
The child was severely wounded by terrorists in Mosul, who used a car bomb to plow through a group of neighborhood children to attack an American patrol.
The blast killed two children and injured 15 other Iraqis.
Some might say the photo is an example of the horrors of war.
It would more accurately be described as portraying the horrors of terrorism.
There is something else striking about this photo. The soldier portrayed, though donned with the accoutrements of battle, is cradling the child in his arms with love and care, affection and tenderness. He has wrapped the young Iraqi child in a blanket to keep her warm; to give her comfort; to protect her dignity. The soldier is holding the child close to him, with his head nestled in close to her small body. It looks as though the soldier is either weeping or praying over her. In fact, it's likely he's doing both.
You get the sense from the emotion displayed in the photo that, when not just a soldier, this man is a father, the kind of dad that probably takes the whole Little League team out for ice cream after a game.
The love and respect this stranger in an American uniform shows for the wounded Iraqi child is evident. It is yet another example of the many profound acts of kindness, charity and bravery that have been displayed throughout the war by young
Americans in uniform. We've heard the stories or seen the photos of a Marine
sharing his last drop of water with a thirsty Iraqi child.
The Internet -- unlike many of our major newspapers -- is abuzz with pictures of American warriors sharing laughs with Iraqi youth and weeping over the shattered victims of terrorists.
I've had the great fortune to witness many of these acts of kindness firsthand.
After the first Gulf war, there was a proposed movie about the battle of El Khafji. Clint Eastwood was to produce, Tom Clancy to write it, John Milius to direct.
Never got made.
If Willis's movie gets made, it will be a sign that something has changed in Hollywood. I'm not paying for a ticket yet.
I remember that, Bob. Glad to know it didn't come out and flop so badly that no one noticed. Milius would be the director, alright. I don't know if anyone remembers "Red Dawn", by Milius, but it was sort of a ground-breaker for the time. It's STILL good.
The battle itself was the first--or one of the very first--set-piece of Gulf War 1. A Saddam unit--don't recall but it was battalion sized, I think, and armored, tried a spoiling attack on a mixed allied force in their forward staging area, and got ripped up really badly. I think this may be where they learned to think "J-Stars".
Bob H.,
If Willis took the project to Mel Gibson and Mel agreed to produce it, I'd buy a ticket now.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Disney has done with Narnia. If they did it right, maybe Walt will stop spinning.
Rick, I get the impression that brother Roy has become pretty influential over there. May get Americana going again yet. Keep your fingers crossed. Narnia is set to become their Lucas-style franchise, what, seven of 'em--and the characters age, in the books--could be dynamite.
BTW there's a great essay on CS Lewis over on the Arts & Letters Daily site. Seems he had an especially tough childhood.
Oh, alright!
In the 'Neither here nor there' category, Bruce Willis and I share the same birthday (not date, I'm older).
But then so does Liz Taylor.
Anyway, 'bout time Michael Yon gets some recognition!
Micahel Yon is a wonderful writer and a very nice young man. I did not have any boys, but I would have been very proud if I could have had one like young Mr. Yon.
Syl, lemme guess--Taurus?
Syl didn't say if she's older than Liz ;-)
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