If you haven't seen this movie yet then run, don't walk to the theater!!

Sgtar15

Sorry I didn't answer your poll, but I feel this movie was made for two reasons;

1. It was a TRUE interesting story.

2. That it had never been told before, the media at the time was saying that the Delta and the Rangers had gotten their asses kicked. I feel they wanted to straighten out the misrepresentation of this event.

If you have to take something from this movie take the fact that Army Rangers and Delta members are the most highly trained group of soldiers on the face of this planet. And even though they were severely let down by the command structure they triumphed out of an impossible situation.

For me seeing this movie and reading the book there are many things that I got out of this situation.
1. The clinton administration had no respect for the military. Clinton used and abused the men and women of our armed forces.

2. Our soldiers are the best trained in the world and it showed in this fire fight. They overcame incredible odds and wooped some serious ass.Estimated dead individuals picked up by the red cross the day after the fire fight was 1,000, but in identifying the amount of fresh graves after the fire fight was close to 4,000. So I would say that close to 4,000 somalias died at the hands of 100 american soldeirs.  Unfortunetly Clinton did not finish the job in Somalia. After that fire fight Aideed's militia was pretty much destroyed.

3. Our military really had no need to be there. The media would have many to believe that the reason why America was there was for the starving people of Somalia, but really they were there to take Aideed out for monitary reasons and for politcal gain for members and friends of those members in the United Nations.

4.The movie showed that in third world countries the way of life is so much different then in america,even if our way of life is the best in the world,it is not our buisness to poke our nose into countries that really dont want our help, if they really want our help then yes we should get involved,but only if they really want to change there way of living.Most third world countries have a tribal culture,not a democratic culture, and in tribal culture the mentallity is much different. Peace is ruled by death and fear,democratic culture is the exact opposite.

4. It showed the reality of war and what the sacrifices people fighting in war will do to save the man next to them even if it will cost that individaul there life, example Smith,the guy that got his leg shot and died in the building because they could not clamp his artery in his leg.

5. The movie honored those who fought and died in that battle that day, which is something that needed to be done because the media and the clinton administration did a shitty job at telling the truth and honoring those men.

6. The movie definately showed that when politics become more important then soldiers lives, soldiers will die.

These are some of the things that I got out of this movie.

The message I got out of the story was an over whelming sense of soldiers being in a situation that was beyond their complete control.

The phrase, "We're just going to drive around until we're all fucking dead", (or words to that affect) I think sums it up pretty well.

In essence the message is some things are within your control, some things aren't. What realy matters is how one handels the things that are.

PapaFish was right on, I would only add this....We need more guys!

Several time during the movie I found myself saying, "they never should have been there in the first place."  There is no strategic significance to the rathole.  The USA's involvement was nothing more than a "Hey look world, see how nice we are to join the UN on this "humanitarian" mission?  Aren't we great!" load of BS.  

And as we all know, as soon as the realities set in - on camera in front of the whole world - Klintoon pulled out like sex romp in the oval office when his secretary walks in.  Damn him.

The next time the US even [b]thinks[/b] about these "UN" humanitarian missions we should all hound our Congressmen with the phrase "Remember Mogadishu".  The UN is made up of a huge contingent of nations, right?  Good.  Then let some of [b]them[/b] take lead on some of these "missions".

Damn Klinton and damn the UN.

CMOS

I read the book, and just a few days ago saw the movie.

I agree with what PAPAFISH  said.

I had the same thoughts a CMOS. All throughout the movie I was thinking: "These boys didn't have to die, they didn't have to suffer. We shouldn't have been there." Although, they did the best they could with the cards they were given. They fought bravely and honorably. The two snipers that died for the pilot are TRUE heros. Let's learn something from this movie and that mission.

And don't be shipping them bastards here to the U.S. of A.

Learn something from a movie?  Get a life, libby.  

Those soldiers, sailers and airmen were [b]MEN[/b], not some wet-behind-the-ears boy with real life experience who was what, 13 when the action went down.  You have not yet lived long enough to call them boys.

There was no message. Just wanted to give the public a firsthand account of what it's like to be in a battle.