U.S. and China Work Together to Rebuild Afghanistan
By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS in Momaki, Afghanistan, and SHAI OSTER in Beijing WSJ 20 June 2009
The U.S. and China have formed an uneasy alliance in the effort to build stability in Afghanistan.
In a valley long known as a Taliban haven, American troops live alongside Chinese road workers. The troops put their lives on the line protecting the workers. The workers put their lives on the line building a road the U.S. military desperately wants completed.
“Asphalt is ammunition,” says Lt. Col. Kimo Gallahue, commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 87th Infantry Regiment, quoting a phrase popular in the military. “Roads are one of the biggest needs in this province.”
Last night, I had the distinct privilege of attending the New York screening of Brothers at War, a movie by Jake Rademacher about his search for meaning in his two brothers’ (Isaac ‘00 and Joe) service in the US Army in Iraq. The movie is produced by Gary Sinise (himself an ardent supporter of military causes), David Scantling and Norman S. Powell (who produced Gunsmoke and most recently American Valor – about Medal of Honor winners). Because of Mr. Sinise’s involvement, the film is getting much needed exposure and has a chance to make a huge impact across the country.
An important Audience
The screening was in an intimate, smaller theater on New York’s Upper East Side. We were honored by the presence of Medal of Honor winner Jack Jacobs, Marine G Sgt Edward Allier (a tough as nails and really funny guy – prominently featured in the film), the family of Isaac’s wife Jennifer (also ‘00), and numerous mom’s, dad’s and widows of veterans. Special, indeed. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, mine included.
Other reviews
I am not a film critic, so you can read very thorough reviews in the Washington Times or the Herald Review, among others. My focus is on how the film relates to us as grads.
An excellent synopsis of the movie
My humble thoughts
Brothers at War struck me in the way it struck everyone else in the audience – a real sense of understanding the true hardships of deployment, the strain on families, and the pride in having a positive and accurate portrayal of all of us as American’s serving our country. It is that last reason that really hit home, however. On a personal note, I have vivid memories of my 1st interview at Goldman Sachs when a (young) associate leaned over the table and aggressively stated
“You West Pointers are all the same aren’t you? I mean it’s ‘Yes, Sir – Yes, Sir – Three bags full’ You’re all automatons who do what your told. Well, this is Wall Street and we need to think on our feet here and not just wait to be told what to do”
That misconception is somewhat prevalent in the civilian world and this film does a wonderful job portraying soldiers as they really are: thoughtful, articulate, well informed, and caring human beings. It should be the mission of every one of you to force your non-military friends to watch this important story.
The reason this Film was made
Please share your experiences, thoughts and reactions below.
A .ppt presentation summarizing the results and conclusions of the recent cadet and graduate survey regarding relocation of the Patton memorial can be found at http://www.slideshare.net/secret/IkU9TgNYQx1J4v
Click on “full” at the bottom of the screen to enlarge the image.
Please forward this information to your classmates and local WP Society – and leave additional comments at the slideshare site. (You have to register to comment, but it’s benign!)
The results of the survey have been provided to Kim McDermott, AOG Director of Communications, who assures me they will be forwarded to the Museum Historical and Memorialization Committee.
Many thanks to all those who participated in the survey.
CPT Hill is accused of mistreating prisoners under his control. It seems that he is stepping up and acknowledging what he did, which is admirable under these conditions and considering the consequences; jail. If there is anyone familiar with this case, please educate us on the details of the events. It would be interesting to know;
The reason his BN Cdr was out of touch with a forward unit for days.
Were CPT Hill’s actions really contrary to the Geneva Convention, or are we witnessing the softening of the Military’s resolve to face bad, though ignarant PR?
Is this a failure of the Academy to prepare its graduates for these decisions?
If any cadets read this request, please forward it to others who might be interested in the issue of where the Patton statue should be installed this spring. We’d like to include cadet opinions in our survey results. So far, 70+ grads have expressed the opinion that Patton’s statue should be as close as possible to it’s original location near the library, where it can be seen by all cadets on a daily basis. Opinions differ on whether the figure should face the library or the Plain. Please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=5RRC36UCsc6RSiiELijbxg_3d_3dor http://tinyurl.com/c2ol2rto complete an unofficial survey of Cadets and graduates by an old grad to provide unsolicited input to the Museum Historical and Memorialization Committee re the new location for the Patton statue.
It’s Day 7 for Jack! I know it’s a bit odd how he never eats or uses the bathroom but he’s Jack! I hope we don’t have to always be serious here. In many ways though, “24″, besides being great entertainment, is a thoughtful show.
The immediate question, and one that seems poised to be a central theme of the new season, is the use of torture. How far do we go to get information that could prevent massive terrorist attacks? For grads in combat situations or cadets preparing to enter one, it’s a vital question.
I’m looking forward to see how “24″ explores the issue.
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