SM Profilee – Lt (now Captain) Neil Prakash is now a radio star. Sort of. PunditReview has a recording of a tribute to Neil carried on talk radio detailing the actions which earned him a Silver Star in Iraq. A few excerpts of which are quoted –
One thing you’ve gotta know about Neil – he runs to the sound of gunfire…. There were hundreds of men firing at his small platoon of 4 tanks… They tried to approach the tank and drop hand grenades into the hatches..The battle raged on for about an hour… all in all, Lt Neil Prakash’s platoon were hit by 23 IED’s and over 20 RPG’s. Prakash’s tank alone … took 4-8 direct RPG’s. Neil personally killed 8 machine gun and RPG teams and the platoon had 25 confirmed kills with an estimated 60 additional insurgents
For his valor on Jun 24, 1st LT Neil Prakash was awarded the Silver Star…. He was also later awarded a Bronze Star [for a different engagement]”
Now some will sneer about the Americanized pronounciation of brother Neil’s name – “Neil Prack-ish”. Others about the patriotic/romantic music in the background while his tribute is read. And still others will sneer about Neil’s engagement overall in the business of the Iraq war. Not me.
But hopefully, regardless of how you feel, we can take a moment to commend an individual who’s risked far more for an abstract cause than many of us who sit comfortably in our air-conditioned offices.
Neil was first covered in Sepia Mutiny’s youth back in November 2004 and that initial coverage was, in part, responsible for leading Neil to join the ranks of milbloggers. Neil recorded his exploits in a wonderful narrative style on his own blog – Armor Geddon – and a few posts have been expanded into a recently published compendium book written by milbloggers – The Blog of War.
Bravo.
Previous SM Coverage of Neil’s Silver Star. Neil’s blog entry on the eve of his foray into Fallujah.
And some will make the tired old “house ….” and “uncle ….” comments. Having several family members who have served in the military, I applaud Neil’s service to the military and the country. Not many people have the guts to be willing to do that.
Summary of the comments to follow: Its (sic) all BushHitlerHalliburton’s fault/warforoil/racistRepublikans/ChristianRight/Noterroristthreat/Iraqquagmire/allbecauseofIsrael/religionofpeace/intolerantBrahmins/oustModi/Visualize WhirledPeas/etc….but I like Neil even though he is a traitor/idiot/hick/tooloffascism/etc…
Vinod, my friend, I wish you would post more at your own blog so I would not have to come here. These wannabe-whiteys make me sick.
Deleted in 5..4..3..2..
But hopefully, regardless of how you feel, we can take a moment to commend an individual whoÂ’s risked far more for an abstract cause than many of us who sit comfortably in our air-conditioned offices.
Agreed! I wish I was on the side of Neil Prakash, watching his back while he fought back against the evil-doers. I am glad Neil is fighting them over there so I dont have to fight them at the local grocery store here. I think this is an appropriate post for those of us who have forgotten about 9-11 (did you know its the 5th year anniversary of 9-11 in 6 days!) Remember, over 2700 people were killed by the Islamo-fascists on 9-11. Iraq is the central front in the war on terror and we cannot repeat the mistakes of 1938.
Yep right on cue…
Uh, Al M, he’s in the military, dude. He’s gonna go where he’s told to go, whether it’s Clinton sending him to Bosnia or Bush to Iraq or Hillary to, uh, probably Iraq? And people who try to blow up men and women standing in line to vote, or say, shop in a market for vegetables, are kinda evil so I don’t understand why the whole evil-doer thing brings the hilarity. If you can’t call someone who purposely targets a civilian for death, children included, evil, well, uh, why not just scrub the entire word from the dictionary.
Yep right on cue…
If you dont believe my post is serious, I am presuming you would also have laughed off Hitler in 1938. Are you related to his man? As President Bush said today, the Islamo-fascists are wanting to set up an Islamic Caliphate in Iraq and its only because of people like Neil Prakash that the march towards the West by the upcoming Islamic Caliphate has not begun. Would you also be so sceptical when the Islamo-fascists led by Islamo-nazi Ahmedenijad stake a claim on France and lay a 100 year siege on the East Coast.
Being pro (US) military on this board is a minority view. Using the military to protect even US borders is not acceptable either. Am sure a long diatribe on Posse Comitatus will ensue.
Of course it is… Am sure you are running down to the local recuriting station to join Capt Prakash too… 😉
If you can’t call someone who purposely targets a civilian for death, children included, evil, well, uh, why not just scrub the entire word from the dictionary.
I prefer Islamo-fascist or Islamo-nazi. On this site, some people actually believe that Islam is a ROP (LOL!)
Of course it is… Am sure you are running down to the local recuriting station to join Capt Prakash too… 😉
Nah, I think I am better suited for fighting the WW3 on the Internet. I think we need moral clarity to fight this war against Islamo-fascism and be especially vigilant of the 5th column practitioners of the ROP. (ROP:LOL!)
Didn’t take long for the thread jacking to start with the Colbertian smarminess.
Right on, Captain Prakash.
“This, I realized now watching Dienekes rally and tend to his men, was the role of the officer: to prevent those under his command, at all states of battle-before, during and after-from becoming ‘Possessed.’ To fire their valor when it flagged and rein in their fury when it threatened to take them out of hand. That was DienekesÂ’ job. That was why he wore the transverse-crested helmet of an OFFICER.”
Gates of Fire – Steven Pressfield
I would go fight a war to, but only if they had cool weapons like light sabers and laser beams and photon torpedos, none of these simple weapons we have today.
thanks for this article. i also enjoyed Abhi’s article titled G.I. Josna, another Indian American patriot willing to risk their life for sometihng in which they believe. all the best to these young soldiers.
Long time, no blog, Vinod!
i think the war is idiotic, but nevertheless, sociologically, the experience of these desi-american soldiers is something i am very interested in. this site is a place to observe, discuss, disseminate, aspects of the desi-diasporic experience, particularly in the US, and being in the military is part of it. if we were a latino site this would be taken for granted, and many of us, no matter our opinion on the war, would know someone, or know someone who knew someone, serving in iraq or afghanistan. i see no reason why our support or disapproval of the war should diminish our interest in the experience of desis involved in it — in any capacity i might add, whether soldiers or contractors or aid workers or journalists or anything else. quite the contrary, it’s a high stakes environment, and that makes the stories all the more compelling.
not long ago i talked with a rolling stone writer who had interviewed a bunch of soldiers back from iraq about the music they listened to while in combat. amazing stories about ipods shuffling through rigged-up sound systems in armored personnel carriers, anything from eminem to britney spears piping into these kids’ ears as they take fire and fire back. reading his article and just thinking about the bigger picture made me realize how completely utterly disconnected we (and most americans, and most american voters, and most american politicians and elected officials, etc) are from the experiences of these young people.
it’s all about human beings, and stories. the stories of the soldiers are as 100% legitimate as are anyone else’s, and given the state of things, they deserve more broadcasting, not less. at the same time, those whose contribution to a thread like this one is merely to carp about how it’s going to bring out people who oppose the war, aren’t doing much themselves to respond and react to the stories. is your point to hear a person’s story and try to feel it deeply, or is it to bitch about other people’s anticipated bitching? supporting or opposing the war are both legitimate points of view and if we can’t share them on a post about the war, then where the hell? but bitching for bitching’s sake, from any direction, is pathetic in the face of material like this. peace
My little sister (and sole sibling) has been active duty for over a decade. She re-upped TWICE. Barring some reason for her not to be, she will be deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan within weeks.
As far as I understood it, this blog may be anti-war, but it is pro-military. Please don’t take your rage over W. out on people whose lives are decided by his whims. I know I don’t.
I am a part of this blog because I want to examine any and all aspects of this collective “brown” experience; not just those which the majority will type hosanna after. I’d like to see more courtesy from ALL sides, all over this blog; according to everyone I met in SF on Thursday and Saturday, they would, too.
but bitching for bitching’s sake, from any direction, is pathetic in the face of material like this. peace
I think dispassionate analysis about the lives of soldiers who are damn proud of their service in Iraq might be a little difficult for some of us. It is of course possible for a sociologist to surgically remove the war from the warrior and focus on the unique desi experience of the soldier, but IMO a celebration of the actions of the warrior in this war is not something everybody should accept and move on.
As far as I understood it, this blog may be anti-war, but it is pro-military. Please don’t take your rage over W. out on people whose lives are decided by his whims. I know I don’t.
I am not sure how do you remove the soldiers from the war. I understand that most soldiers dont have a choice about going to Iraq but they sure do have a choice to not cheer the war after they come back from the war. I am yet to see evidence that the soldiers who come from Iraq become anti-war.
amfd
it’s not about dispassionate analysis, it’s about being open to stories. analyzing the war is easy enough. i suspect you and i analyze it in much the same way. but learning about the experiences of the soldiers is very valuable, i think. it’s perfectly possible to criticize the war and be genuinely interested in the experiences of the soldiers. there’s debate about whether they’re defending our freedom, but there’s no debate that they’re spending our tax money. and they’ll be back, and many will be traumatised, and when they are, we should be equipped to be compassionate. besides, “proud of service” doesn’t necessarily mean “supports the war.” any recent in-depth article from iraq will tell you that many (most?) of the soldiers don’t know why the hell they’re there, yet are proud to receive and execute their orders. that very phenomenon is worth discussing — but only if we accept them as human beings and fellow citizens caught up in something that is bigger than they.
no one said we should move on. it’s about how we engage the material.
as for what anna said:
respectfully that is not my view. i don’t see this blog as pro- or anti- the war or the military. this blog doesn’t write editorials that all of us agree with — thank god. the individual bloggers have their own opinions. some of us have expressed our opinions clearly, others not. some of us aren’t comfortable with being “pro-” or “anti-” the military, in the abstract. the military exists, i deal with it. that’s neither pro nor anti. but that’s just me.
that quibble aside, i totally agree with anna’s call for courtesy… and extend best wishes to her sister.
Some numbers on US Soldiers views: While 85% said the U.S. mission is mainly “to retaliate for Saddam’s role in the 9-11 attacks,” 77% said they also believe the main or a major reason for the war was “to stop Saddam from protecting al Qaeda in Iraq.” If an overwhelming number of them believe that they attacked Iraq to avenge 9-11, they sure do believe in the war! 72% do believe that the US should leave Iraq within a year so they dont want to continue the war anymore.
Alright, no more sarcasm laden posts from me about Neil Prakash. Good night and peace out 🙂
Anyone know of any blogs by/about Indians in the British army that are deployed in Iraq ? I’d be curious to read how different (or not) their experiences have been from their USian counterparts.
Defering to Siddhartha’s call for courtesy, I will refrain and be respectful. But let me answer few things:
I am yet to see evidence that the soldiers who come from Iraq become anti-war. If you are refering to Vietnam, it happened pretty late in the game. American involvement had started in early sixties, and it was very late in the game when the soldiers and students spoke out. Essentially, college students when they knew the draft lottery would reach them. In fact, in some history is slowly repeating with public opinion shifting very slowly. Personally, I am not in the liberal Democrats camp on this issue.
Same for Israel in Lebanon….the whole mother’s movement.
I live in a campus town, and I know a few reserves who just came back from Iraq……if you talk to them privately they will express strong views (with a wide spectrum), not in public to undermine their brothers and sisters yet.
Safe tour of duty to Anna’s sister.
No matter how much Vinod and Vikram would like to reclaim the soldier’s identity (their valor, their leadership, their humanity, their youth and captivity to human nature) as a narrative, this war unleashed two abominal failures- one strategic, the other moral- which will relegate the narrative to the dusty annals of history, rightly or wrongly. The first failure is akin to the Dereliction of Duty regarding Vietnam. The second is the complicit slaughter of a people who did not harm one American.
If we strive to collectively be a better people, both should weigh on our conscience very heavily. And both are above ones politics.
no von mises,
i agree with your two diagnoses of failure. however the more we compare this with vietnam, the more at the very least we should be sensitive to the traumatic experiences of the soldiers there. the PTSD hits later, and back home. will we be compassionate then? will we give them the care they need? all this is part of the story.
of course, the stories of iraqis are every bit as important, and even less understood. in this regard i just started reading “night draws near: iraq’s people in the shadow of america’s war,” the book by anthony shadid, the reporter for the washington post who has perhaps been the best, most informative and enlightening american journalist in iraq, receiving a pulitzer for his reporting there. i’m only at the beginning, but it’s already deep.
This blog is many things and all things but it is not a conundrum, like the statement above. The institution of the military is not mutually exclusive from the practice of war. As I applaud myself for that truism, let me add to Siddhartha’s eloquence and say that being pro-this, anti-that is to not allow history’s complexities to reveal itself.
Sigh. I’m inclined to just quote Number Six and call it a night, but there’s plenty else to say.
First. I wholeheartedly agree with every last word that Siddhartha has said in his comments, especially this:
Second. I also wholeheartedly agree with this, Vinod, that you have said:
Stipulating, of course, that many of those air-conditioned offices are located in Arlington and Washington (“I had other priorities in the 60s than military service“) and are the very offices from which half-baked war plans were formulated — the very offices that have ordered the deployment of Captain Prakash and many others. Not just, in other words, the offices of those who oppose the war.
Third. With much, MUCH more visceral certainty than any of that, I feel nothing but support and respect for ANNA’s sister and her family. Unconditionally and unequivocally, with only love, concern, appreciation, and profound respect. As she knows, since I tell her that somewhat frequently.
Fourth. In that context, Vinod, it puzzles and disappoints me that you would implicitly assume — and, for that matter, bait — the worst in people who (apparently?? I don’t want to assume too quickly, but this is how it seems) disagree with you about the war by saying things like, “Now some will sneer….[etc.]”? Can’t you rise above that? What is it that compels you to anticipate such sneering before it takes place? Or can you not help but assume that anyone who thinks the people who took us into this war are idiots (or short of that, who opposes the war for whatever other reason) also will sneer in this fashion?
I deeply appreciate your sharing Captain Prakash’s story with all of us, for all of the reasons that Siddhartha notes and many other reasons, and believe with tremendous conviction that Sepia would be a lesser place if you weren’t here to do so. Honestly and sincerely, and that needs to be emphasized and lingered upon. (What’s the point, after all, in living in an echo chamber? That would just make all of us deaf to new and unfamiliar sounds.) And I have as much concern, appreciation, and respect for Captain Prakash as I do for ANNA’s sister.
But for you to take a page out of the O’Reilly playbook with the “some will sneer” rhetorical move is unnecessary and profoundly unbecoming. “Some will sneer”?? Well, sure. All of us can always find someone who will sneer about something. Give me something — anything — and in no time I’ll find you someone who can sneer about it. More specifically, there’s always someone who will do just about anything to advance their political agenda. Heck, there are even people out there willing to imply that folks who question the competence and judgment of those who have taken us into this war are “for the terrorists” or akin to those who “appeased Nazism.” Wow, can you imagine that? What a$$hole$.
But Vinod, why go there? Is that really where you wanted to take the discussion in this thread? Is that the best way to respectfully honor and focus all of our attention on the story of someone like Captain Prakash, as opposed to simply politicizing it? News flash, my friend: large numbers of patriotic, troops-supporting people in this country who respect folks like Captain Prakash question the wisdom and competence of those who have taken us into this fiasco. (And, incidentally — you want to talk about resentment? — who are probably making my subway commute less safe by the day.) Just as large numbers of people who supported that decision are decent, well-intentioned people with only the best interests of our community, society, nation, and world in mind — even if I might disagree with them. I assume that the right of all of these folks to freely express their beliefs and engage each other in dialogue — free, that is, not simply from government interference, but also from having their motivations reflexivly impugned without any basis — is, in fact, what people like Captain Prakash are fighting for.
Sure, some people who oppose the war are disrespectful morons. But then again, so are plenty of those who
ordered us into itsupport it.Is that the discussion you really wanted to invite when you posted this story? Gross negligence on your part if you thought that you wouldn’t to some extent invite that kind of discussion — mind you, a perfectly legitimate discussion in many, many contexts — after waving the red cape suggesting that “some will sneer….” I mean, one only has to read this blog for a few
dayshours to know that it takes a lot less than that to cause things to get overheated and ridiculous rather quickly.:+: [borrowed transitional device]
Deep appreciation and much respect to Captain Prakash for his service, and to you, Vinod, for sharing this story with us, which certainly might not have happened if you hadn’t done so. Really. And ongoing thoughts for the safety and well-being of Captain Prakash, ANNA’s sister, and everyone else on the front lines — and for the peace of mind of their loved ones, who must be both proud and anxious during every last moment that they are over there.
peace pp
the book by anthony shadid, the reporter for the washington post who has perhaps been the best, most informative and enlightening american journalist in iraq, receiving a pulitzer for his reporting there.
Anthony Shadid is awesome. He very well might be the best American reporter in the Middle East. His reporting on Iraq was indeed brilliant. He is probably the only American journalist who understand the Shiites at any level and should be the man to read if the US goes to war against Iran. He was almost killed in Ramallah while working for the Boston Globe. I am glad he survived.
*understands
I’m definitely proud of this soldier, but I feel dubya is squandering these lives on a pointless exercise. My opposition is not based on pan-brown identity politics, but rather the impossibility of achieving the stated neocon goal (i.e. the creation of a secular democracy). How do you console bereaved families with “Your soldier died giving the Iraqi people the right to vote, which they promptly used to create a backward state that will lean towards Iran” ?
About 2 yrs of history on this blog compels me to anticipate the sort of response an article like this would generate. Call it a lucky, well-edumacated guess.
well, a clever response, but not well-edumacated enough. and don’t underestimate the extent to which you — the extent to which we all — reap what we sow.
The second is the complicit slaughter of a people who did not harm one American
I am not going to argue. I am just trying to understand the other side. So a few questions ( the reason for going to war notwithstanding ). Could you please tell me specifically who slaughtered whom? Are you telling me that Americans are going around killing Iraqis? Or is it Sunnis killing Shias and vice versa? Or are you saying that Americans have somehow sowed the seeds of hatred among those two sects overnight that they have now begun to kill each other? Whatever happened to the sensitive liberal’s compassion for the minority community? Shias and Kurds freed after decades of repression. Was there a diplomatic way to achieve this? How long would it have taken? How long would it have taken for statecraft to dislodge brutal Saddam and his goon sons? Do you also imply like many liberals do that Arabs/Muslims are inferior enough to appreciate democracy and so should be left to their own primitive devices?
About 2 yrs of history on this blog compels me to anticipate the sort of response an article like this would generate.
You were prescient; Alright, no more sarcasm laden posts from me about Neil Prakash
I’ll second this. Listen to the stories of Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, or Airmen. Take it for what it is. Some of it may not fit your world perspective, some of it may, but you will most definitely be educated for having heard them out. Their experiences are unique and the public at large, considering how much the military has been a part of our system, are still particularly uninformed on the workings of the military, code, structure, attitude, missions, officers, NCOs, green boots, etc.
Today’s volunteer military is probably the best it’s ever been, yet many challenges remain. Brown, White, Black, whatever color or religion, troops do their job. These folks aren’t demigods, nor are they ‘necessary’ evil. They’re citizens just like you and me who decided to embark upon a journey that puts them in dangerous places, trusting the Republic (you, me, leaders, professionals, etc.) in making whatever call it feels necessary.
This isn’t a ‘brown’ blog, but please go ahead and read it: Magic Kingdom Dispatch. It is about an Army Ranger’s experiences in Grenada, Ranger training, Special Forces medic training, and life in general. It isn’t about the current events, but I’ll be damned if the Ranger doesn’t pour his soul into words and gives an outsider and very deep look into someone who has been through conflict (a mere footnote for Americans and history, but very real lessons learned indeed). It is mature, soulful, touching, and raw.
Anna: Godspeed and goodluck to your Sister.
Could you please tell me specifically who slaughtered whom? Are you telling me that Americans are going around killing Iraqis? Or is it Sunnis killing Shias and vice versa? Or are you saying that Americans have somehow sowed the seeds of hatred among those two sects overnight that they have now begun to kill each other? Whatever happened to the sensitive liberal’s compassion for the minority community? Shias and Kurds freed after decades of repression. Was there a diplomatic way to achieve this? How long would it have taken? How long would it have taken for statecraft to dislodge brutal Saddam and his goon sons? Do you also imply like many liberals do that Arabs/Muslims are inferior enough to appreciate democracy and so should be left to their own primitive devices?
The right has become a parody of itself.
Some of the comments on here are disgusting. Give the guy some credit. While you’re picking up your extra-extra tall Macchiato, he’s putting his ass on the line for you latte drinking,lily-livered ungrateful pieces of shit. Proud of you soldier.
Easy there. Thanks. A little courtesy never hurt anyone. As for whether the comments here are “disgusting” why don’t you scroll back up and tell me how many there are. Looks like a pretty thoughtful exchange to me, or maybe you didn’t notice comments 15 through 21 and 24 through 36. Now, do you have anything constructive to say?
SM Intern….I was trying to be sarcastic…I guess my attempt fell flat on its face.
Admiration for the soldiers should not be confused with support for the war.
On this most of us agree.
But neither should compassion for the soldier be confused with admiration for the soldier.
There’s less agreement on this. It’s as if we are programmed to automatically admire soldiers no matter what. Heroic, selfless, etc. (read, if you haven’t yet, Chris Hedges’ book, “War is a Force that Gives us Meaning.”)
Personally, I don’t support this war, and I don’t admire this soldier. Particularly since there is no forcible draft, the question of fighting in this war is firmly in the realm of individual choice. It is an illegal, immoral and ineffectual war. Just because someone’s too close to it to see that doesn’t automatically earn him my admiration. I don’t admire the atrocities taking place in that uniform (and you better believe they are atrocities), I don’t admire the “I raided Fallujah because I was just doing my job.”
However, I do feel a great deal of compassion for young people who have bought into the narrative of “defending their country,” just as I do for the young people in Iraq who have convinced themselves that they are “defending their culture.” I’m certainly not going to feel awe for a guy simply because he puts on an American military uniform and obeys orders. What those orders are makes all the difference in the world.
I do wonder if people on these boards would find the Americans so heroic if they were occupying Delhi and had just stoked a civil war there. And “collaterally” killed a few grandmothers in the course of their duties. Who it hurts can sometimes make all the difference in our thinking.
While you’re picking up your extra-extra tall Macchiato
Oh please! Some of us are picking up the new Banana Coconut Frappuccino (venti always!) with extra malt and whipped cream. Delicious! Has anybody here tried the new Pumpkin Spice blended creme frappuccino?
AlMfD is turning into the Niles Crane of SM 😉
(joking)
(Big fan of Frasier, by the way)
More seriously – AlMfD, you may find the following article quite interesting reading. It’s apparently a summary of Al-Qaeda/OBL’s global plans for the next 20 years, written by a Jordanian journalist who has been in contact with some of the organisation’s leaders. I’m not sure how accurate it really is, but it’s very detailed and talks about a “7 Phase Masterplan”. Please check it out here.
(Many thanks to Sunny at Pickled Politics for originally supplying the link to the article).
DesiDawg – Aiight, point taken. Thanks for clarifying!
Mr K — thanks for that exceedingly thoughtful and thought-provoking set of distinctions.
hey, if you’re free sometime, maybe we can go find an air-conditioned office and grab a macaca-hiato. and sneer together, since clearly that’s what all people who oppose the war do. 😉
No Von Mises – “The second is the complicit slaughter of a people who did not harm one American.”
Unlike the Serbs, who slaughtered Americans by the hundreds.
p.s. not to be nitpicking – they [the eye-rakis] did harm, indeed kill, many Americans in the first gulf war, when the nutcase invaded his neighbour, who had not harmed any eye-rakis.
Vinod – Many thanks!
Re: First Iraq War:
You mean these 147 US battle deaths?
drop bombs on people that look like us.
If that is the yardstick – then the U.S. should not have gone to war with Germany or Italy. Most wars are between nations groups that “look” like each other – India/Pakistan, China/Japan, Germany/France, Tutsis/Hutus. I remember watching the third part of Lord of the Rings and thinking “This is why so many Americans think war is admirable; they make it look so cool and noble all the time.”
Right – cause those American lads couldn’t wait to join the army so they could use a catapult or battering ram. Of course, you leave out more relevant films like Black Hawk Down, which shows what sort of chaos ensues when the military is thrust into an arena in knows little about.
IMO – the Arabs are hopeless. We should not expend any more of our lives to try to establish a government they are not ready for. While there are certainly a variety of Arab regimes, ranging from the corrupt family rule in Saudi Arabia, to enlightened royal rule in UAE, to dynastic rule in Jordan and Egypt – to murderous Sudanese. If democracy eventually comes about, all well and good. For those Arabs that are truly ready for democracy – let’s give them a a ticket to Dearborn and welcome them with open arms. Let the rest just slaughter each other.
Lord Of the Rings was written by a British writer and the film was directed by a New Zealander and starred several non-Americans in major roles. Not sure how you make the leap from that to it being a pro-American war propaganda film.