American Sniper: And now a word from the sponsors

Not an add for Haliburton

An NCOIC of mine in 1997 said, "We don't seem to go anywhere without someone making a whole lot of money when we get there." He wasn't clueless, nor was I. It's just where we were at that time, it was getting a little more than obvious. Around two years before, I started hanging out at parties where we carried our "canteen cups" to special NCO in-Services. The joke was the canteen cups were filled with whiskey, while a few retired NCOs, usually E-7 and above, bitched about Clinton. At least there was some bitching about why had the US been deployed to Bosnia, Haiti, and whatnot, not just the fact that we as Army Men (there were a couple serving women around, they didn't mind) didn't like "Reds--" I smirked at Clinton being lumped in with the commies, the dude was always a monarchist in my book. No one was really paying that much attention anyway.  I miss those bi-polar days.

Later, round 2007, despite a Bachelor's in History in '98, I read that major general Smedley D. Butler USMC, said that war is a racket. I then read the book of the same title. I also learned that he prevented a few American business interests from overthrowing the constitutional government of the USA in 1932-33. Apparently these individuals (beyond-rich) and their lackeys (fascists), thought that a popular general would accept the position as figure-head of a very successful nation without comprehending the rather democratic underpinning of his damn book written the decade before, entitled War is a Racket. All I can say, is that anyone having read that book wouldn't have picked the retired General as their coup detete leader, err figure-head. And that pretty much tells you how creative war profiteers are today.

These days in North American culture, bad decisions made twelve years ago need some rectification. Luckily ever liberal Hollywood has decided that renowned liberal actor Clinton Eastwood (with such bleeding heart treasures as Dirty Harry and Heartbreak Ridge) should direct the "anti-war film" American Sniper. Eastwood as you may know, is the most famous life guard to have served in the US Army during the Korean Conflict.  Ah yes, I remember my life guard days in the Army as well-- actually I do, it's harder than you'd think. Is the Conflict a war these days? It's starring producer/actor Bradley Cooper, known for his pacifism from his contributions to a couple Hangover movies, is happy to made a "non-political film" where he gets to shoot Arabs (and maybe a few Persians, Turks, and other folks that don't look like him) in the head.

It would seem American intellectuals are divided about the merits of this film. Ironically, we all keep getting discussion of the film keeps filling my newsfeeds. Most annoyingly is the NPR channels. Well, I am happy for the network not being over-biased into a "liberal" perspective. Heck, the American conservatives have been battling against liberal expression and the big business community has been whole-heatedly supporting this effort. What I am annoyed at the most is the coyness which the paid-off programs and bought articles at the "news source" is dealing upon its listeners.

Before folks started getting vocal about what a bad movie this motion picture is, I got all sorts of side mentions on the radio at NPR. Somehow a big-budget war movie snuck into the Academy Awards nominations. Then later, it was Clint Eastwood being an active director despite being an affluent old person. And then there was a few "Jungian" allusion-inspired references that ended up being about the movie American Sniper by the end of the piece.

When we, not just me, got a little annoyed, at the hype, the response has been reported upon in abstract.  I hear that folks don't dislike this film, but that they are part of the "leftists anti-war hype" surrounding it. As if there is any doubt concerning the network's committment to accepting patronage, NPR doubled down. Terry Gross, the universe's most shoddy Time Lord ever, goes on to get more interviews from the movie's makers. The last time I heard it  was Cooper. His qualifications at making a war movie? He's done USO tours in the Zone. Apparently he knows all about what we're fighting for there. I am sure there will be more.