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Sebastian on Meet the Press
Watching Junger on Meet the Press this morning was glorious! My respect for this guy just keeps growing! He totally put Congresswoman Lee in her place this morning as the panel discussed Afghanistan. She seemed completely speechless as he pointed out that more Afghani people died under the Taliban than during the war. I wanted to jump through the television and high five him when he chastised her for calling it an "occupation" and then pointed out that Al-Qaeda is sitting across the border in Pakistan and that they will return to Afghanistan once we leave. A few times the camera flashed to Junger and you could see him clenching his jaw as she spoke. She seems so ill-informed.
What I respect most about Junger is the fact that he uses fact, not ideals, to back up his stance on Afghanistan. On Meet the Press, he stated that the "left" always points out the humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan as a result of the war but they seem to forget how horrific the situation was like for Afghanis prior to the US invasion. He has numbers, facts, and empirical evidence to prove his point. The congresswoman only had sentiment and party rhetoric.
Politics aside, I am going to see Restrepo tomorrow at the National Geographic Society in DC. I cannot wait! I'm extremely excited to see the film; however, my boyfriend, who fought in and around Ghazni, Afghanistan has some trepidation. He tried to read War (I went on and on about how wonderful it is) but he couldn't get past page five. I think it started to open up old wounds and ressurrected some ghosts. I've told him he can bow out but I've talked so much about the book and the film, I think he wants to see for himself.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by mouse on -
I'm going to write more about this after I finish watching (I DVR'd it), but this is fascinating stuff and lots that I didn't know. Learning about Afghanistan is really like peeling an onion.
Transcript
Video
[Click on June 27th, Netcast]
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Permalink Reply by Sebastian Junger on -
Thank you for what you said, it is very appreciated. I hope you got to see the movie and liked it.
Best,
Sebastian
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Permalink Reply by Rhonda S on
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Sebastian,
Yes, I saw Restrepo and thought it was amazing. As I told Brendan O'Byrne, I don't think I blinked the entire time the film was rolling. I think it was a brilliant idea to not include narration and to exclude yourself (and Tim) from being seen or heard. It definitely added to the sense that the viewer was a silent witness at Restrepo.
I really enjoyed the Q&A session and it was nice to see Kearney and Pemble there as well.
Good luck with the film. I hope it does well and that people honor these men by going to see it. It's an amazing tribute to our soldiers.
Sebastian Junger said:Thank you for what you said, it is very appreciated. I hope you got to see the movie and liked it.
Best,
Sebastian
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Permalink Reply by CHRISTOPHER C. HENES on -
Rhonda:
Wherever you are, there is a VET Center that can help your bf deal with whatever issues he may have. They can be reached toll free at 1-800-905-4675.
I have worked with them since 2001 and they do a fine job.
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Permalink Reply by David Emerson on -
As civilians, my wife and I were deeply grateful for this film. I do wonder how helpful it is for the men and women who have been there. Have they seen enough? For example, I am skeptical of the "exposure therapies" that are in vogue with the military right now for Soldiers and Marines with PTSD. I would be really interested to hear how Veterans feel about these issues if anyone cares to respond. Thank you.
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