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Zero Dark Thirty

Discussion in 'History Forum' started by RoninFin4, Jan 11, 2013.

  1. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I just saw "Zero Dark Thirty" the movie about hunting down Usama Bin Laden, and the raid to kill him. I must say, it was excellent. Having read the book "No Easy Day" written by 'Mark Owen', I must say, the movie portrayal was pretty damn accurate. There were a few things left out in the movie that Owen detailed, but overall, I was really impressed.

    The movie also chronicled the CIA's hunt for Bin Laden from 2003 until May 2, 2011 very well, at least based on shows I've seen about it.

    Overall though, excellent book. Excellent movie, very well done. I've got a few friends in Special Ops and I've got a new-found respect for all of them after having seen that movie.

    Just thought I'd share, being somewhat of a military buff, and knowing quite a few people in service, or in positions that deal with the military branches. Made me feel proud to be an American.
     
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  2. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    I waiting to get my sons together to go and see it.I am also a military buff with particular interest in WW2 .

    I heard it was very good but apparently inaccurate with regards to torture which never happened.:shifty:

    IMO the producers took the liberty of embellishing that part .
     
  3. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Not too familiar with the torture and interrogation things that did or didn't take place. But, it was very interesting nonetheless.

    As far as the actual raid to kill bin Laden, I'm much more familiar with that having read "No Easy Day". They did an outstanding job of accurately portraying that mission. There's only 1 minor detail that I didn't think matched up, and even then, it didn't hit me until I thought about it more after the movie. It was great.
     
  4. King Felix

    King Felix Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    the premise is intriguing but it seems like it would be pretty drawn out
     
  5. King Felix

    King Felix Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    which detail?
     
  6. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I believe in the book, the SEALS tried to call out Osama's name, like they did to his son, and got him to peek around a corner and shot him. I believe the account in the book said that they called his name, nothing happened, infiltrated the next door and shot him there. In the movie, they call him out, and you see a head (Osama's) peek out of a doorway. They shoot him, then proceed to clear the room, etc. Other than that, the raid portion was pretty damn spot-on in my opinion. Obviously, the book may have "fudged" some of the details, so perhaps the movie is more accurate - either way, that part of it was superb.

    The movie itself, from the beginning until they identify the compound in Abbottobad, is somewhat drawn out, but I liked it. If you've ever seen the movie "The Good Shepherd" with Matt Damon, I thought the first 2/3 were a little like that, but with more action involved.
     
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  7. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    Just pissed they came out with it in general......yeah it is cool to see, but public shouldn't be seeing this stuff....

    SpecOp has and always should remain covert....
     
  8. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    If you've watched shows on the Military Channel, there's really not a whole lot that was shown in the movie that you wouldn't have already seen, tactically, in shows already. Some of the equipment is more updated - the HK416 rifles, MP7 sub machine guns, the NGVs, gun lasers and scopes, but there's really nothing you can glean from it militarily in terms of information, that's not already available publicly.

    One thing that was iterated in the "No Easy Day" book, and a book called "Kill Bin Laden" - written by the ex-Delta Force Commander that recounts his command during the Battle of Tora Bora in 2001, was that the SpecOp community pretty much always is churning out new gear and equipment. So, it's reasonable to believe that some of the stuff in the movie could be outdated by now. For instance, I think the HK416 rifle is pretty much in widestream use by all branches of the US Armed Forces now, not just special ops.
     
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  9. finyank13

    finyank13 Reality Check

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    yeah I agree but I was talking more on Intelligence gathering methods....how we go about doing it, and it being depicted on the silver screen. The stuff in that respect you see on TV is already outdated. HUMIT is a forever and constant changing animal....
     
  10. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Yes, I DEFINITELY agree with you there. I interpreted that incorrectly; my fault. 100% agreement that HUMINT is a different beast all-together, and I think it will always be one of, if not the most important, of intelligence gathering methods.
     
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  11. Alex13

    Alex13 Tua Time !!! Club Member

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    will watch it today
     
  12. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Hope you enjoy it. I must say, having read "No Easy Day" and "Kill Bin Laden" prior to viewing it made it even better.
     
  13. gafinfan

    gafinfan gunner Club Member

    Enjoyed the movie, overall considering it covered a 10 year span, it moved along pretty good with the actual takedown showing little or nothing of real value. Which is as it should be IMV.

    As to the torture, waterboarding and other tactics, Why would the CIA or anyother government branch give away the true nature of such methods. It plays into their hands that what was shown was cruel "If you lie I will hurt you!" says it all.

    The real issue in my mind was the amount of time it took to get the President to act on the intel at hand .... way to long IMO.
     
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