The Truth is Unspeakable; American Sniper unloads on 'American Sniper'

I usually stay out of threads connected to those who have served in the military. I haven't served, and threads debating the merits and ethics of serving in the military seldom are harmonious. I came across this article this morning, and whatever one's opinion of Chris Kyle, I think the piece is well worth reading as it offers the opinion of another person whose job was that of a sniper

www.salon.com...

On his first kill he states;

Hearing Garett Reppenhagen describe how he felt the first time he shot someone is like listening to an addict talk about his first time injecting heroin. “I leveled my M-4, put him in my iron sights, and took three shots. One of them hit him center mass and he went down in the middle of the road. I had this instant sense of satisfaction, overwhelming excitement and pride. It was really kind of an ecstatic feeling that I had.”

Gerrett's feelings of pride and satisfaction did not seem to last very long.

Take Garett’s first hit, the one he described as giving him a feeling of ecstasy. The feeling did not last long. His target was not dead.

“I remember looking back and he was down in the middle of the road arching his body, spinning on his back and screaming and pulling on his stomach as if I shot him with an arrow and he was trying to pull it out. All the sense of satisfaction just washed away and this horror filled it — this sadness, anger and frustration. I was mad at him that he just didn’t die. I ended up putting another three rounds down and he finally stopped moving. That was the first time I took another life.”

There is a long pause on the other end of my phone.

“He looked like he could have been my father. Who knows why he was out there fighting. A lot of people were fighting us because they did not want to be occupied or because they had family members who were hurt or killed and they wanted to get some sort of vengeance. By the end of my tour, it was really hard to justify killing them. We should not have been there in the first place.”

As for what Garett does today.

Garett came home and began speaking out. He still does, in fact. “I do antiwar talks in high schools and colleges. I stopped telling war stories at these events because no matter how bad and awful it sounds, you can still see the look in kids’ eyes that say, ‘That is the rite of passage, that is how I become a man. I have to go there and live through that horrible # to know that I am an adult.’” Reppenhagen is certain there will be young kids who join the military because of the movie “American Sniper.” Life, however, is never as neat as Hollywood.

Whatever one's opinion of Chris Kyle, this article is well worth a read for a differing point of view, and very thoughtful piece.

In his book, Chris Kyle described some very terrible events and the effects on his psyche are described in his own words and by his wife Taya.

The movie only touched on a bit of that but Chris definitely wasn't all "rah rah kill those mofos" and it definitely affected him.

Of course he felt like that...

He was a human without Sociopathic tendencies...



Anyone celebrating Kyle and what he did...

Is either blindly patriotic...
Has never taken a life...
Is brainwashed...
Has never been to war...
A combination of the above...
Or is a sociopath.


I'm out of here before this thread becomes a haven for the ritualistic & mentally impaired.



Good on the soldier in the OP for what he is highlighting.

a reply to: cuckooold

Good read indeed...I have respect for both a soldiers...as im prior service myself. The variables of one soldier's deployment can be so much more different than anothers. It only takes one incident to have that sick feeling in your stomach...while others can go 2 tours without really seeing a single bit of combat over there. Either way...war is terrible...and as I have said before...no one should vote for war unless they are willing to serve on the front lines. Even Chris had nightmares to deal with when he got home...for whatever reason and whatever reason he said in the movie...he wasn't fully calm any more because of the war. Hope all soldiers can find peace of all nations.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
Of course he felt like that...

He was a human without Sociopathic tendencies...



Anyone celebrating Kyle and what he did...

Is either blindly patriotic...
Has never taken a life...
Is brainwashed...
Has never been to war...
A combination of the above...
Or is a sociopath.


I'm out of here before this thread becomes a haven for the ritualistic & mentally impaired.



Good on the soldier in the OP for what he is highlighting.

Why do you jump into every single thread involving Chris Kyle just to sh1t all over his legacy?

Everything you posted is completely wrong. The vast VAST majority of military members who HAVE been to war and HAVE taken lives have nothing but the utmost respect for Chris Kyle.

You don't know a damn thing about Chris Kyle so you should really keep your bogus opinion to yourself.

a reply to: Answer

Who mentioned the word respect?

I never have!


Do you know what "celebrating" means or do you enjoy putting words into people's mouths?


& what "legacy" is that exactly?


A pile of bodies?




If you're talking about his love for his wife and family, or for his country, that's a Legacy to celebrate...

Honestly, if a person hasn't been there and done that they shouldn't be voicing opinion in judgement on anyone who has.

There is nothing glorious about taking another human life. Even in self defense or the defense of another it feels bad, one of the worse feelings you can have. The realization of what you have just done is sickening and you won't forget it.

let that sink in

a reply to: Answer

Sorry I was in the Army and I don't respect Chris Kyle.
How much do you know about what I did?
Taking life, kills you, unless you are dead.

celebrate what?

He was an amazing soldier.

What the # Are we doing?

I don't want to die.

Don't believe the story.

A wounded soldier writhing on the ground ties up all the people that need to attend to him, so why shoot again. The threat is over and more resources are tied up leaving a wounded target than a dead one. Unless it was a high value target like a commanding officer it doesn't make sense to put 3 more rounds into a target for no reason and risk exposing your position.

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Don't believe the story.

A wounded soldier writhing on the ground ties up all the people that need to attend to him, so why shoot again

Yeah, that bothered me too. They teach you to go for a shot like that in a populated area where the guys are dressed like civilians, it draws out the guy's buddies and gives you shots at them.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Don't believe the story.

A wounded soldier writhing on the ground ties up all the people that need to attend to him, so why shoot again

Yeah, that bothered me too. They teach you to go for a shot like that in a populated area where the guys are dressed like civilians, it draws out the guy's buddies and gives you shots at them.

Perhaps training went out the window when he first actually pulled the trigger on someone. It definitely happens. His conscience took over and he fired additional rounds to put the man out of misery. Doesn't seem all that unbelievable.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

AND WHAT do YOU THINK THE JOB ENTAILS ANYWAY?
GOD what children.
THE JOB is to kill so you win, WINNING is the juice that is what warriors CRAVE, killing is the neccessary path TO GET there.
IF YOU DON'T like it STOP war and quit sending us.
I was reconnaissance I KILL with a radio ,compass and a MAP when I normally did my assigned task.
DO YOU THINK I WAS HAPPY to see those who perished ?
HELL NO, I was damn glad MINE got home ,THAT IS THE JOB if you go combat arms, YOU KNOW that.
IT'S CALLED WAR.
DO YOU think the SAS are ANGELS?
WE AREN'T. We are killers set to task for our nation states because others are percieved as a threat I don't define WHOM I fight. YOU ELECT THEM. YPU are not FIT to decide such things until YOU are weighing ALL the variables the soldiers. are the end result.NOT the ones who decide.

originally posted by: VariableConstant

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Don't believe the story.

A wounded soldier writhing on the ground ties up all the people that need to attend to him, so why shoot again

Yeah, that bothered me too. They teach you to go for a shot like that in a populated area where the guys are dressed like civilians, it draws out the guy's buddies and gives you shots at them.

Perhaps training went out the window when he first actually pulled the trigger on someone. It definitely happens. His conscience took over and he fired additional rounds to put the man out of misery. Doesn't seem all that unbelievable.

Training doesn't just go out the window. Those types never make it through the process to make it onto the battlefield as a sniper, there is a high washout rate for a reason. Your scenario is more likely to apply to a cook forced to field his rifle, not a highly trained specialist.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

With respect...

None of what you said had anything to with what I was saying.


& I've never voted...
So no I didn't elect anybody.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

RENDERING your opinion that of an outsider and less valuable.
WE DON'T have any sociopathic tendancies. DR. DON'T KNOW SQUAT.
Always with THE CRAZY labels.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

No my opinion isn't less valuable just because I've never voted...


Do you actually understand what I was talking about when I said "sociopath"...


I'm guessing not since you've taken offence to something you were not a target of.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

You are describing the man and his acts and his words as you percieve them through your logic.
I called you on it.
I CELEBRATE a good fight by winning ,not how many died I DO celebrate being a warrior becausre THAT is what I DID,and what I chose. I celebrate SEALS and all honorable men who go out there and DO THESE things because you can't or won't.
I won't see these ill defined by myopic issues.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

No you see that's where you've misunderstood what I actually said...

I was highlighting the celebration of his killings by people who do not understand what it takes to take a life.


Are you celebrating his killings?

Or are you celebrating him putting his life on the line for his country?


Because the two are seperate issues. Even if there is a connection.


One is worth celebrating... The other, man whatever.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I celebrate HIS SKILLS and yes THAT includes his lethal skills. THAT is a sheild to my country ,that skill ,that guy who sacrifices his soul so he could perform lethal combat I DO celebrate his work,because I DID it as well.
Not as a SEAL,not as a sniper (I DID TRY to go but scouts could not go back then)
Effective violence.

Excellent Article - Thank you.

I'll add another quote:

The only time Chris Kyle says he soiled himself was on purpose. He would not leave his position to answer nature’s call so he just kept his rifle trained and went to the bathroom in his pants. Such was his commitment to God and country. In a micro sense, it served him well. In a macro sense, however, our invasion and occupation of Iraq was not a “kill them or they will kill us” scenario. History has borne that fact out, and that lack of context makes “American Sniper” a dangerous film.

Dangerous because kids will sign up for the military because of this movie. Dangerous because our leaders have plans for those kids. Some will kill. Some will be killed. Or worse. There is no narrative existing outside the strict confines of “American Sniper’s” iron sights that allows for the war on terror to be over. It’s like a broken record looping over and over: attack, blowback and attack. Repeat.

And there is more.

The glorification of war and warriors is a all mark of authoritarian propoganda.

Try "The Triumph of the Will" by Leni Reisenthal (spelling is incorrect). After seeing cuts in a documentary about her life and work, I was ready to sign up for the Nazi war machine upon which ours (USA) is modeled.

And if you want to see a 'good' sniper movie check out "Enemy at the Gates" with Ed Harris and Eric Bana.