I just finished watching Bagdad ER

[dsc]

I was a huge fan of MASH. As much as my brother and I didn't get along, we always watched MASH together. And for a half hour we were silent and attentive and not at each other's throats. This was no MASH.

It is nearly impossible to put into words the feelings I have right now. Watching people who are barely older than my students screaming in pain, crying for dead friends, and losing limbs was simply devastating. I can't imagine being either the doctors or the patients and neither can the vast majority of us. Were it not for my students, who are mostly poor and lower middle class, I would know no one in the military or thinking of military service. That is the way it often is in white, middle class, America. Thus war ends up being thinkable for most of us.

I initially was a reluctant supporter of this war. I believed sanctions were both ineffective and punative towards the very wrong people. I know now, that I was wrong about their efficacy. I still believe I was right about who got hurt by them. But just under 2500 US deaths and 18000 US wounded later we have no WMD, no hope of a stable democracy, and no moral way out of this mess. Make no mistake about this, thanks to the workers shown in this documentary we are lucky to have lost only 2500. But we are also, those of us who thought this war was a good idea, responsible for this mess. Clearly there are levels of responsiblity in that those who actually made the war happen bear more responsibility than those who merely got convinced it might be OK but some responsibility exists.

Regardless of your opinion of the war, I recommend seeing this film if you can. It presumedly will show up at a video store in a few months. It isn't MASH, it is much more important.

[babylonsister]

1. This should be required viewing for EVERY American. nt

[unhappycamper]

4. Especially High School kids who think war is an x-box game. n/t

[KyndCulture]

2. I've watched it twice.

It's chilling.

[w8liftinglady]

8. so have I-I also made copies for my co-workers who don't have hbo

[texasleo]

3. Did you see the soldier smoking the Cuban cigar?

lol

[SammyWinstonJack]

5. I didn't watch Baghdad ER because I knew it wouldn't be a good thing.

My husband watched and after wards, he said, "That was no MASH". His co-worker's wife is serving at that hospital, she was just deployed a week ago. She is a Lt., RN, in charge of the night nursing staff. He is worried about her, understandably, both for her mental health as well as for her safety. She is only there for six months, hopefully.

[bamademo]

6. I work with a lot of Army Medical Personnel who were there.

They had a special showing at work before it was aired on HBO. They were worried about it triggering PTSD and it did upset a few. One of the nurses worked the intensive care unit there and it took her a long time to decompress when she came back.

The first time I saw it, I cried and cursed George Bush. I watched it from a beach house in Fort Morgan, Alabama and after it was over I walked out into the gulf and sent curses through the waves to Gee-Dubya.
I won't repeat what I said but many of you on D.U. have repeated the same epitaphs. :evilgrin:

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. So sad, and the worst part is, it didn't have to happen. My husband

was pretty upset after watching, he had a few choice words for **. Lately, he is starting to rival him in that arena. :evilgrin:

[w8liftinglady]

7. I had great admiration for the chaplain- "let his death hasten the cause .

of peace in this senseless war"

[peacebaby3]

15. That chaplain was absolutely amazing! I noticed what he said as well.

A true man of God!

[dsc]

17. He really was something

I can't imagine a harder road for a pastor.

[Liberal OIF Vet]

9. If you thought this was bad,

You have to see Combat Diary: The story of Lima Company 3/25....I had my first PTSD episode after watching this

[peacebaby3]

14. I second that! I started a thread about it showing, but it basically

tanked and I couldn't keep it kicked. It was very emotional for me to watch.

Welcome to the board Liberal OIF Vet! :hi:

My husband served in OIF from March '03 to April '04.

[Liberal OIF Vet]

18. It was extremely emotional...

For me to see that program. It was too much. I started thinking about the things I experienced in Iraq. Next thing I knew, I was back in Iraq smeeling the smoke, dodging the gunfire and smelling the blood again. I sort of freaked out. I cried out and the next thing I knew, I was crying and shking on the couch.

I knew this was some kind of episode, so I went on base to the doctor. I am now going to be seeing a shrink. Its weird that three years after I was in Iraq, I could get freaked out like that.

[peacebaby3]

19. Oh my! It sounds just like PTSD. Thank goodness you are going to get

some help! Are you going to a specialist for PTSD? Some psychologist are specifically trained in PTSD and I think you should seek one of them out because it sounds like what you have.

It took my husband a good year to get over grabbing me and hitting the ground anytime a loud noise would go off. We were walking through our downtown a few months after he got home and a car backfired and he grabbed me and threw us on the ground. It was really terrifying. Of course, people were staring and he was really embarrassed. I told him not to worry (even though I had a few scrapes from the concrete) because the really funny thing is a few people jumped and ducked when we did as well. I told him he had done a good job of convincing some others to get out of the way!

I really hope you get some good help. Please keep us posted here on DU because there are a lot of good people here that will be a support system even if it is online and from afar.

I'll keep you in my thoughts!

[Liberal OIF Vet]

21. I have done the same exact thing!

The 4th of July sucks now due to all the fireworks. I can not stand it. I am also leery of crowds as well. Was not like this before I was in Iraq.

Yes, the base where I am at has PTSD specialist and I will be seeing one. I shudder to think what would have happened if my kids saw me like that. I have to get this fixed!

[w8liftinglady]

27. my son has seen a ptsd counselor for 18 months...same scenario

tore up his CO's office when his leave was denied during one of the "milestones".The counseling helps...surround yourself with your brothers...it does help.Bless you,and I hope you find peace.

[motocicleta]

30. I hear ya.

I had some ptsd after unsuccessfully doing cpr on my dad, and I just want to offer you some hope - My shrink really helped my symptoms with cognitive therapy plus Celexa for several months. Now I can think of that night and not fall into the hole. I don't know how that would relate to wartime experiences, but hopefully you can have the relief I have been granted.

[The Witch]

22. Welcome to DU and thank you for your service

:patriot: :patriot:

[DianaForRussFeingold]

11. We all need a dose of reality!

:patriot:This documentary is also on On Demand.I watched it in High Def.and let me tell you I was shocked and awed :cry: Just'awful! I kept thinking how the song by Pink would have been fitting for this film. 'Mr.pResident,How Do You Sleep At Night!:cry: It left me very upset and wanting to support the Troops even more.:patriot: I want them all to come home safe and now.:cry: I googled Baghdad Er. And found this from DU; :grr: bush* should be made to watch Bagdad ER every night. I wholeheartedly agree! http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2640174 Dear Mr.President'How Do you Sleep At Night? Very well done video to go with the song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FF0cS9s6Aw&search=pink%20dear%20mr%20president&watch2 :patriot: :cry: :cry:I don't know how to record off a the High Def cable box. I wish someone would put some of the scenes from Baghdad Er. to Pink's Dear Mr.President' How can he' sleep at night,I have trouble after watching Baghdad Er.

[SammyWinstonJack]

12. He is the one who should be made to watch it, "A Clockwork Orange" style.

I wonder how he does sleep at night?

[Catchawave]

13. We don't have HBO

With hopes it will be out on DVD soon. This sounds important....I was so hoping I would never have to live through "another Viet Nam" in my lifetime :cry:

[DianaForRussFeingold]

16. How did we let it happen...IMO,This is worse

:dem: We all said we won't get fooed again. I was a kid when this came out. My older brothers had a lot of Protest music. I remember the TV showing scenes like the HBO special.Every thing is Censored now. I miss Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite.I wish young people all had to do a report on this subject;The Media and the Viet Nam war compared to the Iraq war or media and Censorship
. In 1968, while anchor of the "CBS Evening News," Cronkite journeyed to Vietnam to report on the aftermath of the Tet offensive. In a dramatic departure from the traditions of "objective" journalism, Cronkite concluded his reports with a personal commentary in which he voiced his strong belief that the war would end in stalemate. Cronkite's editorial would later be regarded as a critical indice of public opinion of the Vietnam War. :patriot: http://www.pbs.org/weta/reportingamericaatwar/reporters/cronkite/
WALTER CRONKITE:
On Censorship

would depend entirely on the action. It might very well be a feature story of some bravery that I witnessed or heard about, or it would be the difficulty or success a unit might have had in action. The unit might be as small as a platoon and could be as large as a brigade; it was just whatever was going on.

We were right with the soldiers — no problem with access whatsoever. We talked to them; they talked to us, G.I.s and officers alike. The military did not make any attempt to monitor the interviews we got with the men.http://www.pbs.org/weta/reportingamericaatwar/reporters/cronkite/censorship.html Here is a song from that period;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAlpsiaVNEA&search=%20won%27t%20get%20fooled%20again%20%20who :kick:

[Rex]

20. Watched part of it

something VERY disturbing about amputations and the tossing of body parts into red bags (never to be seen again). I had a hard time watching it.

[Disturbed]

23. I was tempted to watch it.

I could have recieved a copy of it but passed. I thought: Do I really need to see misery that will not change the Iraq situation and just depress me?
Ahh, no.

The US will be in Iraq for decades. No Admin. Repub or Dem will withdraw all the troops. The US Fortress, called an Embassy will be there for a century, at least. The death and maiming tolls might be less for the US personnel as years pass but Iraqis will suffer and die for many years to come.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. It should be shown at every recruiting office.

Before the potential cannon-fodder is allowed to sign.

[peacebaby3]

25. Link to the Combat Diaries documentary thread. It has the times this will

aired on A&E.

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1273389>

[lonestarnot]

26. I didn't believe my contempt for bushitler could grow until I watched that

bunch of maimed and dead kids. And on edit I'm glad it ended with the line bring them all home!

[kdpeters]

28. I just set the TIVO and have a few days to work up the nerve

I would like to respond to this comment of yours.

I initially was a reluctant supporter of this war.

I don't mean to pick on you, but I remember how disappointed in my country I felt when I found that less than 30% of us opposed starting war, who opposed launching the first strike. Til then, I just assumed that we all agreed that war is hell, it is the choice of last resort under imminent threat. I lost a lot of faith in my country back then and I doubt I'll ever get much of it back. My countrymen showed me that most of them have little committment to what I had assumed were universal principles. I remember well the first time I heard about going after Iraq, I thought to myself, "What the hell does Iraq have to do with anything?" I guess I'm more prone to distrust authority, but that immediately set off my bullshit alarm. I can't imagine how anyone who listened with a suspicious ear couldn't tell that everything they said was total bullshit. I didn't know why they wanted to go after Iraq, but I sure knew that everything they told us was pure crapaganda.

[dsc]

29. The sanctions, which no one was suggesting removing,

were killing thousands of Iraqi civilians by all accounts. Many, if not most, were children and frail elderly Iraqis. A short war which removed both Saddam and the sanctions seemed like the better of a bad set of options.

[WA98296]

31. Thanks for your view, I'm going to Tivo it before cancelling HBO.