Winter Soldier

A sobering look at what actually happened during the Vietnam War. At times repetitive but immensely impactful all the same.

"That makes it sort of hard for us to get to know each other," is one of the few positive sentences that I'm holding onto after this relentlessly unbearable experience that everyone should force themselves to sit through. This documentary is probably one of the most accessible ways for people (of the US in particular) to understand and even empathise with extremist behaviour — and then begin to discuss dealing with it sensibly.

Western folk are so much better than those filthy, inhuman arabs, of course. // From a theoretical perspective it has always been the case that rehabilitation seemed a purpose worthier than retribution in most respects, but this 'nth rendition documenting the banality of evil makes that position more visceral, bringing to light the hypocrisy of punishing such people in often the same spirit they perpetrated their crimes in.

"Like Hearts and Minds and Fahrenheit 9/11, Winter Soldier is less documentary than in-the-heat-of-conflict document, too close to the bone for "distance."" - Fernando F. Croce

I dare say before any war is imminent this and programs like it should be broadcast nationwide.