Several weeks ago I wrote an article discussing the outright fabrication of military service, the benefits such actions may have, and why the people behind them should not be given a pass. I would be remiss in turning a blind eye to those who have served in the military but felt the need to tell untruths in order to enhance their standing within the community.
Specifically, I want to write about Chris Kyle, and I want to write about the movie American Sniper.
The Stories
It is apparent to the objective individual, which I consider myself to be, that Chris Kyle fabricated numerous stories involving his martial prowess. The two I find most interesting – and disturbing – are that he was sent to eliminate looters or other miscreants from the top of the Superdome in New Orleans and that he killed two men who tried to steal his truck while he was at a gas station.
I find the Superdome story disturbing because it is essentially his mental conveyance of the Iraq war to the United States. While it is unlikely that any ROE (rules of engagement) would allow a hypothetically placed military sniper – let’s not forget the Posse Comitatus Act – to shoot people just for the act of looting, the laws and conventions of war would most likely permit lethal force against armed individuals not identifying themselves as part of an allied police or military force. What Kyle described is, essentially, a description of what a sniper would do at the height of a struggle between forces for an urban area. In Iraq, American snipers were like a protective umbrella against the acid rain of insurgents.
But this story took place in New Orleans, which, if you didn’t know, is part of America. And it would not be justifiable, legally or morally, to shoot American citizens simply for the act of being armed in the wake of a natural disaster – especially given his vocal support of the Second Amendment. That Chris Kyle found it acceptable enough to make up stories about it is illuminating.
As for the other story, the ultimate tragic irony is that after bragging about having killed two men who failed to steal his truck, he and a friend were killed by one man who successfully stole his truck. The former story has been thoroughly investigated and found to be without basis, the latter is a matter of legal fact.
The Movie
The movie American Sniper does not discuss these stories; it focuses on the emotional rollercoaster of deployment cycles and the combat experienced by Kyle in Iraq. Correction: it is a fictionalized depiction of that combat. The majority of plot points are not based in reality, and many of the figures or groups depicted therein are loose representations of reality.
For example, there was no sniper battle stretching over multiple deployments between Kyle and a Dragunov-wielding family man with beautiful eyelashes and excessive amounts of eyeshadow – or if there were, it didn’t make it into the book upon which the movie is based.
There are other SEALs depicted in the movie, but they exist only to be ancillary figures to Kyle or to die in ways that leave Kyle unable to save them. Unlike many of the other things that are discussed in this article, those SEALs did in fact die near Kyle and in ways he could not have prevented. I would like to have had some knowledge of the impact these injuries and deaths had on the SEAL corpsman assigned to that platoon, but we are never given a chance to find out.
The movie relentlessly revolves around Kyle, most likely as he would have preferred, given how many stories he told which were apparently intended to boost the legend of, well, The Legend – Kyle’s nickname for a good portion of the movie. This focus on Kyle is so intense that no mention of Chad Littlefield, the friend who was murdered alongside the SEAL, is made in the movie, although Kyle’s death is addressed.
There is a stateside scene in which a Marine addresses Kyle and his young son and describes how Kyle carried him out of a house while injured, thus saving his life. Of course, no mention is made of any of the other people who were involved in saving his life, such as the other person who most likely was involved in carrying the Marine out of the house. Everything is about Chris Kyle. There can be no other heroes. The scene ends with the Marine, in civilian attire and indoors, saluting Kyle. Yeah, right.
The film is so fictionalized that it becomes less of a representation of Chris Kyle, Navy SEAL sniper, than of the trials and tribulations of many post-9/11 servicemembers. Bradley Cooper worked very hard to become Chris Kyle, or the Chris Kyle that Chris (and Taya) Kyle wanted the world to see, but this New Kyle was in fact an amalgamation of all the positive attributes – and a few of the negative ones – a patriotic American public wants to see in its’ servicemen. And, although I may be slightly biased, I think this depiction was accurate. American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines are indeed tough, brave, and kind to the weak, but not infallible and not without a few flaws that make them human like everyone else.
The movie capitalizes on the adoration of a significant amount of Americans for those in the military. Bradley Cooper becomes the definitive American war hero in a way that few other movies have managed to depict. Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of World War 2, wrote an autobiography which became a movie. The movie was all about a scrawny little guy who wanted to join the Army and ends up saving the lives of everyone in his unit over and over again. He played himself in the movie, and he was a true hero, but the family aspect of American Sniper makes Chris Kyle a hero to which most Americans can relate in some aspect.
This may lead the reader who has not seen the movie to think that it is a jingoistic propaganda piece. It is not, at least not to me. All of the servicemen in the movie end up seriously injured, dead, or at the very least having lost close friends. The strain of military service is obviously difficult on Taya Kyle, to the point that she hints to Chris that she will leave him if he doesn’t leave the military. Chris himself is severely affected by his experiences although he denies that he is one of the guys who has problems adjusting. Audie Murphy wrote a followup book about his difficulties in adjusting to civilian life, but no one wanted to make that into a movie.
All told, I found that the movie did not depict military service in a very positive light. Those who feel it is a two hour recruiting film are misinformed. There have been a number of people comparing American Sniper to Nation’s Pride, the faux movie-within-a-movie in Inglorious Basterds about a Nazi sniper who kills hundreds of Allied soldiers.
It would appear that the people making these comparisons have not seen American Sniper; in the faux propaganda piece, the German sniper is shown shooting dozens or even hundreds, including noncombatants and wounded and unarmed soldiers – and revels in doing so. In American Sniper, we see only a few sniper “kills,” none of which would be considered illegal under the laws of war or applicable rules of engagement, and Bradley Cooper’s Chris Kyle is shown to be hesitant to kill those who are not clearly enemy combatants and is relieved at not having had to take certain shots.
That said, while there are many aspects of the film which are Hollywood-movie-playbook-emotion-inducing and clearly inaccurate, such as the final scene of the movie, there are a number of things which are accurate.
The film – rather, Bradley Cooper – accurately shows the psychological anguish of knowing that other men are off fighting a battle that you signed up for, participated in, and then left. Post-traumatic stress can take many forms, but guilt is one of the most insidious and damaging on a long term basis.
The Motivation
Chris Kyle was a SEAL. A significant number of SEALs (compared to other special operations troops) have been eager to write books or give interviews on their experiences and exploits. This was true before Chris Kyle left active duty, remains true today, and will almost certainly continue to be true for years to come. While many SEALs work in the shadows, literally and figuratively, without ever seeking fame, some do not.
To become a SEAL you must (presumably, I am not a SEAL nor have I ever considered going to BUD/S) have a very aggressive personality. Were it not for that, you would likely quit before successfully becoming a SEAL. Given the history of some SEALs seeking fame, it makes sense that the most aggressive of these men would embellish their own histories in an attempt to set themselves apart from their most impressive peers. Furthermore, when every American serviceman is a hero, one must be truly exceptional to be recognized as a hero of the first tier.
Most recently, we saw a public and rather embarrassing squabble between former SEALs over who really shot Osama bin Laden. Enough people are interested in such things that the media will breathlessly recount almost anything a SEAL says. Delta Force? Well, if one of them were to talk about a current operation, it is likely that the media would not treat it as being one tenth as interesting as if it had been said or done by a frogman.
Chris Kyle’s tall tales overshadow some of his most lasting accomplishments – helping returning veterans and working to show that men and women who have seen war should not be viewed with suspicion and distrust. In this he was quite genuine. It is a shame that the lies he told have received far more attention than the good work he did – but there is only one person responsible for this, and that person is Chris Kyle.
Why couldn’t the things he actually did have been enough?
I can understand your need to tell things as you see them. Just one thing I would like to ask. Have you ever lied, or bent the truth. There is an old saying about casting the first stone.
Please don’t be offended . That is not my intent. I feel that people who are dead should have the dignity to rest in peace.
Thanks
Carl Opitz
Yes, I am a sinner.
Ask yourself a question. Why would Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield put themselves in harms way by taking Routh to a firing range in the first place? Routh was an eminent danger as confirmed by his own family (mother and sister) Kyle sent a text to Littlefield about Routh, “This dude is straight up nuts!” Considering that Routh was obviously disturbed, why would anyone go to a shooting range with him!?!? The same lack of judgement is apparent in Kyle’s bragging about his kill record. Chris Kyle is a phony!! He wanted to prosper for what many real American heroes did for our country without seeking recognition. Serve in silence especially when your part of an elite division of humble Hero’s!
This is not surprising to read that kyle was full of shit. I did my time in the infantry and saw plenty of soldiers lie to build themselves into some sort of Rambo like figure. I had strong suspicions of Kyles char.acter after he tried fabricating the story of punching out Jesse Ventura. RIP Chris Kyle you fkn shitbag
I have to ask, did you write an artucle such as this for The Imitation Game? The Theory if Everything? A Beautiful Mind? Etc… Or us your criticism for embellishment unique to mivies about American icons?
I have not seen The Theory of Everything or A Beautiful Mind. I think it is a shame that The Imitation Game did not highlight the Poles’ achievements in codebreaking which greatly advanced the Allied attempts to decrypt Enigma messages. However, I generally do not do movie reviews and cryptography is not something I am familiar with in anything more than a passing sense. I am, however, familiar with the Iraq war.
Learn how to spell and construct a sentence that makes sense. Dope!
Please excuse the typos. On my phone
You sound like an overly educated disrespectful a hole in my opinion. It’s a movie and it’s all some people have to actually get an idea of what the war may have been like. In my experience a lot of soldiers do not care to talk about what happened over there. Can you do better??? Then step up to the plate and out do Clint.
No, I most likely cannot make a better movie than Clint Eastwood.
As someone who has watched Rick Taylor: I think you could give Clint a run for his money/oscars.
Do yourself a favor and the next time you call someone an asshole, go ahead and call them an asshole not an a hole.
As a veteran, if someone asked me, “Was it really like that movie?” I would lose my mind. If someone wanted to have an idea about what the war was like maybe they should volunteer at veterans events, or with wounded warrior programs, or God forbid pick up a book. There are plenty of documentaries about both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that could provide a much better and less biased view (Korngal/Restrepo, Gunner Palace, etc, etc).
Should I use all of my Clint Eastwood movie knowledge to understand what it was like in WW2?
“All fiction is autobiographical, and all autobiographies are fiction.” – Roland Barthes
Hello Andrew.
We are all indeed human and fallible. That said, I have to confess that I’m not sure what you’re writing about exactly. The two things which you said were disturbing aren’t part of the movie. The movie war-time embellishments (the sniper v sniper theme, e.g.) are part of storytelling mythos and is standard fare for screenwriters. Movies, even biopics, would be endlessly boring if they required verisimilitude.
So in essence, the things he did do were enough, as it turns out.
Love your blog, wish you’d do more videos.
Cheers,
FW
Well written article. I never did understand why people couldn’t see the holes in some of his personal embellishments. People attacked Jesse Ventura for calling him out on other embellishments. I have not seen the film yet, but I will. The embellishments shouldn’t keep people away from recognizing his actual accomplishments. Unfortunately, it just muddys the water a little.
Damn you Andrew. Damn you for taking my simple, pre-packaged hero and making me think about why it is I like him and the information that is based on. I, like those above me, am angry that you made me think.
Great article. There is no doubt that CK was a great American and great soldier. Sadly, his actions regarding the fight with JV and the stories of the shooting at the gas station will haunt his legacy. Of the three SEALS I know here in San Diego, all three are divorced and they were bad breakups. Not sure what they do to these men in BUDS but it seems to stress family lives.
God bless them all and I hope that they get the help they deserve and can live normal lives once out of the military.
Being objective- don’t you think maybe the whole New Orleans thing is a bit of a stretch to be ridiculing Kyle about. The whole story allegedly came from a drunken conversation, late at night. There is no recording. He never publicly proclaimed it.
How do we even know the drunk guy who claims to have heard the story even actually heard it? Or, that it was not taken entirely out of context? Maybe it was a joke. Maybe, it was never even said…
Sounds instead like someone is getting their panties all up in a bunch about nothing…
Given your previous article on this topic (which you mentioned immediately) I understand the reason to right this article. To remain silent after already taking a stance on the embellishment/creation of one’s military service would have been the easy thing to do. It also would have been a kind of “sin or omission” to not say something. I will be honest, it was a hard article to read. I want to believe the hype. But as usual it was well written and objective without any emotional outburst or blanket statements. Great article but rough on my pride for having swallowed the whole story.
Thanks for writing how you feel. I too feel the same way. I probably won’t be seeing the movie, as I do not agree with both the monetization of what can only be described as drivel for the masses. I knew within the first ten seconds of the film that I did not want to see it given the sat phone silliness. I think, if my memory serves correct, that the eight hour time difference makes it impossible to have sunlight on both ends. As far as the book goes, I’ve seen better writing coming out of most grades schools.
Why can’t the truth be enough?
Chris Kyle’s reputation in NSW is absolutely garbage(and Marcus Luttrel also). He ruined his reputation from bragging about a accomplishment which he knew at the time to be invalid. By the time he started his memoirs there was already snipers in the SMUs who had already surpassed his confirmed kills. Yet he still stuck to his claim as having the most confirmed of any American.
I never served so I have no personal insights on the matter but this whole controversy very much reminds me of an excerpt in an essay by William Broyles, a Marine infantry commander who served in Vietnam titled “Why Men Love War”. It goes:
“… And that explains a central fact about the stories men tell about war. Every good war story is, in at least some of its crucial elements, false. The better the war story, the less of it is likely to be true.”
He elaborates that war stories are essentially myths rather than literal facts, largely to put the audience in their place in relation to the event, namely that they weren’t there and didn’t suffer through it.
Does this ring true or am I off base?
Well said, Andrew. And it needed to be said, and it needed to be said by someone on “our side.” Well done, sir.
Haven’t seen the movie yet, but, the guy saluting him while in civies is not out of the question.
President Bush (the second), if I recall correctly, made it acceptable for veterans to render military salutes at times that would otherwise be appropriate to do so, regardless of uniform.
We may salute during the National Anthem or Pledge while in civies instead of putting our hands over our hearts.
That doesn’t read well… but hopefully gets my point across.
When I feel it is appropriate, I salute other veterans, enlisted or commissioned.
I find your blog posts and videos to be thoughtful, insightful and well reasoned. Keep up the fine work.
I haven’t seen the movie yet but I do plan on it. I always take these stories with a grain of salt. It’s an unfortunate truth that a lot of people tend to make up stories in the military. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had guys tell me things that were obvious bullshit, as well being called out by people that knew the truth. It doesn’t make these guys bad guys. They would still take a bullet for me and I would take one for them. But this does happen. And now, in civilian life, it seems that every openly former military person I run into claims to have been some sort of special forces…
I remember I struggled with talking about what I did overseas when I got home. Not because “I’ve seen some shit, man”, but because civilians tend to have this image of war in their heads that my true experience wouldn’t live up to. So, simply telling what I did over there wouldn’t do the experience any justice. I think that’s why stories end up getting fabricated. There’s no way to accurately portrait the emotional struggles so, in an attempt to do that, things get over exaggerated. The experience of one shot snapping by; in story form it turns into an hour long firefight. Why? Because an hour of being stressed out about shooting.
I was in and around Gulfport, MS during the Katrina aftermath. A longtime friend of the man I stayed with (my house was uninhabitable due to roof damage and ensuing black mold) was a volunteer at the superdome in NO and came to visit us just a few weeks after power began to be restored. I remember him repeating to us tales he’d heard while working in the superdome and one of them, that I also heard from others later, was that a ship pulled in and SEALs set up control points in the city and killed gang members who approached and refused to obey commands. The gang members supposedly had taken to shooting at helicopter and causing general mayhem.
I remember reading this story some time in early 2006 as well: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1497816/posts
The placement of US Military personnel AS WELL AS contractors (i.e., Blackwater) in New Orleans (to include snipers) after Katrina is not a fabrication. Also, looting is in fact punishable by death and has been since the beginning of this nation. Looters can be shot, we were taught this at a very early age in grade school.
Your embelishment of using deadly force on someone committing a property crime calls the rest of your statement into question. Ironic, given the topic at hand.
Tennessee V Garner. Read it comprehend it then think about replying.
Chris Kyle was a liar and has dishonored all who have served in the US Armed Forces, yet is a hero to many who cannot or won’t look into the guys past. A pity.
I think I prefer Andrew’s tone over yours. Kyle’s tall tales only dishonored his own memory, no one else’s.
I appreciate your unvarnished and accurate assessment of this movie, and the man it was based on. I felt many of the same things watching it. Knowing about the background of CPO Kyle, it is refreshing to read an eloquent and pithy analysis from someone who does not categorically run to the defense of every former military member, regardless of questionable ethics and fabricated stories.
I worked with one of the men that did technical research for accuracy on A.S. and what Andrew said on the facts is spot on according to him. Referring to one of the previous comments about speaking of the dead, you are not absolved of responsibility for your actions and words by dying nor do we in American culture recognize martyrs whose actions can never be questioned. The Jesse Ventura defamation case against Chris Kyle was ruled in favor of Ventura in the sum of $1.8 million. That is established fact. Telling “war stories” in a bar is a lot different than writing them in a book. I look at him as a brother from another service and I don’t think the embellishment was necessary and wish he had not. His showing up and doing his job was more than enough to earn the respect of his peers and a Nation, the rest just fed into the negative stereotype some fame seeking NSW members have brought upon the others (some of which are good friends of mine) that served, suffered and returned without trying to create fanfare. He is no different than those of us that came from special units and were returned to a civilian life where we had to learn how to assimilate and not be “special” anymore. It is the story of men returning from warfare and it is ageless. I wish he hadn’t been killed he did not deserve that, I pray for his family because the end of his life was the beginning of a lifetime of pain for them and I wish just once they would have done it right in Hollywood…but regular people don’t find regular people interesting. Funny thing, no matter what unit you served in or what level of training you received, when you are laying in a hospital bed in Walter Reed broken and wondering where you go next, you realize we are all “regular people.” Lived it. One of my close friends killed in IZ in ’05 once said to me “Nobody is anybody special, only their actions are.” Chris Kyle’s actions were more than enough, I genuinely wish he had left it at that.
I’ve read quite a bit on this film and this is with out a doubt the most balanced and nuanced take I’ve seen. Not surprising as most of Andrew’s takes are fair and balanced and one of the main reasons I follow this blog as a shooting enthusiast.
After reading about the Ventura situation and other tall tales I wasn’t in a hurry to go see this film. Mostly due to everyone telling me what a must see it is and what a “True American Hero” Kyle is. Around these parts that’s the end of any discussion about the movie, it’s main character, or broader implications of the effects of the war on soldiers who return. Why is he a true American hero? Because he’s a badass who killed a bunch of ragheads trying to kill our boys.
That’s as far as my discussions have gone because anything other than immediate affirmation of that viewpoint is met with unbridled emotional and anger towards the one who dares to contemplate a little deeper.
Upon further reflection, I also began to question the ethics of a very few making millions on this story with so many veterans in need.
There have been many movies made that portray the effects of war on one’s psyche and difficulties in returning to a normal civil life. I don’t see how this one could possibly change what most whom have studied much history already know. War is hell on those who fight it and civilians who have to live in it. Not much good has come out of it since WWII.
I was also a little turned off by the accounts of Kyle’s father telling Eastwood and Cooper there will be hell to pay if they portray his son in a manner not to his liking. What exactly does he mean by that? Lawsuits, a verbal lashing, or is he going to hunt them down and avenge his son’s good name?
It goes without saying I completely understand a families’ will to see their deceased son portrayed in a good light, but once Chris Kyle started seeking fame and fortune for his exploits you have to accept the good with the bad. They must have known the “other” stuff out there and that is what was undoubtedly being referred to in my opinion.
So know we have a situation where Hollywood, Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper and Kyle’s Esate stand to make enormous profits from a somewhat inaccurate portrayal of him. Showing all the good, to the point there is a main stream and social media cult hero worship of him driving sales of this film and renewed interest in the book into the stratosphere. Where is all this money going to go to?
What about the thousands of other guys who have come back quietly and humbly? Their humanity keeps them from speaking of things that really are unspeakable to most. They certainly don’t revel in the violence like quotes taken from the autobiography would seem to indicate Kyle did but were curiously left out of the movie.
It would be nice if the estate of Kyle truly donates the majority of profits to benefit the veterans of this war. Take one or two million for a retirement fund for his wife and college fund for the kids and do the right thing with the rest.
I say that for Eastwood and Cooper as well. No one should be making big profits off this film imo. Want to show we truly “appreciate their service” ? Talk is cheap. Eastwood nor Cooper will be worrying about how to make the mortgage payment. I’d even be impressed if they both pledged to take a “measly” one million a piece from it and donate the rest to well vetted and legit veterans organizations.
With this film quickly approaching the status of highest grossing R rated film in history lets all make a pledge to follow the money on this one. Where does it all go? I know it’s nothing new for others to make obscene and gross profits off of war and suffering but maybe just for once someone can drop all the empty platitudes and put their money where their mouth is.
Clint? Bradley? Kyle Estate? Come on guys what do you say to the thousands of struggling vets out there? They’ve heard you appreciate their service ad naseum but it doesn’t pay the medical bills or put food on the table.
I remember right after Chris Kyles death his FB page was taken over by his wife and raised a lot of money. It was insane but the people unattached to the war latched on to this “hero” and the Kyle family was taken care of. I remember about a month later they said they did not want flowers any longer and instead wanted gift cards to high end stores and restaurants. It just felt like a slap in the face to me. I know so many people permanently ruined from this war… Even Kyle was ruined from it. A Veteran with PTSD killed him. It’s just not right to see this turned into a feel good money making affair. Snipers had ultimately a pretty limited role in the war on terror yet his experience is now defining a generation of veterans that don’t support this kind of idolization. I’ve been saying this about Kyle for years and everyone turned a blind eye.
For me at least, it seems his wife like the limelight a little too much. The Facebook culture is ruining our country.
Thank you for this article, and thank you all for your comments. I haven’t had any inclination to watch it, for all the reasons mentioned and then some.
Crimestop – Orwell’s definition: “The faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments if they are inimical to Ingsoc, and of being bored or repelled by any train of thought which is capable of leading in a heretical direction. In short….protective stupidity.”
Thank you for writing this. This is only the second piece I’ve seen written about the lies told to boost sales of the book. I have no doubt the publisher helped the embelishment along a bit. I hated how most people just swept this under the rug.
Thank you for writing this. I feel EXACTLY the same way.
I dont want to take away from his accomplishments at being a SEAL as I believe not many people could make it through the training, mentally. Also while I think he was probably a average military sniper, with a lot of opportunity, he did get the job done for our country and probably saved a lot of lives of US military personnel.
I was in the military for 8 years. GW1 veteran. I grew up in a military family, as my father was in for 30 years. I know how people in the military like to talk stories and embellish.
I read his book a long time ago and was impressed then. Then the two incidents you cite, plus the bar fight that has been basically proven to be false put a bad taste in my mouth. I watched the movie and it further turned me off, not because of anything he did but all the BS in the movie that was pure hollywood.
The Chris Kyle story is played out. He served his country and was Navy SEAL. However his actions, lies and such have tarnished his story for me. It is time to put this story behind us.
I think between Chris and Marcus, plus some other former SEAL’s they are tarnishing a organization that used to stand for something greater. They seem to be money hungry and they are selling out their brothers to achieve that.
Here in Texas, this guy could almost certainly have been elected governor, had he lived. There are some that would almost like to see him canonized. He is simply the most extreme example of a Great Texan, along side the likes of Houston and Bowie (let’s not look too closely at their backgrounds, either. Ahem..) As a Texan, what I simply cannot understand is the religious Right’s absolute worship of him. It is almost impossible to not read this as racism at the very least, although elements of “anti-Obammer” act as a subtext. He was a great man killing bad men, and the fact that they were all brown skinned Muslims is no coincidence. Meanwhile, the largest building going up in my suburban Dallas neighborhood is an Islamic faith center. I don’t see this ending well. And for further confusion, consider that the state that is worshiping the memory of an armed forces sniper is now considering arming themselves against armed forces snipers who are training in the southwest. My state has lost its mind, and it breaks my heart. There are great people here, but they are fading into the background.
I thought the last sentence of your article was perfect. I always enjoy your articles, thanks so much.
This all makes sense until you meet a few seals in Team 2, brandishing shirts of their fallen sailor pretty frequently, not even the same team mind you. While the film bends the truth to suit Hollywood’s needs, so has every Hollywood depiction of anything, ever. You can’t put that on Kyle.