The film "Blackhawk Down" was excellent...having flown in Moga...the location chosen was too close to accurate in some cases. It was very close to reality for current film makers...to the extent...one of the "Little Bird" pilots in the film...re-enacted his actual flight in the affair.
The book....was extremely good reading...I came away with a lot of respect for our latest generation of war fighters. But, at the same time, I retained my same conviction they deserved better senior commanders. Some of the decisions made by the bosses reminded me of the incompetency that can be fostered by a rigid bureaucracy which promotes uniformity and conformity at the expense of innovative and creative thinking.
Those young Rangers proved that courage and individual abilities are the core strengths of the military. It is a shame they had to suffer the losses they did for the lack of political will and spineless commanders who continue to be afraid to blow the BS whistle.
The documentary about the fight was much more interesting than was the film. Seeing the young men tell their accounts and hearing how they overcame such tremendous odds was an impressive tale. It is yet another case where brave young men die and suffering crippling wounds because of inept commanders.