Lone survivor movie question *spoilers ahead* do not enter if you haven't seen it.

[XChosen]

So I watched the movie tonight with my 16 year old son. Great movie overall but I have one big issue. The issue was around killing the "detainees" or letting them go. Why didn't they just take the people with them until they were able to reach a safe distance and call for evac? It seemed like a simple solution so I must be missing something.

I don't want to criticize our fall men, that is the farthest from my thoughts. I'm an 11b and don't want to give that impression. I was hoping that someone who has read the book can shed some light on why they didn't opt for that path.

 

[yukonjack]

You saw how hard the hike was in. Just imagine trying to do it with three restrained prisoners who didn't want to willingly go. They knew they were compromised. They wanted to get out as quickly as possible. They made the best choice they had.

 

[michaeld]

^^^^^^ this

 

[XChosen]

You saw how hard the hike was in. Just imagine trying to do it with three restrained prisoners who didn't want to willingly go. They knew they were compromised. They wanted to get out as quickly as possible. They made the best choice they had.

Yes that was referenced a bit. My question should have been stated a bit clearer. In the book did he elaborate further on the situation? I was assuming that they were at high altitude but these guys aren't concerned about something being "difficult". Even if they found it necessary to drag them up the mountain they could have done it.

 

[HFS]

I don't remember if it was in the book, or in an interview, but another point was brought up.

The goats would have returned to the village without their goatherds, and the people in the village would have come looking for them anyway. (Maybe not as quickly, though.)

 

[Droff]

It was in the book, taking them as detainees wasn't mentioned, it was either kill them or let them go, so a vote was taken. HFS kind of explains what I would think was the thought process.
Another book written about this operation calls the 'vote' into question, stating an officer would never vote on whether to kill or not kill civilians.
I don't know, but either way, not a good situation to be in.

 

[farmerbyron]

Another idea outside of tying them up would have been tying them together so that their path back down the mountain would have been slower. Crappy situation all the way around though.

 

[uncle money bags]

While it can be instructive to debate the merits of the decision in hindsight; when we all know what consequences occurred as a result, remember it is an academic exercise.
It should also be pointed out that the command structure within spec ops units from all services are often contrary to what one would see in a "big" military unit. Often times in the planning and execution of operations the rank structure is less important than having equal input from each member of a team. It does not surprise me that a vote was taken, and that the final decision was backed by the team leader. While decisions are the responsibility of the team leader, a great amount of latitude is given to the individual team members to plan, act and give input in all phases of an operation.

Whether or not it was the right decision; or if we think we would have done it differently, is ultimately a luxury we have by being able to view the situation from a distant vantage point, separated from the event. In speculating on what would have been the better course of action keep in mind what lane you are in and realize that straying out of it distorts your perception.

 

[ASP785]

Whether or not it was the right decision; or if we think we would have done it differently, is ultimately a luxury we have by being able to view the situation from a distant vantage point, separated from the event. In speculating on what would have been the better course of action keep in mind what lane you are in and realize that straying out of it distorts your perception.

True words.

 

[JaredC]

The book doesn't go into any more reasoning than what you all have stated. I know Marcus Luttrell was one of the votes against killing them, saying in the book that he could never kill an unarmed child as a Christian. But as Uncle Money Bags said, its easy to question knowing what happened next. In Luttrell's second book "Service", he mentions that every single day of his life since he has replayed the scenario in his head and questions what could have been different. I have no doubt that is something brutal that he will live with for the rest of his life.