I recently watched this movie and it had quite a profound effect on me. Two things came to mind. One. The unbelievable pride these brothers have in each other and their country and two the unbelievable sadness that this pride actually can cause. I could not help but wonder if, what they are doing-is it not unbelievably selfish to those they leave behind. The young child who while growing up misses having a dad around and the young fiancé who has to sit at home and hope her husband to be will not be killed. I think she had the biggest effect on me as you can see that she is fighting back the tears while being interviewed. It just really showed that war is such a terrible thing and that being patriotic and being proud can also leave a very clearly loving family torn by what is being perceived as doing your duty to your country and doing your duty to your family. I salute this family.

While assembled well, Brother's at war misses the clearest mark that any material about Iraq must address if it is to be a conscionable work: The fact that American's shouldn't be in Iraq in the first place.Without addressing this clear point, Brother's at War becomes apology. Having no justifiable motive for their presence in the country, it's hard for the learned audience to sympathize with soldiers even as they make the right decision to perhaps, not kill a child for carrying a toy gun.Hearing the American soldiers talk about their personal inspirations for participating, one can only feel that their words ring hollow as they speak about defending freedom in America, when it's clear that the American lifestyle was never at stake (beyond its petroleum consumption) in this particular conflict.Finally, knowing that most journalists had to fight tooth and nail to find themselves embedded with the Army in Iraq begging permission to take a poop without an escort, this film's completion and pro-America end result seem highly suspect .Then again, what do we expect from Wal-Mart nation? No one wants to hear bad news, and after seven years with no real results and no end in sight, a "support the troops" tear jerker is probably just what the doctor ordered.

Having recently toured the Normandy beaches and hedgerows, the impact of war on the young men of those days in 1944 has been much on my mind. Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers served to put a real,if Hollywood,face on the sacrifices made by thousands of young Americans. A visit to any one of the 27 cemeteries in Normandy brings the cost home in an indelible manner.Once again, young Americans, both men and women this time, are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leaving aside the politics of these conflicts, the experiences of the Rademacher family and,in particular,its heroic sons, reminds me again that the idea of serving ones country is of the highest order in the American psyche. The documentary does justice to this idea and,at the same time,reflects the intensely personal sacrifices made by each member of the family. The scenes in-country, inside the FOB's and outside, on patrols and in the fire fight, are a graphic portrayal of the boredom and terror combat brings with it.Because it is real and true, not staged like films such as Hurt Locker - good as it was - in my opinion Brothers at War ought to be required viewing for all Americans. I'd recommend starting with the Congress of the United States.I salute Jake Rademacher,Gary Sinise and all the others who made Brothers at War happen. And a sincere and grateful thank you to all members of the Rademacher family.

While being deployed overseas, humor, sarcasm, and what some may deem "childish behavior" kept my fellow Marines and I sane. While some people may view the individuals in the movie to be joking around or making fun of certain situations, I see it as these people trying to survive mentally while in a seriously stressful situation. If you haven't been over there, please don't criticize a veteran for the way he or she may act or have acted in this documentary. Take this movie for what it is. A documentary film maker most likely does NOT have the ability to cure the country of Iraq's problems in a 2 hour film, so don't expect to see it happen. A Soldier's joking nature is not a slap in the face to anyone's culture, so don't think it is. It may be his/her way of coping with anxiety. If you're offended by my comments, you can thank my fellow Veterans in providing my right to freedom of speech. You're welcome.