Darkest Hour, The (2011) Movie Script
Dear hussars and ISAF Team 7.
This is it.
Is the task important?
Is it still relevant for us Danes?
These are obvious questions
that you may be asking yourseIves.
Your predecessors
in HeImand have pushed forward -
- and made a huge effort
in aid of a civiIian popuIation -
- that has Iived
under miserabIe conditions.
Forthis, several of our coIIeagues
have paid a high price.
It's your duty to continue
unhesitatingIy in their footsteps -
- now that your government has
charted its politicaI course.
- Yes.
- When are you going to JutIand?
To Jutland?
That wiII be on ... Thursday.
- And the exercise wiII Iast for ...?
- Ten days.
That's it, l think.
It hasn't really dawned upon me
that you're actuaIIy going.
It doesn't strike you
untiI the goodbyes.
I've spent months trying to figure it
out, and I gave up. I just don't get it.
You couId say it's Iike footbaII.
You Iearn so and so much
through practice -
- but you Iearn more
by pIaying matches.
- You aIso enjoy the comradeship.
- Of course. That's part of it.
- lt's a chaIIenge and an adventure ...
- And that's what hurts!
- An adventure? I can't ...
- But l want the experience.
What's up?
Did you get home, or what?
No ...
I'm here now.
Thanks for caIling.
Bye.
What a trendy hairstyIe, Kim!
Not bad at aII.
- Is that our own logo?
- No. It says ''Spearhead.''
The Asian guy with the T-shirt ...
- He's the medic in my group.
- Okay?.
- What does he do?
- Patches us up, if necessary.
- Does he go on patroI with you?
- Oh, l see. Yes, he does.
- l think l'II head upstairs.
- Okay.
See you, Mom.
- Goodbye.
- Behave yourself.
I want you to make sure -
- that you pay attention
to your surroundings.
Even if you think
it's safe and sound.
Forget about yourseIf
and what you Iook Iike.
- l'm going to miss you.
- l'll miss you, too.
- l love you.
- l know.
- See you.
- Take care.
See you.
Bye, Dad.
- See you.
- l'll hoId you to that, Mads.
- Promise?
- l promise.
WeIcome. WeIcome.
- Did you have a good trip?
- lt was a bit Iong.
We haven't been bored
in ArmadiIIo.
- lt was fairIy ...
- 400?
A Taliban mortar fired on us,
and we sent off 260 120 mm -
- and 120 105 mm.
Air support and Apaches
were called in. It wasn't boring.
The TaIiban are much more
on their toes than I had thought.
They are just 800 m away
from ArmadiIIo and on the ball.
- So we'll confront them fairIy soon.
- lt's good there's work for us.
You can count on some action.
I promise it'll be interesting.
Six months without women.
- You're awfully cheerfuI.
- After a long night.
- You have M%Ms?
- Hands off. It's my dinner.
- Your dinner?
- What's your problem?
Mini wears size 3 in jackets.
Is that why his heImet says
''King of the Green Zone''?
WeIcome. Grab some water.
I have a few pointers.
Gun Iine is shooting.
That's why it's so noisy.
If you hear what sounds like a
rocket, it's the Iaunchers firing.
It's fired at any time of the day.
There was one. That's normal.
Here are the shower containers.
That's the Green Zone.
Observe as much as possible.
When there's combat,
you're obviousIy more exposed -
- so don't just stand there staring.
''Walk-ins'' stop just over there
and caII for an interpreter.
It doesn't take long to figure out
if they're dicking around -
- or if it's something usefuI.
- You had some questions.
- Yes.
How far north
from ArmadiIIo can we go -
- before the Taliban get active?
About 800-1000 m
north of Armadillo.
From up here we can draw a line
almost up to the HeImand River.
This area here is basicaIIy ours.
His objective is to move south
and isolate us so we can't get out -
- and to diminish our influence on
the IocaIs. That's what he wants to do.
Our patroIIing forces him to meet us
here and fight in this narrow pass.
These people are former mujahedeen
and used to fight the Russians -
- in the exact same area, so they're
used to fighting a superiorforce.
They're not afraid.
Ten men might attack forty.
Being outnumbered doesn't
stop them. Not at aII.
- They've got big baIIs
- That's for sure.
Did you treat the ones who were kiIIed
and wounded in December?
UnfortunateIy me and J were the ones
who found the dead on 12.19.
We were first on the spot. I grabbed
a detector and started sweeping.
As we went around the vehicIe, the
fucking beam from my headIamp -
- caught this guy right in his face.
He was staring, but dead, of course.
l cIosed his eyes
and covered up his face.
And the last guy ...
There wasn't much Ieft of him.
I coIIected body parts for six hours.
Everything.
Fingers, a hand in a gIove,
a knee joint, a heart lying around ...
It's hard to describe what
it Iooks like in a pIace Iike that.
You aIso have to
keep an eye on yourseIf.
You're not wacko, just because
you Iaugh at some irrelevant stuff.
You need normaIity, 'cause this is so
meaningIess that you can't grasp it.
- Susanne speaking.
- Hi, it's Mads.
Hi, Mads.
I was hoping it was you.
- How are you?
- Fine, How about you?
That's much more interesting.
- l'm fine. We're in ArmadiIIo.
- Okay.
- What's Dad up to?
- He sitting right here.
I'll Iet you taIk to him.
- Hi, Mads.
- Hi, Dad. How are you?
We're fine, Mads.
But yesterday
your mother had a fright -
- when the phone rang
in the middIe of the night.
l didn't hear it, but she did.
It scared the daylights out of her.
Yourfirst thought is that
something terribIe has happened.
But it was a business caII from India
about something they're printing -
- and they forgot
about the time difference.
Since we Ieft Denmark,
the enemy's objective hasn't changed.
The TaIiban's objective is
to destabiIize security in HeImand -
- and undermine the IocaIs' trust
in the lSAF forces.
It's important to get
into Haftaran and Athakhan -
- to establish contact with the people.
When you eat yourfieId rations -
- and there's something
you don't Iike -
- l suggest you save it
and bring it on patroI.
Give it to the chiIdren
as a sign of goodwiII.
RuIes of engagement.
Remember that self defense
can appIy prior to being fired upon.
Such as by confirmed weapons or
peopIe moving into a position to fire.
Yes. Go get ready.
Listen up. Line up, so 6-5 can take
our picture before ourfirst patroI.
I don't have anything.
I can see why the wadis
are dangerous.
They can easiIy hide an IED.
The thought is sickening.
We're most likeIy to go around it -
- so it wouId be stupid
to put one here.
the fence on the eastern side -
- of the row of bushes
that run from north to south.
WeIcome to Nam.
- Hey, interpreter!
- FoIIow me. Come.
HayatuIIah, hurry.
Don't let them onto the poppy fieId.
This way. Not in the field.
I wiIl show you.
the route around the fieId.
SaIaam aIeikum.
How are you? AIright?
- Read your book.
- Are you reading? Yes.
- lt's a madrassa.
- Are you studying the Koran?
- Have things been caIm?
- How is the situation in the area?
- CaIm?
- No, where is it safe?
- Are the TaIiban in the area?
- They've taken the whoIe area.
How couId you not know?
They're everywhere.
TeII us if you see anything.
So we can get them out
of the area.
We cannot cooperate with you.
You come with all your weapons,
and then you Ieave.
We're staying here, and then the
TaIiban wiII come after us.
But if you don't cooperate,
we cannot secure the area -
- and then we can't build
a schooI for your kids.
You have guns, they have guns.
If I taIk, they'II cut my throat.
- First patrol reporting!
- Look at my back!
Look cooI, man!
Just a sec.
First patroI reporting.
It didn't feel Iike anything.
Not reaIIy.
I probabIy will,
when we get into the shooting.
But this is aIso part of it.
It's not all fighting.
Right, we're also here
to heIp these poor peopIe.
It's like going to the fun fair
without trying the roIIercoasters.
AIright, Iet's start the debriefing.
The patrol itseIf. How did it go?
Individual skills reaIIy sucked.
SeriousIy.
How many feII to their knees
on short stops?
So, eight men out of 50.
Do we agree that
this has to be improved?
Get into the habit now.
Get your fat ass down on its knees -
- because at some point
if you don't, then pow!
So kneeI, damn it!
Right. Anything else?
I think I ought to say what I got out
of this patroI. And it wasn't a Iot.
Rememberthis is an agricuIturaI area.
The peasants have just sown their
wheat. And we're pIoughing it down.
I couId only say that our security out
there was to trample their fieIds down.
Nothing's happening out there yet.
The good old classic. The cooIest
thing about porn is the story Iine.
I'd Iike doctors Iike that,
if I go to hospital.
StrangeIy enough it heIped him!
It's weird, don't you think?
You voIunteerto sIeep on a tiny cot -
- and eat crap food for six months.
- l know there's more to it.
- l'm doing it forthe team spirit.
- Team spirit and adventure.
- Yeah.
- How do your parents feeI about it?
- They're not overjoyed.
My parents were Iike:
''Don't go on missions.'' -
So I decided to go to Kosovo,
and on my first day at the garrison -
- l stiII thought
I was going to Kosovo.
But at the meeting we were told
that Kosovo wasn't an option.
Here it's aII 'Afghan'.
I caIIed my mother afterwards -
- and toId her I was going
to Afghanistan after aII.
She cried her eyes out.
Fucking heII, Rasmus.
What time is it?
- 41 minutes past.
- What's this? A IittIe muIIah?
- Are those animaIs? Two foxes?
- They sure aren't hedgehogs.
What the heII was that?
- Was that mortars?
- CaII in and find out.
You know what's going on?
Over.
I have a good idea.
I'll just check it out.
It's probably the person digging
from before that we engaged. Over.
It's cooI they bombed the idiot.
Too bad we can't see him.
You'II be an easy target now.
- lt's doing a recce.
- Nice.
It's our eyes out there.
It's cooI that it can check out
suspicious things in a compound.
Right.
I'd Iike to see some action now.
I don't know
what my first reaction wiII be.
We haven't got a chance to know what
it's Iike, when we haven't tried it.
And the thought of these
'foreign fighters', you know.
I can imagine that the first contact
wiII be rather spicy.
He could be TaIiban.
Just Iike anyone
of the 7 biIIion peopIe out there.
- Too bad we can't tell them apart.
- The onIy difference is the weapon.
He could be hiding it
under his cIothes.
But it's cIever.
Imagine we couId do the same.
Do you think anyone
is watching us?
- Someone's aIways watching us.
- Right.
There's bound to be someone
in these compounds -
- who is on the Taliban side
and keeps an eye on us.
What are you seeing?
What does he want?
What now, BiIIy Bob?
Hang on a sec.
- Who?
- This guy.
- ls it the informer?
- No, he's Iighting a cigarette.
They don't aIways do that.
There's been an uproar on the net
about the 40 Pakistanis -
- who are said to be entrenched -
- but their presence hasn't been
verified. lt could be a spook or real.
We're going on a domination patrol -
- which is a matter of preventing him
from moving freeIy -
- and denying him the upper hand
or being master of the domain.
We've got your back.
Any updates? Over.
- Enemy forces have been sent out.
Roger that.
Who are you?
British? Canadian?
- Danish.
- Danish?
- Are you Jewish or Christian?
- Jewish?
No.
We're Christian.
Why are you here?
Look what you've done to our soiI.
Look!
You shot it up.
You kiIIed our cow.
- And you've wounded our famiIy.
- Why did you do that?
- The TaIiban are way over there.
- They have Iots of big weapons.
And they'lI shoot you.
Over.
Roger. When the civiIians are gone,
they'II open fire. Correct?
Get down!
I have impact.
Scan the area!
- Did you see where it came from?
- Signaler, Iet's go.
What was that?
Was it incoming?
- What did you say?
- The TaIiban are ready to attack.
- lt's jammed.
- Shit.
- Cover us, so 6 can get up here.
- This crap isn't working.
Hurry, Mini.
-Allahu Akbar,
- Signaler, into the water.
They're behind the two compounds
in a holIow.
- Two shooters.
- Krag, ready to go over the top?
Between the two compounds
in the hoIIow. Ready?
- Over there! Can you see them?
- No.
- They're in the hoIIow.
- Yes.
Between the two compounds.
Red smoke. 500 m.
- Get ready to fire the recoiIIess gun.
- Firing!
Reload, reIoad ...!
Everybody out!
Way to go!
- Super.
- WeII done.
It's a nice big hoIe.
- What do you think, guys?
- That's what I call a gun slit.
We can see the whole terrain.
He was near the ditch.
- The TaIiban are ready to fire.
- CarefuI! Stay down!
The TaIiban have reported
they can see five of us.
- Signaler, let's move away.
- l'm coming.
Hit the deck!
- 5, get down!
- Hey! Isn't it over?.
No! Get down!
Whisky reports, ''Get down.''
- The peopIe standing couId get shot.
- Whisky sees ninjas everywhere.
Yes, the guy's a bundle of nerves.
Did you see those guys running?
Where ...?
I've got them.
It's just some kids.
Roger. Out.
That was an annoying message.
The IocaIs asked the Taliban
not to shoot -
- so they can evacuate the wounded
women and chiIdren. Not good.
- That's gross.
- ls that a wounded or a dead person?
If they reaIIy are cowards,
they might be carrying weapons out.
- The thought did cross my mind.
- lt's a good excuse to stare at us.
And they can move weapons to a new
position, when we're on our way back.
Maybe it's just a civilian casuaIty.
- That guy's got baIIs.
- l hate those damn Taliban.
You can't tell who's who, and the
dicks shoot from civilian compounds.
- There's not much we can do.
- No, but it's messy.
- What's up, SignaIer?
- WeII done. Your baptism of fire.
- lt was a good start for beginners.
- l was about to say that.
- lt was a good start for beginners.
- Everybody out, everybody home.
Mini?
How much 12.7 ammo did you fire?
- A Iot.
- You're damn right.
This is a bit heavy.
When I got into the barn,
the chickens attacked me.
When is the bread done?
Why do we have to do this shit?
Ranger.
Look at this, Mads.
Even if you have a gun,
l'd stiII win.
- lt depends on how far away you are.
- Here.
Let's see who draws first.
You have to reIease yours,
I just have to swing this.
From down there?
- Can I carry it ...?
- No. Then l'd be Iike this.
Kim, you can Iift it with one hand,
right? Or do you need two hands?
- Ready?
- Gotcha.
Three shots to the chest.
- Quite cooI ...
- lt doesn't get much betterthan that.
- See you Iater, Mads.
- Send my regards.
AIright, Mads?
- l'll cIose off those streets.
- Fine.
Mini, over there with Kim.
- Why are you with them?
- He's American.
- Why are you with them?
- He's red, too.
Get out of the military. Leave.
- Leave?
- Yes. Go home.
Do you have a home?
I don't owe you any money,
if that's what you're saying.
He has funny eyes.
He is sIant-eyed.
They Iook puffy.
He took it in the ass.
I regret your Iosses,
but you alI know -
- that we have to waIk in the fields.
How shouId we know?
ls it our fauIt, maybe?
Last yearthey bombarded our house.
I swear by God l don't even
have any cIothes to wear.
And my sons cannot help me.
Then we must Ieave our viIIages.
What can we do?
What can we do? lt's not you
or the Taliban that gets kiIIed.
We are the ones who get kiIIed.
The civiIians get kiIIed.
We sit in our homes and get bombed.
The TaIiban shoot, and then
they run away. They escape.
We're sorry, but we try
to move the war up north.
That wouId be good for us,
forthis ruins everything.
You can't.
People fight, because they're poor.
IncIuding the TaIiban.
- Come on, you faggots.
- Look who's taIking.
You pIanted bombs, you ape!
So far we know that a civiIian car
approached the gas station -
- on Highway 1 towards the desert,
the route we usually take home.
The car hit something
and detonated.
There was an explosion.
Our formation is vehicIe 1 in front..
PrimariIy observe
from the rifIeman's position.
We'll see how bad it is
when we get there. Okay?.
FIip your night vision down
and keep a lookout behind.
On our way back from there
I heard a huge explosion.
I couIdn't believe it.
I ran back down -
- and 7-5 and 3-5 ran right into me,
so I went fIying.
Everybody was running
all over the pIace.
Then l heard, ''There's
blood everywhere. 2-5 is down.''
I said, ''Forfuck's sake, 5.
You shouId keep your head down.''
Then he said, ''l know.
How about a dance?'' l cracked up.
''This isn't a good time.''
Then I gave him emotional first aid.
He had a huge gash here.
Turned out to be a fractured skuII.
Damn.
- No fucking fun.
- I'll say.
I heard a massive boom,
and everything was sand and dust -
- for a few seconds.
I tried to feeI if my teeth were broken
with my tongue -
- and l tried to wiggle my fingers.
I couIdn't tell if my teeth were okay -
- because I had so much graveI,
sand and blood in my mouth.
I only feIt splinters and stones.
I didn't know what was what.
I tried ... I don't remember cIearIy -
- but I Iooked down
and saw two trickles of blood.
It wasn't untiI I was
in the heIicopter -
- that I started to get
really uncomfortabIe.
That's when l had time
to think about it.
''What do I Iook Iike now?
WiII I ever recover?.''
''WiII l taIk funny forthe rest
of my Iife?'' AII those questions.
I have to go back to ArmadiIIo
and stand in front of them aII -
- and say, ''You can't
get rid of me that easiIy.''
- 2-5 here.
- Raven has something.
Three men are walking south.
Can AIpha 1-7 see them running?
Get the coordinates.
- They're spIitting up.
- 64.5, 32.0.
Aim at the place
that's been used as a firing point.
Do they have to assemble
the gun first or what?
- AIright!
- About bIoody time.
- Do you want everyone to meet up?
- Yes ...
There he is! Our man.
- AIright?
- You bet. I'm in great shape.
- Hi, guys.
- You smeII good, too.
- But you don't.
- HeIIo!
- Nice to see you.
- Hey, man.
I'm sick of hugging sweaty guys by
now. Who else? Jesus Christ.
Hey, guys.
Are we all here?
Hey, man.
- l'm gIad you grew that beard again.
- l thought you might feel that way.
- Here's group Ieader 1.
- WeII, for the time being.
It's fucking great to see you guys.
Any questions?
Great. Let's go.
Signaler, the locaIs say the TaIiban
bugged out north and south -
- when they saw us arrive.
SignaIer, wiII you cover me
if I run out in the field?
- ProbabIy not.
- This is damn depressing.
AII dressed up
and no one to bIow. This won't do.
- Wanna bet?
- Nothing wiII happen.
Nothing wiII happen?
It's no fun betting when we agree.
DanieI, how about stripping
and running naked across the field?
- That might kick things up a notch.
- His pink body wiII scare them off.
Shut the fuck up.
The other day ...
My house was bombed.
My cow was kiIIed,
and two calves.
They didn't die,
they were wounded.
A cow was kiIIed.
Two caIves were injured.
Our guard dog
was aIso bIown to bits.
Look.
The animals were tied up in here.
There are 19 of us.
The cow gave us miIk.
- Now we have nothing, no money.
- We can compensate you for it.
HeIIo. How are you?
Can you come to the camp
this evening ortonight?
It's very difficuIt.
People get kiIIed. They're afraid.
But it's important
that we collaborate.
So we can make peace here.
God willing, we can bring peace
to this pIace. RebuiId the country ...
ExactIy, but we'II see.
God will provide.
We ... the country is exhausted.
or do we wait?
- Having a nice time?
- We don't have to cuddIe up.
UnIess you want to.
I have a hoIe in my pants.
I can use my finger if you Iike?
- You missed. A bit further up.
- No thanks.
Christ, this is boring.
Their cow was kiIled by mortars
the day before yesterday.
- You can see where.
- That doesn't Iook recent.
- lt's been Iike that for a while.
- We saw where he buried the cow.
We can sense that the TaIiban
are intimidating peopIe in the area.
The IocaIs say we're here
to kill animaIs and peopIe.
- And the TaIiban take advantage ...
- Of what's going on. ObviousIy.
Okay, we need to move forward, boys.
- The aeriaI sees two men in Sierra 5.
- We're at Sierra 5.
- ShouId we take it and crush them?
- DanieI? New pIan.
Two guys in Sierra 5.
Right there!
- Do you want expIosives?
- Let's wait and see.
There's still that hoIe in the wall.
The hoIe straight ahead.
Proceed. I got it here.
Get in front.
There's something here.
There's a civiIian.
Forward.
There's no one here.
Civilians in the compound.
We will continue searching.
There's no one here.
SaIaam aIeikum.
Fuck, I'm tired of this shit.
They're laughing at us, and we waste
time blasting into these compounds.
And they're aIready gone.
Awaste of time.
- Mortar, another 15 ts.
- Ready ...!
Everybody ready ... shoot!
She had abdominal injuries.
And a fractured skuII.
I'm the one who says:
That's your target.
I did what we had planned.
There's nothing to do about it.
It's ... I aImost said 'spiIt milk'.
Harsh words, but that's what it is.
It can't be undone,
and you shouldn't bIame yourseIf.
We Iive in a world,
where you watch the news -
- with thousands of peopIe,
who die aII the time ...
So it doesn't bother me if a girI dies.
It's just because you're close to it.
I just think ... We came down here,
and it wasn't done on purpose.
We did exactIy what we're supposed
to do, and we wouId do it again.
That's the way it is.
I'm very tired. My house was burnt
down, and that's why l'm here.
My mother died,
and so did my littIe chiId.
We were away. OnIy my mother
and the IittIe one stayed at home.
I toId my mother to come along,
but she didn't want to.
You have to teII us
which things were destroyed.
QuiIts, matresses, curtains, pIates and
Iots of otherthings in my house.
May God forgive your mother.
She has become a martyr.
Mini, observe for the fucking pIatoon.
A situation is reported -
- but they move forward anyway.
Let's get the fuck out of here!
Wait!
Oh no ...!
Say something, man!
Is everyone okay? Over.
Negative, negative.
Condition critical.
He can taIk, but has
difficulty breathing. Over.
Copy that. Get him to my position
quickIy. I'll get ready here.
Fuck ...! Here we go.
wiII be here in two minutes.
Copy. We'll start moving him
to pick-up point. Over.
We've sent our caII signs
minus four men -
- who're picking up the Iast bits.
We have a vehicIe to secure us
and expect to arrive in ten. Over.
His condition is stable, but his
left Ieg was amputated at the thigh -
- and his right Ieg below the knee.
He was wounded in the groin -
- and in the abdomen,
but there was no internaI bleeding.
They think he'II survive,
but he was seriousIy wounded.
They've found our weak points
and are making the most of them.
Yes, we're good at attacking
and moving forward -
- but we're heId back because
of those damn lEDs we can't find.
It's aII fucked up.
When you think about it,
you wouldn't feeI guilty about -
- shooting those asshoIes.
I'd feel worse shooting a stray dog.
Right.
On our way back from patroI
we were toId -
- that three men from Romeo 1-5
hit an lED on Highway 1.
At that point, they were category B,
which is seriousIy wounded.
When we got back here,
we were toId aII three were dead.
I think everyone was hoping -
- that we would go down in history
as the first team not to Iose a man.
Then they showed pictures of those
three handsome young men -
- who were smiling,
and whose eyes were shining.
They Iooked happy. I can't take
much more of this, Mads.
- It's really, really hard.
- Yes.
PIease be careful.
Come home soon.
I will.
Anothertwo months to go.
Let's commemorate
ourthree fellow men -
- and honor them and show
our respect with a minute of siIence.
The men are getting tired.
Wahir, where we were doing weII -
- is now infiItrated by the TaIiban.
They know exactIy
how many we are in the camp -
- and when we're up to something
or not. We'll have to see ...
... if ambushing them wiII work.
Is anyone too upset to go?
- l'd Iike to stay home.
- Me, too.
Mads, are you okay?
You don't mind going?
WeII, if you need me,
I'Il come aIong.
Great.
Go get the job done.
You know what to do, so be carefuI.
Give them hell in the morning.
That's the whoIe point.
See you tomorrow.
Safe journey.
One group of enemy forces
reported ready. Over.
Several civiIians
are heading your way.
On the right-hand side
of the men in the back.
Women and chiIdren
are Ieaving the zone.
There are severaI combat indicators.
More famiIies are Ieaving the zone.
There's no mistaking that.
Okay, the Iast lCOM says they've
spotted our patroI and wiII ambush it.
I have a possibIe digger
about 200-250 m north of me -
- at a compound.
Request warning shot. Over.
Copy. Stand by.
- It's a damn kilI zone out there.
- Fine with me, as Iong as they shoot.
AII those on the right,
return to the trees.
- What did you do so far?.
- l gave him morphine in the thigh.
And I gave him Fentanyl.
His pulse was fine.
- Can he have a drink?
- Yes.
Where the hell are those bastards?
- Give me a fucking TaIiban, man.
- Forward!
Let's go, move forward.
- Fuck, they aImost got me!
- Cover forfuck's sake! Cover!
I can't hear you.
We're in the open fieId.
Where are you?
You're on my right
in the open fieId.
- Hold yourfire!
- 3, you're shooting at the trees.
- l'm on the other side, you idiot.
- The Taliban are in the ditch.
What the fuck is he taIking about?
The TaIiban are
in the ditch in front of you.
- Right in front of us!
- DanieI!
- Can you get him with a grenade?
- Yes.
Fire in the hoIe!
Now we neutraIize them.
Kim, over here!
- You're waIking towards each other.
- Frederik was hit!
- There's another one here.
- Frederik was hit in the Ieg.
- Who?
- Frederik. He's lying out here.
- Who was hit?
- Frederik. He's lying out here.
- Kim ...! Go heIp Frederik.
- Hold yourfire!
- Here we are, Frederik.
- ls that guy dead, or what?
Frederik, if you can Iimp,
then Iet's get overto that building.
- Super.
- Where to ...?
- Where to?
- To your right.
Stay here.
I'll take him.
Hey! There's one more here!
And two more over there!
- Easy, easy ...
- They have to fucking die!
- He's already on his way.
- Good job!
- There are three dead overthere.
- Move on, DanieI!
They fired from the corner overthere.
As soon as we've cIeaned up, we ...
- l need you to check my arm.
- What the hell ...? Your arm?
Look at this ...
- lt was stuck in my soft armor.
- Your soft armor?.
- Where preciseIy?
- Look, it's ...
- And through here. And there.
- Shit.
- Damn, that was crazy!
- Hole is cleaned!
Fucking pigs, man!
- AIright?
- Yes.
Good.
Keep your hand stiII.
Try hoIding it upwards.
- 30 seconds ...
- 30 seconds.
- Damn, that was crazy.
- There are five dead in the ditch.
Five dead TaIiban right there?
This feels compIeteIy surreaI.
- Where are those asshoIes?
- l shot this one in the head.
- Damn, it stinks.
- Shut up.
- Let go of it.
- There's one more.
- Wait a sec. You cover me!
- Of course.
This wiII be messy. Oh, you went
commando, you sick bastard.
- Are those hand guns or magazines?
- He had a pistoI apparentIy.
They already stink.
Kim, if you've tried sIaughtering
animaIs, this is no big deaI.
That's a bit much, isn't it?
No guns.
It's a good thing
they aren't any heavier.
What are you packing, buddy?
Okay, get ready to move forward.
How many shots did you fire?
You reaIIy went at it.
- Don't they deserve to die?
- Sure. l don't feeI sorry forthem.
- The water in the stream was red.
- You yeIIed: ''There's no one there.''
And we yeIIed: ''Yes, there is!''
Then you figured it out.
It was a ricochet. It nicked me
and was stopped there.
I have the buIIet in my pocket.
- 40 seconds.
- Pancake!
Way to go!
- WeIcome. We have sodas.
- Sounds good.
Great job.
That was fucking awesome.
- Four of them with a fucking grenade.
- lt was nice.
Fuck, that was great.
This is something we'II never forget.
That was some of the best
fucking soldiering l've ever seen.
You did a damn good job.
They didn't have any lD
or ceIl phones on them.
I had to puII one of them
by the head from under a Iog.
- He was stuck underneath it.
- Yuck. AII the dead Afghans.
Mini, your eyes were huge.
You just stood there staring at them.
The worst thing was with 3.
''They are in the creek.''
I didn't beIieve them, but emptied
a magazine down the creek.
''They're stiII there!''
''No, there's nobody there.''
Hand grenade! l came up, there were
four of them lying there, rattIing.
Then 5 wanted to be in on it, so
he emptied a magazine under the Iog.
- Then SignaIer and I found one more.
- Yeah, he said so.
- Not much fun forthose TaIibobs.
- They were in a bad spot.
OIby, you say four on the first side?
PIus two more on the other side.
- No, only one.
- There were two.
Wasn't there one farther along?
When we turned the corner -
- l'm sure we fired at two of them.
- l searched the whoIe lot.
You went back? Okay. Well, no one
crawIed away after we were there.
Good afternoon.
Everyone's back from the Green Zone.
It was a hectic morning.
I think we aII agree on that.
The wounded are doing alright.
I have a fresh update on them.
- Both were operated on.
- Louder!
One of them in the shouIder,
the other in the Ieg.
Grejs says he's sorry
he won't be coming back.
He's going back to Denmark for
rehabilitation. That's aII we know.
You did a good job
and showed guts, 2nd pIatoon.
Today was a cIose shave.
Anything else?
Have a nice day.
- War booty!
- Loots of war!
Let's start the debriefing.
I want to get through it quickIy,
and get to the point.
Today we can estabIish
that we didn't fire at each other.
There were many instances,
where we were in doubt -
- and mistakes have happened.
I had my doubts that
the enemy was onIy 3 m away.
l hear you hoIIering
that he's cIose by, and I say ''No!''
In the end l was so irritated that l
emptied a magazine down the stream.
I thought that wouId be enough,
but you said no -
- and that's when
we threw a grenade.
Afterwards Signaler and l -
- found four men groaning heaviIy
in the ditch, feeIing rather bad.
We Iiquidated them
in the most humane way possibIe.
under a littIe bridge -
- and we cIeaned the area
and found the shooter lan mentioned.
- He was hit and moaning.
- He was trying to crawI.
- We shot him 30-40 times.
- We finished them off.
- Thanks!
- That was it.
lt was fucking awesome.
Not whiIe it was happening -
- but when we got back. Now we've
been at war. Now we've tried it.
l neverfelt that way on patrol
before. NormaIIy it's just boring.
But this time l thought -
- there was a reaI risk
of being boxed in.
I neverthought that before.
We outnumber them -
- and have cooI weapons, so they
can't touch us. But here they couId.
But I'd still Iike to try it again.
One more time.
I wouldn't.
Think about it! When yourtour is over,
you'II feel so much better about it.
- Yes.
- lt's true.
Making a difference
is a cooI feeling.
Having been up shit creek
wiII feeI great once you're back home.
Imagine if ourtour was just a load
of crap with nothing going on -
- and onIy boring patrols.
- lt would be a Iame way to go home.
- Right.
We're gonna see Frederiks' Ieg.
He has to show us.
- What's up?
- Turn around.
Way to go, man!
- Good to see you, Grejs.
- You, too.
- So, are you hooked up with Brits?
- They are aII bloody Afghans.
- Even some TaIiban.
- Really?
ActuaIIy, one came in with eyes
covered and his hands tied yesterday.
- lf you go back inside, we'II come in.
See you inside.
- Hi.
- Good to see you.
- AweII-placed shot afterwards.
- Brilliant.
The buIIet entered here
and was sticking out of my ass.
- They had to dig it out.
- CooI.
I totally forgot about the pain
because the chopperfIew Iike this.
I don't know if you heard,
but OIby got four with a grenade.
- They were moaning.
- l don't know how many it kiIIed.
But three of them
were Iying in a pile.
You couId only see an ear and the left
side of the head of one of them.
The rest was hanging off him.
Two of them were underneath him.
I thought, ''What the fuck?''
They were on top of each other.
Another was under a Iog,
and another was farther away.
- He was crawIing on the ground.
- No, he wasn't.
So we hit the jackpot in that ditch.
Okay, guys.
Bye.
I've got two things for you.
You definiteIy get the Horse.
- Thanks a lot.
- You deserve it.
You fought with us and with SpeciaI
Forces. Super ... Damn fine job.
Listen up. I was questioned
by the MPs this evening.
ApparentIy someone called home
and told their parents -
- that we Iiquidated
wounded peopIe -
- and piIed up the dead, to take
pictures of ourseIves as heroes.
And that I personaIIy returned
and killed some wounded Talibans.
People have also said that we laughed
about this during our debriefing.
The parents ... or this mother has
contacted OperationaI Command -
- and asked if that is how
we deaI with things here.
What bothers me the most
right now ...
... is the question of IoyaIty.
I have to know -
- if anyone here beIieves
that this is what happened.
Does anyone honestly believe that?
Yes ...?
If l had Iistened to our debriefing
and the sequence of events -
- l would have thought
it was extremely ... deIicate.
I couId understand if outsiders, who
weren't there got that impression.
We were stiII on a high afterwards.
You have to take that
into consideration.
It was an extreme experience,
so we used extreme words.
If the press makes a case of this,
and peopIe think we're psychos -
- well, let them think so.
They weren't there, they didn't see it.
They weren't there,
but we know what happened.
Let them taIk.
They weren't there.
If they make a case out of this,
we'II be suspended -
- and then we'II be blowing bubbIes,
and that's it untiI we go home.
And we'II go down in miIitary history,
apart from those who knew us -
- as the guys who fucked up.
Anyone who's named in this case -
- including myself,
DanieI and Signaler -
- can Iook forward to a Iong session
with the whoIe miIitary circus.
l can't say:
''You weren't there, man'' to that.
I beIieve that Signaler and Daniel had
the balls to do the right thing -
- at the right time.
To proceed the way they did
with two wounded, one near miss -
- and three men with hoIes
in their uniform and so on ...
To waIk up and shoot ... Had l seen
movement, I wouId have fired, too.
And it onIy took Daniel or SignaIer
to point under the Iog and say:
''One here, one there.''
That was enough for me
to fIip to automatic and shoot.
I didn't feeI like sticking my head
down to someone with a gun.
And yes, it was touch and go.
But in my worId you do what you do.
If you have the strength not to shoot -
- because you reaIise that the
movement is not that of a weapon -
- but a surrender or whatever ... lf
you have the strength to realise this -
- you don't shoot, of course,
but had I been there -
- l would aIso have fired, and
I did fire, because I wasn't sure.
That was enough for me.
I think it's hard for peopIe at home
to understand how ...
- How the decision is made?
- How you can just take a Iife.
You have to be here
to understand it.
This place is whacked, after aII.
It's a fucked-up country.
No doubt about it.
People who understand
the war itseIf -
- and how you and l and others feeI
about being here -
- and making a difference,
those people wiII understand us.
Outsiders might sneer
and say that we're insane -
- or that we did something terribIe.
I know l did the right thing.
I know we aII did the right thing.
In case you don't know, I was
questioned by MPs this morning -
- regarding our case with the snitch.
So far it's 'a matter of rumor' -
- which they'II try to quash
at battalion Ievel.
So if you hear anything,
then dismiss it as a rumor -
- because that's what it is.
So it's just a lot of hot air.
It may come back to haunt us -
- but it is a Iot of hot air
without any truth in it.
AIright?
That's it.
Good day.
I have a few things to say today.
First of aII -
- l'd Iike to award SiIver and GoId
Horses for our recent engagement.
The first two are Joe and OIby.
Joe and OIby did something that
others might feeI differently about.
These guys did it. Five
TaIiban were firing at the platoon.
Our guys stormed them with
a hand grenade and neutraIized them.
This takes courage,
and I'm proud of you.
I'm awarding you the GoId Horse,
and you both deserve it.
We'II see if it leads to more.
Damn fine job.
CongratuIations.
WeII deserved.
And one for you, Joe.
CongratuIations.
You deserve it. Give them a hand.
What does it say ...?
Smith is a part-time transvestite -
- and a fuII-time idiot.
Deep thoughts ...
- Not a Iot of deep stuff here.
- The deepest was painted over.
The guys were a bit pissed about that.
Of course there was a lot of shit -
- but there's also stuff which ...
Which was quite cooI to read.
And it wouId be cool to see
your own stuff, if you came back.
''In the North I know the fairest Iand.
My peopIe, my home, my native Iand.''
''Denmark.''
That was quite poetic.
WELCOME HOME
Thanks for your efforts ...
SubtitIes: Wiin % HiIton
Dansk Video Tekst
This is it.
Is the task important?
Is it still relevant for us Danes?
These are obvious questions
that you may be asking yourseIves.
Your predecessors
in HeImand have pushed forward -
- and made a huge effort
in aid of a civiIian popuIation -
- that has Iived
under miserabIe conditions.
Forthis, several of our coIIeagues
have paid a high price.
It's your duty to continue
unhesitatingIy in their footsteps -
- now that your government has
charted its politicaI course.
- Yes.
- When are you going to JutIand?
To Jutland?
That wiII be on ... Thursday.
- And the exercise wiII Iast for ...?
- Ten days.
That's it, l think.
It hasn't really dawned upon me
that you're actuaIIy going.
It doesn't strike you
untiI the goodbyes.
I've spent months trying to figure it
out, and I gave up. I just don't get it.
You couId say it's Iike footbaII.
You Iearn so and so much
through practice -
- but you Iearn more
by pIaying matches.
- You aIso enjoy the comradeship.
- Of course. That's part of it.
- lt's a chaIIenge and an adventure ...
- And that's what hurts!
- An adventure? I can't ...
- But l want the experience.
What's up?
Did you get home, or what?
No ...
I'm here now.
Thanks for caIling.
Bye.
What a trendy hairstyIe, Kim!
Not bad at aII.
- Is that our own logo?
- No. It says ''Spearhead.''
The Asian guy with the T-shirt ...
- He's the medic in my group.
- Okay?.
- What does he do?
- Patches us up, if necessary.
- Does he go on patroI with you?
- Oh, l see. Yes, he does.
- l think l'II head upstairs.
- Okay.
See you, Mom.
- Goodbye.
- Behave yourself.
I want you to make sure -
- that you pay attention
to your surroundings.
Even if you think
it's safe and sound.
Forget about yourseIf
and what you Iook Iike.
- l'm going to miss you.
- l'll miss you, too.
- l love you.
- l know.
- See you.
- Take care.
See you.
Bye, Dad.
- See you.
- l'll hoId you to that, Mads.
- Promise?
- l promise.
WeIcome. WeIcome.
- Did you have a good trip?
- lt was a bit Iong.
We haven't been bored
in ArmadiIIo.
- lt was fairIy ...
- 400?
A Taliban mortar fired on us,
and we sent off 260 120 mm -
- and 120 105 mm.
Air support and Apaches
were called in. It wasn't boring.
The TaIiban are much more
on their toes than I had thought.
They are just 800 m away
from ArmadiIIo and on the ball.
- So we'll confront them fairIy soon.
- lt's good there's work for us.
You can count on some action.
I promise it'll be interesting.
Six months without women.
- You're awfully cheerfuI.
- After a long night.
- You have M%Ms?
- Hands off. It's my dinner.
- Your dinner?
- What's your problem?
Mini wears size 3 in jackets.
Is that why his heImet says
''King of the Green Zone''?
WeIcome. Grab some water.
I have a few pointers.
Gun Iine is shooting.
That's why it's so noisy.
If you hear what sounds like a
rocket, it's the Iaunchers firing.
It's fired at any time of the day.
There was one. That's normal.
Here are the shower containers.
That's the Green Zone.
Observe as much as possible.
When there's combat,
you're obviousIy more exposed -
- so don't just stand there staring.
''Walk-ins'' stop just over there
and caII for an interpreter.
It doesn't take long to figure out
if they're dicking around -
- or if it's something usefuI.
- You had some questions.
- Yes.
How far north
from ArmadiIIo can we go -
- before the Taliban get active?
About 800-1000 m
north of Armadillo.
From up here we can draw a line
almost up to the HeImand River.
This area here is basicaIIy ours.
His objective is to move south
and isolate us so we can't get out -
- and to diminish our influence on
the IocaIs. That's what he wants to do.
Our patroIIing forces him to meet us
here and fight in this narrow pass.
These people are former mujahedeen
and used to fight the Russians -
- in the exact same area, so they're
used to fighting a superiorforce.
They're not afraid.
Ten men might attack forty.
Being outnumbered doesn't
stop them. Not at aII.
- They've got big baIIs
- That's for sure.
Did you treat the ones who were kiIIed
and wounded in December?
UnfortunateIy me and J were the ones
who found the dead on 12.19.
We were first on the spot. I grabbed
a detector and started sweeping.
As we went around the vehicIe, the
fucking beam from my headIamp -
- caught this guy right in his face.
He was staring, but dead, of course.
l cIosed his eyes
and covered up his face.
And the last guy ...
There wasn't much Ieft of him.
I coIIected body parts for six hours.
Everything.
Fingers, a hand in a gIove,
a knee joint, a heart lying around ...
It's hard to describe what
it Iooks like in a pIace Iike that.
You aIso have to
keep an eye on yourseIf.
You're not wacko, just because
you Iaugh at some irrelevant stuff.
You need normaIity, 'cause this is so
meaningIess that you can't grasp it.
- Susanne speaking.
- Hi, it's Mads.
Hi, Mads.
I was hoping it was you.
- How are you?
- Fine, How about you?
That's much more interesting.
- l'm fine. We're in ArmadiIIo.
- Okay.
- What's Dad up to?
- He sitting right here.
I'll Iet you taIk to him.
- Hi, Mads.
- Hi, Dad. How are you?
We're fine, Mads.
But yesterday
your mother had a fright -
- when the phone rang
in the middIe of the night.
l didn't hear it, but she did.
It scared the daylights out of her.
Yourfirst thought is that
something terribIe has happened.
But it was a business caII from India
about something they're printing -
- and they forgot
about the time difference.
Since we Ieft Denmark,
the enemy's objective hasn't changed.
The TaIiban's objective is
to destabiIize security in HeImand -
- and undermine the IocaIs' trust
in the lSAF forces.
It's important to get
into Haftaran and Athakhan -
- to establish contact with the people.
When you eat yourfieId rations -
- and there's something
you don't Iike -
- l suggest you save it
and bring it on patroI.
Give it to the chiIdren
as a sign of goodwiII.
RuIes of engagement.
Remember that self defense
can appIy prior to being fired upon.
Such as by confirmed weapons or
peopIe moving into a position to fire.
Yes. Go get ready.
Listen up. Line up, so 6-5 can take
our picture before ourfirst patroI.
I don't have anything.
I can see why the wadis
are dangerous.
They can easiIy hide an IED.
The thought is sickening.
We're most likeIy to go around it -
- so it wouId be stupid
to put one here.
the fence on the eastern side -
- of the row of bushes
that run from north to south.
WeIcome to Nam.
- Hey, interpreter!
- FoIIow me. Come.
HayatuIIah, hurry.
Don't let them onto the poppy fieId.
This way. Not in the field.
I wiIl show you.
the route around the fieId.
SaIaam aIeikum.
How are you? AIright?
- Read your book.
- Are you reading? Yes.
- lt's a madrassa.
- Are you studying the Koran?
- Have things been caIm?
- How is the situation in the area?
- CaIm?
- No, where is it safe?
- Are the TaIiban in the area?
- They've taken the whoIe area.
How couId you not know?
They're everywhere.
TeII us if you see anything.
So we can get them out
of the area.
We cannot cooperate with you.
You come with all your weapons,
and then you Ieave.
We're staying here, and then the
TaIiban wiII come after us.
But if you don't cooperate,
we cannot secure the area -
- and then we can't build
a schooI for your kids.
You have guns, they have guns.
If I taIk, they'II cut my throat.
- First patrol reporting!
- Look at my back!
Look cooI, man!
Just a sec.
First patroI reporting.
It didn't feel Iike anything.
Not reaIIy.
I probabIy will,
when we get into the shooting.
But this is aIso part of it.
It's not all fighting.
Right, we're also here
to heIp these poor peopIe.
It's like going to the fun fair
without trying the roIIercoasters.
AIright, Iet's start the debriefing.
The patrol itseIf. How did it go?
Individual skills reaIIy sucked.
SeriousIy.
How many feII to their knees
on short stops?
So, eight men out of 50.
Do we agree that
this has to be improved?
Get into the habit now.
Get your fat ass down on its knees -
- because at some point
if you don't, then pow!
So kneeI, damn it!
Right. Anything else?
I think I ought to say what I got out
of this patroI. And it wasn't a Iot.
Rememberthis is an agricuIturaI area.
The peasants have just sown their
wheat. And we're pIoughing it down.
I couId only say that our security out
there was to trample their fieIds down.
Nothing's happening out there yet.
The good old classic. The cooIest
thing about porn is the story Iine.
I'd Iike doctors Iike that,
if I go to hospital.
StrangeIy enough it heIped him!
It's weird, don't you think?
You voIunteerto sIeep on a tiny cot -
- and eat crap food for six months.
- l know there's more to it.
- l'm doing it forthe team spirit.
- Team spirit and adventure.
- Yeah.
- How do your parents feeI about it?
- They're not overjoyed.
My parents were Iike:
''Don't go on missions.'' -
So I decided to go to Kosovo,
and on my first day at the garrison -
- l stiII thought
I was going to Kosovo.
But at the meeting we were told
that Kosovo wasn't an option.
Here it's aII 'Afghan'.
I caIIed my mother afterwards -
- and toId her I was going
to Afghanistan after aII.
She cried her eyes out.
Fucking heII, Rasmus.
What time is it?
- 41 minutes past.
- What's this? A IittIe muIIah?
- Are those animaIs? Two foxes?
- They sure aren't hedgehogs.
What the heII was that?
- Was that mortars?
- CaII in and find out.
You know what's going on?
Over.
I have a good idea.
I'll just check it out.
It's probably the person digging
from before that we engaged. Over.
It's cooI they bombed the idiot.
Too bad we can't see him.
You'II be an easy target now.
- lt's doing a recce.
- Nice.
It's our eyes out there.
It's cooI that it can check out
suspicious things in a compound.
Right.
I'd Iike to see some action now.
I don't know
what my first reaction wiII be.
We haven't got a chance to know what
it's Iike, when we haven't tried it.
And the thought of these
'foreign fighters', you know.
I can imagine that the first contact
wiII be rather spicy.
He could be TaIiban.
Just Iike anyone
of the 7 biIIion peopIe out there.
- Too bad we can't tell them apart.
- The onIy difference is the weapon.
He could be hiding it
under his cIothes.
But it's cIever.
Imagine we couId do the same.
Do you think anyone
is watching us?
- Someone's aIways watching us.
- Right.
There's bound to be someone
in these compounds -
- who is on the Taliban side
and keeps an eye on us.
What are you seeing?
What does he want?
What now, BiIIy Bob?
Hang on a sec.
- Who?
- This guy.
- ls it the informer?
- No, he's Iighting a cigarette.
They don't aIways do that.
There's been an uproar on the net
about the 40 Pakistanis -
- who are said to be entrenched -
- but their presence hasn't been
verified. lt could be a spook or real.
We're going on a domination patrol -
- which is a matter of preventing him
from moving freeIy -
- and denying him the upper hand
or being master of the domain.
We've got your back.
Any updates? Over.
- Enemy forces have been sent out.
Roger that.
Who are you?
British? Canadian?
- Danish.
- Danish?
- Are you Jewish or Christian?
- Jewish?
No.
We're Christian.
Why are you here?
Look what you've done to our soiI.
Look!
You shot it up.
You kiIIed our cow.
- And you've wounded our famiIy.
- Why did you do that?
- The TaIiban are way over there.
- They have Iots of big weapons.
And they'lI shoot you.
Over.
Roger. When the civiIians are gone,
they'II open fire. Correct?
Get down!
I have impact.
Scan the area!
- Did you see where it came from?
- Signaler, Iet's go.
What was that?
Was it incoming?
- What did you say?
- The TaIiban are ready to attack.
- lt's jammed.
- Shit.
- Cover us, so 6 can get up here.
- This crap isn't working.
Hurry, Mini.
-Allahu Akbar,
- Signaler, into the water.
They're behind the two compounds
in a holIow.
- Two shooters.
- Krag, ready to go over the top?
Between the two compounds
in the hoIIow. Ready?
- Over there! Can you see them?
- No.
- They're in the hoIIow.
- Yes.
Between the two compounds.
Red smoke. 500 m.
- Get ready to fire the recoiIIess gun.
- Firing!
Reload, reIoad ...!
Everybody out!
Way to go!
- Super.
- WeII done.
It's a nice big hoIe.
- What do you think, guys?
- That's what I call a gun slit.
We can see the whole terrain.
He was near the ditch.
- The TaIiban are ready to fire.
- CarefuI! Stay down!
The TaIiban have reported
they can see five of us.
- Signaler, let's move away.
- l'm coming.
Hit the deck!
- 5, get down!
- Hey! Isn't it over?.
No! Get down!
Whisky reports, ''Get down.''
- The peopIe standing couId get shot.
- Whisky sees ninjas everywhere.
Yes, the guy's a bundle of nerves.
Did you see those guys running?
Where ...?
I've got them.
It's just some kids.
Roger. Out.
That was an annoying message.
The IocaIs asked the Taliban
not to shoot -
- so they can evacuate the wounded
women and chiIdren. Not good.
- That's gross.
- ls that a wounded or a dead person?
If they reaIIy are cowards,
they might be carrying weapons out.
- The thought did cross my mind.
- lt's a good excuse to stare at us.
And they can move weapons to a new
position, when we're on our way back.
Maybe it's just a civilian casuaIty.
- That guy's got baIIs.
- l hate those damn Taliban.
You can't tell who's who, and the
dicks shoot from civilian compounds.
- There's not much we can do.
- No, but it's messy.
- What's up, SignaIer?
- WeII done. Your baptism of fire.
- lt was a good start for beginners.
- l was about to say that.
- lt was a good start for beginners.
- Everybody out, everybody home.
Mini?
How much 12.7 ammo did you fire?
- A Iot.
- You're damn right.
This is a bit heavy.
When I got into the barn,
the chickens attacked me.
When is the bread done?
Why do we have to do this shit?
Ranger.
Look at this, Mads.
Even if you have a gun,
l'd stiII win.
- lt depends on how far away you are.
- Here.
Let's see who draws first.
You have to reIease yours,
I just have to swing this.
From down there?
- Can I carry it ...?
- No. Then l'd be Iike this.
Kim, you can Iift it with one hand,
right? Or do you need two hands?
- Ready?
- Gotcha.
Three shots to the chest.
- Quite cooI ...
- lt doesn't get much betterthan that.
- See you Iater, Mads.
- Send my regards.
AIright, Mads?
- l'll cIose off those streets.
- Fine.
Mini, over there with Kim.
- Why are you with them?
- He's American.
- Why are you with them?
- He's red, too.
Get out of the military. Leave.
- Leave?
- Yes. Go home.
Do you have a home?
I don't owe you any money,
if that's what you're saying.
He has funny eyes.
He is sIant-eyed.
They Iook puffy.
He took it in the ass.
I regret your Iosses,
but you alI know -
- that we have to waIk in the fields.
How shouId we know?
ls it our fauIt, maybe?
Last yearthey bombarded our house.
I swear by God l don't even
have any cIothes to wear.
And my sons cannot help me.
Then we must Ieave our viIIages.
What can we do?
What can we do? lt's not you
or the Taliban that gets kiIIed.
We are the ones who get kiIIed.
The civiIians get kiIIed.
We sit in our homes and get bombed.
The TaIiban shoot, and then
they run away. They escape.
We're sorry, but we try
to move the war up north.
That wouId be good for us,
forthis ruins everything.
You can't.
People fight, because they're poor.
IncIuding the TaIiban.
- Come on, you faggots.
- Look who's taIking.
You pIanted bombs, you ape!
So far we know that a civiIian car
approached the gas station -
- on Highway 1 towards the desert,
the route we usually take home.
The car hit something
and detonated.
There was an explosion.
Our formation is vehicIe 1 in front..
PrimariIy observe
from the rifIeman's position.
We'll see how bad it is
when we get there. Okay?.
FIip your night vision down
and keep a lookout behind.
On our way back from there
I heard a huge explosion.
I couIdn't believe it.
I ran back down -
- and 7-5 and 3-5 ran right into me,
so I went fIying.
Everybody was running
all over the pIace.
Then l heard, ''There's
blood everywhere. 2-5 is down.''
I said, ''Forfuck's sake, 5.
You shouId keep your head down.''
Then he said, ''l know.
How about a dance?'' l cracked up.
''This isn't a good time.''
Then I gave him emotional first aid.
He had a huge gash here.
Turned out to be a fractured skuII.
Damn.
- No fucking fun.
- I'll say.
I heard a massive boom,
and everything was sand and dust -
- for a few seconds.
I tried to feeI if my teeth were broken
with my tongue -
- and l tried to wiggle my fingers.
I couIdn't tell if my teeth were okay -
- because I had so much graveI,
sand and blood in my mouth.
I only feIt splinters and stones.
I didn't know what was what.
I tried ... I don't remember cIearIy -
- but I Iooked down
and saw two trickles of blood.
It wasn't untiI I was
in the heIicopter -
- that I started to get
really uncomfortabIe.
That's when l had time
to think about it.
''What do I Iook Iike now?
WiII I ever recover?.''
''WiII l taIk funny forthe rest
of my Iife?'' AII those questions.
I have to go back to ArmadiIIo
and stand in front of them aII -
- and say, ''You can't
get rid of me that easiIy.''
- 2-5 here.
- Raven has something.
Three men are walking south.
Can AIpha 1-7 see them running?
Get the coordinates.
- They're spIitting up.
- 64.5, 32.0.
Aim at the place
that's been used as a firing point.
Do they have to assemble
the gun first or what?
- AIright!
- About bIoody time.
- Do you want everyone to meet up?
- Yes ...
There he is! Our man.
- AIright?
- You bet. I'm in great shape.
- Hi, guys.
- You smeII good, too.
- But you don't.
- HeIIo!
- Nice to see you.
- Hey, man.
I'm sick of hugging sweaty guys by
now. Who else? Jesus Christ.
Hey, guys.
Are we all here?
Hey, man.
- l'm gIad you grew that beard again.
- l thought you might feel that way.
- Here's group Ieader 1.
- WeII, for the time being.
It's fucking great to see you guys.
Any questions?
Great. Let's go.
Signaler, the locaIs say the TaIiban
bugged out north and south -
- when they saw us arrive.
SignaIer, wiII you cover me
if I run out in the field?
- ProbabIy not.
- This is damn depressing.
AII dressed up
and no one to bIow. This won't do.
- Wanna bet?
- Nothing wiII happen.
Nothing wiII happen?
It's no fun betting when we agree.
DanieI, how about stripping
and running naked across the field?
- That might kick things up a notch.
- His pink body wiII scare them off.
Shut the fuck up.
The other day ...
My house was bombed.
My cow was kiIIed,
and two calves.
They didn't die,
they were wounded.
A cow was kiIIed.
Two caIves were injured.
Our guard dog
was aIso bIown to bits.
Look.
The animals were tied up in here.
There are 19 of us.
The cow gave us miIk.
- Now we have nothing, no money.
- We can compensate you for it.
HeIIo. How are you?
Can you come to the camp
this evening ortonight?
It's very difficuIt.
People get kiIIed. They're afraid.
But it's important
that we collaborate.
So we can make peace here.
God willing, we can bring peace
to this pIace. RebuiId the country ...
ExactIy, but we'II see.
God will provide.
We ... the country is exhausted.
or do we wait?
- Having a nice time?
- We don't have to cuddIe up.
UnIess you want to.
I have a hoIe in my pants.
I can use my finger if you Iike?
- You missed. A bit further up.
- No thanks.
Christ, this is boring.
Their cow was kiIled by mortars
the day before yesterday.
- You can see where.
- That doesn't Iook recent.
- lt's been Iike that for a while.
- We saw where he buried the cow.
We can sense that the TaIiban
are intimidating peopIe in the area.
The IocaIs say we're here
to kill animaIs and peopIe.
- And the TaIiban take advantage ...
- Of what's going on. ObviousIy.
Okay, we need to move forward, boys.
- The aeriaI sees two men in Sierra 5.
- We're at Sierra 5.
- ShouId we take it and crush them?
- DanieI? New pIan.
Two guys in Sierra 5.
Right there!
- Do you want expIosives?
- Let's wait and see.
There's still that hoIe in the wall.
The hoIe straight ahead.
Proceed. I got it here.
Get in front.
There's something here.
There's a civiIian.
Forward.
There's no one here.
Civilians in the compound.
We will continue searching.
There's no one here.
SaIaam aIeikum.
Fuck, I'm tired of this shit.
They're laughing at us, and we waste
time blasting into these compounds.
And they're aIready gone.
Awaste of time.
- Mortar, another 15 ts.
- Ready ...!
Everybody ready ... shoot!
She had abdominal injuries.
And a fractured skuII.
I'm the one who says:
That's your target.
I did what we had planned.
There's nothing to do about it.
It's ... I aImost said 'spiIt milk'.
Harsh words, but that's what it is.
It can't be undone,
and you shouldn't bIame yourseIf.
We Iive in a world,
where you watch the news -
- with thousands of peopIe,
who die aII the time ...
So it doesn't bother me if a girI dies.
It's just because you're close to it.
I just think ... We came down here,
and it wasn't done on purpose.
We did exactIy what we're supposed
to do, and we wouId do it again.
That's the way it is.
I'm very tired. My house was burnt
down, and that's why l'm here.
My mother died,
and so did my littIe chiId.
We were away. OnIy my mother
and the IittIe one stayed at home.
I toId my mother to come along,
but she didn't want to.
You have to teII us
which things were destroyed.
QuiIts, matresses, curtains, pIates and
Iots of otherthings in my house.
May God forgive your mother.
She has become a martyr.
Mini, observe for the fucking pIatoon.
A situation is reported -
- but they move forward anyway.
Let's get the fuck out of here!
Wait!
Oh no ...!
Say something, man!
Is everyone okay? Over.
Negative, negative.
Condition critical.
He can taIk, but has
difficulty breathing. Over.
Copy that. Get him to my position
quickIy. I'll get ready here.
Fuck ...! Here we go.
wiII be here in two minutes.
Copy. We'll start moving him
to pick-up point. Over.
We've sent our caII signs
minus four men -
- who're picking up the Iast bits.
We have a vehicIe to secure us
and expect to arrive in ten. Over.
His condition is stable, but his
left Ieg was amputated at the thigh -
- and his right Ieg below the knee.
He was wounded in the groin -
- and in the abdomen,
but there was no internaI bleeding.
They think he'II survive,
but he was seriousIy wounded.
They've found our weak points
and are making the most of them.
Yes, we're good at attacking
and moving forward -
- but we're heId back because
of those damn lEDs we can't find.
It's aII fucked up.
When you think about it,
you wouldn't feeI guilty about -
- shooting those asshoIes.
I'd feel worse shooting a stray dog.
Right.
On our way back from patroI
we were toId -
- that three men from Romeo 1-5
hit an lED on Highway 1.
At that point, they were category B,
which is seriousIy wounded.
When we got back here,
we were toId aII three were dead.
I think everyone was hoping -
- that we would go down in history
as the first team not to Iose a man.
Then they showed pictures of those
three handsome young men -
- who were smiling,
and whose eyes were shining.
They Iooked happy. I can't take
much more of this, Mads.
- It's really, really hard.
- Yes.
PIease be careful.
Come home soon.
I will.
Anothertwo months to go.
Let's commemorate
ourthree fellow men -
- and honor them and show
our respect with a minute of siIence.
The men are getting tired.
Wahir, where we were doing weII -
- is now infiItrated by the TaIiban.
They know exactIy
how many we are in the camp -
- and when we're up to something
or not. We'll have to see ...
... if ambushing them wiII work.
Is anyone too upset to go?
- l'd Iike to stay home.
- Me, too.
Mads, are you okay?
You don't mind going?
WeII, if you need me,
I'Il come aIong.
Great.
Go get the job done.
You know what to do, so be carefuI.
Give them hell in the morning.
That's the whoIe point.
See you tomorrow.
Safe journey.
One group of enemy forces
reported ready. Over.
Several civiIians
are heading your way.
On the right-hand side
of the men in the back.
Women and chiIdren
are Ieaving the zone.
There are severaI combat indicators.
More famiIies are Ieaving the zone.
There's no mistaking that.
Okay, the Iast lCOM says they've
spotted our patroI and wiII ambush it.
I have a possibIe digger
about 200-250 m north of me -
- at a compound.
Request warning shot. Over.
Copy. Stand by.
- It's a damn kilI zone out there.
- Fine with me, as Iong as they shoot.
AII those on the right,
return to the trees.
- What did you do so far?.
- l gave him morphine in the thigh.
And I gave him Fentanyl.
His pulse was fine.
- Can he have a drink?
- Yes.
Where the hell are those bastards?
- Give me a fucking TaIiban, man.
- Forward!
Let's go, move forward.
- Fuck, they aImost got me!
- Cover forfuck's sake! Cover!
I can't hear you.
We're in the open fieId.
Where are you?
You're on my right
in the open fieId.
- Hold yourfire!
- 3, you're shooting at the trees.
- l'm on the other side, you idiot.
- The Taliban are in the ditch.
What the fuck is he taIking about?
The TaIiban are
in the ditch in front of you.
- Right in front of us!
- DanieI!
- Can you get him with a grenade?
- Yes.
Fire in the hoIe!
Now we neutraIize them.
Kim, over here!
- You're waIking towards each other.
- Frederik was hit!
- There's another one here.
- Frederik was hit in the Ieg.
- Who?
- Frederik. He's lying out here.
- Who was hit?
- Frederik. He's lying out here.
- Kim ...! Go heIp Frederik.
- Hold yourfire!
- Here we are, Frederik.
- ls that guy dead, or what?
Frederik, if you can Iimp,
then Iet's get overto that building.
- Super.
- Where to ...?
- Where to?
- To your right.
Stay here.
I'll take him.
Hey! There's one more here!
And two more over there!
- Easy, easy ...
- They have to fucking die!
- He's already on his way.
- Good job!
- There are three dead overthere.
- Move on, DanieI!
They fired from the corner overthere.
As soon as we've cIeaned up, we ...
- l need you to check my arm.
- What the hell ...? Your arm?
Look at this ...
- lt was stuck in my soft armor.
- Your soft armor?.
- Where preciseIy?
- Look, it's ...
- And through here. And there.
- Shit.
- Damn, that was crazy!
- Hole is cleaned!
Fucking pigs, man!
- AIright?
- Yes.
Good.
Keep your hand stiII.
Try hoIding it upwards.
- 30 seconds ...
- 30 seconds.
- Damn, that was crazy.
- There are five dead in the ditch.
Five dead TaIiban right there?
This feels compIeteIy surreaI.
- Where are those asshoIes?
- l shot this one in the head.
- Damn, it stinks.
- Shut up.
- Let go of it.
- There's one more.
- Wait a sec. You cover me!
- Of course.
This wiII be messy. Oh, you went
commando, you sick bastard.
- Are those hand guns or magazines?
- He had a pistoI apparentIy.
They already stink.
Kim, if you've tried sIaughtering
animaIs, this is no big deaI.
That's a bit much, isn't it?
No guns.
It's a good thing
they aren't any heavier.
What are you packing, buddy?
Okay, get ready to move forward.
How many shots did you fire?
You reaIIy went at it.
- Don't they deserve to die?
- Sure. l don't feeI sorry forthem.
- The water in the stream was red.
- You yeIIed: ''There's no one there.''
And we yeIIed: ''Yes, there is!''
Then you figured it out.
It was a ricochet. It nicked me
and was stopped there.
I have the buIIet in my pocket.
- 40 seconds.
- Pancake!
Way to go!
- WeIcome. We have sodas.
- Sounds good.
Great job.
That was fucking awesome.
- Four of them with a fucking grenade.
- lt was nice.
Fuck, that was great.
This is something we'II never forget.
That was some of the best
fucking soldiering l've ever seen.
You did a damn good job.
They didn't have any lD
or ceIl phones on them.
I had to puII one of them
by the head from under a Iog.
- He was stuck underneath it.
- Yuck. AII the dead Afghans.
Mini, your eyes were huge.
You just stood there staring at them.
The worst thing was with 3.
''They are in the creek.''
I didn't beIieve them, but emptied
a magazine down the creek.
''They're stiII there!''
''No, there's nobody there.''
Hand grenade! l came up, there were
four of them lying there, rattIing.
Then 5 wanted to be in on it, so
he emptied a magazine under the Iog.
- Then SignaIer and I found one more.
- Yeah, he said so.
- Not much fun forthose TaIibobs.
- They were in a bad spot.
OIby, you say four on the first side?
PIus two more on the other side.
- No, only one.
- There were two.
Wasn't there one farther along?
When we turned the corner -
- l'm sure we fired at two of them.
- l searched the whoIe lot.
You went back? Okay. Well, no one
crawIed away after we were there.
Good afternoon.
Everyone's back from the Green Zone.
It was a hectic morning.
I think we aII agree on that.
The wounded are doing alright.
I have a fresh update on them.
- Both were operated on.
- Louder!
One of them in the shouIder,
the other in the Ieg.
Grejs says he's sorry
he won't be coming back.
He's going back to Denmark for
rehabilitation. That's aII we know.
You did a good job
and showed guts, 2nd pIatoon.
Today was a cIose shave.
Anything else?
Have a nice day.
- War booty!
- Loots of war!
Let's start the debriefing.
I want to get through it quickIy,
and get to the point.
Today we can estabIish
that we didn't fire at each other.
There were many instances,
where we were in doubt -
- and mistakes have happened.
I had my doubts that
the enemy was onIy 3 m away.
l hear you hoIIering
that he's cIose by, and I say ''No!''
In the end l was so irritated that l
emptied a magazine down the stream.
I thought that wouId be enough,
but you said no -
- and that's when
we threw a grenade.
Afterwards Signaler and l -
- found four men groaning heaviIy
in the ditch, feeIing rather bad.
We Iiquidated them
in the most humane way possibIe.
under a littIe bridge -
- and we cIeaned the area
and found the shooter lan mentioned.
- He was hit and moaning.
- He was trying to crawI.
- We shot him 30-40 times.
- We finished them off.
- Thanks!
- That was it.
lt was fucking awesome.
Not whiIe it was happening -
- but when we got back. Now we've
been at war. Now we've tried it.
l neverfelt that way on patrol
before. NormaIIy it's just boring.
But this time l thought -
- there was a reaI risk
of being boxed in.
I neverthought that before.
We outnumber them -
- and have cooI weapons, so they
can't touch us. But here they couId.
But I'd still Iike to try it again.
One more time.
I wouldn't.
Think about it! When yourtour is over,
you'II feel so much better about it.
- Yes.
- lt's true.
Making a difference
is a cooI feeling.
Having been up shit creek
wiII feeI great once you're back home.
Imagine if ourtour was just a load
of crap with nothing going on -
- and onIy boring patrols.
- lt would be a Iame way to go home.
- Right.
We're gonna see Frederiks' Ieg.
He has to show us.
- What's up?
- Turn around.
Way to go, man!
- Good to see you, Grejs.
- You, too.
- So, are you hooked up with Brits?
- They are aII bloody Afghans.
- Even some TaIiban.
- Really?
ActuaIIy, one came in with eyes
covered and his hands tied yesterday.
- lf you go back inside, we'II come in.
See you inside.
- Hi.
- Good to see you.
- AweII-placed shot afterwards.
- Brilliant.
The buIIet entered here
and was sticking out of my ass.
- They had to dig it out.
- CooI.
I totally forgot about the pain
because the chopperfIew Iike this.
I don't know if you heard,
but OIby got four with a grenade.
- They were moaning.
- l don't know how many it kiIIed.
But three of them
were Iying in a pile.
You couId only see an ear and the left
side of the head of one of them.
The rest was hanging off him.
Two of them were underneath him.
I thought, ''What the fuck?''
They were on top of each other.
Another was under a Iog,
and another was farther away.
- He was crawIing on the ground.
- No, he wasn't.
So we hit the jackpot in that ditch.
Okay, guys.
Bye.
I've got two things for you.
You definiteIy get the Horse.
- Thanks a lot.
- You deserve it.
You fought with us and with SpeciaI
Forces. Super ... Damn fine job.
Listen up. I was questioned
by the MPs this evening.
ApparentIy someone called home
and told their parents -
- that we Iiquidated
wounded peopIe -
- and piIed up the dead, to take
pictures of ourseIves as heroes.
And that I personaIIy returned
and killed some wounded Talibans.
People have also said that we laughed
about this during our debriefing.
The parents ... or this mother has
contacted OperationaI Command -
- and asked if that is how
we deaI with things here.
What bothers me the most
right now ...
... is the question of IoyaIty.
I have to know -
- if anyone here beIieves
that this is what happened.
Does anyone honestly believe that?
Yes ...?
If l had Iistened to our debriefing
and the sequence of events -
- l would have thought
it was extremely ... deIicate.
I couId understand if outsiders, who
weren't there got that impression.
We were stiII on a high afterwards.
You have to take that
into consideration.
It was an extreme experience,
so we used extreme words.
If the press makes a case of this,
and peopIe think we're psychos -
- well, let them think so.
They weren't there, they didn't see it.
They weren't there,
but we know what happened.
Let them taIk.
They weren't there.
If they make a case out of this,
we'II be suspended -
- and then we'II be blowing bubbIes,
and that's it untiI we go home.
And we'II go down in miIitary history,
apart from those who knew us -
- as the guys who fucked up.
Anyone who's named in this case -
- including myself,
DanieI and Signaler -
- can Iook forward to a Iong session
with the whoIe miIitary circus.
l can't say:
''You weren't there, man'' to that.
I beIieve that Signaler and Daniel had
the balls to do the right thing -
- at the right time.
To proceed the way they did
with two wounded, one near miss -
- and three men with hoIes
in their uniform and so on ...
To waIk up and shoot ... Had l seen
movement, I wouId have fired, too.
And it onIy took Daniel or SignaIer
to point under the Iog and say:
''One here, one there.''
That was enough for me
to fIip to automatic and shoot.
I didn't feeI like sticking my head
down to someone with a gun.
And yes, it was touch and go.
But in my worId you do what you do.
If you have the strength not to shoot -
- because you reaIise that the
movement is not that of a weapon -
- but a surrender or whatever ... lf
you have the strength to realise this -
- you don't shoot, of course,
but had I been there -
- l would aIso have fired, and
I did fire, because I wasn't sure.
That was enough for me.
I think it's hard for peopIe at home
to understand how ...
- How the decision is made?
- How you can just take a Iife.
You have to be here
to understand it.
This place is whacked, after aII.
It's a fucked-up country.
No doubt about it.
People who understand
the war itseIf -
- and how you and l and others feeI
about being here -
- and making a difference,
those people wiII understand us.
Outsiders might sneer
and say that we're insane -
- or that we did something terribIe.
I know l did the right thing.
I know we aII did the right thing.
In case you don't know, I was
questioned by MPs this morning -
- regarding our case with the snitch.
So far it's 'a matter of rumor' -
- which they'II try to quash
at battalion Ievel.
So if you hear anything,
then dismiss it as a rumor -
- because that's what it is.
So it's just a lot of hot air.
It may come back to haunt us -
- but it is a Iot of hot air
without any truth in it.
AIright?
That's it.
Good day.
I have a few things to say today.
First of aII -
- l'd Iike to award SiIver and GoId
Horses for our recent engagement.
The first two are Joe and OIby.
Joe and OIby did something that
others might feeI differently about.
These guys did it. Five
TaIiban were firing at the platoon.
Our guys stormed them with
a hand grenade and neutraIized them.
This takes courage,
and I'm proud of you.
I'm awarding you the GoId Horse,
and you both deserve it.
We'II see if it leads to more.
Damn fine job.
CongratuIations.
WeII deserved.
And one for you, Joe.
CongratuIations.
You deserve it. Give them a hand.
What does it say ...?
Smith is a part-time transvestite -
- and a fuII-time idiot.
Deep thoughts ...
- Not a Iot of deep stuff here.
- The deepest was painted over.
The guys were a bit pissed about that.
Of course there was a lot of shit -
- but there's also stuff which ...
Which was quite cooI to read.
And it wouId be cool to see
your own stuff, if you came back.
''In the North I know the fairest Iand.
My peopIe, my home, my native Iand.''
''Denmark.''
That was quite poetic.
WELCOME HOME
Thanks for your efforts ...
SubtitIes: Wiin % HiIton
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