I love stuff like this, because it is the anti-Hollywood version of the war. If you are tired of all the negative films and documentaries about the troops and the war like I am, then you will be glad to know that this series is very pro-troops and gives a very different view on the war. Lots of excellent footage of our guys doing a tough job over there and kicking ass. Thanks to Doug for bringing this series to my attention. –Head Jundi
About the Documentary Series (from the website)
The ‘Outside the Wire’ series of four documentaries about Iraq started when JD Johannes went to Iraq with his old Marine Corps unit in 2005 to produce syndicated television news reports.
Johannes returned to Iraq in 2007 to see ‘The Surge’ and the ‘Anbar Awakening’ first hand.
The 2005 trip resulted in the the release of the original ‘Outside the Wire: Call Sign Vengeance’ which follows one Marine infantry platoon through their deployment to the Fallujah area in 2005.
The 2007 trip resulted in three documentaries: ‘Danger Close’, ‘Anbar Awakens’ and ‘Baghdad Surge’.
‘Danger Close’ is an up-close, in-depth look at a complex attack by Al Qaida on small, distant U.S. Army outpost on the edge of the Euphrates river valley. JD Johannes was the only reporter to witness the attack and followed the US Army paratroopers into combat–nearly getting himself killed.
‘Anbar Awkens’ shows the greatest turn-around of the Iraq War–the tribes of Al Anbar province joining with the coalition to fight Al Qaida–from the perspective of the Jumayli tribe. The Jumayli tribe–with no prompting from the Coalition–turned on Al Qaida and engaged in a serious gun-battle with Al Qaida before formally joining with the coalition.
‘Baghdad Surge’ is a look at the surge from asphalt level. This episode follows a U.S. Army infantry Captain through a ‘day-of-the-surge’ and the modern three-block-war.
The interviews with Soldiers and Marines were conducted at the Combat Outposts they lived and worked at by JD Johannes.
With the exception of digital animations and brief clips of insurgent video–everything was shot by JD Johannes.
Nothing was staged, recreated or rehearsed. The bullets, bombs, blood and bad guys are all real.