John Krasinski plays Jack DaSilva, one among those who “had the courage to do what was right” on September 11, 2012 when terrorists attacked the State Department and CIA compounds in Benghazi, Libya.
Krasinski believes with regret that the movie has become a political tool exploited by liberals and conservatives.
Foremost, he opined, it should be a tribute to the bravery of the six heroes, two of whom, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, died, as did Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and communications specialist, Sean Smith.
Can politics be separated from the story? That any one of them survived is a miracle; those six men stood and fought to protect American lives and property and stood and fought alone.
Had it been a story with made up heroes and villains, RPGs and shootouts, it could be dubbed a good movie by action film lovers. But this is a real story about real people living amongst us in this day and time, and the “political” questions are unavoidable.
Why, in a failed state, in the midst of escalating tensions and recent departures of personnel from facilities of allies was there a drawdown rather than a buildup of security?
Where was the protection the Ambassador and Smith should have had from the local security force paid to guard the compound? Where was the help they should have had as soon as possible – and it would have been possible – from their fellow Americans, military or civilian?
It doesn’t seem right to call 13 Hours a “good movie.” Rather, it did a good job bringing the audience into the tensions, the emotions and the chaos that erupted that night. And, at times through tears.
The reality of political correctness, of reputation versus lives of fellow citizens – the realization that they were on their own, that help was not coming shocks the sensibilities.
You wonder – what would I do in such a situation where I had no help?
These men were heroes who had the stuff of heroes within them. Their only choice was whether to do nothing, or to put themselves out there no matter the cost.
God bless them, and RIP Stevens, Smith, Woods and Doherty.
Enterprise Extra 