[Lee Jong-gil's Movie Reading] The Taliban Fled, But... No One Could Claim Victory

True Story of the Afghan War Movie 'Out Post'

Based on the Battle of Keating Outpost where eight U.S. soldiers were killed and thirty-one wounded

Realistically recreated sets and long-take filming vividly convey the horrific situation

Shows the struggle of ordinary young men amid unfavorable terrain, sluggish communication, and blind faith in advanced weaponry

Most films about the Afghanistan war are based on true stories. Victories are rarely celebrated. Paul Katis's "Kilo Two Bravo" (2014) depicts the desperate fight of British troops trapped in a minefield. Pavel Lungin's "The Last Battle" (2019) portrays the withdrawal of former Soviet troops under attack by the Mujahideen. Peter Berg's "Lone Survivor" (2013) depicts the "Operation Red Wings," in which nineteen U.S. special forces soldiers were killed.

Next month's release, director Rod Lurie's "The Outpost," also points to a tragedy. It is the Battle of Keating Outpost, where eight U.S. soldiers were killed and thirty-one wounded. The vividly recreated sets and long-take filming realistically convey the horrific situation. The film honors the noble spirit of sacrifice by adding photos of the fallen soldiers and recollections from surviving comrades.

These are not military spies or special forces assigned special missions. They are ordinary infantrymen. They have no personal feelings toward the Taliban. They simply fight desperately to survive. Director Lurie focuses on all the factors that pushed ordinary young men to the brink: immature outpost setup, failure to communicate with local residents, reliance on advanced weapons, and so on. This is why the U.S. struggled in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years.

Unfavorable Terrain

The Taliban regrouped in 2004 in the Pashtun region of Pakistan. The U.S. had to monitor to prevent troops and weapons from crossing into Afghanistan. They established a line of outposts along the border. Keating Outpost, about 16 km from the Pakistan border, was a General Outpost (GOP) conducting surveillance operations and preparing for Taliban infiltration. However, due to unfavorable terrain, it was essentially a Guard Post (GP) that was attacked almost daily for about 18 months.

Keating Outpost was set up on low hills in the Kamdesh Valley of Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. While accessibility made supply easier, the movement of troops was fully exposed to local highland residents and the Taliban. The harsh environment is vividly depicted in "The Outpost." Sergeant Clint Romesha (Scott Eastwood) and Sergeant Michael Scusa (Scott Coffey), dispatched there, are horrified by the outpost surrounded by mountains on all sides.

"The Taliban must have a killer view from up there, right? They keep popping out from those bushes, firing a few shots, and then running off." "Shouldn't the outpost be set up on the hilltop?" "Do as you're told, Scusa."

Communication That Could Only Be Sluggish

The U.S. military established Keating Outpost despite the unfavorable terrain to build friendly relations with local residents. This effort is shown through Captain Benjamin Keating (Orlando Bloom) in "The Outpost." He constantly requests cooperation from village elders. "We are trying to separate the Taliban from the residents. That way, the residents won't suffer. If you help us, we can offer money and contracts. We will also support your businesses."

The negotiations were impossible from the start. In Afghanistan, collective identity is formed not on a nation-to-nation basis but on ethnicity, tribe, and clan. There are fourteen tribes mentioned in the national anthem. The major tribes include Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, and Hazara.

There is a long history of hostility and conflict among these groups. The Pashtun have ruled Afghanistan for over 200 years but lost power in 1992 to a coalition of Tajik and Uzbek forces. Feeling threatened, the Pashtun concluded that the Taliban had the strength to maintain their influence.

American leaders and policymakers were unaware of Afghanistan's complex tribal relations. Like in the Vietnam War, they unintentionally antagonized many tribes. As a result, they only provided a framework for the Taliban to expand their power. Pakistan leveraged this situation to steer the Afghan war in its favor.

Poor Supplies and Blind Faith in Advanced Weapons

Exhausted by continuous friction with local residents, the U.S. military effectively used Keating Outpost as a GP. Soldiers were unsure why they had to guard such a remote post. They slowly grew weary from repeated ambushes. However, they did not consider defeat. At the time, U.S. forces had fighter jets constantly stationed overhead, able to arrive at the combat site within 30 minutes.

"The Outpost" also features the AH-64 Apache, which turns the tide of battle. In reality, an F-15E fighter jet arrived first. However, due to its high-altitude flight characteristics, it could not bomb without ground controller instructions. The 900 kg bombs it carried were formidable weapons capable of annihilating all life within a 500-meter radius. There was a risk of massive U.S. casualties.

The AH-64 Apache also faced difficulties. When diving toward Keating Outpost, it was exposed to Taliban RPG-7 portable rockets fired from the mountainside. This danger is well depicted in "Lone Survivor," where all rescue forces aboard a CH-47 helicopter are killed.

Soldiers who could not receive timely air support found it difficult to fight properly. Their supply rifles, M4A1 carbines, broke down under continuous fire. They faced the same problems their grandfathers encountered handling M16s during the Vietnam War. Ammunition ran out. The situation escalated to the point where they called for "Broken Arrow," a code for indiscriminate bombing even at the risk of friendly casualties.

Fortunately, the U.S. forces suffered no damage from the 16,000 kg precision-guided bomb. However, watching the fleeing Taliban, no one spoke of victory. Like Lieutenant Andrew Bundermann (Taylor John Smith), who weeps before Captain Stoney Portis (Trey Tucker), they remain immersed in sorrow. "I'm sorry. This is not the time to cry..." "It's okay to cry now."