"Baghdad ER" - The Iraq War from a Military Doctor's Perspective

"Baghdad ER" makes its mark as a modern docudrama in its clear, raw depiction of reality and the way it takes its stance on the controversial Iraq war. The striking grotesque details and the select scenes of life in the Middle Eastern hospital add to the drama behind the battle overseas ordinary people are being sent to fight.

Certain parts of the film rendered it unforgettable. Clearly the most gripping aspect of the video was the unapologetic and revealing looks at blood and gore. Seeing a severed arm, blatant nudity, and dripping blood is what interests and captivates people because they are not often allowed to be seen by the public. The raw quality of the footage makes one queasy and uncomfortable but people cannot look away.

Seeing people in their grief is captivating as well. That which most people do not see everyday, such as when people are genuinely most vulnerable and helpless, are what viewers want to see maybe because it lets us feel privileged to be able to see such things. Also, because people often do not see footage of such authenticity and intensity, it is intriguing because it affects them so much; American countrymen are being sent to battle and what the film shows viewers could be what is happening to someone close to them. US citizens in general know so little about the controversial battle that they are directly or indirectly involved in that any glimpse at the war is fascinating and desired. While the carnage was painful to watch, it was new and indicative of what people probably do not know.

The filmmakers were able to impart to viewers how murky the situation is by showing little of the "enemy" and really only the effects of battle on Americans. There is no effort put forth to really understand Iraq and its people. Viewers also feel the unrest of doctors concerning the battle and how they disagree with the war so ardently. The film suggests that no one really knows who or what they are fighting or why and all they can do is try and restore life, live with humor and compassion, and wage war until the fight is called.

The soldiers seemed to have little understanding of the actual foreign culture of Iraq itself. Doctors referred to the area as "dirty" and called Iraqis "assholes," which illustrates the attitude that Americans (the medics, at least) have toward the country and its people. As far as the soldiers, they have to look at Iraqis as potential threats in order to survive and must treat them with caution. We understood their pain when they cried and their confusion by their laughter and drug use. It just seems to them that Iraq is only a place to fight that is of a different climate and language and with different tactics to learn to avoid.

The film imparted little of Iraq and politics so people of other nations could hardly understand America's purpose in the country. This docudrama is definitely too self-involved in that it quite adequately depicts the struggle by the US but fails to show the reasoning behind it or the problems of Iraq or other nations involved. All we saw was the great effort of the soldiers and doctors against immediate threats but since viewers see little of the Iraqi nation, insurgency or government, it is difficult to grasp the need for American troops in the country. If anything, the emotions and injuries suffered by Americans shown in the film may only reinforce the beliefs of certain foreign peoples that the purpose of fighting is insufficient; viewing the film in another nation would probably only support the beliefs of those that the Iraq war is wrong.

Seeing so much carnage in addition to the extreme emotion is discouraging even for supporters of the war. It is also hard to see because the doctors admit they see little change after being at war so long and after so many deaths of American and Iraqi soldiers and civilians. It seems the only reason the doctors are working so hard is for the sake of humanity and military duty; they do not see the point of the war.

After five years, more than 4000 soldiers have died in the war, according to iCasualties; countless have been injured. An Army report says 115 soldiers committed suicide in 2007. At least 20,000 civilian injuries on top of the maximum reported 7798 deaths, and 8,000 of these injuries were in the Baghdad area alone. The doctors in the film refer to the war as senseless while they pray. They talk little of politics, handle medical issues, and turn to religion to carry on.