Guest post written by Ryan Killian

Prior to 9/11 one of the big issues in the United States was whether or not we should be getting involved in foreign affairs and taking military action. One such case was Somalia, where an unruly warlord had taken control and caused the starvation of thousands of people. In 1993, Bill Clinton decided to send troops in to take the warlord out. It did not go well. The planning was poor, the enemy was underestimated, and American lives were at stake in a foreign and reckless land. A movie was made about this event, which is called Black Hawk Down.

The movie is called Black Hawk Down because the trouble begins when a Black Hawk helicopter is shot down from the sky. This leaves several highly trained yet vulnerable Americans in the middle of a war zone where they’re the primary target. After watching this movie on Movies on Demand the other night, that I found on tvbydirect.com, I had a much greater appreciation for those who have to suffer through such intense and life-threatening situations. I can’t imagine having to go through what these soldiers went through. I felt myself out of breath several times throughout the movie.

Did the American soldiers survive? If you’re not familiar with this story, it’s highly recommended that you watch the movie Black Hawk Down. It’s not only entertaining, but highly educational in many ways.