Spike Movie's Iraq War Vet Ex-Marine Earns Applause for Denouncing the War

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The first part of Spike TV's mini-series, The Kill Point, on Sunday night featured a scene in which an Iraq war veteran bank robber holding hostages earned applause from a crowd outside the bank when he denounced the war. Walking outside the bank to meet the police negotiator, “Mr. Wolf” played by John Leguizamo (IMDb bio), a former Marine Corps Sergeant who served a year in Leavenworth for disobeying an order that apparently led to the deaths of other Marines, removed his shirt and pants to show scars from his war wounds. He proclaimed: “I didn't spill my blood for this country for freedom to have it taken away when I came home. I got some demands because they took everything away from me,” citing the loss of medical coverage for his wife after his conviction. “Wolf” shouted his demands: “I want a flak jacket for every soldier in Iraq! Because our stupid-ass government doesn't think that they're necessary. And I want the son of every Senator who voted yes for this war to sign up for active duty.” That led to applause from the civilians in the street watching the unfolding drama, with a few even jumping up and down in approval.

As detailed in July 18 and July 20 NewsBusters postings, the eight-hour mini-series is centered around a group of Iraq war vets who rob a Pittsburgh bank, but end up taking hostages when police arrive before they can flee. The CBS/Viacom channel mini-series about the siege began Sunday night with a two-hour premiere and will air weekly in one and two-hour installments on Sunday nights through August.

The rant from the bitter ex-Marine as he stood outside the bank addressing the negotiator, police snipers and the crowd, an event carried live on local television:

I love my country, man. I fought for my country and I would die for my country. Do you think I wanted to end up here? Do you think I wanted guns in my face again, man? No way. No freakin' way. But I came home to sickness and nightmares. You know when I close my eyes you know what I see? I see the faces of the soldiers and civilians that I killed, that's what I see. I spoke to my captain and he makes me talk to a shrink who doesn't know shit. Then the God damned government smokes me out with their lies and away goes my pension, away goes my medical. And if my wife gets sick, who's going to pay for it? Who's going to pay? I pay. We pay. I served my country, man. I served 15 years I gave, 15 years. Who's going to protect me? Who's going to protect me, huh, who?

So I started this and look where I am, man, look where I am, back in the firing line. So maybe you should shoot me, go ahead, maybe you should shoot me. I'd rather die than go to jail, that's for damn sure. I didn't spill my blood for this country for freedom to have it taken away when I came home. I got some demands because they took everything away from me, okay.

I want antibiotics 'cause I got injured in there. And I want a flak jacket for every soldier in Iraq! Because our stupid-ass government doesn't think that they're necessary. And I want the son of every Senator who voted yes for this war to sign up for active duty. You get me those things! And I'll leave here. I'll ask for bus and a chopper and I'll disappear. Got that?

Spike's page for the mini-series.