This Is What War Looks Like | Chain of Command
MAN: [inaudible].
MAN: They're right here. They just went in this building. Enemy just went into this building. [inaudible].
CAPTAIN QUINCY BAHLER: Sayidi, I need them to say that nobody is in there.
MAN: [inaudible].
CAPTAIN QUINCY BAHLER: Are there friendly forces in here? No friendly.
MAN: [inaudible].
CAPTAIN QUINCY BAHLER: OK, that's all I'm asking, man. That's what I'm asking.
NARRATOR: This is what war looks like. When you're a captain in the US Army. When you're less than 1,000 yards from the front lines. The last grid doesn't help me. I'm asking them to confirm or deny if that's them. Sayidi, is this you? Is this you? Is it Daesh or friendly? That's all I'm asking.
NARRATOR: When you're working alongside Iraqi generals. [inaudible].
CAPTAIN QUINCY BAHLER: [inaudible] clear hot, approved. General Ali.
NARRATOR: When making the final calls that are the difference between who lives—Clear hot, clear hot.
NARRATOR: And who dies. [applause]
CAPTAIN QUINCY BAHLER: They have to seize the objective, so they still have about 3 kilometers to get to the Tigris. So this is one victory for today, but there's weeks of fighting left.
NARRATOR: Officially, Bahler and the Americans are here only to advise and assist. But the strikes they're ordering will come from the American-led coalition planes in the sky.
CAPTAIN QUINCY BAHLER: Sayidi, two Daesh on a vroom right there. Yeah. [inaudible] Are they reviewing the tape? Yeah, they did review. It's a possible weapon.
NARRATOR: Captain Bahler does this all day, trying to make sure what he sees on his screens is right.
Captain Bahler for Captain Fitz, please.
NARRATOR: That ordering a strike will kill an ISIS fighter and not an Iraqi soldier or civilian. [inaudible] strike request.
MAN: It's at strike, sir. [inaudible] [bleep]. Hey Dan, just for your SA, we've got 200 dynamic on a moto. And we've got General Ali here wanting us to strike it. I think it could go a long way if we can get these guys to approve rapidly. Yeah, they're traveling straight towards friendlies. We've got to start working the strike. Let's go.