US troops commander praises Oscar-winning drama

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2010 (AFP) - The commander of US troops in Iraq on Tuesday praised Oscar-winning drama The Hurt Locker, saying that unlike some media coverage it showed the complexities on the field.

General Ray Odierno said he watched The Hurt Locker, a nerve-jangling film about a US Army bomb disposal squad in Baghdad, after a copy was sent to him last year.

"What I like about it is it shows first the camaraderie that is required here -- the tension, the risk that's involved in some of the jobs that we do here," Odierno told the PBS Newshour on US public television.

"I'm sure many people would say it could be a bit more accurate in some areas, but I believe it's a good representation of the sacrifice, dedication that it takes here," he said from Baghdad.

But Odierno indicated that he was no easy movie critic, saying he was sometimes disappointed with films as well as media coverage of US operations in Iraq.

"I think people don't understand how complex the environment has been here over the last several years," Odierno said. "I don't think they understand what it takes for these young men and women to operate in this environment."

"They have done extremely well balancing non-violence and violence, having to be able to determine who's bad and who's good, who's trying to kill you, who's not," he said.

The Hurt Locker scooped six Academy Awards on Sunday including best picture and best director for Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win the honour.

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