Frontline: Afghanistan and ‘Obama’s war’
The photo of the flag raisers on Iwo Jima long been an emblem of U.S. efforts in World War II; photos from My Lai still represent the Vietnam war for many. After eight years, however, there is still no single image that has defined the Afghan war. A new PBS/Frontline documentary, “Obama’s War,” contains footage and images of the war that haven’t been seen on American television screens until now.
The film begins with the death of a U.S. marine, Lance Corporal Seth Sharp, who is cut down by Taliban fire during a battle in Helmand province last summer. We speak with Seth’s father Ric Sharp and Danfung Dennis, the photojournalist who captured the footage, about the power of images in the Afghan war. Martin Smith, co-director of “Obama’s War,” also joins us.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.