Full Battle Rattle

For many American soldiers, the last stop before being shipped out to Iraq is the Mohave Desert in California. Not to get used to the climate, but because there, nearby Fort Irwin, the U.S. Army has built a billion-dollar replica of Iraqi territory. Spanning a thousand square miles, 13 Iraqi villages are host to Americans of Iraqi origin who perform as terrorists, police officers, children and housewives. In total, 1,600 extras are employed there. The goal is to recreate lifelike situations to get the soldiers acquainted with the chaos of patrols and attacks. All the extras wear vests that can be hit with laser pistols, and conflict scenarios are played out in great detail. follows the adventures of a battalion in the village of Medina Wasl. Filmmakers Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss are less concerned with the absurdity of "Little Iraq" than the unbelievable complexity of war situations, and the possibility to make the right decision when caught by surprise. The U.S. Army gave the filmmakers two uncensored weeks to shoot their documentary. Now for the big question: Why all the transparency? If you ask Gerber and Moss, it's because "this is one thing about the war that went according to plan."