STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Reuters) – Eddie Ray Routh was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Tuesday after a Texas jury found him guilty of murdering Chris Kyle, the former U.S. Navy SEAL whose autobiography was turned into the hit movie “American Sniper.”
The Washington Post has a long article on President Obama’s attitude toward military action. This issue is especially important because “the president faces mounting pressure to send more troops to Iraq to help in the battle against Islamic State extremists,” as reporter Greg Jaffe puts it. The administration officials that Jaffe spoke to have an interesting explanation for the president’s reluctance to intervene further in Iraq. It’s all about the troops.
Jaffe’s piece begins with a dramatic tale from 2012 regarding the president’s meeting with a mortuary affairs team in Afghanistan, an experience, we are told, that was part of his growing reluctance to sacrifice American lives abroad:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is honoring Chris Kyle by setting aside a day in his memory, Abbott announced his intention in his most recent speech.
Since it’s apparently American Sniper week at the ole Editor’s Blog, allow me to offer an explanation for the surprising success of American Sniper at the box office last weekend.
In a triptych of tweets last night, Ross Douthat succinctly explained the controversies swirling around best picture nominees Selma and American Sniper:
The popularity of Clint Eastwood’s new drama ‘American Sniper’ has boosted the sales of pro-military clothing. A number of pro-military retailers said they had seen a noticeable spike in sales since the movie premiered across the country last weekend. One retailer had even seen his orders more than double.
The Hollywood Reporter has a fantastic look at the astounding success of the Clint Eastwood hit film, American Sniper. The analysis provides incredible insight into how this film shocked the industry to break box office records last week.
