The Chicken Commander - Icelandic Afghanistan Documentary (English Subtitles)

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The Chicken Commander (2005) is a unique film about a few Icelandic civilians, from a country that has no military, suddenly bearing arms at garrison KAIA (Kabul Airport) after only two weeks of basic training in Norway. At the center is the garrison commander Halli, who was transformed from an air-traffic controller in Reykjavik to a high ranking officer in a NATO army. The commander gave unprecedented and uncensored access to his garrison and the close to 2000 multinational troops stationed in the war torn country of Afghanistan. Through the often naïve eyes of the Icelandic men we experience the environment, both inside the camp and outside and get to know their emotions and sometimes humorous vision towards their own experience.
Text by IDFA Forum

[@mickparly]

Great job. Monthy Python could not have made a better satirical/sarcastic video on war footage from Afghanistan. I just love it.

[@thatnorwegianguy1986]

They are wearing Norwegian camo with icelandic flags thats pretty cool

[@mrgt4500]

Love how the sound of the guns are just pasted over the real sound to make them sound more agressive

[@halsbakkan7617]

Island kan ikke engang tørre deres egen røv! Danmark og Norge er deres luftvåben og Nato gider dem bare fordi er er strategisk vigtige. Hele verden skider på de opreklamerede snotunger!

[@RonPwyreless]

As the great Commander Chicken said "Shit Happens!"

[@Heretican]

6:35 Oof, that wouldn't go down well if said today, shows how different things have gotten

[@KonradAdenauerJr]

This is an interesting documentary about Iceland's small -but unique- contribution to NATO's mission in Afghanistan.

[@inkeeper1]

I am a Icelander and I have to say why was a none military personal in charge of any thing military. We have people that where and are soldiers that have a proper training. People that served in the Norwegian army or the Danish. I have an uncle that was in the Norwegian army and he had a lot of training and was in the royal guard at one point. He was also sent to Afghanistan to train the afghan military. He had also extensive leader ship training. Why was not asked one of those people that had proper training to do this job. Maybe that would mean that Iceland has professional troops and that is not good for the images of Iceland?

[@toomuchlean3020]

Þetta er frekar heimskulegt

[@NorwegianNationalist1]

@odin gave his eye to acquire knowledge You are some american larper, please stop

[@pantagana123]

Great documentary upon which I can conclude: we should let ppl from Iceland to rule the World. Think it would be much safer place to live at, in all aspects.. ***cheers for Iceland!***

[@bassiboiii761]

Thx mate

[@Alekpowah]

Iceland has military personell? Also, was really surprised to see AG3's in the cabinet, until i read that its from 2005 ^^

[@thomasnorb4077]

+Aleek91 They were supplied by Norway. We have an agreement that lets them serve in our forces. We use the HK416/417 now.

[@MannenFromNorth]

We still have those damn AG3s in 2020 :') But again, good, nice and accurate rilfes, nice to have around even tho it isn't used in conflict at all anymore, from what I know atleast.

[@hoshengkerkuk1029]

Shit happens

[@commentsforeveryone]

the words that ended Iceland's first military venture

[@joelm33]

You don't call loosing a testicle a catastrophe! I'm disappointed

[@bigcahoona7931]

Holy shit.....you guys make me nervous the way you handle weapons.....they're not toys ffs!

[@pona61]

Hyvä Islanti muutama raja ennenkuin sinne yltävät. No Ollaan RAJANA Afganistaniin 🇫🇮

[@mickparly]

Really good satire.

[@billn.1318]

6:35 is so icelandic

[@icesar8211]

they are from my land

[@alex25377]

Wait so i as an Icelander can sign up to go to the army, where and how! ???

[@apimyfriend]

Better ask your country that.

[@alex25377]

***** Wow that nice. I was just wondering. What is it that you and your team do ? do you serve tours in a war?

[@alex25377]

***** Okey what the hell did i do? i really want to sign up for the army to try and make a better world! I thought since you were a soilder that you could educate me a little from your personal experience. Pardon me if i offended you in some way?

[@alex25377]

***** My question may have sounded like i was mocking you, i see that when i read over it, and it had some grammar fails. Sorry for that. All i was asking was what jobs would i be provided with when i arrive with the group i would get after i sign up

[@alex25377]

***** So you cant answer me? You got mad ad a commerat for asking a simple question?

[@mickparly]

Even if this "war footage" is one big sarcastic and very funny joke, it's it also at the same time very sad, because so many soldier and civilians have lost their lives in this war - from the beginning, mission imposssible. Among the dead so many wonderful young people on both sides. This video, though some might be offended by it, merely exhibits the futility of this war. In a nutshell it exhibits the war effort of the western countries. Although many of the real deployed soldiers have taken the mission seriously and really seriously wanted to fight for a better world, they have basically clowned around in the same way as these postulated Icelandic soldiers. Mainly because their leaders did not know what they was sending them out to and had no long-term strategic plan.

[@thebigg2415]

Funky shit !!

[@jevicci]

13:24 What is he doing to that man's head?

[@MrNevped]

Looks like some type of Treatment, headache neck pain etc , Prob inherited from Chinese Last Century

[@Fabzil]

In many poor country, after a shave of haircut, the barber will ask you if you want head massage. They then massage your head and maybe use a bit of lotion. It cost a bit extra money. Some day you accept, some day not

[@azmraykvishtaspa2743]

I was afghan and now i live in Reykjavik Iceland 😉

[@elvarorri6475]

Hope you like it :D

[@carpetclimber4027]

Shit weather, cool people.

[@bassiboiii761]

@@carpetclimber4027 not always shitty waether it depends

[@Kentirir]

Why are they using Norwegian gear?

[@northwaymx6219]

ex norwegian soldiers? idk lol

[@carpetclimber4027]

Because Norway is the closest to Iceland and have a military.

[@MannenFromNorth]

Icelanders were originally norwegians and a part of norway till Denmark took over our land and most of the big overseas territories. But we kept a close relationship with the Icelanders and kept almost a constant duty to act as their defence force even today. So naturally Icelanders who wants to serve will mostly be sent over to Norway to train further and use our equipment which is just as much as theirs as ours since we act as one.

[@MannenFromNorth]

@@Clipgatherer Independent law and jurisdiction within their own island yes, but still apart of the norwegain "veldet". Kinda like how Greenland is today apart of Denmark. The basics was the same with Iceland and Norway.

[@MannenFromNorth]

@@Clipgatherer That's saying it very lightly, but yeah basically.

[@stefanp.knudsen2482]

tilykke med 4457 subs 2 i dag

[@joelm33]

Give up after the first scrape... Typical -_-

[@jevicci]

This is SO weird seeing Icelanders in a military capacity.

[@jevicci]

Really? So you're used to seeing Icelanders in militaristic situations? Please elaborate.

[@alex25377]

jevicci nobe not at all, i just found out we had millitary activity today, i am shcocked but excided because now it means i can sign up for the army i guess?

[@TraustiHraunfjord]

Alex Þór Sigurðsson Alex. Láttu skrá þig aftur inn á klepp. Aumingjar eins og þú sem vilja fara í stríðsleiki og drepa annað fólk, er andlega fatlað. Ef þú einhverntíman ferð í stríð sem hermaður, þá vona ég að þú verðir skotinn í hausinn sem fyrst, því ef þú ert viljugur til að drepa aðra, er þér best að fara þá leiðina sjálfur. Svo reyndu að sjá að þér og haga þér eins og manneskja.

[@alex25377]

Trausti Hraunfjord Þú skalt læra að passa orðabragð þitt. Ég er að sjálfsögðu ekki að fara skrá mig í herinn, var bara einfaldlega að öðlast fróðleiks. Ég er ekki að fara eyðileggja líf mitt í ad fara í stríð, kanski lifa og kanski deyja, þott eg lifi verð eg að eylífu skaddaður. Ég er með betri plön en það. Eftir Stúdentinn mun ég flytjast til Hafnar (Kaupmannahöfn) þar mun ég ganga til Skóla, til að öðlast Háskólagráðu í Lögfræði. Þú hefur engan rétt til að haga þér svona gagnvart öðrum. Þú ert eitthvað snargeðveikur...

[@TraustiHraunfjord]

Alex Þór Sigurðsson Gott að heyra Alex, að þú hafir betri ætlanir en að fara í stríðsleiki úti í heimi. Ég þekki fólk persónulega sem hefur misst vini og fjölskyldumeðlimi vegna innrása NATO í fjarlæg lönd, og ég á lítið til af gælu-orðum fyrir þá sem slík voðaverk styðja. Auðvitað hef ég allan rétt á því að nota ORÐ til að lýsa mínum skoðunum, og ætti það að vera mun betra en ef ég færi að nota kúlur og sprengjur til að koma mínum vilja fram. En þar með sagt get ég líka dregið til baka mín stóru ljótu orð í þinn garð, þar sem það er komið á hreint að þú ert ekki með ætlanir um að fara út í heim til að hjálpa ofbeldisseggjum að drepa og drottna yfir þeim sem minna mega sín. Eigðu góðan dag og þakkir fyrir að hreinsa upp þann misskilning sem ég fékk frá að lesa þín fyrri skrif.

[@josefstalin7933]

But iceland havent army????

[@mclarenm1]

More like a civil contractor

[@pona61]

Nukkukaa Hyvin 🇫🇮🇫🇮

[@stinamanni]

Lol "All those hundreds of thousands of Russians who were killed here" 14,000 Russians were killed haha

[@ivangamer8022]

haha how pathetic... helping to destroy their country and asking the afghanis to raise his chickens

[@aquilifergroup]

Amateurs

[@elfaroskarsson4288]

Ekki einusinni hálvitar, qvart vitar.

[@TraustiHraunfjord]

elfar oskarsson ... frekar ÓVITAR. Annars kallast qvart vitar "kvartarar".

[@iloveketchup20]

elfar oskarsson Þessir menn þorðu að vera þarna annað þið aumingjarnir. Þið eru að drulla yfir þessa menn á meðan þið eru feitir og latir hangandi í tölvuskjá heima hjá ykkur.

[@carpetclimber4027]

I'm only a northern Swede speaking no Icelandic, but I think you consider this a joke and that they should not have been involved and stayed at home. If I'm wrong, I need to learn more Icelandic.

[@TraustiHraunfjord]

As an Icelander, I must say that I am seriously ashamed. MY Iceland is not a country that condones military operations, invasions etc. And military outfit is NOT something Icelanders should be wearing. That being said, I do completely understand that anyone who is a part of an invading force in a foreign land, should be expected to carry weapons... but Iceland should NOT be a part of such abusive forces, and in this only shows that Iceland should not be a member of NATO or any other aggressive/oppressive military organization. At around 31 minutes into this documentary, 3 of the Icelanders are given an extra stripe or whatever crap, for who knows what... I really cringed looking at that crap... playing soldiers as grown up Icelanders... that is just sick. A place under occupation, as Afghanistan truly is, should not be a workplace for Icelanders. The politicians who are responsible for these men having been sent there, should be thrown out of an airplane over Afghanistan.... with or without a parachute. Shameful beyond what any of my (many) words can describe.

[@Cbr0749]

I met an Icelander in Kosovo during a joint mission with the French foreign legion, what do you think about the Icelanders there? I think it is better those who want to serve join the Danish or Norwegian armies as i did (faroese)

[@harryb8945]

The majority of the role of Icelandics in Iraq and Afghanistan was to destroy explosive devices. They have saved countless military and civilian lives in those countries. And Afghanistan is not under a occupation. They have there own democratic government all we have done is remove the totalitarian and brutal dictator ship of the Taliban, who protected international terrorists and would be head a young girl for going to school.

[@TraustiHraunfjord]

There is nothing humble about them breaking the law and playing soldiers, getting other people killed in the process. It is CRIMINAL and PATHETIC.

[@XbenXdoverX1337]

You're making a fool of yourself, these people have not getting been getting people killed. They've probably saved countless lives (both civilian and military) by removing IEDs.

[@TraustiHraunfjord]

No Ben Dover. If anyone is making a fool of themselves here, it is you. These Icelandic chicken DID get people killed due to being over there. A teenage girl among the dead. A suicide bomber tried to blow the Icelanders up (which would not have happened if they hadn't been there), resulting in civilian casualties. So keep your ignorance to yourself, and stick to the facts. Thank you.