We were having a discussion about this the other night and I kind of had a revelation, especially since there is a controversy around it now. I think the whole premise behind the movie is as an anti-war flick. It develops the characters and generally makes the soldiers look good and just, but then shows a war that is basically futile, un-winnable, dangerous, and unnecessary. This is in line with the left's now-normal anti-war rhetoric that they learned after Viet Nam. Say that you are for the troops, but against the war. It didn't dawn on me while I watched it, but when a buddy said he didn't understand any of the movie it made me think more about it.