The Atlantic
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The U.S. Failed Thousands Who Risked Everything in Iraq and Afghanistan
Posted
September 11, 2018
Views
17,421
Likes
351
Comments
41
Engagement
2.25%
September 11, 2018
17,421
351
41
2.25%
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19:03Now PlayingMatt Zeller joined the U.S. Army after 9/11. “The idea of not serving at that moment was something I couldn’t fathom,” Zeller says in a new short documentary, premiering on The Atlantic today. Directed by Hunter Johnson and Daniel Klein, Brother is the poignant story of a heroic act that led to a life debt, an indelible friendship, and, ultimately, a fierce fight to rectify a betrayal by the U.S. State Department.
On April 28, 2008, Captain Zeller, his company of 15 soldiers, and one of their Afghan translators, Janis Shinwari, were ambushed by 50 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. “I was 26 years old and I realized, ‘I’m gonna die here. Right now. I die today,’” says Zeller in the film. Then, Shinwari noticed two fighters approaching Zeller from behind. In a split second, the translator body-checked the captain to the ground, shot the approaching fighters, and dragged Zeller to safety. “All of the sudden, there was this guy, standing right over me,” Zeller remembers. “He gave me the gift of life in the most fundamental way.” Zeller didn’t even know his name.
"Brother" was directed by Hunter Johnson and Daniel Klein. It is part of The Atlantic Selects, an online showcase of short documentaries from independent creators, curated by The Atlantic.
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