'12 Strong': When The Afghan War Looked Like A Quick, Stirring Victory

When Army Capt. Mark Nutsch and 11 fellow Green Berets jumped off their helicopter into the swirling dust of northern Afghanistan in October 2001, their Afghan partner informed them they would be battling the Taliban — on horseback.

"In that situation, they're certainly not going to give you their very best horses," Nutsch said dryly.

Many Americans may be weary of the war in Afghanistan. But the producer of 12 Strong, Jerry Bruckheimer, has been making military-themed blockbusters for decades (Top Gun, Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor) and is betting big on this true story from the first days of the battle back in 2001.

The movie, which opens Friday, is based on the exploits of Nutsch, Pennington and other Green Berets dropped into Afghanistan barely a month after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Nutsch and Pennington are helping to promote the Warner Bros. film, based on the 2009 book Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton.

The mission was unconventional warfare in the extreme. - NPR

'12 Strong': When The Afghan War Looked Like A Quick, Stirring Victory