Watch National Bird

National Bird is a powerful documentary film released in 2016, directed by Sonia Kennebeck. The film focuses on the lives of three courageous individuals who have spoken out about the United States' drone warfare program. They have revealed the dark side of the drone program, which is responsible for the deaths of countless innocent civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other countries.

The film begins with the story of Heather Linebaugh, who worked as a drone analyst for the Air Force. Heather tells her story of how she became disillusioned with the drone program when she saw the innocent lives being taken by the drones. She watched helplessly as the drones killed innocent mothers and children, and realized that she could no longer be a part of this program. She eventually decided to speak out against the program, knowing full well the consequences that could come with such a decision.

The film then shifts to the story of Daniel Hale, a former Air Force intelligence analyst who worked on the drone program. He explains how the drone strikes are carried out, and how they can often be based on faulty intelligence. He also describes the psychological effect that these strikes can have on the drone operators themselves. One particularly poignant scene shows Daniel sitting alone in a dark room, as he describes the feelings of guilt and hopelessness that accompany his work on the drone program.

The final story in the film is that of Lisa Ling, a drone strike survivor. Lisa describes how she lost her brother and her son-in-law in a drone strike that was meant to target a Taliban commander. The strike also killed several innocent civilians, including her two family members. Her story highlights the devastating impact that drone strikes can have on innocent families, and how they are often carried out without regard for the lives of those who are not targeted.

Throughout the film, the stories of these three individuals are woven together with interviews with other experts and individuals who have been affected by the drone program. Their stories shed light on the secrecy and lack of accountability that surrounds the drone program, which allows the US government to carry out strikes without fully understanding the impact of their actions.

The film also uses stunning footage captured by the drones themselves, showcasing the power and precision of the technology. However, the beauty of the footage is offset by the horrific scenes of devastation and suffering caused by the strikes.

National Bird is a poignant and thought-provoking film that challenges the viewer to confront the consequences of the US government's drone program. The film does not take a stance on the use of drones itself, but rather seeks to raise awareness about the often-overlooked aspects of the program, such as the impact on innocent civilians and the psychological toll on the operators. The stories of Heather Linebaugh, Daniel Hale, and Lisa Ling remind us of the human cost of war and the importance of speaking out against injustice, even at great personal risk.

National Bird is a 2016 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 75.